Tag: WWE Smackdown

Opening Bell: Lesnar gets Raw, Dynamite explodes into Fyter Fest

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage for the week of July 11.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, July 11, AT&T Center, San Antonio

It’s almost certainly not like this at WWE HQ, but it occasionally feels like someone says, “oh crap, SummerSlam is coming up fast, we better start promoting the main event!” Roman Reigns did his part on SmackDown this past Friday, making a now somewhat rare appearance.

Brock Lesnar will return the favor tonight, as WWE is telling the world that the Beast Incarnate will be on this week’s show. We’re not exactly sure what he’s going to do, but the official Raw preview poses the question, “what will Lesnar have to say about squaring off with Reigns one last time?”

Someone may get an F-5. If my name rhymed with Saul Layman, I’d probably just stay in the back when Lesnar is out in the ring.

AEW Dynamite preview – Fyter Fest Week 1 – Wednesday, July 13, Enmarket Arena, Savannah, Georgia

Of the themed episodes of AEW television, Fyter Fest might be right near the top. Not because there’s a special gimmick match or anything like that, but simply because its name is partially a reference to and parody of an infamous event that may otherwise have faded from the memory of everyone except those unlucky enough to attend it.

In any case, Fyter Fest Week 1 will be coming in hot with a three-way tag team championship match featuring the Young Bucks defending against both Swerve in Our Glory and Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks. The big question here is whether the challenging teams will be able to focus on the gold since they have long-running beef with each other.

Here’s what else to expect on Wednesday night:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, July 15, Amway Center, Orlando

WWE has fairly often not provided any clue as to what to expect on SmackDown recently until it is close to the show (as in sometimes the same day), but has helpfully given Orlando-area fans two matches to look forward to come Friday night.

The first is one of the trends we dislike, a Championship Contender’s Match where you have to beat the champ to get a shot at the champ for their title. In this case, the champ in question is Liv Morgan, and the wrestler gunning for another chance to face her with higher stakes is Natalya. Considering Liv already has a formidable foe lined up for SummerSlam in Ronda Rousey, she’ll hope to get past Nattie as quickly as possible.

And after saying last week he’d like to see if it’s possible to stuff the entire Money in the Briefcase inside the big mouth of Theory, Madcap Moss will get the chance to do just that. Smart money says he fails, even though plenty of people would love to see him succeed.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, July 15, Enmarket Arena, Savannah, Georgia (taped on July 13)

This really is a red letter week as even Rampage has a few matches that have been revealed ahead of time. With the next ROH event less than two weeks away, it’s only right that the company’s world champion, Jonathan Gresham, is in action against Lee Moriarity, particularly since Gresham sold out Moriarity mid-match last week and aligned himself with Tully Blanchard. As one does.

Plus the Lucha Bros. take on Private Party in a tag team match that should give AEW fans who have down since day one pleasant memories of 2019. We mean that in a good way, too.

WWE SmackDown live results: Roman Reigns appears, Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus

Get up to the minute WWE SmackDown live results from the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, where Roman Reigns is scheduled to appear.

Another week, another bit of WWE news that has the whole world talking. But the show, as they say, goes on, and in this case that means SmackDown in Fort Worth.

WWE has actually released a fairly detailed preview for tonight’s show. In what should be the main event, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus will renew their longstanding acquaintances, with something very personal on the line: the right to challenge the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at Clash at the Castle. Considering that stadium show is close to being a home event for that men, it’s an honor they’ll fight hard to secure.

And who will the undisputed champ be come early September? That depends on what happens at SummerSlam, when Roman Reigns defends his titles against Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match. Even if he wins, Reigns needs to be wary about Theory and his Money in the Bank briefcase, as the former United States Champ has already hinted at cashing in. Reigns will be on SmackDown live tonight and will quite possibly address the threats to his dominance that both men present.

SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan hasn’t held her gold nearly as long as Reigns, but she’s been an enthusiastic breath of fresh air since cashing in her Money in the Bank contract the same night she won it. She’ll also be on SmackDown in Fort Worth.

Last but certainly not least, Max Dupri finally got to titillate the juices of the WWE Universe last week with the debut of his Maximum Male Models. They’ll be back for more this week, showing off the 2022 Tennis Collection.

Sounds like a pretty full show, and if you can’t watch live, we’ve got your back. Just bookmark this page and return throughout the evening for the latest WWE SmackDown live results.

WWE SmackDown live results: Last stop before Money in the Bank

Check out WWE SmackDown live results from the Footprint Center in Phoenix on the night before Money in the Bank.

‘Twas the night before Money in the Bank, and all through the house … er, Footprint Center, not a creature was stirring, except for six of the women in the women’s ladder match on Saturday. Yep, one of tonight’s announced matches for SmackDown is a six-woman tag team match with all but one of the women who will be battling for the briefcase Saturday night.

The one who isn’t in this bout? Why, Becky Lynch, of course. Probably figures she’s above such things. In any way, it should be interesting, especially since not really any of the women involved are heels. Does Shotzi count? And perhaps it remains to be seen with Lacey Evans, but WWE sure seems to have positioned her as a face so far.

Fightful Select reports that we’ll find out who the last combatant in the men’s ladder match is as well, considering there is still one spot remaining. The original plan was to have it up for grabs between Ezekiel and Kevin Owens on Raw, but when K.O. was forced to miss the show, that obviously changed things.

The other match that WWE has promoted for this episode of SmackDown is New Day vs. Viking Raiders. The Raiders returned to WWE programming last week and left zero doubts that they’d be heels this time around when they destroyed New Day and Shanky … and to mess up the old Don Henley song, all they wanted to do was dance. We’re guessing there will be no dancing tonight as Erik and Ivar look to reacquaint themselves with the WWE Universe.

If you can’t watch SmackDown this week, that’s exactly why we’re here. Bookmark this page and check back throughout the evening to get the latest WWE SmackDown live results from the Footprint Center in Phoenix as they happen.

Opening Bell: John Cena returns on Raw, Blood and Guts on Dynamite

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage for the week of June 27.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, June 27, Sames Auto Arena, Laredo, Texas

Hit the trumpets! After being gone for some time thanks to a busy schedule of Hollywood roles, John Cena returns to Raw to celebrate 20 years in WWE. It seems like only yesterday when he was the Doctor of Thuganomics, but it was, in fact, more than a decade ago. Along with celebrating his many contributions to the company, expect a party crasher by the name of Theory to set up a match for SummerSlam.

Also, Kevin Owens‘ quest to prove Ezekiel and Elias are the same person hit a major bump in the road last week, when Elias performed his first concert in month, then broke a guitar over K.O.’s back. Enraged, Owens challenged Ezekiel or Elias or “their even younger brother” Elrod to a match for Laredo, so the fun will be seeing which one of them walks down the ramp.

AEW Dynamite Blood and Guts preview – Wednesday, June 29, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

It’s time for Blood and Guts, the match that threw Chris Jericho off a steel cage last year. Times have changed, however, with Jericho now leading the Jericho Appreciation Society, definitely not the fan favorite faction (alliteration is great) this time around. They’ll go up against the Blackpool Combat Club, newly bolstered by the arrival of Claudio Castagnoli during Forbidden Door.

But there is tension on the BCC side as well, with the combustible Eddie Kingston not always getting along with the Club members proper. That could be an issue in a match this intense.

Also, expect to see fallout from Forbidden Door, because it was a great show bound to reverberate through AEW programming in various ways.

WWE SmackDown – Friday, July 1, Footprint Center, Phoenix

Pat McAfee isn’t just a podcaster and announcer with the strongest leg in the universe. He’s acquitted himself well in a WWE ring so far, even if his 1-3 record doesn’t quite show it. Now he’s engaged in a war of words with Happy Corbin, and feeling good enough about himself to call Corbin out for a match at SummerSlam. Happy is expected to give his answer to the ex-NFL punter on Friday, and we’d be surprised if he doesn’t accept.

AEW Rampage – Friday, July 1, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit (taped on June 29)

AEW hasn’t released any info yet for this show, mostly thanks to it having two big events in less than a week. One thing to watch for is Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee, who were victorious on the Buy-In at Forbidden Door but then immediately under verbal assault from Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs. Another showdown between the two teams would make a lot of sense as the featured match on Rampage this week, but we’ll have to wait until Wednesday, most likely, to see.

WWE SmackDown live results: Ricochet gets his rematch with Gunther

Check out WWE SmackDown live results from Austin, Texas, as Ricochet gets a rematch against Gunther and Drew McIntyre speaks.

Can anyone stop Gunther? It’s a fair questions and one that might get answered tonight on WWE SmackDown from Austin, Texas.

The Ring General has only been on the main WWE roster for a few months, but he’s already made quite the impression, running through everyone in his way. That includes Ricochet, who was the WWE Intercontinental Champion and on a pretty nice run of his own … until he ran into Gunther.

The question is what Ricochet can do the second time around that’s any different than the first. But like they say, that’s why we watch.

Another Superstar with gold on his mind is Drew McIntyre. But his sights are set on the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship held by Roman Reigns. How can he get his shot at the Tribal Chief? He’s planning on letting the world know tonight.

If you can’t watch the action as it happens tonight in Austin, bookmark this page and check back as we update it with the latest WWE SmackDown live results.

Opening Bell: Forbidden Door sneak peeks on Dynamite, Asuka vs. Becky on Raw

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage for the week of June 20.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, June 20, Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska

Money in the Bank qualifiers are always important, but one this Monday will be particularly personal. Asuka and Becky Lynch will clash again, with only the winner going on to vie for the briefcase on July 2. Will this finally be the start of Becky’s big comeback, or will the Empress of Tomorrow prove to be a thorn in her side again?

Also, Elias is back! Still tormenting Kevin Owens, Ezekiel has promised that his older brother would return to Raw in full concert mode. Not sure how this is going down for … reasons, but should be a lot of fun, as this whole angle has been highly entertaining.

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, June 22 – UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee

Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi will go head to head this coming Sunday at Forbidden Door to find out who will be Interim AEW World Champion. But first, they’ll join forces on Wednesday to battle Chris Jericho and Lance Archer, two men who know NJPW and its Ace. It’s “can they coexist?” in the finest pro wrestling tradition.

Another important piece of Forbidden Door will be settled when the final AEW spot in the All-Atlantic Championship Match is decided. Penta Oscuro and Malakai Black have had plenty of clashes to date, but this one has arguably the highest stakes yet.

Also scheduled for Dynamite:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, June 24 – Moody Center, Austin, Texas

Ricochet was having a solid run as Intercontinental Champion until he ran smack into Gunther, who thrashed him but good while taking his gold. He’ll get a rematch against the Ring General this week, but it remains to be seen if he’ll fare any better.

We’ll also see a Money in the Bank Ladder Match qualifier between Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn, which has some fun subtext since Zayn’s recent failure made Roman Reigns have to defend his championships against Riddle … though since that turned out fine in the end, maybe the Tribal Chief isn’t mad at Sami. Maybe.

Also announced for this week:

  • Shotzi vs. Aliyah in a Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match qualifier

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, June 24 – UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee

Somewhat surprisingly, AEW hasn’t announced anything yet for its final show before Forbidden Door, one that will air on TNT just two nights before the joint card with NJPW in Chicago. That said, because this is being taped on Wednesday after Dynamite, we’ll know by the end of that show most of what to expect on Friday.

There’s still time for more matches to be added to Forbidden Door, for sure, so expect that to be the case right up through Friday night.

Vince McMahon came out first on SmackDown just because he could

Vince McMahon didn’t acknowledge the investigation he’s facing or stepping down as CEO, and that was never the point of his SmackDown appearance.

“I mean, it’s what you expected, ain’t it?”

Those words come from Jay-Z in the intro to the 2006 Nas song “Black Republican,” but they’re just as applicable to Vince McMahon and what he did to lead off WWE SmackDown on June 17.

Leading off the show, McMahon came down the ramp to his familiar “No Chance” entrance theme, raising his arms as he first stepped on stage. The fans at the Target Center in Minneapolis greeted him with a mix of boos and cheers, but definitely more of the latter.

Once he stepped between the ropes, McMahon told the crowd what a privilege it is and has always been to be in front of them. He pointed out the company’s “Then. Now. Forever. Together.” motto, placing a special emphasis on the final word.

McMahon then welcomed everyone to SmackDown, chucked the microphone down and promptly left, handing out high fives on his way back up the ramp. The whole thing lasted only a minute or two, as you can see below.

That was it. No mention at all of the firestorm swirling around WWE this week, one that Vince McMahon is very much at the center of since it was caused by the Wall Street Journal report on the board investigation into his alleged misconduct — including payments he supposedly made to a now departed WWE employee to keep quiet about their affair, and others made on behalf of both him and John Laurinaitis to ensure people stayed quiet.

He also didn’t wish his daughter Stephanie McMahon well as she temporarily steers the company as interim CEO and chairwoman. That was necessitated by Vince stepping away from those roles while the investigation plays out, one of two press releases WWE sent out on Friday morning.

The other was a one-sentence announcement of Vince’s SmackDown appearance. Immediately, one school of thought was that it was just a way to spike the ratings, with reports suggesting that behind the scenes — particularly with Vince remaining in his role as head of creative — it was going to be “business as usual.”

That impression came across loud and clear in the surreal and somewhat pointless segment. Vince McMahon booked himself to open the show because he could. He didn’t talk about the controversy because he was in Mr. McMahon mode, acting as the on-camera authority of WWE. That’s not changing, no matter what storms are swirling behind the scenes.

In hindsight, it seems obvious now. There wasn’t going to be any act of contrition, and probably couldn’t be for legal reasons since the investigation into Vince is still ongoing. People backstage were reportedly incredulous as the segment was playing out, but as bizarre as it was, it was also strangely and completely logical at the same time.

Vince McMahon opened the show because he knew you’d be watching. He knew you’d be waiting to see if he said anything, even though he was never going to. It was a ratings stunt.

And when the numbers are reported, we’re probably going to learn that it worked.

Shameless? Absolutely. But surprising? It really shouldn’t be.

WWE SmackDown live results: Vince McMahon to speak, Riddle gets title shot against Roman Reigns

Get WWE SmackDown live results from the Target Center in Minneapolis, with Riddle challenging Roman Reigns and an appearance by Vince McMahon.

WWE would undoubtedly prefer that all of its fans felt like they couldn’t miss any episode of SmackDown, but tonight’s broadcast from the Target Center in Minneapolis figures to have the whole wrestling world tuning in.

Vince McMahon has been at the center of a firestorm this week after the Wall Street Journal reported that he was the subject of a board investigation into alleged payments made to cover up an affair with an ex-employee and misconduct by him and John Laurinaitis. WWE announced earlier today that he would appear on tonight’s show, though in what form is unclear. Reports suggest it could be a pre-taped segment, but if he actually walks into the ring live, it promises to be surreal viewing.

The show should be big in less controversial ways as well. Riddle has been on a quest to get a title match against Roman Reigns to get some payback for Randy Orton, and it’s reached its ultimate goal. Can the King of Bros do the unthinkable and take the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship away from the man who’s had an iron grip on the gold for so long?

Madcap Moss has an even more personal score to settle with Happy Corbin, and he’ll look to do that tonight in a Last Laugh Match. And Max Dupri will reveal his first recruit for Maximum Male Models, probably to the chagrin of Adam Pearce in some way.

Add it all up and it sounds like a SmackDown that’s going to be quite the topic of conversation all weekend. If you can’t watch live on FOX tonight, simply bookmark this page and check back as we update it with the latest WWE SmackDown live results as they happen.

Vince McMahon stepping aside as WWE CEO, will appear on SmackDown tonight

A pair of WWE press releases revealed that Vince McMahon won’t serve as CEO while an investigation into his alleged misconduct is ongoing, but he will appear on the June 17 SmackDown.

Vince McMahon won’t be CEO and chairman of WWE for the time being, and Stephanie McMahon’s time away will apparently be cut short.

In a joint press release this morning, WWE and its Board of Directors announced that effective immediately, Vince McMahon was stepping down from both of his familiar roles with the company. The move is a direct response to the ongoing investigation into payments made to cover up alleged affairs and other misconduct by Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this week.

“I have pledged my complete cooperation to the investigation by the Special Committee, and I will do everything possible to support the investigation,” Vince McMahon said in the release. “I have also pledged to accept the findings and outcome of the investigation, whatever they are.”

Until those findings are made, Stephanie McMahon will serve as WWE’s interim CEO and chairwoman. It’s a quick change in the status quo for Vince’s daughter, who had announced a leave of absence to focus on family on May 20.

Vince McMahon will remain in charge of creative for WWE programming for the time being, and he’s already made an eyebrow-raising decision by booking himself to appear live on SmackDown tonight. WWE revealed that choice in a second press release that was short and to the point: “WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Mr. McMahon will appear on SmackDown tonight at 8 pm ET live on FOX.”

While it seems almost inconceivable that Vince McMahon would speak at any length without addressing the very large elephant in the room, it’s also hard to fathom what could be gained except a chance to offer some public contrition — not typically his style, but these are extraordinary circumstances.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the crowd at the Target Center in Minneapolis reacts when Vince McMahon makes his way out onto the stage. There’s also a heavily publicized Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Riddle scheduled for tonight, so there should be no lack of talking points to close out a roller coaster week of WWE news.

Opening Bell: Tribal Chief defends his gold, Jericho has his hair at stake

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage for the week of June 13.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, June 13, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, KS

The Judgment Day received a big shakeup last week, with Finn Balor joining and then immediately assisting with the ouster of Edge from the group. Now Edge is out with a (storyline) injury, so there’s no fear of immediate reprisals. That leaves the stable free to plot a new course, which WWE says it will do Monday night.

Speaking of injuries, Cody Rhodes suffered one of the more notable ones in recent memory, and he’s now out recuperating from successful surgery to repair his torn pec. But while the American Nightmare said he was ready to move on from Seth Rollins, the Visionary had different ideas, attacking Rhodes one last time for now. WWE says Rollins will “answer” for his attack, so look for him to possibly be booked against some tough competition.

AEW Dynamite Road Rager preview – Wednesday, June 15, Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis

Once upon a time it felt like AEW was getting a little carried away with themed episodes of Dynamite, but it’s cut back on them to the point where Road Rager is a bit of a breath of fresh air. The card is suitably loaded, headlined by a three-way Ladder Match for the tag team titles, with Jurassic Express defending against both The Hardys and Young Bucks.

Chris Jericho is also putting something on the line against Ortiz … but it’s his hair, not a championship. The former Inner Circle teammates turned bitter rivals will do battle, and someone will be bald when it’s over.

Also advertised for Wednesday night:

  • An All-Atlantic Championship qualifier sees Miro go head to head with Ethan Page.
  • Wardlow battles 20 of the plaintiffs in the security guard class action lawsuit. No, really.

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, June 17, Target Center, Minneapolis

This is a big one. After jumping through several hoops to get the attention of Roman Reigns, Riddle finally got what he wanted by defeating Sami Zayn last week in a match that stipulated he’d get a Undisputed WWE Universal Championship shot if he won. Can Riddle get some payback for his buddy Randy and win some serious gold? Probably not, but you won’t want to miss it just in case he pulls it off.

Also expected for this week’s show:

  • Madcap Moss and Happy Corbin will meet in a Last Laugh Match, which we assume will end the feud between them, one way or another.
  • After running into travel issues last Friday, Max Dupri will reveal his first recruit for Maximum Male Models.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, June 17, Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis (taped)

Rampage has been live more often than not the past few weeks, but this week’s episode reverts to its more typical pattern of being taped at the Dynamite show for the week, which in this case is in St. Louis.

AEW hasn’t officially announced anything yet for this episode, but we’ll update this post as soon as there’s something set.