Tag: xavier woods

Kofi Kingston expected back ‘shortly,’ will reteam with Xavier Woods

The return of Kofi Kingston would be a welcome one for WWE fans and sounds like it is on the horizon.

Kofi Kingston has been out of action since March due to an ankle injury, but it appears he’s on track to get back in the ring relatively soon.

In this week’s latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required), Dave Meltzer noted that Kingston is starting to be promoted for upcoming WWE shows, and that while those events are still a few months away, Kingston has been “ahead of schedule on the recovery” from ankle surgery.

The former WWE Champion and New Day stalwart was injured when Drew McIntyre accidentally landed on his leg during a battle royal, requiring surgery to clean up both bone and ligament damage. He’s commented that his in-ring return will hopefully be “sooner than later.”

Meltzer also said that Kingston will be reunited with Xavier Woods as a tag team when he’s back. As members of The New Day, they’re among the top tag teams in WWE history, with historic numbers for both title reigns and longest reign to their credit. It would be fun to see them go up against current tag team champs Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, for sure.

And perhaps there’s still a chance the entire group will be back together at some point as well. Big E, who has been on the shelf for more than a year to recover from a broken bone in his neck, said in April that his neck is feeling great, and that he continues to hit important marks in his recovery.

There’s still no timetable for an in-ring return for Big E, but his presence around WWE events and initiatives has picked up. With Kingston on the way back as well, there’s a chance for a full fledged reunion of The New Day before the end of 2023, and that would be something fans would undoubtedly love to see.

Panthers S Xavier Woods praises Bryce Young’s ‘silent swagger’

Xavier Woods is the latest Panther to publicly praise Bryce Young, lauding the rookie QB for his “silent swagger” on Thursday.

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Ironically enough, there’s been no shortage of praise for Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young from the early stages of organized team activities. And after receiving a few endorsements from linebacker Shaq Thompson and offensive lineman Brady Christensen on Thursday, the rookie got two more thumbs up from another veteran.

That vet was safety Xavier Woods, who joined NFL Total Access later that afternoon. When asked how he can tell that Young has “it,” the seventh-year defender lauded the No. 1 overall pick for his overall vibe.

“Just the swagger,” Woods replied. “Just his persona. How he carries himself. Just not only in the weight room, but on the practice field, man. He got that silent swagger. You can definitely tell that he knows, that he’s top-tier. But he’s humble with it, man.

“Being a first-round draft pick, it’s gonna come with a lot of expectations and whatnot. But I’m pretty sure he knows he can carry it—and just the way he carries himself, it shows.”

What also shows is Young’s arm. The 21-year-old passer impressed onlookers on Thursday, piecing together a sharp throwing display throughout the morning practice.

So, uh, should the Panthers stop the praise now, or . . . ?

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WWE Raw results: KO, Sami run into unholy alliance

Find out what went down on the May 15 episode of WWE Raw from Greensboro, with Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch and more.

Sometimes when you want to leave something in the past, it just keeps running to keep up with you. And sometimes that thing running at you also finds you, pulls you out of a match, destroys you outside the ring and then challenges you to a match so that the whole world is waiting for you to respond on WWE Raw.

If that sounds like your personal story, my condolences. It definitely applies to Cody Rhodes, who made the logical assumption that once he defeated Brock Lesnar at Backlash, that would be the end of things between them.

Alas.

Now WWE says we will hear from the American Nightmare tonight in Greensboro, giving his answer about whether he will accept Lesnar’s challenge to fight again at Night of Champions. As the Magic 8-Ball might say, signs point to yes.

Someone who hasn’t had to fight anyone in a little bit is WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther since he’s newly arrived on the Raw roster. Tonight’s show will feature a battle royal to find him a No. 1 contender, which should definitely be interesting.

There’s big happenings in the women’s division as well. Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will defend their titles against the annoying but no less dangerous threat of Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. And Becky Lynch is scheduled to appear after surprising Trish Stratus last week, and you know she isn’t coming just to talk if Stratus is in Greensboro in person.

Update: Morgan was apparently injured last week so the tag team title match is said to be off. We’ll see how that plays out.

WWE Raw results from Greensboro:

  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn see the title challenge from Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa as a gift as it gives them a chance for revenge on Reigns, but a visit from The Judgment Day inevitably turns to fisticuffs

  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. The Miz by pinfall
  • Adam Pearce confirms Liv Morgan was injured on SmackDown so the tag team title match is postponed, but because of the griping from the challengers, Chelsea Green is going to have a singles match with Raquel Rodriguez
  • Corey Graves introduces his previously recorded interview with Seth Rollins, who talks about his desire to effect change all the way back to his NXT days … and of course, the chair shot heard ’round the world that ended The Shield
  • Gunther figures an introduction might be necessary considering he started his impressive Intercontinental Championship reign on SmackDown, and says one man has a chance to both become his next challenger and earn his respect; press ‘X’ to doubt that last part

  • Mustafa Ali wins a Battle Royal to become No. 1 contender for the WWE Intercontinental Championship that includes Ricochet, Apollo Crews, Bronson Reed, Matt Riddle, Chad Gable, Otis, Baron Corbin, Von Wagner, Johnny Gargano, Dexter Lumis, JD McDonagh, Riddick Moss, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, Mace, Mansoor, Humberto, Angel, Eri, Ivar, Akira Tozawa and Xyon Quinn; last eliminating Reed and Ricochet

  • Becky Lynch says “Thank you Trish” for hitting her and calling her daughter stupid, because that turned on a light in Becky that had been off for a while … and she’ll show how thankful she is when she kicks in Trish’s head at Night of Champions

  • Rhea Ripley and Natalya have a difference in opinion about respect, and the SmackDown Women’s Champion says she will end Nattie’s career if she ever sticks her nose in the champ’s business again
  • Ali doesn’t want to hear any negativity from Alpha Academy, but Gunther says he feels regret for him for traveling halfway around the world to lose and get the beating that goes with it
  • Dominik Mysterio def. Xavier Woods by pinfall
  • A video promo hypes JD McDonagh, who says the Irish Ace is here to stay; he also says live that he attacked Dolph Ziggler during the battle royal to make a statement
  • Indus Sher deg. Local Talent by pinfall, and Jinder Mahal tells the announce team their future is written in gold
  • Imperium pays a visit to KO and Sami, who tell them they’ll fight next week
  • Cody Rhodes tells the story of the scorpion and the frog, accepts Brock Lesnar’s challenge for Night of Champions and says that Brock isn’t the Next Big Thing any more — he’s simply in Cody’s way
  • Candice LeRae takes exception to the way Zoey Stark is talking about Nikki Cross and Candice’s “family” and the two women agree to settle things in the ring next week
  • Raquel Rodriguez def. Chelsea Green by pinfall … but Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler arrive afterward to beat down Rodriguez on the stage
  • Paul Heyman has been talking to Imperium, that can’t be good

  • The second part of Graves’ interview with Rollins covers the time right up to his pursuit of the World Heavyweight Championship and his motivation for wanting to win it: to push the industry forward
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall thanks to interference from Imperium

WWE Raw results: Cody Rhodes’ misfortune is Seth Rollins’ gain in World Title tourney

Brock Lesnar made his presence felt on Raw in a way that directly affected the tournament.

If there’s such a thing as May Madness (and if there is, we’re likely going to hear about it from Legal), WWE’s got it for tonight’s episode of Raw from Jacksonville.

Why, you could very reasonably ask? Because the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament, kicks off tonight, that’s why. Two Triple Threat matches will narrow a field of six down to two, with the winners doing battle later this very night to determine who will go on to Night of Champions later this month to fight for the right to be the inaugural wearer of the new big gold belt.

WWE has helpfully revealed who will be in each of the first round tournament matches. One will see Cody Rhodes, Finn Balor and The Miz square off, while the other features Damian Priest, Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. Those combinations set the stage for lots of fun possibilities for the Raw semifinal, including things like an all Judgment Day affait.

(Of course, we have our own ideas on how things should play out.)

The other segment WWE is promoting ahead of the episode is the return of Trish Stratus. The women’s wrestling icon and WWE Hall of Famer seems to have gotten the better of Becky Lynch both physically and psychologically over the past few weeks, as Lynch hasn’t been on TV for a while. But Stratus might not want to be too cocky when she appears on Raw tonight, because when The Man comes back around, there just might be hell to pay.

It’s also the first show where the post-WWE Draft rosters are in effect on Raw, so expect to see some new faces as well.

WWE Raw results from Jacksonville:

(click on any match with a link for full details)

  • Cody Rhodes says he discovered at Backlash that Brock Lesnar could be defeated, and that he’s now completely focused on the World Heavyweight Championship, so he says let the tournament begin
  • Damian Priest doesn’t really want to discuss his loss to Bad Bunny but does think he and Finn Balor will battle in the semifinal later tonight
  • Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura and Damian Priest in a World Heavyweight Championship Tournament first round match by pinning Nakamura
  • “You’ll still be Imperium in five minutes, right?” Imperium wants Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to know Gunther is coming to Raw next week, but their insistence on not being bothered seems like it’s going to lead to a match
  • Mustafa Ali def. Otis by pinfall
  • The Miz reminds the world that he’s a history maker and will have respect put on his name when he wins the tournament\
  • Finn Balor def. Cody Rhodes and The Miz in a World Heavyweight Championship Tournament first round match after Brock Lesnar attacks Rhodes and Balor pins Miz
  • Rhea Ripley def. Dana Brooke by submission, then is confronted by Natalya but leaves without any fisticuffs breaking out
  • A video package shows all of the NXT performers who got drafted to Raw, and one of them, Zoey Stark, challenges Nikki Cross for her first Raw match
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn def. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) by pinfall
  • Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green are busy getting signatures on their petition to get a rematch for the tag team titles, and The Way is nearly all back together backstage
  • Zoey Stark def. Nikki Cross by pinfall
  • Dominik Mysterio and Xavier Woods talk their way into a match later tonight, while Akira Tozawa wanders off
  • Trish Stratus is worried because Becky Lynch is missing, and says Lynch will be found but won’t be coming to “her” show … except she’s 100% wrong, and The Man gives her a quick beating before insisting she’s come around to kick Trish’s ass
  • Dominik Mysterio def. Xavier Woods by pinfall
  • Indus Sher says they’ve been waiting for their chance to strike; The Miz accidentally ends up with a match against Nakamura next week; Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez find out Deville and Green started their petition thinking they would be facing Damage CTRL for the tag team titles
  • Rhodes says this is the second time that Lesnar has attacked him from behind for no reason, so he says “let’s fight” at Night of Champions
  • Seth Rollins def. Finn Balor by pinfall to win the World Heavyweight Championship Tournament semifinal

WWE Raw results: Seth Rollins, Solo Sikoa match becomes a 7-person brawl

Also on tonight’s card are Jimmy Uso vs. Matt Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura on Miz TV.

Part of the Raw roster for May 8 and beyond is set. The rest of it will fall into place on tonight’s episode from Forth Worth, Texas.

Thanks to Night One of the 2023 WWE Draft, Raw has 24 wrestlers on its roster, including Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch and all of Imperium. But the other half of the WWE talent pool remains ready to be selected on Night Two, which just so happens to be tonight.

One of the big names yet to be chosen is Brock Lesnar. Not only is he generally not involved in the draft, getting to be a free agent who floats between brands, he’s also in the middle of a program with Rhodes. You’d think WWE would send them to the same brand, but it’s certainly not guaranteed since Lesnar and Rhodes will do battle at Backlash and the new rosters take effect on the following Raw.

(Note: Lesnar ended up as a free agent after all, see below.)

Two people who already know they’re going to be on Monday nights going forward are Shinsuke Nakamura and The Miz. Conveniently, we’ll see them interact tonight, as the King of Strong Style will be a guest on the A-Lister’s latest Miz TV segment.

There’s also an intriguing singles match that WWE announced this afternoon. Jimmy Uso still doesn’t know where he and Jey will be plying their trade, as The Usos are in tonight’s draft pool. But while the brothers are undoubtedly still stinging from their championship rematch loss to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn — not to mention their failure in a bout they dedicated to the Tribal Chief — Jimmy won’t have time to reflect tonight as he’s up against Matt Riddle.

WWE Raw results from Fort Worth:

(click here for WWE Draft picks for each round tonight and click on any match with a link for more details)

  • Triple H comes out to welcome everyone to Raw and to Night Two of the WWE Draft; oh, and Brock Lesnar isn’t eligible to be drafted after all, having renegotiated his status as a free agent earlier today
  • “If he’s upset with me now, he’s really not going to like this one.” Paul Heyman says The Usos’ draft fate is TBD, but while addressing the “jokes” in the Raw locker room, he says the word “freakin'” a few too many times and accidentally summons Seth Rollins, who issues his own spoiler about winning the World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions; that brings out Solo Sikoa, who will face Rollins later tonight
  • Adam Pearce asks Cody Rhodes not to start up any chaos with Brock Lesnar but gets no promises
  • Bayley and Dakota Kai def. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez by pinfall
  • Booker T (Raw) and wife Sharmell (SmackDown) head out to deliver the next round of draft picks
  • “Good luck with that.” Pearce makes the same plea to Brock Lesnar that he made to Cody, but well …
  • Braun Strowman and Ricochet def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
  • The Bad Bunny-Damian Priest hype video is played again
  • Shawn Michaels and Adam Pearce are out to announce the next round of WWE Draft picks, but Brock Lesnar decides he wants to head to the ring now, Pearce sends out a phalanx of security guards, and Rhodes tries to get him a piece of Brock and ends up getting trapped by all the guards instead
  • Matt Riddle is excited that he got drafted to the same show as the tag team champions so they can hang out all the time, but Kevin Owens is not as psyched about that
  • Matt Riddle def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall
  • Eric Bischoff (Raw) and Rob Van Dam (SmackDown) head out to make the next round of WWE Draft picks
  • Jey Uso asks why Sikoa wasn’t at ringside for Jimmy’s match, and Heyman says Solo needs to stay concentrated on his assignment tonight
  • Shinsuke Nakamura joins The Miz for Miz TV, and the A-Lister ends up eating a Kinshasa, as you might expect
  • Omos def. local talent in a quick squash match
  • Road Dogg and Molly Holly are next to introduce the Round 5 WWE Draft picks
  • The Judgment Day is happy to be staying together on Raw, and delivers messages to Zelina Vega and Bad Bunny in multiple languages, but the LWO responds with a rousing speech from Rey Mysterio
  • Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley def. Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar and Zelina Vega when Priest pins Rey Mysterio after a South of Heaven
  • Rhodes admits Lesnar is in his head but says that while Brock usually gets what he wants, he won’t on Saturday
  • Bianca Belair says it doesn’t matter what show she’s on as long as she can represent, and Damage CTRL comes by to tell her that IYO SKY will beat her at Backlash, to which Belair accuses Bayley and Dakota Kai of holding SKY back
  • Teddy Long (Raw) and JBL (SmackDown) are out to deliver the sixth and final round of draft picks
  • Xavier Woods say The New Day will inject a little more energy back into Monday nights
  • Seth Rollins vs. Solo Sikoa ends in a DQ as the Usos invade the ring, quickly followed by a brawl that involves Owens, Zayn and Riddle that ends the show

WWE SmackDown results: Xavier Woods gives his all but can’t dethrone Gunther

Did Xavier Woods earn Gunther’s respect, take his title … or both?

So good to see Xavier Woods getting his first ever Intercontinental Championship opportunity, even if he’s likely to lose. He tries to get off to a quick start by sticking and moving, and he’s not afraid to put Gunther in a headlock either.

Wade Barrett notes that the champ sent the rest of Imperium to the back, effectively saying he can handle this on his own. After a commercial break, it’s pretty much all Gunther.

Woods tries to rally but gets thrown backward with a double underhook suplex and needs to kick out from another cover. Xavier is at least hanging in, with Michael Cole giving him credit for still having a shot.

Gunther verbally berating him lights a fire under Woods, who trades shots surprisingly well with the champ. A jumping forearm shot puts Gunther on the mat, but he manages to slide to the floor. Woods hits him with a swinging kick through the ropes, then launches himself into a tope con hilo.

Woods wants to go up top but runs into a huge chop. He shakes it off and puts Gunther on the mat, climbing up top and dropping a huge legdrop. Woods covers but the crowd is bummed when he only gets two.

Trying to halt his challenger’s momentum, Gunther puts on a sleeper, but Woods hits him with a facebuster and a crucifix bomb for another near fall. Xavier tries stacking up the champ and gets another two, then falls right back into the sleeperhold. Woods is out, so the ref calls for the bell and Gunther retains.

Click here for full WWE SmackDown results from Columbus.

WWE SmackDown preview: Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez face first title defense

Two title matches are on the card for this week’s WWE SmackDown in Columbus.

It’s a busy, busy time of year for sports what with the NBA Playoffs and NHL Playoffs underway and MLB in full swing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find two hours in there for WWE SmackDown, right? Fans in Columbus certainly will, as the show originates from Ohio’s state capital tonight.

Here are the top three things to watch for on this April Friday.

Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez face a title challenge from Chelsea Green, Sonya Deville

We really wish Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville had officially been dubbed The Complaint Department, but alas. The duo has only been together for a few weeks but they mesh well personality wise and are finding their chemistry in the ring too.

Whether that’s enough to dethrone Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, making their first defense of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, remains to be seen. The guess here is no but stranger things can and do happen on SmackDown.

Xavier Woods goes for gold against Gunther

Is it fair that Xavier Woods is seen as the least serious member of The New Day? Probably not, which is why it’s always fun to see him getting a push in serious mode.

WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther already said he sees Woods as a “goof,” so Xavier will be trying to change that opinion in a hurry by beating him in a title match on SmackDown. And hey, we already know the Back Woods is the most unstoppable finishing move in WWE, so maybe he’s got a chance!

Braun Strowman and Ricochet want payback against the Viking Raiders

No one likes getting jumped backstage. It’s a bad look and it’s painful. So Braun Strowman and Ricochet are none too happy that the Viking Raiders did exactly that to them last week.

Settle it in the ring? Strowman and Ricochet will look to do that tonight in Columbus.

Opening Bell: Jay White makes Dynamite debut, Trish Stratus explains her turn

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

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, April 17, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Why, Trish Stratus, why?

That’s what many WWE fans want to know after the Hall of Famer ruined what appeared to be a perfectly good partnership she had going with Becky Lynch and fellow legend Lita. Was it just jealousy over not being part of the tag team champions, or was Trish simply following a precedent from way back? We’ll apparently hear directly from her mouth Monday on Raw.

United States Champion Austin Theory doesn’t need to explain himself at all, given that he’s on a roll that includes a big WrestleMania victory over John Cena. Talking might not be the best idea anyway against his opponent this week, Bobby Lashley. He’s more of an actions over words guy, and besides, they know each other well from previous clashes.

A match that was originally promoted for last week until travel gremlins struck will be back in North Little Rock too. Well, half of it, anyway. The Miz was going to face Matt Riddle last Monday, but now he’s going up against Seth Rollins instead. You decide whether that’s better or worse for the A-Lister.

Last and certainly not least, Brock Lesnar will be back on Raw this week as well. You may recall that Cody Rhodes challenged him to a match at Backlash after the Beast Incarnate decided to beat him down instead of tagging with him against the Bloodline. We’ll miss happy-go-lucky Cowboy Brock, but we’re definitely interested to see what this return to his more vengeful side holds. And Backlash needs a main event, so … yeah.

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, April 19, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh

Buckle up everyone. Jay White, a.k.a. King Switch, a.k.a. the Catalyst, a.k.a. one half of Bullet Club Gold, apparently, a.k.a. numerous other things, is ready to start making his presence known in AEW. That begins this week when he faces Komander in what looks like a fantastic Dynamite debut.

A championship will also be on the line in Pittsburgh between two large men who still have unfinished business with each other. Powerhouse Hobbs is looking to make the chapter in his book where he’s the TNT Champion a long one, but Wardlow wants that title back around his own waist. Something has to give — hopefully not the ring.

A big tag women’s tag team match is also on the slate. The Outcasts have been running roughshod for weeks, but now they’ve angered their two highest profile foes into a match. Can Ruby Soho and Toni Storm keep their winning ways going against AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker?

And that’s not all. When you tune in for Dynamite Wednesday, you can also expect:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, April 21, Value City Arena at The Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH

O-hi-o, you’ve got championship matches incoming this week on SmackDown. Recently crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will try to make their first title defense a successful one when they face the challenge of Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville.

Gunther has held his Intercontinental Championship a lot longer and fended off a number of different wrestlers with their eyes on his gold. He thinks Xavier Woods is a “goof,” but the last man standing in The New Day will try to show the Ring General he’s a serious threat in Columbus.

On top of those title bouts, there’s a tag team match that figures to be somewhat significant. Braun Strowman and Ricochet got laid out by the Viking Raiders, and they’re not likely to be in a forgiving mood when the two teams meet on Friday night.

AEW Rampage preview – Saturday, April 22, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh (recorded on April 19)

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about AEW Rampage this week is that it’s not on Friday thanks to the NHL Playoffs. It will air on Saturday at 10 p.m. instead.

That’s pretty late on a different night, but AEW has a heck of a hook to try to get you to watch: El Hijo del Vikingo will defend his AAA Mega Championship against Dralistico. Yes, that’s an insane match to randomly throw on a show that’s on an unusual night, but don’t question it, just roll with it because it’s almost sure to be amazing.

WWE SmackDown results: Solo Sikoa spikes, buries Matt Riddle

WWE SmackDown results for April 14, 2023, as Solo Sikoa took on Matt Riddle in the main event.

Ah, Shinsuke Nakamura, where have you been?

The King of Strong Style wasn’t at WrestleMania and hasn’t wrestled a televised WWE match since … wow, November of last year. That changes tonight on WWE SmackDown from Lincoln, Nebraska, and we speak for many when we say it will be good to see him back in action.

Santos Escobar makes for a nice segue, since he was the last person to face Nakamura on TV. He’s had a chance of heart since last fall, of course, and now fights the good fight as part of the LWO. He’ll go head to head with The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest tonight.

Another fan favorite looking for a big victory in Lincoln is Xavier Woods. Thanks to the latest injury to Kofi Kingston, Woods is the only member of The New Day currently active, which means he’ll have no backup when he takes on LA Knight. But hey, Knight is a solo act too, so that might not be that bad. Yeah!

Also on the slate for this week’s SmackDown is a celebration for the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Unfortunately, title celebrations often turn into something a little more contentious and violent in WWE, so one can only imagine who might crash their party. Perhaps two former MMA stars will come looking for them …

And hey, Backlash is only three weeks away, so some of the card for that show should start coming together soon. We’ll see if any matches are made official tonight.

WWE SmackDown results in 60 seconds:

  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are here to open the show, but are joined by the Bloodline … and Matt Riddle
  • Adam Perce gives instructions to the referee as he reveals Riddle and Solo Sikoa will face off in tonight’s main event
  • Xavier Woods def. LA Knight by pinfall
  • Woods’ victorious trombone solo runs afoul of Gunther, who doesn’t like goofs, but Woods thinks he’s more than ready for an Intercontinental Championship match
  • KO seems like maybe he isn’t crazy about the alliance with Riddle, but Matt is definitely focused on Solo in tonight’s main event
  • Damian Priest says he knows Santos Escobar can go and isn’t taking him lightly, and while he knows he’ll be asked about Bad Bunny, he says he’ll address that out in the ring
  • Priest does exactly that, warning Bad Bunny to just sit and watch Backlash, but he’s surprised by the sudden arrival of the LWO
  • Damian Priest def. Santos Escobar by pinfall, and Rey Mysterio arrives to fight with Dominik Mysterio again
  • Paul Heyman gives Solo a family-oriented pep talk, but Sikoa tells Heyman to tell the Tribal Chief “I got this”
  • The new women’s tag team champions want to celebrate, fighting off a rude interruption by Sonya Deville and Raquel Rodriguez
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Madcap Moss by pinfall …
  • … but it looks like he’s already being targeted by Karrion Kross
  • Braun Strowman and Ricochet get blindsided by the Viking Raiders backstage
  • Heyman tells Owens and Zayn that The Usos will win the tag team titles back in two weeks
  • Solo Sikoa def. Matt Riddle by pinfall
  • Sikoa hits Riddle with a uranage on the announce table, then tips it over on him

Please scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

Opening Bell: Women’s tag titles on the line on Raw, Orange Cassidy defends again on Dynamite

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

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, April 10, Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle

It’s interesting that Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez were in the Fatal 4-way tag team match at WrestleMania, lost, and now … are getting a shot at the titles. It’s not just us, right?

That’s exactly what’s happening this week on Raw. Becky Lynch and Lita (and especially Becky) seem to have put Damage CTRL behind them, and will now get down to the business of defending their titles. We’ll see if they can walk out of Seattle still the champs.

Cody Rhodes was all set to continue his quest to dethrone Roman Reigns, even looking like he got a new ally against the Bloodline in Brock Lesnar. That turned out to be fool’s gold when Lesnar attacked him instead of teaming with him, so the American Dream will appear on Raw to reveal his next move.

And Matt Riddle will return to in-ring action for the first time in months. His opponent will be The Miz, who seems like he’s be a challenge, but considering he lost WrestleMania matches to both Pat McAfee and Snoop Dogg, it’s fair to say the A-Lister isn’t exactly on a roll right now.

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, April 12, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee

The irony of Orange Cassidy being the King of Sloth Style and then defending his title darn near every episode of AEW programming never ceases to amaze us. He’ll do it again in Milwaukee, this time trying to stop the House of Black’s Buddy Matthews from becoming a double champ.

Chris Jericho knows more than his fair share about gold, though there’s no titles on the line for his match against Keith Lee. Just, you know, Lee is a very big man who might do some real damage to him, so there’s that.

After merging his Mogul Affiliates with The Embassy, you might think Swerve Strickland has more than enough hands available to do his dirty work. But he’s still willing to take care of matters himself when needed, which is why Swerve will step in against Darby Allin in Milwaukee.

Also on the Dynamite card this week:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, April 14, Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, NE

SmackDown rolls into Lincoln this week with a man in action that somehow didn’t get to perform at WrestleMania, LA Knight. Maybe he should change his name to Lincoln Knight. Actually, that’s a horrible idea, but he will be wrestling under his current name this Friday against Xavier Woods. Yeah!

Also on tap is the return of Shinsuke Nakaumura. There have been whispers of WWE planning on giving him a big push, but those have popped up before and usually not led to much. It will be good to see Shinsuke back, regardless.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, April 14, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee (recorded April 12)

Hey, hey, hey, what do you say? We say AEW hasn’t announced any matches for this week’s edition of Rampage just yet, so we can’t tell you what to expect.

We can advise you keep an eye on AEW’s social media accounts and Dynamite to find out.