Author: Eric Lynch

  • WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Results & Live Discussion (2/25)

    WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Results & Live Discussion (2/25)

    WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 took place at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

    Kickoff Show Results:

    – Paige joins the Kickoff Show panel with Renee Young, Booker T, Peter Rosenberg, and David Otunga to give her predictions for tonight’s show, and for Ronda Rousey’s future in WWE.

    – Bayley and Sasha Banks do an interview in the back with Mike Rome. Rome has to stand awkwardly because he’s too tall to fit in the frame otherwise. Mickie James interrupts and says she’ll beat them tonight and go on to WrestleMania.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Matt Hardy discussing his plants to delete Bray Wyatt.

    – Seth Rollins cut a promo about tonight’s Chamber match, and emphasizing that he needs to win to go to WrestleMania.

    – We go back to the Kickoff Show panel, where they have Kurt Angle on the screen for an interview. Angle says that Jason Jordan won’t be back until after WrestleMania. He says anyone could win in the Chamber tonight, and they better be ready because Brock Lesnar is in his prime.

    The Miztourage vs. Gallows & Anderson: The opening bell sounds and the Miztourage uses frequent tags and double teams to take control of Anderson early on. Anderson ducks a shot from Dallas and drops him with a back suplex. Axel tags in and Anderson boots him down, then tags in Gallows. Gallwos comes in and cleans house. He hits a running plsash on Dallas, then a kick. The Miztourage tries to come back, but Gallows knocks Dallas outside then boots down Axel. Anderson tags in and they hit the Magic Killer on Axel for the three count after a short match.

    Winners: Gallows & Anderson

    – The Revival cuts a promo in the back saying that’s not real tag-team wrestling, and they’re going to show them how it’s done.

    – Back to the Kickoff Show panel, we see a video package going over Ronda Rousey’s arrival in WWE, and promoting her contract signing tonight.

    – We go to a video package about the men’s & women’s Elimination Chamber matches tonight, and the consequences for WrestleMania. Elimination Chamber starts next!

    WWE Elimination Chamber 2018:

    – Michael Cole, Jonathan Coachman & Corey Graves welcome us to the T Mobile Arena, and they introduce a video package for the women’s Elimination Chamber match.

    Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bayley and Sonya start this one off and they fight outside of the ring onto the chamber floor early on. Sonya tries to slingshot Bayley into the cage, but Bayley blocks and climbs up the cage. Sonya pulls her down, but Bayley breaks free and drops her on the chamber floor. Back in the ring, Bayley drops Sonya face-first onto the turnbuckle, then hits a back suplex for a two count. Sonya rolls out to the floor, and Bayley comes flying off the top with an elbow drop on Sonya the chamber floor.

    Mandy is the first woman to leave their pod and enter the match. Bayley drops her early on and starts hitting splashes on both Mandy and Sonya in the corner. Bayley beats down both Absolution members, until they double team her with Mandy hits an elbow to the face and then Sonya spears her down on the chamber floor. Sonya and Mandy pick up Bayley and slam her into the chamber cage. They tie up Bayley’s arms in the cage and take turns beating on her. The buzzer sounds and Sasha Banks is out next. Sasha starts cleaning house and whips Mandy into the pod door. She starts beating down Sonya in the ring and hits the running double knees for a two count.

    Mandy gets back in the ring now and starts beating on Sasha. Sasha finally fights up and comes back with a backstabber, then locks in the Banks Statement. Sonya tries to break it up, but Bayley runs in and knocks her down and pummels on her. Mandy taps out to the Banks Statement and must now leave the chamber. The buzzer sounds and Mickie is in next. Mickie ducks a shot from Sasha, then spears her and pummels on her. Mickie drops Bayley next, then tees off on Sasha with kicks. She boots down Sony, then goes for a DDT on Bayley, but Sasha breaks it up. Mickie comes back and back body drops Sasha, then drops Bayley again. Mickie starts going at it with Sonya now, and Sonya slams her into the chamber wall. Bayley drops Sonya, then starts going at it with Mickie. They start climbing the chamber wall and fighting up the wall. Mickie knocks Bayley down, then Mickie climbs onto the top of a pod. She comes flying off the top of the pod onto Sonya with a Thesz Press and pins her for the three count.

    Bayley hits a belly to belly suplex on Sasha, then she hits one on Mickie too and pins Mickie for the three count. It’s down to Sasha and Bayley, and Alexa is in the pod waiting to be released. Alexa is released, but she shuts her door again and tries to keep Sasha and Bayley away from her. They finally get her out of the pod, and Alexa starts climbing up the wall to get away from them. Sasha and Bayley follow her up, and they fight onto the roof of a pod. Sasha pretends to help up Bayley onto the roof of the pod, but then kicks her down onto the floor of the chamber. Sasha stalks Alexa now, until Bayley comes back and tackles Sasha down. Bayley and Sasha now go at it in the ring. Alexa starts beating down Bayley, but Bayley comes back with a suplex out of nowhere. Bayley looks for a splash in the corner, but Sasha runs in and spears her into the corner. She starts pummeling on Bayley in the corner, but Bayley flips Sasha into the corner and hangs her in the tree of woe. Bayley stomps on Sasha, then climbs up top. Bliss runs over and hits Bayley, and superplexes Bayley off the corner. Banks gets to her feet and climbs up top. Banks hits a frogsplash on Bayley for a two count. Banks drops Bliss next and goes up top, but Bayley runs up and hits a belly to belly off the top on Banks. Bliss runs over and rolls up Bayley out of nowhere for the three count, and Bayley is eliminated. Bliss pins Banks but only gets two.

    Bliss goes for the Twisted Bliss off the top, but Banks blocks with her knees. Banks puts Bliss up against the chamber wall and hits some knees to the face. Bliss ducks one and Banks’ leg gets stuck in the cage, then Bliss slams her down on the floor. Bliss climbs up to the top of a pod, then hits a Twisted Bliss on Banks onto the chamber floor. Banks no-sells it and puts Bliss in the Banks Statement. They fight into the ring, and Bliss breaks free from Sasha. Sasha boots her down, then starts climbing to the top of a pod. Bliss hits Banks from behind and knocks her face into the wall. Bliss then hits a DDT off the turnbuckle for the three count.

    Winner & still RAW Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss

    – Bliss celebrates with her Women’s Title as Banks recovers on the floor. Bliss does an interview in the ring with Renee after the match where she says this win means everything to her. She says this win is for “every little girl or woman at home who dreamed big.” She keeps saying inspirational quotes, but then cuts it out and says nobody in this crowd tonight will ever do what she did. She says she proved tonight there is nobody better than her.

    – Kurt Angle is shown knocking on Ronda Rousey’s locker room in the back and entering.

    Titus Worldwide vs. The Bar: Before the opening bell, Crews and Titus drop Sheamus and Cesaro and hit a double clothesline. The opening bell finally sounds and the fight spills out to ringside early on. Sheamus clotheslines down Crews on the ringside floor, as Dana Brooke looks on. Back in the ring, Cesaro starts working over Apollo and applies a side headlock. Sheamus is in now and puts Crews in an arm lock. Sheamus misses a shot in the corner, and Crews finally gets the hot tag to Titus. Titus runs in and hits a splash in the corner and starts cleaning house. Titus drops Cesaro, and Sheamus tags in. Sheamus drops Titus’ neck across the top rope, then Sheamus climbs the turnbuckle. Sheamus comes flying off, but Titus catches him in mid air and drops him. Cesaro drops Titus, then rolls outside with Sheamus for a breather. Crews runs in and hits a suicide dive on Cesaro and Sheamus. Back in the ring, Sheamus comes back with a slam on Crews. Cesaro beats down Titus at ringside, then tags in. Cesaro attacks Crews from behind, and they double team Crews for the three count.

    Winners & still Tag Team Titles: The Bar

    – Sheamus and Cesaro celebrate with their Tag Titles after the match, as Dana Brooke checks on titus and Apollo.

    – We see a video package looking over the Nia Jax vs. Asuka feud. They’re up next.

    Nia Jax vs. Asuka: If Nia wins, she gets a spot in the Women’s Title match at WrestleMania. Nia takes control of this one early on as she overpowers Asuka. Asuka runs the ropes, but Nia catches her by the hair and decks her. Nia slams Asuka into the corner now and continues the beat down. Asuka finally fights her way up and gets Nia in a front face lock, but Nia reverses into a suplex. Asuka follows up with some strikes, then a jawbreaker. Asuka follows up with a series of kicks, but Nia drops her with a Samoan Drop. Nia goes for a leg drop, but Asuka moves and hits a Shining Wizard. More kicks from Asuka now, including two to the head while Nia is grounded. Asuka pins for a two count. They fight up to the turnbuuckle and Nia looks for a super Samoan Drop, but Asuka escapes. Nia kicks Asuka down and goes for the Bonzai Drop, but Asuka moves. Asuka runs the ropes, but Nia drops her with a lariat. Nia goes for a swanton bomb, but Asuka rolls and Nia lands on Asuka’s legs. It looks like this hurt Asuka’s knee. Asuka ducks a shot and puts in the Asuka Lock, but Nia gets out and slams Asuka into the corner. Nia goes for a powerbomb, but Asuka reverses into a rollup pin for the three count.

    Winner: Asuka

    – Alexa Bliss is shown watching on a monitor backstage. Nia then beats down Asuka after the match.

    – Roman Reigns does an interview in the back where he says he’s giving everyone a WWE spoiler alert: He’s winning tonight, and then taking the Universal title from Lesnar at WrestleMania.

    – We see a video package looking over the Bray Wyatt vs. Matt Hardy feud.

    Matt Hardy vs. Bray Wyatt: Wyatt tries to get a sneak attack on Hardy befor the match, but Hardy disappears and hides. He gets on a mic and taunts Wyatt. Matt comes back out of nowhere and starts brawling with Bray at ringside. They fight into the ring and the bell officially sounds. Matt goes for a neckbreaker, but Bray reverses. Bray charges but Matt stops him with a boot, then hits a neckbreaker. Bray drops Matt and takes control of this one now, keeping the Broken one grounded with a side headlock. They fight out to the apron and Bray slams Matt on the apron corner. Bray beats down Matt around ringside before taking him back in the ring. Back in the ring, Matt starts mounting a comeback and slams Wyatt into the corner repeatedly. Matt hits the Side Effect and pins, but only gets a two count. Matt goes up to the middle rope and hits a flying elbow. Matt starts getting the crowd fired up ad goes fo rthe Twist of Fate, but Wyatt reverses into a side suplex. Wyatt follows up with a running senton for 2. Wyatt goes for the Sister abigail, but Matt escapes. Wyatt follows up with a splash in the corner, and goes for the Sister abigail again, but Matt fights out. Wyatt hits a boot to the face, but MAtt answers with a kick of his own and a Twist of Fate for the three count.

    Winner: Matt Hardy

    – Kurt Angle is out to the ring next, and then Triple H and Stephanie McMahon come out next. Triple H says he’s about to introduce the biggest athlete they’re signing since Kurt Angle — Ronda Rousey. Ronda comes down to the ring and Stephanie introduces her and hands her the mic. Ronda talks about how glad she is to be here, and seems to get a mixed reaction from the crowd as her speech goes on. Triple H presents the contract to her, and reminds her that she declined any sort of perks or special treatment. She agrees, and Triple H tells her that if she signs, she has to compete at WrestleMania. Stephanie and Ronda start going over the contract, while Triple H starts talking to Kurt. Kurt looks concerned, and Ronda gets on the mic and asks Kurt if there’s something he wants to say. Kurt says there is. He says Triple H and Stephanie have been going on about how excited they are to have Ronda here, because they want revenge on her from WrestleMania 31. Triple H tells Kurt to shut up, but Kurt continues. Kurt says that Triple H told him “now we own the b*tch,” regarding Rousey. Triple H cuts Kurt off, and tells Ronda that Kurt has been sick and is delusional. Triple H starts walking Kurt away up the ramp, as Stephanie starts sweet-talking Ronda. Kurt gets on the mic from the ramp, and says “but Stephanie, didn’t you say that Ronda is such a has-been that even you could beat her up?” Stephanie tells Ronda she didn’t say anything, but Ronda gets in her face and backs her up to the ropes. Triple H gets between them and stares down Ronda. Triple H walks Stephanie out of the ring, then walks back over to Ronda. Ronda suplexes Triple H through the table, then Stephanie walks over and slaps Ronda across the face. Ronda stares down Stephanie and Stephanie runs away. Ronda signs the contract and drops it on Triple H then leaves as Stephanie runs to avoid her.

    – Elias comes out for a song and he insults Las Vegas. He sings that he’s not scared of Braun Strowman, and Strowman comes out to interrupt. The Elimination Chamber is up next.

    Men’s Elimination Chamber: This one starts off with Miz, Rollins, and Balor. Miz tries to strike up a partnership with Balor out of the gate, but Balor declines. Balor drops Miz and Rollins, and hits a running dropkick on Miz. Balor slams Miz into the corner, then hits a kick on Rollins. Rollins starts firing up now and drops Balor, then hits a suplex and a Falcon Arrow on The Miz. It’s all Rollins now, until the next entrant comes in: John Cena.

    Cena and Rollins come face to face and talk trash. Rollins slaps Cena across the face, then they start going at it. Cena drops Rollins, then drops Miz, and hits a double Five Knuckle Shuffle on them. Balor comes back in the mix and starts dropping people with kicks. Rollins and Miz split off and start fighting, and Cena and Balor start going at it on the other side of the chamber. Miz hits a running clothesline on Rollins in one corner, while Cena and Balor fight up to the top of the other corner. Cena hits a superplex on Balor on one corner, and Rollins hits a superplex on Miz on the opposite corner. Roman Reigns is in next. The Big Dog starts dropping everyone with right hands. Reigns and Rollins come face to face, and Miz sideswipes Reigns with a boot to the face. Miz drops Rollins next, then takes down Cena again. The Miz starts handing out kicks to his downed opponents, with multiple kicks to Reigns. Reigns ducks one and comes back with a series of clotheslines on Miz. Balor throws Miz outside, then Reigns hits a flying clothesline on Balor. Reigns hits a series of clotheslines on Balor, then rolls him up for a two count. Reigns transitions into a powerbomb on Balor for two. Reigns drops Cena next, then powerbombs Miz for a two count. Reigns looks for a Superman punch, but he gets distracted by the next entrant coming in: Braun Strowman.

    Strowman comes in and starts dropping everyone with right hands and headbutts. Cena and Rollins try to double team Strowman, but Strowman suplexes the both of them at the same time. Strowman starts dropping everyone. The Miz starts climbing the cage wall, and strowman follows him right up the wall. They get to the top of the pod, and Strowman slams Miz’s head into the wall repeatedly. He throws Miz off the top of the cage onto the other opponents below. Strowman continues the beat down on everyone else in the ring with clubbing blows. Strowman gorilla press slams Rollins from the ring onto the chamber floor outside, and he crashes against the cage wall. Strowman hits a running powerslam on the Miz and pins him for the three count. Elias is the next and final entrant, but he tries to keep his pod door shut to avoid Strowman. Now Reigns, Rollins, Balor and Cena all gang up on Strowman all at once. They all do the Shield-bomb on Strowman, but Strowman kicks out at 2. Cena does the AA on Strowman for another two count. Reigns hits a spear on Strowman for another two count. Rollins hits the curb stomp on Strowman, and Strowman rolls out of the ring onto the chamber floor. Balor comes off the top and hits the Coup De Grace on Strowman on the floor. Cena hits an AA on Reigns, then Rollins superkicks Cena. Balor and Rollins collide in mid-air and everyone’s down. Elias runs in and starts trying to pin people, but only gets two counts.

    Elias starts dropping everyone, but then Strowman comes up to him. Elias tries to pick up Strowman in the electric chair position, but can’t get him and it looks painful for Elias. Strowman drops Elias and pins for the three count, and Elias is eliminated. Everyone starts trying to take out Strowman, but he drops them all one by one. Cena goes for a flying cross body on Strowman, but Strowman catches him and hits a running powerslam on Cena. Strowman pins and gets the 3 count on Cena to eliminate him. Rollins and Balor take down Strowman next, then Balor boots Reigns in the head. Balor hits a kick to the head of Rollins next, then a Sling Blade on Reigns. Balor hits a running dropkick on Reigns in the corner, then hits the Coup De Grace on Reigns. Strowman comes in and hits a running powerslam on Balor and gets the three count. Balor has been eliminated, and it’s down to Strowman, Rollins and Reigns.

    Rollins and Reigns gang up on Strowman now and drop him on the Chamber floor. Rollins then turns on Reigns and throws him into the cage wall. He throws Reigns in the ring then hits a springboard flying clothesline. Rollins goes for the curb stomp, but Reigns dodges it and hits a Superman punch. They get up and Rollins comes right back with a powerbob into the turnbuckle. Reigns now comes rihgt back with another Superman punch. Strowman gets back in now and drops Reigns, then chases Rollins up the cage wall. Reigns runs up behind and hits a Samoan Drop on Strowman on the chamber floor. Strowman rolls in the ring, and Rollins hits a frogsplash off the pod onto Strowman for a two count. Rollins and Reigns look to double team Strowman now, but Strowman drops them. Strowman hits a running dropkick on Reigns, but hten Rollins hits a series of superkicks on Strowman. Rollins looks for a curb stomp, but Strowman blocks it and hits a running powerslam on Rollins for the three count. Rollins is eliminated. It’s down to Reigns and Strowman.

    They come face to face, and Reigns starts hitting Strowman with right hands. Strowman comes back with a shot of his own, then he throws Reigns into the cage wall. Strowman looks for a powerslam, but Reigns escapes and drops Strowman across the top rope. Reigns hits a flying clothesline on Strowman into the cage wall. Strowman charges at Reigns, but Reigns moves and Strowman crashes into a pod by himself. Reigns hits a Superman punch and Strowman falls into the ring. Reigns hits another Superman punch, then goes for a spear but Strowman blocks it. Reigns hits another Superman punch, then successfully hits a spear, but Strowman backs back up. Reigns hits another spear, and pins Strowman for the three count.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    – Reigns is slow to get to his feet after the match. We see a video graphic showing Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns for the Universal Champion at WrestleMania. Before Reigns can leave, Strowman picks him up and hits a running powerslam. He picks up Reigns and hits another one, then raises his hands in the air. He picks up Reigns and takes him to the chamber floor, where he whips Reigns through a pod wall. Reigns is advertised for RAW Talk on the WWE Network after the PPV, as Elimination Chamber 2018 goes off the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (2/20)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (2/20)

    The February 20th edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ.

    – WWE Champion AJ Styles comes down to the ring to kick off this week’s episode of SmackDown. AJ steps in the ring with Renee Young for an interview, and talks about being in control of his own destiny heading to WrestleMania. AJ says he feels like he can beat anyone who steps in the ring with him, and he’ll back it up. AJ says the Fatal 5 Way at Fastlane is a problem because someone else in the match could get pinned and cost him the WWE Title. Baron Corbin comes out to interrupt, and says he has AJ’s number and AJ knows it. Corbin says he’s going to enjoy winning the WWE Title at Fastlane, whether he pins AJ or someone else. Owens comes out to the stage to interrupt, and says he’s not impressed by Corbin trying to sound tough. Corbin and Owens trade insults, and then Owens also adds that Sami Zayn let him down last week. Owens says Shane has a vendetta against him ever since he headbutted Vince, and Owens feels he will never get a fair shot on SmackDown. Shane McMahon comes out next to interrupt. Shane books Corbin vs. AJ for later tonight, and then also books Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler up next. Ziggler comes out and walks down to the ring as Owens argues with Shane.

    Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler: Owens and Ziggler start trading punches right off the opening bell. Ziggler tackles Owens, then they get up and Ziggler connects with a dropkick. The fight spills outside where Ziggler throws Owens into the ring apron and fan barricades. Back in the ring, Owens comes back with strikes and starts turning it around, until Ziggler dropkicks Owens. Owens falls to the outside and Ziggler follows him out. Owens reverses a shot on Ziggler and whips him into the ring apron corner. Back inside the ring, Owens misses a senton, and Ziggler hits him with a splash in the corner. Ziggler hits a vertical suplex on Owens next, and then he attempts a splash in the corner, but Owens dodges and Ziggler crashes alone. Owens takes Ziggler outside and whips him into the barricade, then Owens yells at the announcers. Owens takes Ziggler back in the ring and continues beating on him, until Ziggler finally comes back with a DDT out of nowhere. Ziggler follows up with an elbow to the face, then Owens misses a spear in the corner. Ziggler hits a neckbreaker for a two count on Owens. Zigger looks for the superkick, but Owens dodges it and hits a gutbuster, then a flying elbow drop for two count. They fight up to the top rope, and Owens shoves Ziggler off. Owens goes for a swanton bomb, but Ziggler blocks it with his knees. Ziggler follows up with Fameasster for a two count. Owens looks for the Pop Up Powerbomb, but Ziggler escapes and hits the Zig Zag for another two count. Ziggler sets up Owens in the corner and charges, but Sami Zayn’s music hits and distracts Ziggler. Sami starts running down the ramp, and then Owens superkicks Ziggler in the back of the head. Zayn stops at ringside as Owens pins Ziggler for the three count.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    – Owens gets his hand raised as Sami heads backstage and smiles.

    – Jinder Mahal is shown arriving backstage with one of the Singh Brothers. Jinder looks to be walking towards the gorilla position.

    – Jinder is out to the ring next for a promo. He starts trashing both Randy Orton and Bobby Roode, until Roode comes out to interrupt. Roode gets in Jinder’s face, and then Randy Orton comes out to interrupt too. Orton and Roode both take out Jinder, then Orton goes for an RKO on Roode, but Roode blocks it. Roode answers with a Glorious DDT on Orton, then he tells Orton he got him this time. Roode is about to pose for the fans, then Jinder runs in and hits the Khallas on Roode. Jinder yells down at Roode and Orton on the mat before leaving.

    – Daniel Bryan is backstage with Shane McMahon. Bryan says he thinks Roode should defend the U.S. Title against Jinder at Fastlane. Shane thinks Roode should defend against Orton. Bryan and Shane argue a bit about their difference of opinions on that, and the WWE Title picture. Shane says he’s making the final call that Roode will defend against Orton this Sunday.

    Charlotte, Becky & Naomi vs. Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott: Naomi fires up on Sarah with a series of kicks, then Becky comes in for more offense. The heels start running in, but Charlotte and Naomi stop them and clean house. The dust settles and Ruby and Becky are going at it now. Liv and Naomi tag in, and Naomi goes a split-legged moonsault, but Ruby and Logan pull their parter out of the way to safety. Naomi jumps down onto everyone on the floor, but Liv gets up and throws her into the ring steps. Liv takes Naomi in the ring for a two count, then tags in Logan. Logan works on keeping Naomi grounded now, and hits some big strikes in the corner. Naomi finally fights away and hits a head scissors Charlotte gets the tag and cleans house. Charlotte hits a neckbreaker and a big boot to Logan. Charlotte goes to knock Liv off the apron again, but Logan takes out Charlotte’s knee from behind. After some more back and forth brawling in the ring, the aprons clear and chaos unfolds. It comes down to Ruby and Becky in the ring, and Ruby hits the Riott Kick for the three count.

    Winners: the Riott Squad

    – The Riott Squad celebrates their win at ringside and taunts Charlotte.

    – Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn meet backstage. Owens goes to thank Sami, but Sami says no need and instead thanks Owens. Sami says things have been rocky between them lately, but now Owens is where he belongs in the main event. Sami says he supports Owens going for the WWE Title again. Sami thinks they should take out of the other competitors in Sunday’s Fatal 5 Way together, and then Sami says he will do the right thing and lay down for Owens so he can reclaim the WWE Title. They hug on it, but Owens seems confused by Sami’s generosity.

    – The New Day is shown backstage throwing out pancakes to people.

    The New Day vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: This match is to determine the #1 contenders for the Tag Titles. Woods and Gable start off, and Shelton quickly tags in and hits a spinebuster on Woods for a two count. Benjamin and Woods fight up top, and Woods headbutts Shelton down. Woods follows up with a missile dropkick, then Big E gets the tag. Gable tags in too, as Big E starts cleaning house. After some more back and forth brawling, and an attempted interference by Kofi, Woods gets the pin on Shelton.

    Winners: The New Day

    – After the match, The New Day starts celebrating their upcoming title shot and handing out pancakes, but The Bludgeon Brothers interrupt. They walk right past The New Day to the ring, to get ready for their match up next.

    – We see Charlotte backstage, who does an interview saying she’ll put her title on the line just to get her hands on Ruby.

    – The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Enhancement talent: Rowan and Harper immediately hit big dropkicks to start off. They take the jobbers out to ringsde for some punishment, then back in the ring for more. The Brothers hit the double team slam for the three count.

    Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers

    -We see Ruby’s response to Charlotte backstage. Ruby challenges Naomi to a match next week instead, but says she hasn’t forgotten about Charlotte. Ruby challenges Charlotte to a Title match at Fastlane, and says that’s where Charlotte’s world will come crumbling down.

    – The announcers promote the upcoming Elimination Chamber PPV on the WWE Network, and then we see a video package about Shinsuke Nakamura.

    AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin: This one is a non-title match. Dolph Ziggler is shown watching backstage. Corbin hits a big lariat early on for a two count. Corbin looks for a spear in the corner, but AJ moves and Corbin hits the ring post. Corbin and AJ brawl at ringside until Corbin tries to throw AJ into the announce table, but AJ slides over it and isn’t hurt. Corbin rolls back in the ring, and AJ runs over to the apron and hits a springboard punch off the top rope. Corbin takes control again now and tries to keep AJ grounded. He takes AJ into the corner and lays into him with punches, then takes him to the top turnbuckle. AJ escapes, but Corbin comes right back with a Deep Six for a two count. AJ comes back with a Calf Crusher, but Corbin reaches the ropes to break the hold. Corbin tries to mount a comeback, but AJ decks him, and then springboards off the top rope for a Phenomenal Forearm on Corbin. AJ pins and gets the three count.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    – After the match, as AJ is celebrating his win, Owens and Zayn run down and start attacking AJ. Owens and Sami look to put AJ through the announce table, but Corbin grabs Sami and hits the Deep Six on him. Owens charges Corbin, but Corbin catches Owens with a Deep Six too. Corbin stands tall over Owens and Zayn, then limps to the back as SmackDown goes of the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (2/19)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (2/19)

    The February 19th edition of WWE RAW airs live from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, AZ.

    – Roman Reigns comes out to the ring first to kick off tonight’s episode of WWE RAW. Reigns steps into the ring with Renee Young for an interview about the upcoming Elimination Chamber. Reigns says he knows all about the Elimination Chambers, and he is the only one in this upcoming match who has a chance against WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. Seth Rollins interrupts, and the first match of the night begins.

    Gauntlet Match: Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Elias, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, The Miz: Rollins and Reigns start this one off, with some stalling off the opening bell. Reigns takes Rollins down with a headlock and tries to keep him grounded. Rollins starts fighting back, then they back off and face off in the middle of the ring as fans pop. Rollins starts taking control and goes for a flying springboard dropkick off the top, but Reigns hits a Superman punch out of nowhere and drops Rollins. After an exchange of pin attempts, Rollins rolls up Reigns in a small package and steals the three count. Reigns has been eliminated from the gauntlet. Reigns and Rollins slowly get to their feet and go for the handshake.

    Cena’s music hits and he’s next. Cena hits the ring and Rollins immediately drops him and covers for a one count. Rollins works on keeping Cena grounded, but Cena finally fights back and drops him for a two count. Rollins tries to come back, but Cena drops him and hits a boot to the face. Cena throws Rollins outside, and Rollins comes back in at the referee’s 9 count. Cena immediately drops Rollins again and then hits three belly-to-belly suplexes for a two count. Cena goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Rollins slides out and hits a DDT for a two count. They trade blows in the middle of the ring, then Cena hits a fireman’s carry into a stunner for a two count. Rollins fights his way up but Cena knocks him right back down and talks some trash as the ref cehcks on Rollins. Rollins gets in Cena’s face and they unload with strikes until Cena drops him with an elbow to the face. Cena throws Rollins outside again, and Rollins slides back in at the 9 count once again. They brawl out to ringside again, where Cena misses a shot and crashes into the ring steps by himself. Both men are down until the referee’s 9 count. Back in the ring, Rollins drops Cena and goes up top. Rollins hits the frogsplash off the top for a two count. They slowly fight up to their feet and Cena comes back with an AA. Cena pins but gets a very close 2 count. Cena can’t believe he didn’t get the pin. Cena goes up top, but Rollins runs up and catches him with a superplex. Rollins immediately follows up with a Falcon Arrow for a 2 count. Both men are down, and Cena locks in the STF. Rollins escapes, but then misses a kick and Cena locks the STF right back in. Rollins reaches the ropes to break it, then rolls outside. Rolls gets on the apron, and Cena carries him up to the top turnbuckle. Cena looks for a super AA, but Rollins elbows his way out. Cena knocks Rollins down and goes for a Cross Body, but Rollins rolls through and hits an AA of his own on Cena. Cena kicks out at 2. Rollins climbs up top for a Phoenix Splash, but Cena rolls out of the way. Cena follows up with an AA, then goes for a second AA, but Rollins escapes. Rollins hits a flying knee, then a curb stomp for the three count.

    Elias is in next, and he immediately hits the ring and starts stomping on Rollins and looking for pin attempts. As Elias is beating on Rollins, we see an interview backstage with Cena, where he puts over how great Rollins is. Cena says Rollins wants to be the best on RAW, but Cena has more on his plate to balance, and he needs to win on Sunday if he wants to go to WrestleMania. Back in the ring, Elias is working over Rollins’ knee and keeping him grounded. Rollins tries to fight back, but he’s too exhausted from fighting Reigns and Cena for an hour, and Elias drops him for a three count. Rollins is eliminated.

    Finn Balor is in next, and Elias immediately takes the fight to him when he steps in the ring. Renee Young is backstage with Rollins for an interview, where Rollins says beating Cena and Reigns tonight means nothing if he loses on Sunday. Back in the ring, Elias is working over Elias’ shoulder now after a failed Coup De Grace attempt. Balor tries to mount a comeback, but Elias stuns him with an elbow to the face. They trade strikes now and the fight spills outside. Balor dropkicks Elias into the corner, then takes him back in the ring for a Slingblade. They go back and forth, until they fight to ringside again and Elias shoves Balor into the ring post. Back in the ring, Elias looks to continue beating on Balor, but Balor drops him and successfully hits the Coup De Grace for the three count. Elias has been eliminated.

    The Miz’ music hits next, but Dallas and Axel come down the ramp instead. While Balor is distracted looking at them, The Miz runs in and attacks Balor from behind. Miz beats down Balor now inside the ring and outside, and works over Balor’s bad shoulder. Dallas and Axel are watching from ringside. Elias does an interview in the back saying he’s got the biggest advantage on Sunday, and will go on to put on the performance of his life at WrestleMania later on. Back in the ring, The Miz hits a series of kicks on Balor, until Balor ducks one and fires back with chops and punches. Balor hits a dropkick and an inverted DDT for a two count. Balor works over Miz in the corner now with a series of strikes. Miz starts fighting back now, but misses a kick and Balor rolls him up. Balor misses a shot, and Miz goes for the Skull Crushing Finale but Balor escapes. Dallas hits a cheap shot from ringside on Balor while the ref isn’t looking. Balor ducks a clothesline from Miz, then hits a suicide dive onto Axel and Dallas at ringside for revenge on the Miztourage. Balor gets back on the apron and kicks Miz in the head and drops him. Dallas and Axel get up on the apron but Balor kicks them off. The distraction leads to Miz hitting a cheap shot on Balor, then the Skull Crushing Finale for the three count. Balor has been eliminated, and the ref didn’t DQ Miz for Axel and Balor’s interference.

    Braun Strowman is out next. The Miz backs out of the ring and looks like he wants to escape, so Strowman chases him down. Strowman chases Miz into the crowd, then throws Miz over the barrier onto the ringside floor. Strowman takes Miz back into the ring now and has his way with him. We see an interview with Finn Balor backstage where he says he’s glad the Miztourage will be locked out at Elimination Chamber. The Miz starts fighting back against Strowman in the ring, and hits some kicks on Strowman. Strowman comes back with a dropkick of his own, then Strowman chases off Axel and Dallas. The Miz capitlizes on the distraction with a Skull Crushing Finale, but Strowman kicks out at 2 with authority. Strowman clotheslines Miz down, then hits the running powerslam for the win.

    Winner: Braun Strowman

    – Braun Strowman does an interview on the ramp where he says he doesn’t fear the unknown, the unknown fears him. Strowman says he’ll win on Sunday just like he won tonight, and then he’s coming for Brock Lesnar. Strowman says at WrestleMania, Lesnar is gonna get these hands. Strowman says he has some unfinished business he needs to tend to, and then starts walking towards the ring. Axel and Dallas pull The Miz out to ringside, but Strowman is able to grab Axel and Dallas. He hits running powerslams on them, then he notices The Miz at ringside. Strowman hops out of the ring and chases the Miz to the back. Strowman gets him behind the curtain, and throws Miz back on the stage. He throws Miz down the ramp, then throws him in the ring. Strowman hits the running powerslam on Miz, then poses for the crowd. Strowman is about to leave, but he’s not finished yet. Strowman hits another running powerslam on Miz, then raises his hands before leaving.

    – Asuka is shown backstage walking towards the gorilla position.

    – Michael Cole says it’s his honor to introduce the latest inductee announced for the Hall of Fame: J-e-double-F J-A-double-R-E-double-T. We see a video package showing Jeff Jarrett’s WWF career highlights, including some of his early country singer videos. It then shows us some clips of Jarrett as Intercontinental Champion in WWE, and a couple brief shots of him in WCW.

    – Asuka comes down to the ring and does an in-ring interview where she says she’s going to fulfill her destiny: Winning at WrestleMania. Asuka says she didn’t look so strong in their last match when she was limping away from the ring. Nia runs in and attacks Asuka from behind and beats her down. Nia hits a leg drop on Asuka and talks trash to her before leaving.

    – We see a highlight video promoting Ronda Rousey coming to WWE.

    The Bar vs. Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews: This one is a non-title match. Dana Brooke is at ringide. Titus and Apollo get the upper hand over Cesaro early on with some good double-teaming. Titus taunts Sheamus on the apron, then Crews tags back in. Crews knocks Sheamus off the apron, but then Cesaro hits Crews from behind and knocks him outside too. Sheamus beats down Crews at ringside, then back in the ring double-teams him with Cesaro. Sheamus hits a knee to the face for a two count. Cesaro tags in now and continues to work over Crews. Sheamus comes back in and hits a cheap shot on Titus, but Crews starts fighting back. Cesaro tags back in, and Crews throws Sheamus outside. Cesaro charges at Crews, but Crews catches him and rolls him up for the three count.

    Winners: Titus Worldwide

    – Titus, Apollo an Dana celebrate their win after the match, as The Bar throws a fit.

    – We see dueling pre-taped promoes from Bray Wyatt and Woken Matt Hardy. Wyatt says at Elimination Chamber, Matt Hardy will burn. Hardy says Wyatt will be deleted at Elimination Chamber.

    Sasha Banks, Bayley & Mickie James vs. Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose & Alexa Bliss: Paige is at ringside for this one. Bliss and Mickie start off, but Bliss quickly tags in Deville. They lock up and go at it, and Deville slams Mickie. Mickie comes back and drops her, then Sasha tags in for the double team. Deville fights back and starts working over Sasha’s arm. Sonya backs Sasha into the corner and beats on her, then tags in Rose. Sasha hits a slam on Rose and takes her into the corner. Bayley tags in, but Rose comes back and hits Bayley with a slam. Rose whips Bayley with her hair, then Bayley unloads with strikes. Rose rolls outside for a breather and consults with Sonya and Paige. Back in the ring, Mandy turns it around on Bayley and slams her down face-first. Mickie tags in now and goes at it with Mandy. Mandy hits a suplex for a 2 count, then Sonya tags in and continues the offense. Mickie comes back with a flying head scissors, and both men are down. Sonya stops Mickie from getting a tag, and drags her back to her team’s corner. Bliss appears to refuse to tag in. Mandy and Sonya now double team Mickie, but Mickie comes back with a double neckbreaker. Banks gets the hot tag, and Bliss tags in and they start going at it. Banks hits a big kick on Bliss, then hits a knee. Sasha hits a flying double knees from the apron onto Sonya and Mandy. Back in the ring, Banks continues beating on Bliss. Sasha pins, but Mandy breaks the pin. Bayley runs in and takes out Mandy with a suplex. Bliss rolls up Sasha, but Sasha escapes. Banks misses a shot in the corner, but is still able to come back and catch Bliss in the Banks Statement. Bliss taps out, and Banks wins for her team via submission.

    Winners: Sasha Banks, Bayley and Mickie James

    After the match, Rose and Deville immediately attack the babyfaces. Bliss watches and doesn’t take part in the attack. Rose and Deville now turn to Bliss and corner her. Mickie runs in and saves Bliss. Mickie starts beating on Sonya and Mandy, and then Mickie and Alexa team up to hit a double team DDT on Sonya. Bliss and Mickie head up the ramp together as Paige, Deville and Rose look on from the ring as RAW goes off the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (2/13)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (2/13)

    The February 13th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the RaboBank Arena in Bakersfield, CA.

    – This week’s episode of SmackDown opens up with Dolph Ziggler coming out on the stage with no music. As he starts walking to the ring his music starts, and Tom Phillips welcomes us to commentary. Tom Phillips is joined by Byron Saxton and Corey Graves on commentary.

    Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler: Baron Corbin’s music plays but he doesn’t come out. They stop his music and start it again. The camera goes backstage to reveal Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn both beating down Corbin. Corbin starts fighting back, but the deo overpowers him and throws him into some production equipment. Kevin says “one down, one more to go,” and they walk off.

    Winner: No contest

    – Owens and Zayn start walking towards the ring, and it seems they have their sights set on Dolph Ziggler, who is still standing in the ring. Owens and Zayn split up to surround Ziggler. Zigglers run out of the ring and starts brawling with Sami Zayn in the crowd. Owens runs over and joins Sami in beating down Ziggler. Owens and Zayn throw Ziggler back into the ringside area, where Ziggler tries to fight back but they drop him again. Sami hits a big boot on Ziggler, then walks off with Owens. As Owens and Zayn are heading backstage, Baron Corbin comes back and starts fighting with them on the ramp. They double team Corbin again until referees break it up. Owens and Zayn finally leave as Ziggler and Corbin are being helped to their feet.

    Sarah Logan vs. Charlotte: The Riott Squad, and Becky Lynch & Naomi are all at ringside to watch this one. The opening bell sounds, and Charlotte and Logan wrestle down to the mat and trade holds. Charlotte fights up and hits a big boot that sends Logan outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Sarah drops Charlotte and puts her in a shoulder hold. Sarah reverses a suplex attempt and hits a chop on Charlotte, but Charlotte no-sells it and answers with a series of chops herself. They brawl back and forth until Sarah drops Charlotte and pummels on her with a series of elbows to the head. Sarah pins for a two count, then applies a shoulder lock. Sarah continues to beat on Charlotte and slams her into the turnbuckle. Charlotte comes back with a slam into the corner and a swinging neckbreaker for the three count.

    Winner: Charlotte

    – After the match, Charlotte, Becky, and Naomi celebrate the win in the ring while the Riott Squad heads to the back.

    – Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan meet backstage to discuss what happened with Owens and Zayn earlier tonight. They decide to book two singles matches: Sami vs. Ziggler, and Owens vs. Corbin. If Ziggler or Corbin win, they earn spots in the Fastlane main event. Shane says if either of Bryan’s “boys” Owens or Zayn cheat tonight, they lose their spots at Fastlane.

    – We see another WWE Black History Month video.

    Kevin Owens vs. Baron Corbin: If Corbin wins, he’s added to the WWE Title match at Fastlane. The opening bell sounds and Owens starts off strong with strikes on Corbin. Corbin fights back and throttles Owens out to the ringside floor. Sami Zayn is backstage watching. Back in the ring, Owens starts working on Corbin and hits a big boot on him. Corbin fires back with a big right hand that sends Owens back outside for a breather. They brawl around ringside until Owens whips Corbin into the ring post, and Corbin sells the bad ribs from earlier in the night. Back in the ring, Owens takes control and hits a cannonball in the corner for a two count. The fight spills out to ringside again, where Corbin whips Owens into the barrier. Back in the ring, Owens comes back with a senton for a two count. Owens works on keeping Corbin grounded, but Corbin fights his way up and hits the chokeslam backbreaker. They slowly get up to their feet and brawl back and forth. Corbin slides outside and then back in the ring for a clothesline from behind for a two count. Corbin misses a shot in the corner, and Owens goes up top. Corbin cuts him off, but Owens drops Corbin’s neck over the top rope. Owens approaches Corbin on the mat, but Corbin hits the Deep Six out of nowhere. Both men are slow to get up, and Owens hits a superkick. Corbin evades a Pop-Up Powerbomb, and comes back with the End of Days for the three count. Corbin has earned a spot at Fastlane.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    – Corbin celebrates in the ring, as Sami Zayn is shown backstage, and Sami is not happy.

    – Bobby Roode is out to the ring next, and he says he wants to issue an open challenge for his U.S. Title, and he also takes a shot at Randy Orton for attacking him from behind last week. Roode looks to the back for his open challenge opponent tonight, and it’s Randy Orton. Roode is happy he got who he wanted, and Orton makes his way to the ring. As Orton steps in the ring, Jinder Mahal comes out to interrupt. Jinder says the SmackDown roster doesn’t respect Orton, despite being a 13-time World Champion. Jinder steps on the apron with one of the Singh Brothers. Jinder points out that he beat Orton for the WWE Title, but says he personally does respect Orton. Jinder says the rest of the SmackDown roster thinks Orton is past his prime, and now Orton gets on the mic. Orton says he doesn’t give a damn, as Jinder steps in the ring. Jinder says Bobby Roode has already surpassed Orton, and he thinks Roode wants to be the new Legend Killer. Roode gets on the mic now and says Jinder is the one who nobody respects, and Roode does have respect for Orton. Roode says that everyone is sick and tired of being attacked out of nowhere by Orton. Orton then gives the Singh Brothers an RKO out of onwhere, and Roode and Jinder start brawling. Orton grabs Roode, and Roode drops him with a right hand. Jinder then hits the Khallas on Roode, and then hits on Orton. Jinder yells at the fans and leaves as Roode and Orton recover.

    – The New Day is out to the ring next. There’s a table with plates full of pancakes all over it. They declare that Big E is going to attempt to break a pancake eating record tonight, but Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable interrupt. Gable gets on the mic and sarcastically says this is what he envisioned himself doing back when he was training for the Olympics. Shelton tells The New Day to open up their own pancake restaurant, and leave the SmackDown tag division to some more serious competitors. Xavier says that they are serious competitors, and are the longest reigning Tag Champs ever. Gable and Benjamin start throwing The New Day’s pancakes down on the mat one by one, and The New Day gets more mad with each wasted pancake. Big E tells them not to touch their cakes. Gable says he has a news flash for them – nobody likes pancakes. Shelton says they eat waffles, then flips over a plate of pancakes out of Big E’s hands. Woods and Kofi hold back Big E, and a ref gets between the teams.

    Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable vs. Big E & Kofi Kingston: Xavier is at ringside watching and throwing out pancakes to fans. The New Day starts off strong, but Gable and Benjamin are able to take control of the match after a boot to the face. Gable starts working over Kofi’s shoulder, and then hits a spinning heel kick on Kofi for a two count. Gable pounds on Kofi in the corner, then tags in Shelton. Kofi fights back and throws Gable outside. Kofi dodges a shot from Shelton, then goes to tag Big E, but Gable pulls Big E off the apron. Shelton drops Kofi in the ring, then rolls outside and hits a cheap shot on Xavier for good measure. Shelton taunts the fans, and Kofi capitlizes with a flying stomp on Shelton. Big E and Gable get the tags, and Big E hits some belly to belly overhead suplexes. Gable fires back with a suplex of his own, then tags in Shelton. Gable gets knocked outside, then The New Day double teams Shelton for the three count.

    Winners: the New Day

    – Dolph Ziggler cuts a promo in the back saying he was put on earth to perform in that ring. Ziggler complains about Owens and Sami attacking him from behind and ruining his opportunity. He says they attacked him from behind because they know how good he is. Ziggler says the whole reason he is back right now is to do the one thing he’s never done — headline WrestleMania, and he plans to go in as WWE Champion.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from The Usos, but then the screen shatters, and it’s shown that The Bludgeon Brothers have bashed a flatscreen with their sledgehammers.

    Dolph Ziggler vs. Sami Zayn: Owens is shown backstage watching on a monitor. Ziggler is selling a neck injury from the beat down earlier in the night, and the action is slow to start. Zayn leans up against the ropes repeatedly to force a ref break, and then cheap shots Ziggler. Ziggler finally hits a neckbeaker and a splash in the corner, then another neckbreaker. Sami rolls outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Sami backs Ziggler into the corner and repeatedly slaps him upside the head. Sami chokes Ziggler with his boot, then chokes Ziggler across the rope. Ziggler fights back and hits Sami with a shot to the face that sends Zayn rolling outside to regroup. Back in the ring, Sami goes for a suplex, but Ziggler escapes and hits a DDT. Both men are slow to get to their feet now. Ziggler goes for a Fameasser and misses the first attempt, but he connects with the second attempt, and pins Sami for a two count. Ziggler goes up top, but Sami hits the ropes and stops him. Sami climbs up and joins Ziggler on the turnbuckle. They trade punches on the turnbuckle until Zayn grabs Ziggler and hits a t-bone suplex off the very top rope. They slowly get up and start trading strikes until Sami throws Ziggler head-first into the ring post. Sami misses a big boot, and Ziggler hits the Zig Zag for a two count. Ziggler misses a superkick, and Sami throws him into the ring post again. He throws Ziggler into the ring post again, then goes for a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Ziggler fights out. Ziggler rolls up Sami for a two count, then Sami hits a t-bone suplex into the corner. Sami looks for the Heluva Kick, but Ziggler ducks and hits a superkick for the three count. Ziggler has earned a shot at the WWE Title at Fastlane, and the Fastlane main event is now a Fatal 5-way.

    Winner: Dolph Ziggler

    – Kevin Owens is shown backstage watching on a monitor, and he’s pissed off about the match finish. After the match, Ziggler stands up on the announce table and points at the fans as SmackDown goes off the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (2/12)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (2/12)

    The February 12th edition of WWE RAW aired live from the SAP Center in San Jose, CA.

    – Michael Cole welcomes us to the arena, and he’s joined by Corey Graves and Jonathan Coachman.

    – John Cena comes down to the ring to kick off tonight’s show. Cena gets on the mic and talks about how in two weeks he has to win the Elimination Chamber match, or else he might not have a road to WrestleMania. Cena starts to discuss his plans for the road to WrestleMania, but The Miz comes out to interrupt. The Miz walks down to the ring with Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel. Miz gets on the mic and says this isn’t 2013 anymore, this is 2018 and it’s the year of The Miz. The Miz says he’s the one who will go on to WrestleMania to beat Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title. Cena says no one believes Miz would have a chance against Lesnar, unless Lesnar missed his flight or got food poisoning. Miz says he’s a better contender for Lesnar than Cena is, because he’ll cross the lines that Cena won’t cross. Cena says one way to decide who is better, is for tonight here on RAW, to have The Miz vs. John Cena. Cena says the loser of their match tonight, should have to enter the Elimination Chamber first. The crowd seems to like the idea, but The Miz doesn’t. Dallas and Axel attack Cena out of nowhere. They blindside him and start stomping on him while he’s down. They continue to beat on Cena, and only then does The Miz agree to Cena’s challenge — once Cena is already down. The Miz demands a ref, but gets Kurt Angle instead. Angle comes out and says he likes the idea, and calls for a ref, but Bo and Curtis are eliminated from ringside. Angle tells Axel and Dallas to get the hell out of here, and tells the ref to get things started.

    The Miz vs. John Cena: The ref calls for the opening bell while Cena is still down, and Miz immediately pins him. Cena gets out at two, and The Miz yells at the ref. Miz goes for another pin, and gets another two count. The Miz knocks Cena outside briefly, then takes him back in the ring for another two count. Cena finally starts to fight back, and he hits a fisherman’s suplex for a two count of his own. Miz fires back with some knees to Cena, then stomps on his head. Cena tries to hulk up, but Miz takes him back down with a sleeper. Miz goes for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Cena reverses it. Miz grabs on to Cena and locks in the Figure Four. Cena escapes and locks Miz in the STF. Miz escapes and drops Cena’s neck over the top rope. Miz goes up top, but Cena takes him down and goes for the AA. Cena escapes and hits a DDT on Cena for a two count. Miz follows up with a running clothesline on Cena in the corner. Miz goes for another one, but Cena catches him this time and hits the AA. Cena pins, and Miz kicks out at two. Cena goes up top, but Miz knocks him down and puts him back in the Figure Four. Cena gets out and puts Miz in the STF, but Miz escapes again. Cena misses a shot in the corner, and Miz comes back with a Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. They fight up to the top rope, and Miz looks for a Skull Crushing Finale from the turnbuckle, but Cena blocks it. Cena hits an AA off the second rope for the three count. This means Miz will enter the cell first at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

    Winner: John Cena

    – After the match, Cena hops in the crowd and meets with a fan in the front row and his family.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Matt Hardy where he says tonight he will fulfill his destiny, and will go on to turn the Elimination Chamber into the Deletion Chamber. “Delete! Delete! Delete!”

    – Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson are backstage where they cut a promo saying that The Revival is setting off their Nerd-o-meter. Gallows and Anderson start heading down to the ring for a match, but The Revival attacks them on the way down. They fight into the ring where Gallows and Anderson fend them off, and we’ve got a match.

    Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. The Revival: The ref calls for the bell, and Gallows and Anderson immediately start firing up on The Revival, as they are not happy about the attack from behind. Dash comes back with a shot to Gallows’ knee — the same knee The Revival targeted in their pre-match beat down. Dash and Dawson now take turns working over Gallows and attacking the knee. Anderson finally gets the tag and cleans house. Anderson hits a dropkick on Dash, then a blockbuster off the middle rope. Dawson takes Gallows outside and slams him into the ring steps. Dawson tags in now, and they double team Anderson. They hit the Shatter Machine on Anderson for the three count.

    Winners: The Revival

    – Kurt Angle is shown walking towards the gorilla position. He’s got news about his son Jason Jordan and WrestleMania.

    – WWE RAW GM Kurt Angle is out to the ring next. He talks about Ronda Rousey being scheduled to sign her contract at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Angle says that he has an update on Jason Jordan’s health — and it’s not good. Angle says that Jordan’s injury will keep him off WrestleMania this year. Kurt says he now wants to talk as a father and not the RAW GM, and he thinks the fans should be ashamed if they are glad that any WWE Superstar is forced off WrestleMania due to injury, whether they like the wrestler or not. Seth Rollins is out to interrupt. Rollins gets in the ring and expresses his concern to Angle about not even having a match at Elimination Chamber, letalone WrestleMania. Rollins says he wants to be the franchise player of RAW, and he won’t leave the ring until Angle puts him in tonight’s main event so he can earn a shot at Elimination Chamber. Angle eventually agrees, and Rollins will now be fighting for a shot to enter the Elimination Chamber.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Bray Wyatt, who discusses his plans to win the Elimination Chamber, and then slay “The Beast” at WrestleMania.

    Sasha Banks vs. Bayley: They opening bell sounds, and they immediately start going back and forth with holds and pin attempts. Bayley hits a dropkick, and then blocks a Banks Statement attempt. Sasha finally comes back and drops Bayley, then hits a double knee strike for a two count. Sasha knocks Bayley outside, then takes her back in the ring and starts working over Bayley’s bad shoulder. Bayley fights her way up, and they go back and forth until Sasha locks in the Banks Statement. Bayley finally reahes the ropes to break the hold, then launches Asha into the turnbuckle. They fight up to the top turnbuckle, then Sasha knocks Bayley down to the mat. Bayley gets back up, and runs up the turnbuckle and grabs Sasha. Bayley hits the belly to belly off the turnbuckle for the win.

    Winner: Bayley

    – After the match, Bayley and Sasha go to hug, but Nia Jax comes out of nowhere and flattens them both. Nia hits some Samoan Drops on them, then heads up the ramp. Nia is stopped by an interviewer and asked why she did that. Nia says Bayley and Sasha had been taking Asuka to her limits, and Nia just crushed Bayley and Sasha in seconds, so imagine what she’ll do to Asuka.

    – We go backstage, where Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns exchange words about each of them wanting to win the Elimination Chamber. Sheamus and Cesaro walk in, and they start trashing Rollins and Reigns. Reigns gets in their faces, and The Bar backs down and walks off.

    – We see a video package looking at Asuka’s undefeated streak in WWE.

    – Titus Worldwide is backstage for an interview with Renee Young. Titus tells Renee to talk a walk, and he interviews Apollo instead. Crews says he’s not worried about any of his opponents tonight, and then he, Titus and Dana chant his new “Crews Can’t Lose” catch phrase.

    – Mickie James confronts Alexa Bliss backstage about saving her last week. Bliss says she’s sick of all the new girls on RAW, and said she wants to make up with Mickie. Mickie seems to accept her apology, and says tonight they can team up, but at Elimination Chamber it’s everyone for themselves.

    Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose vs. Mickie James & Alexa Bliss: Mickie and Mandy start things off after the opening bell. Sonya tags in early, but Mickie drops her. Bliss tags in and they double team Sonjya. Bliss follows up with a series of knee strikes for a two count on Sonya. Bliss continues beating on Sonya, then Mickie comes back in for another double team. Mandy runs in, and the distraction leads to Sonya hitting a cheap shot on Mickie. Mandy tags in now and they double team Mickie. Rose starts beating down Mickie until James comes back with a neckbreaker. Paige distracts Bliss, then Sonya attacks Bliss from behind. Mikie is unable to tag in the downed Bliss, and Mandy drops Mickie for the three count.

    Winners: Absolution

    – After the match, Paige hits the apron and directs traffic as Sonya and Mandy beat down Mickie and Alexa.

    – Elias is backstage heading towards the ring. He has a new song about the Elimination Chamber to sing tonight.

    – Elias is in the ring now for a song. As he’s singing about the Elimination Chamber, Jojo interrupts and introduces Braun Strowman. Strowman is on the stage on a stool with a spotlight, and he sings a song of his own with a cello. Braun then declares he’s done singing, and starts marching towards the ring. Elias pleads with Strowman to leave him alone, and then tries to get a cheap shot on Strowman. Strowman fights back and yells as he drops Elias down to the mat. Braun picks him up and hits the running powerslam. Elias tries to crawl up the ramp, but Strowman catches up with him and smashes the Cello over him. Strowman stands tall as officials come to check on Elias.

    – Finn Balor is backstage cutting a promo for tonight’s main event. He says he’s focused on getting his U.S. Title back.

    Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns: This one is evenly matched in the opening moments until Reigns fires up and unloads with clotheslines. Reigns sends Sheamus outside, and Cesaro gives his partner a pep talk. Reigns follows him outside, but Sheamus decks him. They brwl around ringside and Reigns repeatedly whips Sheamus into the fan barrier. Reigns gets distracted by Cesaro, and he turns around into a cheap shot from Sheamus. Sheamus follows up with a rolling senton on the floor, and takes control of the match. Back in the ring, Reigns tries to fight back, but Sheamus keeps him grounded. Sheamus drops him with a boot and hits an Irish Curse backbreaker for a two count. Sheamus locks in a Texas Cloverleaf submission until Reigns breaks out and then hits a Samoan Drop for a 2 count. Reigns misses a Superman punch, and Sheamus answers with the White Noise for a two count. Sheamus misses a kick and Reigns answers with a Superman punch. Reigns hits a sitdown powerbomb for a two count. Cesaro tries to distract Reigns, but Reigns drops him. Sheamus and Reigns breifly brawl around the ring until fighting back onto the mat. Sheamus goes up to the top rope, but Reigns spears him out of mid-air for the three count.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    – We see a WWE Hall of Fame video package for upcoming inductee Ivory.

    Fatal 5 Way: Bray Wyatt vs. Matt Hardy vs. Apollo Crews vs. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor: The winner of this one gets the final spot in the Elimination Chamber match. The opening bell sounds and Crews sends Wyatt to the floor early on, then follows up with a moonault off the apron. Crews slides back in the ring and takes down Balor and Rollins. Balor then fires back and knocks Crews off the apron to the outside. Balor and Rollins go at it now until Wyatt comes in, and Balor drops Wyatt next. Matt gets in the mic now and goes at it with Balor and Rollins. Balor hits a slingblade, but then Rollins comes back with a boot to Blor’s face. Rollins then blocks a Sister Abigail from Wyatt, and rolls up Wyatt for a two count. Rollins beats on Wyatt, then throws Balor outside. Balor takes Hardy outside with him and they fight on the floor. Rollins goes up top, but Crews crotches him on the turnbuckle. Crews climbs up, then Hardy and Balor run over to block Crews’ superplex. Balor and Hardy try to double team, but Wyatt runs in and hits a splash on them all in the corner. Wyatt drops Matt with a clothesline, then hits a neckbreaker on Rollins. Wyatt hits a kick and a rolling senton on Crews for a two count. Matt now fires up and start dropping people. Matt hits a Side Effect on Balor, then attempts a Twist of Fate on Wyatt but Wyatt blocks it. Rollins fires up and starts dropping people now, then he hits two big suicide dives onto everyone at ringside. Rollins and Crews go at it in the ring now, and Rollins hits a suplex and a Falcon Arrow for a 2 count. They continue to fight and they brawl out to ringside. Rollins and Crews trade knees and kicks, then fight back into the ring. Balor runs in and hits a Slingbladed on Wyatt, and Balor starts cleaning house. All five men are now back in the ring brawling. Crews goes for a Gorilla Press Slam, but it’s blocked, and Rollins fires back with kicks. Crews hits a kick of his own, then a standing shooting star press for another two count. Matt stunts Crews with a shot, then takes Crews up top. Crews fights back, and then Wyatt pulls Matt down to the floor and hits the Sister Abigail. Back in the ring, Wyatt and Crews start going at it on the turnbuckle. Balor and Rollins run up to the turnbuckle for a big four-man powerbomb. Balor and Rollins both cover Wyatt at the same time, and the ref counts three. Rollins and Balor both start celebrating, and the referee looks confused. The ref keeps arguing that there is no winner.

    Winner: No contest

    Balor and Rollins argue wihth the ref as RAW goes off the air, and it appears the final Elimination Chamber contestant has not been determined yet.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (2/6)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (2/6)

    The February 6th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO.

    – Tom Phillips welcomes us to Kansas City, and promotes the Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens match, where the winner will go on to face AJ Styles for the WWE Title.

    – Shane McMahon comes down to the ring to kick off SmackDown. He discusses the Owens vs. Zayn match, and says he doesn’t think either of them deserve an opportunity, Daniel Bryan does think they do. Shane introduces Bryan, who comes down to the ring next. Shane tells Bryan that he doesn’t think he’s listening to his frustrations, because he keeps giving Owens and Zayn opportunities over and over. The crowd chants “Rusev Day,” and Shane acknowledges them. Shane says maybe the fans would rather see someone else get a shot at the WWE Title instead of either Owens or Zayn. Bryan counter-argues that Owens and Zayn were victims of a bad referee call, and they are now going to fight each other for another opportunity. Bryan says he thinks he deserves a pay raise for his work. Shane says he thinks Bryan has given Owens and Zayn enough opportunities already. Shane says Bryan has changed WWE forever, and that this is emotional for him to discuss, but he accuses Bryan of trying to live vicariously through Owens and Zayn, and says they have been manipulating Bryan. Shane says he knows Bryan wants to compete in the ring again more than anything in the world. Bryan asks Shane to clarify what he means, and Shane reiterates that he thinks Bryan is living vicariously through Owens and Zayn. WWE Champion AJ Styles comes out to interrupt. AJ steps in the ring and the crowd chants his name. AJ gets on the mic and says he’s the best in the business and he was put on the world to be phenomenal. He says he was built for the wrestling business, and he can deal with it’s downsides, but he can’t deal with SmackDown management obsessing over Owens and Zayn. AJ accuses both Daniel and Shane of obsessing over Owens and Zayn. AJ tells Daniel and Shane to stay out of his way, then heads to the back.

    – The New Day is backstage eating pancakes and answering fan questions on Twitter.

    – Up next: Charlotte vs. Liv Morgan in a non-Title match. Still to come: Bobby Roode defends the U.S. Title against Rusev.

    – AJ Styles is shown walking backstage, and he is confronted by Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura tells him he’s going to take his WWE Title at WrestleMania, and walks off.

    Charlotte vs. Liv Morgan: The rest of the Riott Squad is at ringside. Charlotte starts off with a spear into the corner right off the opening bell. Charlotte follows up with some shoulder strikes, then stomps Liv down in the corner. They fight out to ringside briefly, and a distraction by the Riott Squad leads to Liv dropping Charlotte and taking control. Back in the ring, Liv slams Charlotte face-first into the mat, then puts her in a sleeper. Charlotte starts firing back with chops to the chest, then hits a fallaway slam. Charlotte follows up with a boot to the face, then she goes up top. Liv pulls Charlotte down then stomps on her. Charlotte comes back with a spear, but then gets distracted by Sarah Logan. She knocks Logan down, while Ruby pulls Liv outside to safety on the other side of the ring. The ref ejects Riott and Logan from ringside. Back in the ring, Charlotte hits a big boot on Morgan. Charlotte follows up with the Figure Eight for the win via submission.

    Winner: Charlotte

    – After the match, Charlotte says “one down, two to go.”

    – Tom Phillips introduces a Black History Month video package featuring Roman Reigns and Titus O’Neil.

    – Kevin Owens does an interview backstage where he questions whether Sami Zayn will be able to handle losing to him tonight.

    The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Jobbers: The jobbers haven’t gotten names so far. Harper starts off with a big running dropkick on the first jobber, and follows up with a suplex. Harper then rolls outside and chases the second jobber right into Rowan, who drops him with a running cross body. Harper and Rowan take both jobbers into the ring and start beating on both of them. They hit a double team splash on them both at the same time. They double-team powerbomb one jobber, then double chokeslam the other jobber, and pin him for the three count.

    Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers

    – After the match, The Usos come out and confront The Bludgeon Brothers. The Usos end up walking around the Bludgeon Brothers, and stepping into the ring as The Bludgeon Brothers walk backstage.

    – The Usos get on the mic and cut promo in the ring. They talk about the Uso Penitentiary being a “state of mind,” and they make a bunch of prison analogies. They say 2017 was a turnaround year for the Usos, and say the other teams of SmackDown should be feeling paranoid.

    – We go backstage to Daniel Bryan, who is about to reveal the SmackDown Live Top 10 List, which is a list of the top wrestlers on the show as voted by their peers. #10 is Tye Dillinger, Randy Orton is #9, Becky Lynch is #8, The Usos are #7, the New Day is #6, Bobby Roode is #5, Naomi is #4, Shinsuke Nakamura is #3, #2 is Charlotte, and #1 is AJ Styles.

    – The New Day is shown still backstage messing around with pancakes and answering questions on Twitter with the hashtag #AskTheNewDay.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Aiden English and Rusev, where they talk about preparing for battle. English says Roode should prepare to lose his U.S. Title, because Rusev is about to deliver his masterpiece.

    – Aiden English is out to the ring now. He sings a song and introduces Rusev for his U.S. Title shot.

    U.S. Title: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Rusev: Rusev backs the Champion into the corner early on, and the ref pulls them apart. Roode and Rusev lock up again, and this time Roode backs the challenger up then taunts him. Rusev comes back with a snapmare and a front face lock on Roode, then drops him in the corner. Roode and Rusev trade strikes in the middle of the ring until Rusev catches him with a fallaway slam. Rusev puts the boots to Roode, then hits a vertical suplex on the Champion. Roode comes back with some forearm shots to the face, then a clothesline in the corner and a swinging neckbreaker. Roode hits a flying clothesline off the top. Roode gets distracted by Aiden English on the apron, which leads to Rusev hitting a kick to the head of Roode. Roode starts fighting back, but Rusev stuns him with a knee to the body. Roode comes back with a spinebuster for a two count. English gets on the apron again, and Roode punches him off. Rusev rolls up Roode out of nowhere for a two count. Rusev follows up with a big boot, but Rusev is down too for a breather. Rusev goes for the Accolade, but Roode reverses into a rollup for a two count. Rusev rolls up Roode for a two count of his own, and then goes for the Accolade. Roode escapes again, and this time hits the Glorious DDT for the three count.

    Winner & still U.S. Champion: Bobby Roode

    – After the match, Roode poses in the ring, and then Randy Orton runs in and hits an RKO out of nowhere on the U.S. Champion. Aiden English checks on Rusev, then Orton grabs English and gives him an RKO. Rusev finally gets up, and Orton hits an RKO on him too.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable, where they call The Fashion Police clowns and buffoons. They say they want to bring prestige back to the tag division, an they want to run both Breezango and The Ascension out of the division. They will face The Ascension next.

    Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable vs. The Ascension: Konnor and Shelton start off, and Konnor overpowers him early on. Benjamin comes back with some knees and kicks, then tags in Gable. They briefly double team Konnor, then Gable starts working over Konnor’s knee. Viktor gets the hot tag and cleans house. He rolls up Gable and Shelton breaks up the pin. Konnor runs in to take out Shelton, but Shelton hits him with a spinebuster. Viktor throws Shelton outside, then Gable grabs him from behind for a German suplex. Shelton tags in, and they hit the double team powerbomb for the three count.

    Winners: Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable

    – The New Day is backstage answering Twitter questions. They say they don’t care who wins between Zayn and Owens, and they say Kofi would be the highest-rated individual New Day member on the SmackDown top Ten list.

    – Sami Zayn does an interview backstage at the gorilla position, and says tonight is the night he steps out from behind Kevin Owens’ shadow. He says he has fought Owens more than anybody, and knows what he’s capable of. He says Kevin will stop at nothing, but neither will he.

    Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens: The winner of this match gets a shot at AJ Styles’ WWE Title. AJ is on commentary for this one. Owens and Zayn lock up off the opening bell, and Owens takes him down with a front face lock. They separate, then Owens drops Zayn with a shoulder block. Sami comes back with some arm drags, then a shoulder lock. Sami slaps Owens across the face, then Owens returns the favor. Sami tackles Owens and pummels on him, and Owens rolls outside for a breather. Owens tries to get back in the ring, but Sami blasts him off the apron. Back in the ring, they trade strikes until Owens stuns Zayn with an enziguri, and then hits a suplex neckbreaker for a two count. Zayn comes back with a tornado DDT for a two count of his own. Owens drops Zayn now and goes up top for a Swanton bomb, but Zayn blocks it with his knees. The fight spills out to ringside, where Zayn leaps throug hthe ropes and hits a tornado DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Zayn charges forward, but Owens stops him with a superkick. Owens goes up top and hits a frogsplash for a two count. They slowly fight up to their feet, then Sami shuts him down with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. They fight back out to ringside, in front of where AJ is sitting on commentary. Zayn starts talking trash to AJ, then shoves him. AJ shoves Sami back, then starts punching Sami and Owens. AJ beats down both Sami and Owens, and the ref calls for a DQ. AJ hits a suicide dive out of the ring onto Owens and Zayn.

    Winner: No contest

    – Daniel Bryan comes out to the stage, and says that both Sami and Kevin will compete for the WWE Title in a Triple Threat match against AJ. None of he three competitors seem to know what to make of Bryan’s decision. Owens and Zayn argue on the ramp while AJ stares them down from the ring. AJ lays the WWE Title down on the mt in front of him as SmackDown goes off the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (2/5)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (2/5)

    The February 5, 2018 edition of WWE RAW aired live from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA.

    – This week’s show opens up with Michael Cole welcoming us to the Wells Fargo Arena. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Jonathan Coachman.

    – We immediately go backstage to Bray Wyatt, who talks about how he won the WWE Title in the Elimination Chamber last year. He says there’s just one person in his way: Roman Reigns. Wyatt says Reigns is his nemesis, and he says Reigns is a failure waiting to be put out of his misery.

    – We cut to Roman Reigns for his reaction, and he says he has a different definition of failure. Reigns says he’s had his fair share of ups and downs, but when he gets knocked down he gets back up. Reigns says his road to WrestleMania 34 stops with a trip to Suplex City, not with Wyatt. Reigns says neither Wyatt or Lesnar can stop him from becoming the Universal Champion.

    Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns: This one is an Elimination Chamber qualifying match. The opening bell sounds and Wyatt backs the Big Dog into the corner early on. Reigns fires back with a shoulder block, and Wyatt taunts him and talks some trash. Reigns charges and Wyatt blocks him with a boot to the face. They continue to brawl up against the ropes, and Wyatt takes Reigns down for a two count. Matt Hardy is shown watching backstage as we see Reigns fights up to his feet. Reigns comes back with a big clothesline and Wyatt rolls outside for a breather. Reigns follows him outside and goes for the Drive By, but Wyatt counters it and drops The Big Dog. Wyatt beats down Reigns around ringside and whips him into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Reigns fights up and hits a Samoan Drop. Both men are slow to get up to their feet, but Reigns gets up first and unloads with strikes on Wyatt. Wyatt comes back with an elbow and drops Reigns. Wyatt tags Reigns up for a superplex, but Reigns headbutts him away. Reigns slides through the legs and powerbombs Wyatt down. Wyatt kicks out at 2, and then Reigns gears up for a Superman punch. Wyatt blocks it, and hits a side suplex, then a senton for a 2 count. Wyatt goes for the Sister Abigail but it’s blocked, and Reigns rolls him up for a 2 count. Reigns hits a superman punch for another 2 count. Reigns goes for the spear, but Wyatt blocks it with a boot to the face. Wyatt hits the Sister Abigail for a 2 count now. Wyatt follows up with some elbows, then goes for another Sister Abigail, but Reigns escapes. They run the ropes and Reigns hits the spear for the win.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    – After the match, Matt Hardy hits the ring and waits for Wyatt to get up. Matt hits the Twist of Fate and then gets a “Delete” chant.

    – We see Seth Rollins backstage with Jason Jordan. Rollins says this is their final shot to get the Tag Titles back from The Bar, and he says he wants to make sure Jordan doesn’t blow it this time. Jordan says he’s 100%, and that Rollins has nothing to worry about. Rollins says tonight is about what they can do together.

    – We see some pre-taped promos from Mandy Rose & Goldust, Naomi & Jimmy Uso to promote this week’s Mixed Match Challenge.

    – The Revival comes out to the ring and cut a promo challenging Finn Balor to a tag match.

    Finn Balor & Karl Anderson vs. The Revival: Gallows is at ringside for this one. Balor and Dash start this one off with Dash getting the upper hand. Dash and Dawson trade frequent tags now and take turns working over Balor’s shoulder. Balor finally comes back with a double foot stomp, then Anderson tags in. Anderson cleans house, then hits a suicide dive onto Dash at ringside. Back in the ring, Balor hits the running dropkick on Dawson, and follows up with the Coup De Grace. Balor covers for the three count after a short but competitive match.

    Winners: Finn Balor & Karl Anderson:

    – The Club celebrates their win after the match as The Revival heads to the back.

    – Still to come, Kurt Angle reveals the first competitors for the Women’s Elimination Chamber.

    – We see Sasha Banks backstage studying the tape of her loss to Asuka. Bayley walks in and asks for any tips for her match against Asuka tonight. Sasha declines because she wants to keep those secrets to herself. Bayley points out that the Elimination Chamber is every woman for herself just like the Royal Rumble was. Things get tense between Bayley and Sasha, then Bayley walks off.

    Cedric Alexander & Mustafa Ali vs. Tony Nese & Drew Gulak: Tony and ali start off, with Nese unloading with strikes. Ali turns it around and tags in Cedric, then they double team Nese. Nese comes back now and tags in Gulak to return the favor with a double team. Nese tags back in for another double team, then hits a big lariat on Cedric. Ali and Gulak tag in at the same time and go at it. Ali hits a Tornado DDT, but Nese breaksup the pin. Nese gets thrown outside, then Cedric hits a dive on him. Ali hits a crossbody on Gulak back in the ring, then Cedric tags in shortly after and hits a flying clothesline on Gulak. Cedric follows up with the Lumbar Check for the three count.

    Winners: Cedric Alexander & Mustafa Ali

    – Kurt Angle is shown backstage having a private conversation with Alexa Bliss. He’s on his way to the ring.

    – RAW GM Kurt Angle is out to the ring next, and he starts announcing the contenders in the upcoming Women’s Elimination Chamber. He announces Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Bayley and Sasha Banks. Angle also announces Asuka vs. Nia Jax in a singles match for the Chamber PPV, and if Jax wins she’ll be added to the RAW Women’s Title match with Asuka to make it a triple threat. Bliss comes out to the ring to interrupt. Bliss complains that she has to defend the Women’s Title in the Elimination Chamber, while the men’s Chamber match doesn’t have a Title on the line. Bliss says it’s sexist that she doesn’t get treated like Brock Lesnar, and accuses Kurt Angle of being a sexist. Kurt says it sounds like she’s trying to weasel out of the match, so he’s going to ask the crowd. He asks the fans if they want to see Bliss in the Chamber, and the crowd pops and chants “yes.” Bliss gets mad and leaves. As she’s leaving, Kurt asks the fans again, and they chant yes again. Bliss does not look happy.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from John Cena who speculates about his road to WrestleMania. Cena talks about his Triple Threat match tonight, where he faces Strowman and Elias to earn a shot in the Elimination Chamber match.

    – Also coming up tonight: The Miz vs. Apollo Crews in another Elimination Chamber qualifying match.

    Bayley vs. Asuka: The opening bell sounds and it’s all Asuka in the opening moments. She works on keeping Bayley grounded, then they stand up and trade strikes. Bayley finally starts firing up and sends Asuka outside, then follows up with a hurricanrana. They brawl around ringside some more before taking things back in the ring. Bayley fires up and hits a belly to back suplex. Asuka comes back and hits a running hip attack. Bayley drops Asuka’s throat over the middle rope and they briefly fight around the apron, until Asuka gets her back on the mat for a two count. Asuka follows up with a series of kicks to Bayley, but Bayley blocks one and rolls her up for a two count. They trade strikes in the middle, then Bayley goeso for the suplex but Asuka escapes. Asuka goes for the Asuka Lock, but Bayley escapes and rolls Asuka up for a two count. Asuka catches Bayley in an arm bar and Bayley taps out.

    Winner: Asuka

    – After the match, Asuka extends her hand to Bayley, and Bayley hesitates but does shake her hand.

    – We see a pre-taped promo by The Bar, who says they’re going to take Rollins and Jordan’s heads off for good.

    – The Miz comes down to the ring with Bo Dallas. Miz tells the fans to shut up and says the stars are aligned, and 2018 is the year of The Miz. The Miz reminisces over his victory over Roman Reigns, and says that was the highest-rated RAW in three years, which he takes credit for. The Miz says tonight he will qualify for the Elimination Chamber, and then will earn the right to face Lesnar at WrestleMania, and will become the first ever Intercontinental and Universal Champion. Apollo Crews comes out to interrupt, and we have a match.

    The Miz vs. Apollo Crews: This one is a qualifying match for the Elimmination Chamber. Dana Brooke, Titus O’Neil, and Dallas are at ringside. The opening bell sounds and Crews starts off strong. He hits a big vertical suplex on Miz for a two count. The Miz starts to fight back, but Crews shuts him down with a Gorilla Press Slam. Crews goes to follow up with a standing moonsault, but Miz blocks it with the knees. Crews fires back with kicks, then blocks a shot from Miz and hits a suplex. Crews hits a standing moonsault, and then a standing shooting star press for a two count on Miz. The ref backs Crews off Miz, and Miz hits a cheap shot to the knee. Miz drops Crews across the top rope, then hits the Skull Crushing Finale for the three count. The Miz is now going to the Elimination Chamber.

    Winner: The Miz

    – Seth Rollins is backstage with Kurt Angle and Jason Jordan, and there are trainers beside Jordan. Jordan reveals that he tweaked his neck, and he hasn’t been medically cleared to wrestle tonight. Rollins is furious that he doesn’t have a partner anymore, and Jordan apologizes. Rollins says the match is up next, and Kurt says he will have to forfeit. Rollins doesn’t look happy, but then Roman Reigns walks in and he cheers up. It looks like Reigns will join Rollins for his tag match against The Bar up next.

    The Bar (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns: The Bar’s Tag Titles are on the line in this one. Sheamus and Rollins start off, but Cesaro tags in shortly after. Cesaro gets the upper hand on Rollins, then hits a Europeann Uppercut. The Bar now trades frequent tags to double team Rollins and beat him down in the corner. Rollins fights back and tags in Reigns, who helps him double team Cesaro. Rollins goes for a suicide dive on Sheamus at ringside, but Sheamus catches him and hits a backbreaker. Meanwhile in the ring, Cesaro hits a running European uppercut on Reigns. The Bar has now taken over this one. Sheamus now works over Reigns in the corner, and Cesaro hits a cheap shot behind the ref’s back. Cesaro tags back in now, and Sheamus cheap-shots Reigns next. Rollins and Sheamus go at it at ringside now, while Reigns starts firing up back in the ring. Reigns tries to fight off The Bar, but they overpower him and hit the double team White Noise for a two count. Sheamus knocks Rollins off the apron now, and Reigns hits Superman punch on Sheamus. Jason Jordan runs down to ringside and helps Rollins get back on the apron. Rollins tags in and starts cleaning house. Rollins hits a suicide dive and a slingshot leg drop over the top rope, then he follows up with a suicide dive on Cesaro that sends Cesaro falling into the front row. Back in the ring, Rollins goes for a Curb Stomp, but Cesaro escapes. Rollins hits a suplex next, and then a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Jordan trips Cesaro from the floor, which leads to Rollins hits a superkick on Cesaro. Roman Reigns gets in Jordan’s face at ringside now, and tells him to leave, because they got this. Meanwhile in the ring, Rollins hits a knee to Cesaro and then a superkick on Sheamus. Reigns tags in and prepares to double team Sheamus with Rollins, but Cesaro pulls Sheamus outside to safety. Sheamus and Cesaro get their title belts and look to start walking away, but Jason Jordan gets in their way and they start brawling. The ref sees, and calls for the bell. Reigns and Rollins win via DQ, so the Titles don’t change hands.

    Winners: Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins via DQ

    – We see a selfie video promo from Braun Strowman now, who says he will be the last one standing at both Elimination Chamber at WrestleMania. He tells Cena and Elias to get ready to “get these hands” tonight.

    – More pre-taped promos for the Mixed Match Challenge.

    – Seth Rollins confronts Jason Jordan in the back, and yells that he only thinks about himself. He calls Jordan a son of a bitch, and Kurt Angle interrupts. Angle tells Jordan to go cool off, and then sends Jordan home. He tells Jordan to stay home until he’s medically cleared, and yells at Jordan to leave.

    Nia Jax vs. A jobber: The enhancement talent is already in the ring as Nia makes her entrance. The unnamed jobber connects with some strikes early, but she gets dropped by Nia. Nia hits a splash in the corner, then throws the jobber down again. She hits a running splash on the jobber for the win afer a short match.

    Winner: Nia Jax

    – After the match, Nia does an interview in the ring where she says she’s going to mess up Asuka’s “pretty little face,” and her have to wear the mask to hide her face after Nia ges her hands on her.

    Mickie James vs. Sonya Deville: Absolution is at ringside with Sonya. Mickie starts off strong, but Sonya shuts her down with strikes. Mandy Rose gets on the apron, and the distraction leads to Sonya slamming Mickie down off the top rope. Sonjya follows up with kicks on Mickie in the ring, and drops her for a two count. More knee strikes from Sonya, but Mickie fights up to her feet and hits a rollup on Sonjya for the three count out of nowhere.

    Winner: Mickie James

    – After the match, Absolution starts beating down Mickie. Alexa runs down and pulls Mickie out of the ring for the save. Mickie and the announcers are all confused as to why Alexa saved Mickie.

    – Elias is backstage tuning up his guitar.

    – Elias is out to the ring next for a song. He sings a song taking shots at Strowman and Cena, and also Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. He’s finally interrupted by Cena making his entrance.

    John Cena vs. Elias vs. Braun Strowman: This one is under Triple Threat rules. The opening bell sounds and the three size each other up. Elias rolls outside as Cena and Braun go at it. Braun drops Cena while Elias observes from the floor. Strowman finally follows Elias outside, and Elias and Cena end up double teaming Strowman. They drive Braun into the ring post a couple times, and Braun is down to one knee. They drive him into the ring steps now, and Strowman goes down. Cena picks up the steps and hits Braun with them, and Elias hits Braun with the guitar, but Strowman still gets to his feet. Cena hits the AA onto the ring steps at ringside on Strowman, then Elias turns on Cena and hits him from behind. Elias brings Cena int othe ring and stomps on him, as the fans duel chants for Elias and Cena. Elias hits a backbreaker for a 2 count, while Strowman sells the AA at ringside. Cena fights his way up and hits the flying shoulders and back drop on Elias. Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Strowman runs in and grabs Cena for a running powerslam. Braun hits the powerslam on Cena but then goes for one on Elias an Elias escapes. Elias kicks Strowman out of the ring, then steals the pin on Cena for the three count. Elias has now earned a spot in the Elimination Chamber.

    Winner: Elias

    – After the bell, Strowman immediately hits the ring and slams Elias. Braun hits another running powerslam on Cena. The crowd chants for one more, and Strowman gives one more powerslam to Elias. Strowman poses on the corner but hte crowd is still chanting for more . Strowman steps back down to the mat and hits another powerslam on Cena, then another on Elias. Braun’s music hits and he leaves as RAW goes off the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/30)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/30)

    The January 30th edition of WWE SmackDown Live was the first episode after Sunday’s Royal Rumble 2018, and took place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.

    – Shinsuke Nakamura comes down to the ring first to kick off the show. Tom Phillips welcomes us on commentary, and he’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. Nakamura steps in the ring and gets on the mic, then runs down the list of names he kneed in the face at Royal Rumble. Nakamura says at WrestleMania, AJ Styles will be getting kneed in the face and Nakamura will be the new WWE Champion. Nakamura points at the WrestleMania sign, and then is interrupted by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens and Zayn walk down to the ring and complain on the mic about being screwed by the referee and Shane McMahon at the Royal Rumble. Owens and Zayn say they were screwed, and they should be co-WWE Champions right now. They say they will get a rematch and beat AJ before WrestleMania, so Nakamura will have to face them at WrestleMania. Nakamura says AJ is a winner, and Owens & Zayn are losers. AJ Styles is out to interrupt next. AJ says Owens and Zayn can whine and complain all they want, but the AJ vs. Nakamura dream match will happen at WrestleMania in New Orleans. AJ walks down to the ring and proposes that he and Nakamura team up tonight to take on Owens and Zayn in a tag match. Owens and Zayn say “nope” and leave the ring. AJ and Nakamura knock Owens and Zayn off the apron down to the floor, and the heels retreat up the ramp.

    – Up next is a four-way match featuring Jinder vs. Kofi vs. Rusev vs. Ryder to determine the #1 contender for Bobby Roode’s U.S. Title.

    – We see some still shots from Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

    – We go backstage where Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are confronting SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan. Bryan books the tag match for tonight, while Sami complains about their match on Sunday. Bryan says the referee made a mistake, but the ref’s decision is final. Bryan thinks they deserve another shot, so next week, Sami and Owens will face each other, and the winner will get AJ at Fastlane in February. Sami and Owens are not pleased with this decision.

    Fatal 4 Way: Rusev vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Zach Ryder vs. Kofi Kingston: The winner of this one will get a shot at U.S. Champion Bobby Roode, who is on commentary for this match. The opening bell sounds and Jinder takes Kofi, while Rusev takes Ryder. Rusev and Ryder spill out to ringside, while Jinder beats on Kofi in the ring. Ryder drops Rusev on the ringside floor, then slides in the ring and knocks Jinder outside. Big E is throwing pancakes around and he gets confronted by Aiden English at ringside. The referee ends up throwing Big E, Xavier, and Aiden English out of ringside and orders them to go backstage. Jinder and Kofi are now going at it at ringside, and Jinder knocks Kofi out of mid-air after he jumps off the ring steps. Jinder then decks Rusev, and then rolls back in the ring to work on Ryder. Jinder drops some knees on Ryder, then Rusev gets back in the ring. Jinder and Rusev start brawling back and forth, then Rusev drops Jinder with a kick. Rusev hits a splash on Jinder in the corner, then Ryder drops Rusev with a missile dropkick. Ryder hits a series of elbows to the face, then the Broski Boot. Jinder then hits a big boot on Ryder and covers for a two count. Kofi comes flying off the top rope with a shot on Jinder, then he hits the Boom Drop on the former WWE Champion. Ryder runs up on Kofi, but Kofi catches him with the SOS. Kofi pins, but Jinder breaks it up. Jinder hits a big lariat on Kofi, then Rusev throws Jinder outside. Rusev stacks up Kofi and Ryder for the double Accolade, but Jinder runs in and breaks it up. Jinder hits a flying knee to the face on Rusev, then attempts the Khalas but Rusev escapes. Rusev then throws Ryder into Jinder, then kicks Ryder in the face. Rusev drops Kofi next, then locks in the Accolade. Kofi taps out, and Rusev has won via submission. Rusev celebrates and eyes Roode from the ring.

    Winner & new #1 contender for the U.S. Title: Rusev

    – We see a pre-taped promo from The Usos, who are up next.

    – Breezango is backstage with The Ascension for the Fashion Files, but then Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin interrupt. Gable and Benjamin make fun of them, and say they’re making a mockery of their tag team division. Gable and Benjamin flip over Breezango’s table and leave.

    – Tag Team Champions the Usos are down to the ring next with microphones. They say they’re getting silly in Philly, and then they run down a list of all the teams they’ve beaten. After each team name, they say “locked down,” and then a jail cell door graphic slams on the screen. They say “day one ish” means being true and being 100 and being you. They talk about struggles and getting stronger, and say they’re the best tag team in WWE. Before they can leave, the Bludgeon Brothers come out to interrupt. Harper and Rowan don’t acknowledge the Usos, and just step into the ring. The Usos stare at them and then leave. The Bludgeon Brothers are in action next.

    The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Enhancement talent: The jobbers don’t get names in this one. Harper and Rowan use frequent tags and take turns clotheslining down the first jobber. Rowan stares down the other jobber on the apron and he starts to back down, but Harper is already behind him. Rowan bumps the other jobber off the apron, and Harper boots him down. Meanwhile in the ring, Rowan slams the legal jobber down. Rowan hits a splash on both jobbers in the corner, then they hit their double team finisher on each jobber separately for the win.

    Winners: The Budegeon Brothers

    – We see a selfie video from Daniel Bryan, who talks about a new top 10 list. He says the list will be voted on by the other wrestlers, and it will rank the top ten talents on the roster as voted by their peers. He says that he and Shane will use the list to book matches.

    – Shane McMahon is in his office on the phone talking about the Rumble. Tye Dillinger walks in and complains about his opportunity taken from him last night. Baron Corbin walks in next and complains about Owens and Zayn being handed opportunities. Corbin says he thought Shane was in charge, and asks if he changed his last name or if he’s still a real McMahon. Tye gets in Corbin’s face, and Shane separates them. Shane books them in a match tonight, and Corbin walks off.

    – Charlotte is out to the ring next. She joins Renee Young for an interview, and they discuss Asuka’s Royal Rumble win last night. She talks about being proud of the women making history last night, and says Ronda Rousey’s arrival broke the internet. Charlotte says all she knows is that she’s going to WrestleMania 34 as Champion no matter what. The Riott Squad comes out to interrupt, and Ruby tells Charlotte to forget about Asuka and Rousey. Ruby says Charlotte’s ego is as big as her father’s, and continues trashing Charlotte on the way to the ring. Ruby throws a punch at Charlotte, but Charlotte blocks it and fires back. Flair fights off Liv and Loga, then goes back to working on Ruby. Charlotte clears the ring, but they hit the ring again. This time they successfully triple team Charlotte, and Ruby hits the Riott Kick. The Riott Squad is leaving, when Carmella’s music hits and she runs down with her Money In The Bank briefcase. Carmella hands the case to the ref, but the bell never rings as Charlotte shoves Carmella into the ref, bumping the ref down to the floor. Charlotte gets up and stares down Carmella. Carmella leaves with her briefcase.

    – WWE Champion AJ Styles is backstage trying to talk strategy with Nakamura for their match tonight. Nakamura keeps bringing up WrerstleMania, and tells AJ to listen to him out there tonight.

    – Carmella is backstage for an interview with Renee Young. Carmella says the attempted cash-in didn’t go as planned, but she’s still the most dangerous woman in WWE. She complains about breaking a nail in the run-in, and leaves.

    Tye Dillinger vs. Baron Corbin: Tye starts off strong and unloads with offense on Corbin. The fight spills outside and Tye whips Corbin into the barricade. Tye springboards off the ring steps and drops Corbin again. Back in the ring, Corbin hits a hard knee to Tye and then pummels on him. Corbin hits a splash in the corner. Tye tries to fight back, but Corbin shuts him down and then throws him out to ringside. Back in the ring, Corbin stomps on Tye and keeps him grounded. Tye dodges a lariat and fires back with kicks. Tye lays into Corbin with chops and then goes for the Tye Breaker, but Corbin escapes. Corbin bashes Tye in the back of the head, then hits the chokeslam backbreaker. Corbin picks up Tye and hits the End of Days for the win.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    – We see Rusev and Aiden English backstage, with Aiden singing about Rusev winning the U.S. Title next week. We cut to Roode, who says he’s looking forward to his appointment with Rusev next week.

    – Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are backstage warming up for their match tonight. Sami tries to look on the bright sided and says at least one of them will get a WWE Title shot. Sami and Owens briefly argue about who was to blame for their loss on Sunday, then walk off

    – The announcers promote tonight’s 205 Live episode.

    Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable vs. Breezango:Benjamin and Fandango start off, and Benjamin takes control with a spinebuster early on. The Ascension is backstage watching on a monitor. Shelton continues to beat on Fandango, then tags in Gable for a double team. Fandango starts mounting a comeback until Gable rolls outside for a breather. Gable drops Breeze off the apron, then slides back in the ring. Fandango starts working over Gable’s arm, then Breeze tags in for a dropkick. Shelton runs in but Breeze dropkicks him too. Breeze goes back to work on Gable, and Shelton tags in but Breeze doesn’t see it. Gable takes out Fandago with a cross body off the top, and both men land outside. Breeze hits a kick on Shelton, but Shelton comes right back and ends up hitting a double team powerbomb on him with Gable. Shelton covers for the three count.

    Winners: Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable

    – Gable and Benjamin celebrate their win together after the match.

    AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn: AJ and Owens start this one off, with AJ getting the upper hand and sending Owens to go tag in Zayn. Zayn and Nakamura both tag in and Nakamura unloads with offense. Nakamura hits the Good Vibrations on Zayn in the corner, then tags in AJ who dropkicks Zayn back down. Nakamura tags back in, but Sami hits a cheap shot behind the ref’s back and takes over. Sami pummels on Nakamura in the corner, then tags in Owens. Owens chops Nakamura, but Nakamura fights back and drops Oens with a forearm shot. Nakamura follows up with knees to the body, and then Sami runs in but gets thrown outside. The distraction allows Owens to hit Nakamura and drop him. Owens and Zayn seem to argue briefly. Nakamura fights his way back up, then throws Owens outside. Owens and Zayn argue more at ringside, and Zayn appears to be backing up the ramp and backing out of the match. Owens asks Zayn what the hell he’s doing, then Owens gets back in the ring. AJ and Owens go at it in the ring while Zayn watches from the ramp. AJ hits a series of strikes and pins, but Sami runs in to break the pin. Sami tags in and fires up on AJ now, stunning him with a big back body drop. Owens yells at Sami to tag him back in, and he tags in then hits a senton on AJ for a two count. Sami now yells that he wants back in, and Owens slams him on the chest to tag him in. They continue arguing , and AJ capitlizes by shoving them into each other and knocks Sami off the apron. AJ rolls up Owens for a two count, while Sami starts walking out again at ringside. Zayn backs up the ramp as AJ beats on Owens in the ring. Owens comes back with a gutbuster and an elbow drop for a two count. AJ escapes the Pop UP Powerbomb attempt, and answers with a Pele kick. Nakamura comes in now and puts the boots to Owens. Nakamura hits some knees, then hits the Kinshasa on Owens for the three count.

    Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles

    – After the match, we see Sami watching on a monitor backstage as Owens recovers, and AJ and Nakamura celebrate. Renee Young walks up to Sami and asks if this means his friendship with Owens is over. Sami says nope, and this is all about opportunity, and he’s tired of being overlooked. He says next week he will beat Kevin Owens, and then beat AJ for the WWE Title at Fastlane. Back to the ring, Nakamura points at the WrestleMania 34 sign as SmackDown goes off the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/29)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/29)

    The January 29th edition of WWE RAW aired live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA, and was the first episode after Royal Rumble 2018.

    – Michael Cole and Corey Graves are joined by Jonathan Coachman at the broadcast table, who is replacing Booker T on the commentary team.

    – Stephanie McMahon comes out to the ring to kick off the show. She talks about the history-making women’s Royal Rumble match last night, and then introduces Asuka. Asuka comes down to the ring, and Stephanie announces a women’s Elimination Chamber match. Asuka speaks briefly and says nobody is ready for her at WrestleMania. Sasha Banks comes out to interrupt, and says she proved she’s ready to beat Asuka. Sasha and Asuka come face to face and talk trash. Stephanie books Sasha Banks vs. Asuka for tonight, and they both seem happy about that decision.

    – Braun Strowman is out to the ring next, and we go to commercial break.

    Last Man Standing: Kane vs. Braun Strowman: This one is a qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber. Back from the break, Braun Strowman and Kane are brawling all over ringside. They fight through the arena with pipes and chairs as weapons. Strowman beats Kane over to the commentary table area, then Strowman flips over the platform the table is on ontop of Kane. Kane is buried under the announce table and other rubble, and Strowman looks happy with the result. Strowman walks off and taunts the crowd before leaving. There’s no sign of motion from Kane. Referees and trainers yell for paramedics to come get Kane. Corey Graves approaches Strowman on the ramp, and asks him why he just did that to Kane. Strowman says he just did his job, and walks off.

    Winner: Braun Strowman

    – After the break, Kurt Angle confronts Braun Strowman backstage. Angle yells at Strowman for continuing to do things like this. Strowman says he was the last man standing tonight, and he’ll be the last man standing in his war with Brock Lesnar too. Strowman storms off and Angle looks frustrated.

    – Elias is in the ring for a song. Elias wants to claim his spot in the Elimination Chamber, and asks who is walking with him. Elias will face Matt Hardy up next in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match.

    Matt Hardy vs. Elias: The winner of this one will go on to the Elimination Chamber. Hardy starts off strong off the opening bell and works over Elias in the corner. Elias comes back and wraps Hardy’s shoulder around the ring post several times. Elias starts working over Matt’s shoulder and trying to keep the Woken one grounded. Matt tries to fight his way back up but Elias drops him and keeps working on the shoulder. Hardy finally hulks up with a series of headbutts, then an elbow. He drops Elias for a two count. Matt repeatedly slams Elias’ head on the middle turnbuckle, then hits a running clothesline on him. Elias starts fighting back, but Matt stuns him with an elbow to the face, then Matt hits a flying elbow off the middle rope. Hardy follows up with the Side Effect for a two count. Bray Wyatt flashes on the Titantron and distracts Hardy. Elias capitalizes with a big boot on Hardy, then the Drift Away for the three count.

    Winner: Elias

    – After the match, Wyatt appears on the big screen and laughs at Matt Hardy, who is still recovering in the ring.

    – We see a selfie video from The Miz, who talks about facing Roman Reigns, and makes a prediction that Tom Brady will crush the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

    – We see promo videos for the Mixed Match Challenge from Strowman & Alexa Bliss, and Becky Lynch & Sami Zayn.

    – A new announce table has just now been assembled at ringside for Cole, Graves and Coach.

    – Intercontinental Champion The Miz is out to the ring next, and he’s joined by Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel.

    The Miz (c) vs. Roman Reigns: The IC Title is on the line in this one. Reigns starts with an uppercut right off the opening bell on the Champion. Reigns takes Miz into the corner with a headbutt and pummels on him. The Miz starts trying to come back with chops, but Reigns no-sells them and drops him with an uppercut. Reigns clotheslines Miz outside, and Axel and Dallas check on the Champion. Reigns steps outside and whips Miz into the ring steps, then stares down Axel and Dallas. Reigns takes Miz back in the ring, then clotheslines him right back outside. Reigns gets a steel chair and chases off Axel and Dallas. Reigns almost hits Miz with the chair, but decides against it when the ref tells him not to. Miz grabs Reigns by the tights and pulls him face-first into the ring post. Back in the ring, Miz continues beating on Reigns and tries to keep The Big Dog grounded. Reigns comes back with a Samoan Drop and both men are down. They get up and start trading punches, but then Reigns fires up with a series of clotheslines. Reigns drops the Champion with flying clothesline, then goes for a Superman punch but misses. Miz takes out Reigns’ knee, then grabs him and puts him in the Figure Four. Reigns finally breaks the hold, then fights his way up and hits a sit-out powerbomb on Miz for a two count. Miz starts untying the middle turnbuckle in a corner, then Reigns comes up and grabs him. The ref tries to separate them, and Miz hits a cheap shot thumb to Reigns’ eye behind the ref’s back. Miz follows up with a Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. Reigns follows up with a Superman punch shortly after. Reigns gets up and looks like he wants the spear, but Axel distracts the ref and Dallas pulls Miz outside for a breather. Reigns comes around the ring and starts dropping everyone. Reigns throws Miz back in the ring and the ref checks on him. Dallas hits a cheap shot on Reigns, so Reigns throws him in the ring. Reigns punches Axel off the apron, then hits a spear on Dallas. Miz gets up and rolls up Reigns from behind with a fist full of tights for the three count.

    Winner & still IC Champion: The Miz

    – The broadcast team shows us a replay of Strowman flipping the broadcast table stage onto Kane. Finn Balor vs. John Cena is coming up soon in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match.

    The Revival vs. Heath Slater vs. Rhyno: Slater fires up on Dawson early on and sends him outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Dawson comes back with a cross armbreaker. Dash comes in and starts working over Slater’s shoulder. Rhyno finally gets the tag and starts cleaning house. Rhyno hits a flying shoulder block off the middle rope, then a belly to belly suplex on Dawson. Slater takes out Dash, but then Dawson takes out Rhyno’s knee from behind. Dash comes back in now and they hit the Shatter Machine on Rhyno for the three count.

    Winners: The Revival

    – The Revival does an interview after the match where they grill Charly Caruso for not knowing her wrestling history. They taunt the fans for chanting ECW and “trying to get themselves over.”

    – We see a video package looking at The Dudley Boyz’s careers, and announcing their Hall of Fame induction this year.

    – We see a selfie video from Finn Balor, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Balor talks about being in the Rumble last night for over 57 minutes before he was eliminated by Cena. He says now if he wants a shot in the Elimination Chamber, he has to beat Cena tonight, and he’s ready.

    – Sasha Banks does an interview in the back where she says she’s ready to beat Asuka. Asuka might have made history last night, but Sasha says tonight she’ll be the one making history. Sasha starts heading towards the gorilla position, her match is up next.

    Sasha Banks vs. Asuka: Asuka takes control of this one early on and works over Sasha with kicks to the body. Asuka starts working over Sasha’s left shoulder. Asuka whips Sasha in the corner but Sasha stops her with a boot to the face. Sasha follows up with the double knees to the face. Sasha beats on Asuka in the corner and hits her with some knee strikes. Down on the mat, Sasha drives more knees into Asuka. Sasha slaps Asuka across the face, and Asuka isn’t happy. They trade slaps to the face, but Sasha grabs her and puts her in the Banks Statement. Asuka gets out, but Banks locks her right back in. Asuka fights out again, then Banks throws her outside. Sasha goes for a suicide dive, but Asuka kicks her in the face and drops her out of mid air. Sasha hits the apron and floor hard. Back in the ring, Asuka and Banks trade blows to the face. Asuka hits a knee to the face then some elbows. Asuka kicks out Sasha legs, then hits a running knee to the face. Running hip attack by Asuka in the corner, but then she misses the follow-up attack and Sasha sends Asuka crashing out to ringside. Sasha follows up with flying double knees off the apron onto Asuka on the floor. Back in the ring, Sasha hits a flying knee off the top rope onto Asuka. Asuka tries to come back with an Asuka Lock, but Sasha escapes. Sasha locks in the Banks Statement, but Asuka reverses right into an Asuka Lock. Sasha taps out, and Asuka wins via submission.

    Winner: Asuka

    – It’s John Cena selfie video time. Cena talks about last night’s Rumble, and says he won’t let opportunity slip through his fingers again tonight. Cena says he will beat Balor tonight to earn his spot in the Elimination Chamber, and then will go on to defeat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania.

    – Titus O’Neil and Apollo Crews are backstage with Dana Brooke getting ready for their match against The Bar.

    – We see a shot of the Rocky Balboa statue in Philadelphia.

    The Bar vs. Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews: Dana Brooke is at ringside for this one. Crews starts off strong on Sheamus with a couple of near-falls, and Sheamus rolls outside to regroup. Titus tags in and continues the offense on Sheamus, working him over in the corner. Cesaro tags in now and hits a kick to the midsection of Titus, then a series of uppercuts. Titus comes back with some loud chops. Sheamus is back in now and he levels Titus and works on keeping him grounded. Sheamus dumps Titus outside and Cesaro tries to get a cheap shot in on him, but Titus boots Cesaro down on the floor. Titus fights his way back into the ring and clotheslines Sheamus down. Cesaro and Crews tag in and Crews cleans house. Crews hits a moonsault on Cesaro then hits a standing shooting star press for a near-fall. Sheamus tags in now but Crews evades the double team. Sheamus hits a powerbomb on Crews but doesn’t get the pin. Crews fires back with a kick and a standing moonsault. He pins but Cesaro breaks it up and drops Crews. Titus dumps Cesaro outside, then Sheamus boots down Titus. Cesaro tags in now and ends up sending Crews into the ring post. Sheamus comes back in and they hit the double team White Noise for the three count.

    Winners: The Bar

    – The Bar takes their Tag Title belts and celebrate up the ramp.

    – We see a look back at last night’s Royal Rumble, with Asuka winning nad Ronda Rousey coming out to confront her after.

    – Michael Cole gives us an update on Kane as we see a replay of Strowmans beat down on him earlier tonight. Cole says Kane sat up in the ER and crawled out of the medical facility, and he hasn’t been heard from since.

    John Cena vs. Finn Balor: This one is a qualifying match for the Elimination Chamber. They lock up off the opening bell and trade holds. Balor seems to get the upper hand early on as he has Cena down in an arm lock. He whips Cena off the ropes and hits an arm drag into an arm bar. Cena fights out and get Balor down with a side headlock now. There are several more takedowns by Cena before Balor rolls him up for a one count. Cena rolls out of the ring now and looks frustrated. Cena and Balor do the test of strength, which Cena wins. There’s something in the crowd which seems to be distracting the crowd and Cena, and the crowd is now chanting “asshole” at something off screen. Cena drops Balor with a right hand and has taken over the match. Cena hits the series of shoulder blocks and a back suplex. He goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but misses, and Balor says “you can’t see me.” Balor drops Cena for a two count, and Cena looks like the crowd is getting to him. Cena goes for an AA out of nowhere, but Balor escapes. They trade punches in the middle of the ring until Cena decks Balor with a boot to the face. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle then goes for the AA. Balor escapes again, and this time fires back with a Pele kick for a two count. Balor hits the sling blade, then goes for a running knee, but Cena stops him with a clothesline. Balor comes back with a kick, but Cena catches him and goes for the AA. Cena hits it and pins, but Balor kicks out at two. Cena gets on the apron and looks disgruntled. He says over to the announce table “I’m just trying to go to WrestleMania.” Cena goes up top, but he took too long and Balor drops him down. Balor goes up top now and goes for the Coup De Grace, but Cena moves. Cena drops Balor and puts him in the STF, but Balor reaches the ropes to break it. Balor is selling a knee injury. Balor hits a kick to the face of Cena, then goes up top. Cena gets up and runs over, then gives Balor an AA off the middle rope for the three count.

    Winner: John Cena

    – Cena doesn’t look happy after winning, but he does point at the WrestleMania sign. Cena gets up on the corner and stands tall as Balor is helped out of the ring.

  • WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Results

    WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Results

    WWE’s Royal Rumble 2018 took place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA.

    Royal Rumble kickoff show:

    – Renee Young, Peter Rosenberg, Jerry Lawler and Dave Otunga welcome us to the kickoff show and run down tonight’s card. Alexa Bliss comes out to briefly replace Otunga and talk about how excited she is for tonight.

    – Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are backstage getting ready for a “social media lounge” interview later in the kickoff show.

    – Sam Roberts is outside with some fans who are waiting in line to get in the arena.

    – Jason Jordan approaches Seth Rollins backstage and tells him it’s an honor to be his partner, and tries to get Rollins pumped up for their match tonight. Jordan says his dad didn’t just throw them together for no reason, he knew they’d be great. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin walk in and tease Jordan, but they embrace and catch up. Jordan and Shelton meet, and Shelton tells him a bit about his history with Angle. They trade some chirps and there seems to be some tension between them as Jordan walks off.

    – The crowd is coming in the still-mostly-empty Wells Fargo Arena, and a six-man cruiserweight tag match is up first to start things off.

    – We see a video package looking back at Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s Royal Rumble win.

    Kalisto, Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik vs. TJP, Jack Gallagher and Drew Gulak: The crowd is still being seated here, but the ones who are seated seem to be reacting to the match. Dorado fires up early on and hits a series of moves on TJP, finishing with a standing moonsault for a two count. The babyfaces stay in control as Dorado dumps both TJP and Gulak outside. Kalisto, Dorado and Metalik all go up to the top rope, and they all moonsault at the same time onto different heels standing at ringside. Back in the ring, TJP gets the upper hand on Dorado when he dropkicks him out of mid-air. Gulak comes in and takes Dorado into the corner where he stomps on him. Gallagher hits a cheap shot behind the ref’s back as Gulak clears the babyface apron. Gallagher comes in now and works on keeping Dorado grounded. Gallagher starts working over Dorado’s knee until Gulak tags back in. TJP tags in shortly after and continues working on Dorado’s knee. Dorado comes back with a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. TJP gets back up and dumps Dorado into the corner. Gallagher tags in for more knee holds on Dorado. Gallagher goes up to the middle rope, but Gulak starts yelling at him not to fly. Gulak misses the headbutt and Dorado gets the tag to Metalik. Metalik springboards in and hits an arm drag and then a chop on Gulak. Metalik leaps up onto the middle rope then hits a dropkick on Gulak. Back up to the top rope, Metalik walks the rope and hits a flying elbow on Gulak. Kalisto gets the tag and kicks both Gallagher and Gulak, then springboards off the ropes and hits a stunner on both of them. The heels fall outside and Metalik hits a suicide dive on them. He throws Gulak back in the ring where Kalisto covers for a 2 count. TJP tags himself in, but Kalisto quickly hits the Salida Del Sol for the three count.

    Winners: Kalisto, Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik

    – Sami and Owens are backstage fielding questions in the social media lounge.

    – Charlotte briefly joins the pre-show panel to discuss the Rumble tonight.

    The Revival vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson: Anderson and Dash start off, and they fight into the Revival corner where Dawson tags in an takes over. Anderson fires up with a dropkick, then tags in Gallows for a double team backdrop. Dawson rolls outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Dash tags in and hits a cheap shot to the eyes of Gallows. Dash unloads in the corner but Gallows fights out and fires back with body shots of his own. Gallows cleans house and both Revival members tag a breather at ringside. Back in the ring, Anderson is in and Dawson gets the upper hand on him. Dash tags in and starts working over Anderson’s knee. Anderson finally comes back with a spinebuster for a two count. Dawson takes out Gallows at ringside, then he slides in the ring and The Revival double teams Anderson for the win.

    Winners: The Revival

    – JBL and Alundra Blayze join the pre-show panel. JBL and Blayze have some banter and Blayze tells him to shut it, then makes fun of his shoes. We see Anderson limping up the ramp behind them selling the knee injury.

    – Bobby Roode comes out to defend his U.S. Title, and cuts a promo about being the solve survivor in the U.S. Title tournament. He asks who his mystery opponent will be tonight, then looks to the stage.

    U.S. Title Match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Mojo Rawley: Mojo runs down for the surprise entrance and takes control early on. Mojo overpowers Roode and drops him, and works on keeping Roode grounded. Roode fights his way back up and goes for the Glorious DDT early on, but Mojo escapes and hits a spinebuster on Roode. Mojo taunts Roode and slaps him upside the head a couple of times. The fight spills outside and Mojo whips Roode into the barrier before taking him back inside. Back in the ring, Mojo charges at the corner but Roode blocks with an elbow to the face. Roode keeps the momentum going with some strikes and a neckbreaker. Roode follows up with a Blockbuster for a two count. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT, but Mojo escapes once again and drops Roode. Mojo talks trash to Roode, and Roode hulks up and hits a spinebuster for a two count. Mojo hits a backdrop and throws Roode into the ring post. Mojo charges, but Roode blocks it and hits a variation of the DDT out of the corner for the win.

    Winner & still U.S. Champion: Bobby Roode

    – Ric Flair joins the pre-show panel now where he discusses Charlotte, NXT, and his match against MVP at the Royal Rumble before.

    WWE Royal Rumble 2018:

    – We see an opening video focusing on the Strowman/Kane/Lesnar feud, and shows us some previous WrestleMania footage to highlight the “road to WrestleMania.”

    – Tom Phillips welcomes us to the arena, he’s joined by Byron Saxton and Corey Graves. The WWE Championship match is up first!

    WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn: This one is under handicap match rules. Owens and Zayn trade frequent tags and try to get in AJ’s head before even touching. AJ finally gets a hold of Owens and drops him. Owens rolls outside, runs around the ring, slides back in, and tags in Zayn. Zayn and AJ lock up, then they run the ropes and AJ plants him with a dropkick. Owens comes back in and finally starts to get in some offense on AJ. He takes AJ into the corner and tags in Zayn, who stomps a mud hole in AJ in the corner. Owens briefly takes AJ outside and whips him into the barricade, then back in the ring Zayn continues to work on AJ. AJ starts to fire up and Owens tags back in. AJ gets a shot on Owens, then leaps up to the top rope, but Owens catches him and hits an electric chair drop for a two count. Owens goes for a cannonball on AJ in the corner, but AJ rolls out of the ring and Owens crashes. Zayn tags in and looks for a tornado DDT, but AJ gets out and hits him with right hands. AJ climbs up and hits a Frankensteiner on Zayn off the top. Owens tags back in and AJ drops him with a Pele kick. Both men are down. Zayn gets the tag and charges, but AJ catches him with a boot to the face. AJ goes up top and hits the moonsault inverted DDT. Owens comes in but AJ hits an elbow to the face. AJ drops Zayn, then puts Owens in the Calf Crusher. Zayn breaks it up. Zayn picks up AJ, but AJ drops him with a series of strikes. Owens rolls up AJ from behind for two. Owens charges, but AJ dodges and Owens crashes into the ring post. Zayn comes back in and hits the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Zayn takes AJ in the corner and slaps him across the face. Zayn takes AJ up top, but AJ slides out and drops Zayn. AJ hits the Phenoenal Forearm on Zayn, but Owens breaks up the pin. Zayn and AJ trade strikes in the middle of the ring, and Zayn tries to get the tag but AJ throws him outside. Owens runs in and superkicks AJ behind the ref’s back. The ref turns around and sees AJ and Owens fighting, but doesn’t seem to throw Owens out. AJ reverses a Pop Up Powerbomb into a pin, and rolls up Owens for the three count. AJ is declared the winner, even though Owens didn’t appear to be the legal man.

    Winner & still WWE Champion: AJ Styles

    – We go backstage where Zayn and Owens immediately confront Shane McMahon about the finish of their match. They repeatedly ask Shane if he saw what just happened. Shane says “yep,” and walks off.

    SmackDown Tag Titles: The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: This one is a best-two-of-three falls match. Benjamin and Gable take control of Jimmy early on using frequent tags. They work over Jimmy’s knee despite his efforts to kick them off. Jimmy finally comes back with an enziguri on Benjamin, and both men are down. Jey unloads with strikes on Benjamin, then knocks Gable off the apron. He throws Benjamin outside and follows up with a suicide dive. Jey runs back in the ring and runs through the ring for a suicide dive on Gable on the other side of the ring. Back in the ring, Jey hits a flying cross body on Gable for a two count. Benjamin hits a knee through the ropes, and Gable comes back with a suplex with a bridge for a two count. Benjamin tags in now. Gable hits a missile dropkick on Jimmy, then Benjamin powerbombs Jey into Jimmy in the corner. They send the Usos outside, then Gable hits a moonsault off the top onto the Champions at ringside. Back in the ring, there seems to be some confusion over which Uso is the legal match, which leads to Gable taking a superkick. Jimmy hits a splash off the top for a two count. A blind tag leads to The Usos scoring the first pinfall on Gable via a rollup. Benjamin and Gable come back with a double team powerbomb onto Jey Uso at ringside, and Uso’s head hits the ringisde floor hard. Back in the ring, Gable hits a kick to Jimmy and drops him. Benjamin comes in and looks for a suplex on Jimmy, but Jimmy reverses into a roll-up pin for the quick three count. That’s two falls for the Champions, and The Usos run up the ramp and Gable and Benjamin are shocked at the Usos stealing the win. The Usos are given their Tag Title belts, and Gable and Benjamin look on in disbelief.

    Winners & still Tag Champs: The Usos

    – Jerry “The King” Lawler comes out to join the commentary team for the Royal Rumble match up next. Aiden English comes out first to the stage and gets a big Rusev Day chant. English introduces Rusev, who will be #1.

    Royal Rumble match:

    Finn Balor is in at #2, and the Rumble has officially begun. Rusev overpowers Balor early on and slams him down with a hip toss. Rusev tries to throw Balor outside, but Balor escapes. Rhyno comes in at #3 and he hits the ring and drops Rusev immediately. Rhyno goes to throw Balor outside, but Rusev hits Rhyno from behind. Rusev hits a spinning heel kick on Rhyno, then turns his attention to Balor. Baron Corbin comes in at #4. Corbin rights into in the ring and starts laying people out. Corbin hits the Deep Six on Rhyno and throws him out. Balor runs up behind Corbin and throws him over the top. Rhyno and Corbin have been eliminated. Corbin is not happy, and he pulls Corbin outside and whips him into the barricade. Corbin pulls Rusev out and hits the Deep Six on him on the floor. Heath Slater enters at #5, but Corbin clotheslines him down on the ramp. Referees and trainers finally haul Corbin backstage. Corbin and Rusev are still in the match, but they’re recovering from the beating at ringside. Elias enters at #6, and he comes in with his guitar and cuts a promo on the headset. Elias kicks Slater down on the way to the ring. Elias gets in the ring by himself and says the clock is stopped so he can sing a song. He starts singing a song trashing Philadelphia, but the clock counts down and NXT Champion Andrade Almas comes out at #7. He hits Slater on the way to the ring, then slides in and starts brawling with Elias. He drops Elias with an elbow, then hits the running knees in the corner. He goes for the hammerlock DDT, but Elias gets out and clotheslines him down.

    Bray Wyatt comes in at #8 and starts dropping people in the ring. He uppercuts Almas down then chokes him on the ropes. Rusev tries to come back in the ring (he’s not eliminated), but Wyatt keeps punching him down. Big E enters at #9, and before getting in the ring he picks up Slater and shoves pancakes in his mouth. Big E hits the ring and hits a belly to belly on Wyatt. Rusev drops Big E with a kick to the head. Tye Dillinger’s music hits for #1, but he doesn’t come out. We see backstage that Owens and Zayn are beating down Tye. Zayn says he has an idea, and runs off. Zayn comes down to the ring, and hits Slater from behind. Sami hits the ring, but it doesn’t seem he’s an official entrant. The announcers now seem to indicate Zayn really is part of the Rumble. Sheamus is in at #11, and he throws Slater in the ring on his way in. As soon as Sheamus gets in the ring, Slater immediately clotheslines him outside. Sheamus is shocked at ringside as Slater celebrates in the ring. Slater turns around into a Sister Abigail from Bray, then Bray throws him outside for the elimination. Xavier Woods is out at #12. Woods hits the ring and starts brawling with Bray, then he links up with Big E to double team Sami Zayn. The New Day members also double team Elias, then they start brawling with Rusev.

    Apollo Crews is in next at #13, then Nakamura is in at #14. Nakamura goes right for Zayn and drops him with a kick, then he drops Rusev with an elbow to the face. Nakamura and Crews start going at it now. Nakamur turns his attention back to Zayn, and hits the knee in the corner then eliminates him. Cesaro is in at #15 and he hits the ring and immediately starts handing out European uppercuts. Kofi comes in at #16. Cesaro eliminates Crews with a European uppercut on the apron. Jinder Mahal is in at #17 and he starts giving out suplexes and knee drops. Woods charges at Jinder in the corner, and Jinder back body drops Woods to the outside for the elimination. Jinder and Big E brawl out to the apron, and Jinder hits a big boot on Big E. Big E falls down to the floor for the elimination, and Jinder climbs back through the ropes. Seth Rollins is in next at #18. Rollins comes in with flame print pants and starts dropping people in the ring. Rollins monkey flips Cesaro to the outside. Jinder throws Kofi outside next, but Kofi’s foot lands on Woods’ body, so he’s not eliminated. Big E puts a plate of pancakes under Kofi’s foot next, so since both feet didn’t hit the ground, Kofi isn’t eliminated. Kofi tries to get back in the ring, but Jinder blocks his path. Big E and Woods launch Kofi into the ring over Jinder’s head in a cool acrobatic move. Kofi hits the Trouble In Paradise on Jinder for the elimination, then Big E and Woods throw pancakes at Jinder at ringside. Kofi gets thrown out next for the elimination, then Matt Hardy comes out at #19. Matt and Bray seem to temporarily work together, and they eliminate Rusev. Matt hits the Side Effect on Almas next, then Matt and Bray come face to face. Matt and Bray start pummeling each other with right hands, then they brawl over the top rope and eliminate themselves from the match.

    John Cena is in at #20. He hits the ring and everyone immediately starts beating on him and stomping on him. Elias grabs Cena and goes for his finisher, but Cena escapes and eliminates him. The #21st entrant is Hurricane Helms. Helms hits the ring and poses next to Cena. Helms goes for the chokeslam on Cena, but Cena escapes and throws Helms outside. Aiden English is in at #22, and he gets a Rusev Day chant. Adam Cole is in next at #23. Balor throws English outside for the elimination. Randy Orton is in at #24 and he hits the RKO on Almas, then eliminates him. Titus is in at #25 and he starts brawling with Cena. Titus tries to eliminate Adam Cole, but Nakamura kicks titus from behind. Titus fires back with a chop to the chest of Nakamura. The Miz is out next at #26, with Axel and Dallas by his side. Miz hits a DDT on Rollins, then one on Cena. Miz does the Yes Kicks, but misses one and Cena grabs him. Cena goes for the AA, but Miz escapes and hits the Skull Crushing Finale on Cena. Rollins hits a superkick on Miz and drops him.

    Rey Mysterio comes in at #27 and immediately hits a hurricanrana on Balor. Rey starts dropping people and hitting kicks. Rey eliminates Adam Cole, then hits the West Coast Pop on Miz. Rey then hits the 619 on Miz. Roman Reigns is out at #28. Reigns starts dropping everyone who comes near him with uppercuts. Miz charges at Reigns but Reigns drops him with a series of clotheslines. Reigns then hits a series of clotheslines on The Miz in the corner, then eliminates Titus. Reigns tries to eliminate Miz next, but Dallas and Axel hit the apron and save him. Reigns superman punches Axel and Dallas off the apron. Rollins drops Miz then hits the curb stomp on him. Rollins and Reigns team up for the double powerbomb on Miz, and they powerbomb him onto Axel and Dallas at ringside. Reigns then immediately throws Rollins outside for the elimination. Goldust is in at #29 at immediately starts brawling with Orton. Goldust turns his attention to Cena and drops him with an uppercut. Entrant #30 is Dolph Ziggler.

    Ziggler hits a superkick on Cena (which visibly missed by maybe a foot) and then tries to eliminated him. Ziggler superkicks Orton, then Goldust grabs Orton with a spinning powerslam. Ziggler comes back with a superkick on Goldust, then eliminates him. Nakamura and Zigler start brawling by the apron, and Balor hits a running forearm on Ziggler for the elimination. Cena hits an AA on Balor, then Rey hits a 619 on Reigns. Nakamura misses a kick on Orton, and Orton drops him with an RKO. Orton goes for an RKO on Cena, but Cena escapes it. Reigns hits a superman punch on Orton and eliminates him. Rey hits a dropkick on both Cena and Reigns, then hits a double 619 on them. Balor comes up from behind and throws Rey to the outside. It’s down to Cena, Reigns, Balor and Nakamura.

    Reigns and Cena drop Balor and Nakamura, then Reigns and Cena come face to face. Nakamura and Balor fire up and start beating on Cena and Reigns. Now Balor and Nakamura come face to face. Nakamura hits the running knee on Balor, but Balor fires back with a flying kick. Balor drops Nakamura with a running elbow to the face, but Nakamura answers with a kick to the face. Balor and Nakamura go back and forth, until Cena and Reigns get up and clothesline them down. Cena and Reigns start trading punches, then Reigns drops him with a Samoan Drop. Cena hulks up and suplexes Reigns. Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Balor interrupts with a sling blade. Balor also drops Reigns and Nakamura. Balor sets up Nakamura in the corner, but NAkamura stops him with a boot to the face. Nakamura charges at Balor, but Balor stops him with a double foot stomp and he appears to land on Nakamura’s throat. Cena immediately throws Balor outside for the elimination. Cena and Reigns start double teaming NAkamura now, then Cena turns his attention to Reigns. Cena hits the suplex and goes for the Fuve Knuckle Shuffle, and he hits it. Reigns hits the superman punch on Cena, then goes for the spear, but Cena reverses into the AA. Nakamura comes up behind Cena and goes for a suplex, but Cena gets out. Cena tries to eliminate Nakamura, but Nakamura puts Cena out to the apron. They fight near the apron, then Nakamura hits a running kneed to the face of Cena to eliminate him. It’s down to Reigns and Nakamura.

    Reigns and Nakamura start brawling in the middle of the ring until Reigns drops him with a superman punch. Reigns throws Nakamura out to the apron, then Nakamura kicks Reigns in the head from the apron. Nakamura puts Reigns in a triangle choke over the top rope, but Reigns reverses into a powerbomb in the ring. Reigns goes for the spear, but Nakamura blocks with a knee. Nakamura hits a kick, then a flying knee off the middle rope. Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa, but Reigns stops him with a spear. Reigns is slow to get up, then he goes to eliminate Nakamura but fails. Nakamura ducks a shot and runs the ropes, and hits the Kinshasa on Reigns. Nakamura throws Reigns outside for the elimination, and Nakamura has won.

    Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

    – After the match, Renee Young gets in the ring and asks Nakamura now that he’s won the Rumble, which champion does he want to face at WrestleMania: Brock Lesnar or AJ Styles. Nakamura answers AJ Styles, then poses on the corner and points to the WrestleMania.

    – Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon are backstage celebrating Nakamura’s win, while Stephanie McMahon and Kurt Angle look disappointed. They trade some banter, and Stephanie says this is all about making history tonight, and she thinks everyone will be pleasantly surprised.

    – We see a new KFC commercial featuring Ric Flair dressed as the Colonel.

    RAW Tag Team Titles: Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan (c) vs. The Bar: Sheamus and Cesaro get in control of this one early on and they take turns beating on Rollins in the opening moments. Rollins comes back with a kick to the head of Sheamus. Rollins looks for the tag, but Cesaro pulls Jordan off the apron and throws him into the ring post. Sheamus misses a kick on Rollins in the ring and sheamus falls outside. Rollins follows up with a suicide dive on Sheamus and Cesaro. Sheamus turns it around on Rollins at ringside, then takes him in the ring where he and Cesaro double team him. Jordan is still down at ringside, and now at trainer is down checking on his head after taking a shot to the ring post. Jordan waves off the trainer as Cesaro works over Rollins in the ring. Sheamus and Cesaro go for a double team powerbomb on Rollins, but Rollins reverses and sends the challengers out to ringside. Rollins wants the tag, but Jordan is still at ringside selling the blow to his head. Cesaro charges at Rollins but Rollins lays into him with strikes. Rollins hits the sling blade and the blockbuster on Cesaro, then hits a running forearm shot. Rollins hits a suplex, then goes for the Falcon Arrow but Cesaro escapes. Rollins goes for it again and does connect this time. Rollins hits a superkick and covers, but Sheamus breaks it up. Sheamus takes Rollins up top and looks for the White Noise, but Rollins elbows him away. Rollins also knocks down Cesaro, then he hits a frogsplash off the top onto both of them. Jordan finally tags himself in, but as soon as he steps in the ring he starts really selling the head injury, then he tags Rollins back in. Rollins is exhausted, but he gets in the ring while Jordan sits on the ring steps selling a concussion. Rollins hits Cesaro, but then Sheamus boots him in the face. The Bar follows up with the double white Noise for the win.

    Winners & new RAW Tag Team Champions: The Bar

    – We see a promo video for the Universal Championship, and that’s up next.

    WWE Universal Championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kane: Paul Heyman grabs the mic away from Jojo during the introductions to do Brock’s intro. Lesnar immediately backs Kane into the corner off the opening bell, but then Strowman grabs him and rams Lesnar in the corner. Strowman bats Kane away, then hits a running dropkick on Lesnar. Strowman hits a stiff knee to Lesnar’s head, and Lesnar gives him a receipt in the form of a very stiff punch to the side of the head. Kane and Lesnar start going at it, and Lesnar goes outside. Strowman drops Kane, then Lesnar comes in and nails Strowman with a chair. Strowman comes back and punches the chair into LEsnar’s face. Strowman throws Lesnar outside, then drops Kane. Strowman gets some tables and throws them in the ring. Kane gets up and grabs Strowman by the throat, but Strowman comes back and hits a chokeslam of his own. Lesnar runs in the ring and hits a German suplex on Braun. Lesnar follows up with a series of Germans. Strowman gets up and shakes it off and comes right back with a running powerslam on Lesnar through a table. Strowman goes for one on Kane, but Kane escapes and pushes Strowman through the table. Kane follows up with a chokeslam on Strowman and pins, but Lesnar breaks it up. Lesnar decks Kane and pins, but Strowman breaks it up with a German suplex off the ground on Lesnar. The fight spills outside and Lesnar hits an F5 on Strowman through an announce table. Lesnar then flips the other announce table on top of Strowman. Kane runs up and goes for a chokeslam on Lesnar, but Lesnar gets out and hits an F-5 on Kane onto the announce table. The announce table doens’t break at first, but the tablet he landed on did. The table breaks a couple seconds after Kane lands on it. Strowman now gets up from the other table wreckage and he drops Lesnar into the ring steps. Lesnar takes BRock in the ring and hits a running powerslam on him, but he doesn’t pin. He hits another one on Lesnar, then gets up again. Before Strowman can hit it again, Kane hits Strowman repeatedly with a steel chair. Strowman falls outside, then Lesnar decks Kane. Strowman gets on the apron, but Lesnar knocks him off then hits the F-5 on Kane onto a steel chair. Lesnar pins Kane for the three count.

    Winner & still Universal Champion: Brock Lesnar

    – We see a trailer for the new Andre The Giant special on HBO in April. Back at ringside, the announce tables are being cleaned up while Michael Cole says he wonders what Andre would have thought of that match.

    – We see a promo video featuring Stephanie McMahon’s women’s Royal Rumble announcement. That match is up next.

    Women’s Royal Rumble match:

    Jojo does the rules for the match, then she hands the mic to Maria Menounos who introduces Stephanie McMahon. Maria also talks about how these women deserve this match and how proud of them she is. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte come down to ringside for a closer look. Sasha Banks is #1, and Becky Lynch is #2.

    Becky starts off with a headlock on Sasha , then Sasha misses a backstabber attempt. Becky hits some arm drags on Sasha, then they clothesline each other down. #3 is Sarah Logan. Sarah hits the ring and starts trying to throw out Becky. Sasha comes at Sarah, but Sarah drops her with a headbuutt. #4 is Mandy Rose, and she immediately goes after Sasha. Rose tries to eliminate Sasha, but Sasha fights away with elbows to the head. Lita is out next at #5. Sasha and Becky double team Lita, but Lita fights back with kicks and a double clothesline. Rose gets back up and fights with Lita in the corner, then Lita hits a monkey flip on her. Rose gets on the apron and hits a knee on Lita, but then taunts to the crowd and Lita shoves Rose outside for the elimination. Kairi Sane is out next at #6. She hits the ring and hits a double spear on Becky and Sasha. She hits a running forearm on Lita, then a flying forearm off the top on Sarah. She takes down Sasha then hits a neckbreaker. She follows up with a flying elbow on Sasha, then hits one on Becky. Tamina is in next at #7. Tamina hits a superkick on Kairi, then Sasha, then Becky. She hits a forearm shot on Logan, then Lita grabs Tamina and hits a DDT on her. Lita hits a Twist of Fate on Sasha. Lita hits a Twist of Fate on Becky next, then she goes up top. Lita hits a moonsault off the top onto Becky and Sasha at the same time. Tamina hits a kick on Lita, but then Lita throws Tamina outside for the elimination. Becky runs up behind Lita and eliminates her. Dana Brooke is in next #8, and she eliminates Kairi, who falls down onto the ring steps. Torrie Wilson is in at #9 and she hits an X-Factor on Sasha Banks. Torrie takes Dana into the corner and fights with her there, while Becky and Sasha fight in the other corner. Torrie dumps Dana outsie for the elimination, then Sonya Deville comes in at #10.

    Sonjya hits the ring and starts hitting knees on Torrie Wilson and Becky. Sonya catches Torrie in the corner and throws her outside for the elimination. Molly Holly is out next at #11 and she starts handing out suplexes. She eliminates Sarah Logan, then hits the Molly Bomb on Sasha. Michelle McCool is out next, and we get an “Undertaker” chant from the crowd. McCool start cleaning house and eliminates Sarah Logan, Molly Holly, Lana, and Liv Morgan. Ruby Riott is out next. Sasha and McCool fight on the apron, but neither fall outside. “Excuse Me,” Vickie Guerrero is out next at #16. Vickie screams in the ring on the mic, and the other girls in the rumble gang up on her an throw her outside.

    Carmella is in next at #17, but on the way in, Vickie steals her Money In The Bank briefcase and hits Carmella with it from behind. McCool appears to be going for a Styles Clash on Sasha, but they go for a powerbomb instead. Natalya is out next at #18, but Carmella attacks her at ringside. Carmella finally gets in the ring and starts dropping people with superkicks. Carmella and Becky have an awkward exchange that doesn’t really lead to any move, then Carmella kicks Ruby in the face. Kelly Kelly is in next at #19. Natalya tries to throw Kelly Kelly outside, but it doesn’t happen. Sasha kicks Natalya, then Kelly Kelly hits a very slow hurricanrana on McCool. Naomi is in next at #20. Becky goes up top and hits a missile dropkick shortly after Naomi enters, and Naomi rolls out to ringside for a breather. Becky hits t-bone suplexes on Natalya and Carmella. Ruby comes up behind Becky and eliminates her. Jacqueline is out next at #21.

    Jacqueline starts dropping people and then starts working on Kelly Kelly. Nia Jax is in next at #22, and she immediately eliminates Jacqueline and Kelly Kelly. Nia throws Ruby into the turnbuckle, then turns around into a kick from Naomi. Naomi goes for a hurricanrana, but Nia throws her down. Nia dumps Naomi to the apron, then knocks her out to ringside, but Naomi lands on some other women and then sits on the barricade, so her feet never hit the floor. Ember moon is in next at #23. She starts going at it with Nia and hits a springboard kick. Naomi is now walking on the barricade, over to an office chair by the timekeeper area. Naomi uses the chair to get over by the ring steps then climb back in the ring. She comes off the top at Nia, but Nia catches her and throws her outside for the elimination. Beth Phoenix is out next at #24. Beth and Nia start trading punches in the middle of the ring. Nia misses a shot in the corner, and Beth goes for a Samoan drop but can’t get Nia up. Beth finally gets Nia up, but Nia elbows her and gets down. Natalya runs back in and teams up with Beth on Nia. They knock Nia out through the middle ropes, then Beth and Natalya hug. Natalya then slaps Beth and throws her outside for the elimination.

    Asuka is in next at #25, and Carmella screams and runs outside when she sees her. Asuka goes at it with Ember Moon then eliminates Moon. Mickie James is out next at #26. Mickie hits a splash off the top on Asuka, then a neckbreaker on Sasha. Mickie and Natalya now go at it in the corner, while Carmella nad Sasha fight in the other corner. Nikki Bella runs in and starts dropping women left and right. She hits a springboard kick on Natalya, then Carmella attacks Nikki from behind and stomps on her in the corner. Carmella hits the bronco buster in the corner on Nikki, then they fight over to the apron. Nikki drops Carmella’s neck across the top rope to eliminate her. Nikki is getting ganged up on in the ring now, and Brie Bella enters at #27 for the save. She drops everyone and starts hitting running knees. The Bellas hit a double suplex on Natalya, then work on eliminating her. Bayley is in nect at #29.

    Bayley comes in strong and starts dropping everyone. Asuka finally stops her with a spinning heel kick to the face. #30 is Trish Stratus who is out to the ring next. Trish hits a Thesz Press on Natalya and starts pummeling on her. Trish now turns her attention to the Bellas and start chopping them. Trish then hits a double bulldog on the Bellas. Trish charges Bayley in the corner, but Bayley blocks her with a boot. Trish goes back and hits a hurricanrana off the top on Bayley. Trish and Mickie face off now and start trading blows in the middle of the ring. Mickie goes up top, but Trish kicks her down to the outside for the elimination. Nia runs in and drops Trish with a clothesline, then the other women start ganging up on Nia. Nia fights them off, but Asuka and Trish come back and double team her with kicks. The BElla Twins then both try to pull Nia outside from the apron, then the other women join in and all push Nia outside together. Sasha then grabs Bayley from behind and throws her outside for the surprise elimination.

    Natalya looks for a Sharpshooter, but she ends up getting eliminated by Trish. Sasha and Trish now face off, and Trish decks her. Sasha comes back and eliminates Trish, then turns around into Asuka. They start going at it, then Sasha tries to throw her outside in the corner. The Bella Twins come over and they start ganging up on Asuka, but the Bella Twins turn on Sasha and throw her outside. The Bella go to double team Asuka, but Asuka fires back at them with strikes, then hits a series of kicks on each of them. Brie is out on the apron, and Nikki hits an elbow to the face to eliminate her. Brie looks shocked at ringside, and Nikki turns around into a shot from Asuka. Asuka goes up top and hits a missile dropkick on Nikki. Nikki comes back with a springboard kick, and both women are down. They fight out to the apron, and Nikki punches Asuka down on the apron. Nikki walks over to her, but Asuka kicks her leg out from under her, and Nikki falls down to the floor for the elimination.

    Winner: Asuka

    After the match, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte, and RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss both get in the ring on either side of Asuka. Before Asuka can pick which Champion she wants to face, Ronda Rousey comes out on the stage to interrupt. Rousey walks down to the ring nd points at the WrestleMania sign, then goes to shake Asuka’s hand. Asuka slaps her hand away, then Rousey points at the sign again.

    Ronda Rousey walks over to Stephanie McMahon and shakes her hand, although Stephanie is very hesitant, They shake, and Rousey walks to the back to close the show.

  • NXT TakeOver Philadelphia Results & Discussion (1/27)

    NXT TakeOver Philadelphia Results & Discussion (1/27)

    NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia aired live from the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, PA.

    WWE NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia Results

    – The show opens up with a video package hosted by Paul Heyman. We see footage of Heyman in the empty arena cutting a promo for tonight’s show, and he references the history of wrestling in Philadelphia. Heyman says tonight they take over, overthrow the system, and will give you a reason to join the NXT revolution.

    – Maruo Ranallo welcomes us to the Wells Fargo Arena, and he’s joined by Percy Watson. Nigel Guinness is out with a cold.

    NXT Tag Team Title Match: The Authors of Pain vs. The Undisputed Era: Paul Ellering is out with Akam and Rezar. This one starts off with Akam and Rezar in control. The fight spills out to ringside where Bobby gets dropped hard on the floor. Back in the ring, they double team Kyle, and Akam seems to injure his knee in the process. Fish hits a superkick cheap shot on Rezar, then Kyle throws him outside. Fish tags in and beats on Akam in the corner, then exchanges frequent tags with O’Reilly to keep the advantage over Akam. O’Reilly is the legal man now and he works on Akam’s bad knee. Akam reaches the ropes, and Fish tags in to continue the beat down. They hit a double team kick on Akam, then continue working on the knee. Fish hits a springboard senton on Akam for a two count, then hits more kicks to the bad knee. Fish goes to punch Rezar off the apron, but Rezar no-sells it. Fish turns around into a back body drop from Akam, then Rezar and O’Reilly get the tags. Rezar runs in and cleans house with big boots. He throws O’Reilly outside, then hits a gorilla press slam on Fish. Spinebuster to O’Reilly, then Rezar pummels on him. Rezar goes for a fallaway slam on O’Reilly, but Fish jumps up on his back for a sleeper. Rezar hits the fallaway slam anyway, and crushes Fish behind him on the mat. Rezar looks for a powerbomb, but Kyle reverses into a front face lock. Rezar throws him off, and Kyle comes back with a kick and a knee to the face. Kyle tags in and they double team Rezar with repeated kicks. Fish tags in and hits a suplex for a two count. They go to double team Rezar again, but this time he fights them off. He boots Kyle down and hits a lariat on Bobby. Everyones in the ring now, and Fish hits a running knee to the face on Rezar, and O’Reilly locks Akam in a knee bar on his bad knee. Rezar throws Fish off of him onto O’Reilly, breaking up the knee bar. It comes down to Akam an O’Reilly, and O’Reilly hits a series of kicks. Akam fires up and hits a suplex, then some knee strikes. He clotheslines Fish off the apron, then powerbombs kyle into the turnbuckle. He hits a series of knees to the face on O’Reilly, then Rezar hits a big boot on Fish. The Authors go for the Super Collider, but Akam loses his balance due to the bad knee and O’Reilly hits a hurricanrana on him. The hurricanrana sends Akam bumping into Rezar and knocking him outside, then O’Reilly rolls up Akam from behind for the three count.

    Winners: The Undisputed Era

    – Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly celebrate up the ramp with the NXT Tag Titles. Paul Ellering gets in the ring, and he’s not happy.

    – War Machine is shown in the crowd at ringside.

    Velveteen Dream vs. Kassius Ohno: They circle each other and Ohno goes to take down Dream with a single-leg, but Dream stays up. They fight into the corner, and Dream hits a right hand to Ohno that knocks him down. Dream starts celebrating and jumping up and down because he dropped Ohno, but Ohno gets back up. Ohno hits an elbow to the face, then boots Dream to the outside. They fight back into the ring, and Dream comes back with a spinebuster. Dream hits a series of punches on Ohno and throws him down in the corner. Dream continues to beat on Ohno and keep him grounded. Dream starts hitting some kicks but Ohno no-sells them. Dream takes Ohno down with a double axe handle off the top, then stomps on him. Ohno starts fighting back, and they start trading uppercuts and forearm chops. Ohno hits a chop, a kick, an elbow, and running big boot, then a running senton splash. Ohno hits a cyclone kick for a two count. Dream comes back with a superkick and a DDT for a two count. Dream comes flying off the top rope, but Ohno stops him with a kick. Dream barely hits a Death Valley Driver, after appearing to almost accidentally drop Ohno. They get up and Ohno fires back with an elbow to the face for two. Ohno misses an elbow and Dream hits a rolling Death Valley Driver. Dream goes up top and hits the flying elbow for the win.

    Winner: Velveteen Dream

    – We see a shot of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, and then a shot of Maria Menounos sitting at ringside.

    – Johnny Gargano is shown backstage in his locker room with his family.

    NXT Women’s Championship: Ember Moon (c) vs. Shayna Baszler: They trade holds and strikes in the opening moments until the referee separates them. Baszler kicks out Moon’s leg and beats her down on the mat. Moon comes back with some dropkicks as fans rally behind her. Shayna goes outside for a breather, and Moon hits a dive on her on the floor. Back in the ring, Shayna comes back with some knees and a kick. Baszler controls the match now and works on Moon’s bad arm and shoulder. Moon comes back with the Eclipse off the top, but she lands on her bad arm and is selling an injury, so she doesn’t pin. Trainers come up on the ring apron to check on Moon, and Moon tells them she can continue. Moon gets up, but Baszler pulls her into an arm bar. Moon gets her leg to the rope. Shayna wrestles Moon away from the rope and re-applies the arm submission. Moon uses her legs and reverses the arm bar into a pin, and Moon scores the three count out of nowhere.

    Winner & still Champion: Ember Moon

    – After the match, Shayna attacks Ember on the ramp. Shayne puts Moon in a choke from behind and chokes her out on the ramp. She finally lets go and leaves, as referees check on Moon.

    – Ricochet is shown sitting at ringside.

    Extreme Rules: Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole: Black sends Cole out to ringside early on. Black backflips off the ropes in the ring and sits down, and Cole grabs a steel chair from ringside. Cole gets back in the ring and Black kicks the chair away from him. Cole rolls outside again to regroup. Black unfolds the chair and sits on it in the ring while Cole is at ringside. Black takes the fight to Cole at ringside and hits an elbow to the face. Cole comes back with a shot against the ring apron, then throws Black into the barricade. Cole takes some weapons out from under the ring and throws them in the ring. Black regroups and grabs a kendo stick, and Cold grabs a kendo stick too, as they both get back in the ring. Black drops his, and dares Cole to come at him. Cole swings and misses, and Cole hits a series of strikes to the face. Black goes for a Lionsault, but Cole hits him with the Kendo Stick in mid-air. Cole chokes him with the kendo stick, then hits a back stabber for a 2 count. Cole rolls outside and grabs a table from under the ring, then sets it up at ringside. Back in the ring, Cole takes Black up to the top rope. Black fights him off, and throws Cole into the ring. Black follows up with a running knee strike for a two count. Black rolls outside now and grabs a table, and he sets it up right next to the other one at ringside. Black grabs a ladder next, but Cole kicks it into Black. He sets up the ladder in the corner of the ring, then pummels on Black in the other corner. Black comes back with an electric chair drop into the ladder. The ref says something into his ear piece as trainers come check on Cole off-camera, and fans boo. They get up and Cole hits Black with a chair in the mid section. Black comes back with some strikes on Cole, then climbs to the top rope. Cole gets up and throws a chair at Black, and Black catches it, then Cole superkicks it into his face. Black falls off the top rope, down through the tables at ringside. Cole grabs Black and carries him back in the ring, then sets up some unfolded chairs. He sets up the chairs with the backs facing each other. Cole picks up Black, but Black grabs him and hits a Death Valley Driver onto the chairs. Black then knees a chair into Cole’s face and pins, but Fish and O’Reilly run in and interfere. They double team Black at ringside and leave him laying. Sanity runs in for the save and they start brawling with Fish and O’Reilly all over ringside. Cole rolls outside and picks up Black, and he goes to suplex him through the announce table off the fan barricade. Black fights Cole off and knocks him down, then hits the flying double knees on Cole through the table. Back in the ring, Cole hits a superkick on Black, and both men are down. Cole goes for a chair shot, but Black gets up and hits the Black Mass for the three count.

    Winner: Aleister Black

    – Fish and O’Reilly help Cole to the back as Black recovers in the ring.

    – Mauro and Percy promote an appearance by Triple H on Facebook Live after the show tonight. WWE staffers are picking up the table pieces around them.

    – EC3 is shown sitting at ringside.

    WWE NXT Championship: Andre “Cien” Almas (c) vs. Johnny Gargano: Zelina Vega is at ringside with the Champion, and Mike Rome does the official ring introductions. Almas and Gargano lock up off the opening bell and Almas gets the upper hand early on. Gargano takes control and hits a dropkick. Almas gets up and grabs Gargano by the hair and drops him, then works on keeping him grounded. Gargano hits a boot on Almas, then clotheslines him outside. Gargano goes to follow up with a suicide dive, but the Champion dodges it and gargano crashes on the floor. The fight spills out to ringside where Almas stays in control. Back in the ring, Almas continues to control most of the action and he sets up Gargano in a Tree of Woe in the corner. Almas goes up top for a double foot stomp, but Gargano evades it and Almas crashes down. Gargano gets up and hits some elbows to the face. He drops Almas and is getting fired up. Almas tries to dump Gargano outside but he lands on the apron. Almas charges, and Gargano jumps through the ropes with a spear for a two count. They trade strikes and fight up to the top rope in the corner. Almas looks for a superplex, but Gargano slides out through the legs, then superkicks Almas. Gargano holds Almas up on the middle ropes, and he goes up for a sunset flip powerbomb, but Almas reverses it. Almas follows up with running double knees in the corner, then he goes for another shot but Gargano dodges. Almas ends up coming back with the inverted DDT and pins, but Gargano kicks out at two. Almas takes Gargano out to the apron and looks for the hammerlock DDT, but he can’t execute it. Gargano gets in the ring and kicks Almas in the head on the apron. Gargano follows up with a slingshot DDT onto the apron, and both men crash down to the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Almas comes back with a jawbreaker. They trade punches in the middle of the ring until Almas hits an elbow that stuns the challenger. Almas takes a breather then charges at Gargano but Gargano stops him with a boot. Gargano hits a DDT then drops Almas in the corner. Almas comes back with a dropkick and a small package pin for a two count. Gargano follows up with superkicks for a two count of his own. Almas drops Gargano in the corner and puts him in the tree of woe, then hits the double foot stomp. Almas throws Gargano into the LED screen on the side of the ring, then back in the ring. Almas follows up with the running double knee strikes in the corner for a two count. Almas and Gargano both slowly get up and trade punches. Gargano hits a superkick out of nowhere, and then a reverse hurricanrana. Gargano catches Almas in the crossface on the mat. Zelina distracts the ref, and Almas uses the distraction to rake Gargano’s eyes and break the hold. Gargano dumps Almas out to ringside and follows up with a suicide dive. Gargano throws Almas back in the ring and Almas distracts the ref, while Zelina Vega hits a hurricanrana on Gargano that sends him into the ring steps. Almas rolls outside and drags Gargano back in the ring, then hits the hammerlock DDT. Almas pins but Gargano gets the shoulder up at two, and the crowd goes nuts. Zelina goes to attack Gargano again, but Gargano’s wife hops the barricade and beats down Zelina, then chases her out of the arena through the crowd. Gargano crawls back up on the apron and Almas walks over to him. Gargano kicks him in the head, then hits a slingshot DDT in the ring for a two count. Gargano immediately locks in the Gargano Escape on the Champion, but Almas gets his foot on the rope. They roll out to the apron, and Almas shoves Gargano into the ring post. Almas follows up with the running knees to the face on Gargano up against the ring post on the apron. Almas pulls Gargano up over the turnbuckle and hits the draping hammerlock DDT for the three count.

    Winner & still NXT Champion:

    – After the match, Zelina Vega re-appears and celebrates the win with Alma before they head to the back. Gargano’s wife comes back and walks him to the back. Before they make it back, Tommaso Ciampa comes out and nails Gargano in the back with a crutch. Ciampa walks off as referees come to check on Gargano, and NXT goes off the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Results & Live Discussion (1/23)

    WWE SmackDown Results & Live Discussion (1/23)

    The January 23rd, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.

    – The go-home show for Royal Rumble 2018 opes up with Tom Phillips welcoming us to Washington, DC. He’s joined by Byron Saxton and Corey Graves at the broadcast table.

    – Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn come down to the ring to kick off this week’s show. They get on the mic and start ranting about SD Commissioner Shane McMahon, and WWE Champion AJ Styles. They say AJ has no chance at leaving the Royal Rumble with the strap. They say not only will they take the Title from AJ on Sunday, but they’re going to hurt him. AJ comes out to the stage to interrupt. AJ says they have the advantage Sunday since it’s a handicap match, but as long as he has any fight left in his body, he will make sure they do not become co-WWE Champion. AJ reminds them that this is the house AJ Styles built. Owens and Zayn propose that AJ wrestle them in separate singles matches tonight, back to back, to see what Styles has got. Daniel Bryan comes out to interrupt, and says enough is enough. Bryan says Owens and Zayn are two of the best to step in the ring, and they’re right about how hard it is to win a handicap match, but he has the upmost faith in AJ. AJ cuts on Bryan and questions his motives. AJ says he accepts the two matches against Owens and Zayn tonight, and he’s going to be the one hurting them. AJ drops the mic and has a brief stare-down with Bryan before leaving.

    – Daniel Bryan is backsktage with Shane McMahon. Shane doesn’t like that AJ is being booked in two matches right before a Title defense on Sunday. Bryan says he has faith in AJ, and Shane says he isn’t sure if Bryan is shooting straight with him. Bryan asks if Shane is questioning AJ’s ability to defend himself tonight, and Shane says he’s not.

    Chad Gable vs. Jey Uso: Jimmy Uso and Shelton Benjamin are both at ringside for this one. Gable shoots for the leg to start, and they go back and forth with holds. Gable slams Uso to the mat and tries to keep him grounded. Uso ducks a shot and sends Gable out to the floor, then follows him out and beats him down at ringside. Back in the ring, Jey works over Gable until Gable catches him with a Northern Lights Suplex for a 2 count. Gable starts firing up but misses a moonsault. Jey sends Gable outside and hits a dive on Gable on the floor near Shelton. Back in the ring, Jey goes up top but misses. Jey recovers and does connect with a Samoan Drop on Gable. Gable gets to his feet and they brawl until Gable is able to catch Jey with a big German suplex for the three count.

    Winner: Chad Gable

    – After the match, Gable celebrates the win with Benjamin.

    – Shinsuke Nakamura is backstage for an interview about the Royal Rumble on Sunday. Baron Corbin interrupts and says Nakamura is all hype, and he doesn’t care about the fans because they don’t pay his bills. Corbin trashes the fans and Nakamura, and Nakamura proposes that they rumble tonight to see who’s really all hype.

    Naomi vs. Liv Morgan: Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan are at ringside. Naomi takes control early on and hits a side walk slam for a two count. Liv connects with some kicks, but Naomi answers with some kicks of her own. Liv sends Naomi face-first into the turnbuckle, then hits a double stomp to the back of the head. Liv continues to beat down Naomi as Natalya, Lana, Becky and Carmella come down to ringside for a closer look. Naomi comes back with some kicks on Liv and springboards over the rope with a sunset flip on Liv for the three count.

    Winner: Naomi

    – After the match, Ruby and Logan hit the ring and attack Naomi. Becky runs in, then everyone else at ringside runs in and there’s a big brawl. It leads to the women all throwing each other over the top rope to the outside. It’s down to Natalya and Naomi, but Women’s Champion Charlotte comes out to the stage to interrupt and they stop fighting. Charlotte wishes them all good luck on Sunday, and especially to the winner of the women’s Rumble match, because they’ll have to face her.

    – We see selfie videos from Tye Dillinger, The Miz & Asuka, and Carmella & Big E promoting the Royal Rumble and the Mixed Match Tag Challenge.

    Baron Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: Nakamura starts this one off strong with strikes on Corbin, then he does the Good Vibrations in the corner. Corbin rolls outside for a breather and Nakamura follows him out. Corbin throws him into the apron, then back in the ring, and Corbin starts walking up the ramp. Nakamura rolls back outside, where Corbin hits an uppercut then throws Nakamura into the ring post. Back in the ring, Corbin controls the next moments of the match and beats down Nakamura. Nakamura finally fires back with a running boot to the face, then a running knee strike in the corner for a two count. Nakamura picks up Corbin and goes for a suplex, but Corbin fights out. Corbin hits an elbow and goes for a suplex of his own, but Nakamura fights out and hits a reverse suplex. Nakamura sets up for the running knee, but Corbin dodges it and hits the Deep Six for a 2 count. Corbin runs the ropes and hits a big clothesline for another 2 count. Corbin goes for the End of Days, but Nakamura reverses it into an armbar. Corbin gets out, but Nakamura decks him with a heel kick. Nakamura sets up for a Kinshasa, but Randy Orton runs in and hits an RKO out of nowhere. The ref calls for the bell and this one is a DQ.

    Winner via DQ: Shinsuke Nakamura

    – After the bell, Corbin gets up and he’s not happy. Corbin charges at Orton, but Orton catches him with an RKO too. Orton poses on the turnbuckle before leaving.

    – We see some highlights from last night’s RAW 25th Anniversary show.

    – The New Day comes out to the ring handing out pancakes and cereal. They talk about last night’s RAW 25h Anniversary, and then move on to the topic of the U.S. Championship, which brings out U.S. Champ Bobby Roode. Roode says he’s going to be the best U.S. Champion in history, which will be no easy task. The New Day starts interrupting his promo and they do the “glorious” thing together. Jinder Mahal is out next with one of the Singh Brothers. Rusev is out next with Aiden English, and we’ve got a six-man tag.

    Aiden English, Rusev & Jinder Mahal vs. Bobby Roode, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods: Rusev starts off strong with a big boot to Kofi. Rusev hits a cheap shot on Woods too, but then Kofi starts making a comeback. Roode and English tag in, and Roode unloads with offense. Roode hits a neckbreaker on English, then knocks Jinder off the apron. Roode follows up with a Blockbuster on English. Jinder comes in and Roode hits a spinebuster on him. Rusev runs in but Kofi comes flying off the top and takes him down. Jinder and Rusev roll outside, and Kofi hits them with a suicide dive. Roode and English still go at it in the ring until Woods tags in. Roode hits a spinebuster on English, then Woods immediately follows up with a top rope elbow drop for the three count on English.

    Winner: Bobby Roode, Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods

    – AJ Styles comes out to the ring, and then Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn come out. Before Owens and Zayn get to the ring, Shane McMahon comes out and orders that Zayn not be at ringside for Owens’ singles match against Styles. Shane tells Zayn to come backstage with him, while Owens protests that Daniel Bryan said it was okay for Zayn to be at ringside. Shane says if there is any interference tonight from either of them, they will be fired. Shane ends up leaving and taking Zayn backstage.

    AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens: Owens starts off strong here and beats down AJ in the corner. Owens goes for the running cannonball in the corner, but AJ dodges it. AJ drops Owens and locks in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Owens tries to fight it off, but taps out, and AJ wins via submission after a very short match.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    – After the bell, AJ continues to hold onto the Calf Crusher until Sami Zayn runs down and breaks it up. Sami hits a cheap shot on AJ and then starts beating him down all over ringside. We see Shane and Daniel backstage watching on a monitor as Zayn pummels on AJ in front of the broadcast table at ringside. Sami gets in the ring and AJ starts to recover. AJ tells the ref he’s good to go, and the ref starts the Zayn vs. Styles match net. Owens is still at ringside selling his leg from the Calf Crusher. According to Shane McMahon, if Owens tries to interfere, he will be fired.

    AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn: Sami immediately takes the fight to AJ and starts beating him down on the mat. We see company staffers and medics still checking on Owens at ringside. Shane and Daniel are still watching on a monitor backstage. AJ ducks a shot from Sami and fires back with a series of strikes. AJ hits a running forearm shot on Sami, then hits a splash in the corner. AJ goes for a fireman’s carry, but Sami escapes. AJ throws Sami out to ringside right next to Owens. Styles follows up with a suicide plancha on Sami at ringside. AJ throws Sami back in the ring, then gets on the apron. AJ turns his attention to Owens, then starts beating him down at ringside. Zayn rolls back out to ringside and clotheslines Styles down to the floor. Back in the ring, Zayn and AJ trade strikes back and forth. They fight up to the top turnbuckle where AJ hits a Frankensteiner on Sami. They trade strikes again until AJ catches Zayn with a fireman’s carry neckbreaker for a two count. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Zayn fights out. Sami hits a kick and a chop, then a tornado DDT. Zayn charges at AJ in the corner, but AJ stops him with a boot to the face. AJ goes for the moonsault reverse DDT and misses, but he does connect with a Pele kick for a 2 count. Sami fights back with some elbows to the face, then a Michinoku Driver for a 2 count of his own. Owens is still being loaded on to a stretcher at ringside, and he seems to be stalling so he can keep watching the match. Sami and AJ fight back up to the top turnbuckle, but AJ slides through the legs and drops Sami. AJ hits boot to the midsection and attempts the Styles Clash, but Sami escapes and rolls outside. AJ kicks Sami from the apron, then throws him back in the ring. AJ turns his attention to Owens again, and this time flips him off the stretcher at ringside. Referee Charles Robinson tries to cal down AJ. AJ rolls back in the ring and Sami immediately hits a big boot, then a Blue Thunder Bomb for the three count.

    Winner: Sami Zayn

    – After the match, Owens struggles up to his feet to congratulate Zayn on the win. Owens and Zayn celebrate in the ring as AJ lays on the mat. Owens and Zayn stand over AJ and yell at him, then raise their hands as SmackDown goes off the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/22)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/22)

    The 25th Anniversary edition of WWE RAW aired live from New York City from both the Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom, and the Barclays Center, on January 22nd, 2018.

    Pre-Show:

    – Renee Young welcomes us to the pre-show at the Barclays Center as fans are entering the arena. She’s joined by David Otunga and Peter Rosenberg. We go to the Manhattan Center where Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are at ringside. Ross and Lawler welcome us to the show and say it’ll be very unpredictable. Lawler shares a story about The Hart Family where he told Stu Hart to put his false teeth in backwards and eat himself to death. We go back to Renee Young and company at the Barclays Center who discuss some of their favorite RAW moments.

    – We go backstage where JBL and Ron Simmons do an interview and say that APA is open for one more night tonight. They put Charly Caruso in charge while they go to look for the key to their standalone door.

    – We see a classic Bobby Heenan clip from RAW in 1993.

    – Sam Roberts is outside with a crowd of fans to introduce some Stone Cold Steve Austin highlight videos. The fans chant “What” at him the whole time.

    – We see a pre-taped promo with The Miz and Maryse by his side.

    – We see a classic RAW clip where Austin hits The Rock with a chair. They censor the unprotected chair shot to The Rock’s head.

    – Eric Bischoff joins the pre-show panel at Barclay’s and he talks about how great it was making his RAW debut years ago. Bischoff says backstage that night there were some people shocked and taken aback by his arrival at RAW that day, but everyone was professional and everything ended up going well.

    – Back to J.R. and King, who introduce a video package highlighting Undetaker’s entire WWE run, minus his American Badass & Big Evil days. Undertaker returns to RAW tonight.

    – We see footage of Triple H, Stephanie and The New Day on The Tonight Show. Stephanie and Shane then come out to the ring, RAW is up next!

    WWE RAW 25th Anniversary results:

    – RAW kicks off with Shane and Stephanie McMahon in the ring, thanking all of the WWE employees and fans on behalf of the McMAhon family for 25 years. They introduce a video package looking back at 25 years of RAW. They then want to introduce the person who made all of this possible — Vincent Kennedy McMahon. Vince gets a huge pop from the crowd and they sing along with his entrance song. Vince says the last 25 years have been amazing as the crowd thanks him. Vince says he’s going to do something tonight he usually never does – he’s going to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the moment. He thanks everyone and gets ready to head to the back, but Stephanie says they have a gift for him. They present him with a commemorative plaque, but Vince doesn’t seem impressed and says it feels a little cheap. “It feels cheap, but then again we are here in Brooklyn,” and Vince starts cutting a promo about the cheap gift. Vince says “plaque” is what each and every one of our teeth, and says plaque is what’s clogging up our arteries from eating “all those damn hot dogs.” Vince continues to trash the plaque, and says he’s sick of everyone thanking everyone. Vince says he only has one person to thank, and it’s not his family, it’s him, because he did it all by himself. He says he didn’t need the fans, the family members, and not one person in the world has ever helped him, only himself. The glass shatters, and Stone Cold comes out to interrupt. Stone Cold hits the ring and Vince yells at the fans not to encourage him. Vince says he wants to explain a few things to Steve because it’s been a while since they’ve seen each other. Vince says he’s a member of AARP now, has a heart problem now, and arthritis and brittle bones. Vince claims to live in a retirement community now, and says he’s now a senior citizen, so Steve can’t hit him. Vince says Shane’s in his prime, and points Austin towards him. Vince backs up and Austin shake’s Shane’s hand. Austin shakes Shane’s hand, then proceeds to give him the Stone Cold Stunner. Vince hands a Miller Lite to Austin, then has one himself. Austin hits cans with Vince, and Vince seems disgusted in the beer spilling towards him. They take a sip, then hug. They raise hands, and Vince pours some beer on Shane. Vince goes to leave, but Austin gives him a Stunner instead. Austin grabs a couple more Miller Lites, bashes them on the corner and chugs them. He gives a beer to Shane, who is now back on his feet. Austin has a drink with him, then gives Shane another Stunner while he’s drinking. Austin drinks another beer on the corner before leaving, with both McMahon men down.

    Nia Jax, Alicia Fox, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville vs. Asuka, Bayley, Mickie James & Sasha Banks: The heels beat down the faces before the bell. The dust settles and the ref calls for the opening bell. Asuka starts off in control against Sonjya and repeatedly kicks her. Sonya tags in Asuka hits a knee to the face. Asuka knocks the other heels off the apron, then hits another knee on Sonya. Sasha tags in and they double suplex Sonya. Nia tags in now and goes at it with Sasha. Nia beats Sasha down into the corner, and the heels take control. Alicia tags in and continues the beat down on Sasha. Sasha starts to fight back, but Sonya hits a cheap shot. This leads to an all-our brawl breaking out at ringside, while Sasha and Alicia fight in the ring. Fox misses a big boot, and Sasha follows up with a backstabber and the Banks Statement for the win.

    Winners: Asuka, Bayley, Mickie James & Sasha Banks

    – After the match, Asuka starts beating down her own teammates and throwing them out of the ring over the top rope.

    – We go backstage where Kurt Angle is giving a pep talk to referee Rudy Charles about doing a good job tonight. Jonathan Coachman walks in, and then they’re joined by the Brooklyn Brawler and Harvery Wippleman. Teddy Long walks in next and dances. Brother Love walks in next and says he loves everyone, but he doesn’t know Coach’s name. The Boogeyman comes in next, and hands some worms out of his mouth to Coach.

    – The Undertaker is up next.

    – We go to the Manhattan Center where Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduce the same video package looking at The Undertaker’s career that aired earlier.

    – The Undertaker comes out at the Manhattan Center with the lights on, and Howard Finkle does the ring introduction. Taker gets in the ring with a cloak on, and he appears to have long hair. He gets on the mic and talks about his path of destruction in the WWE for the last 25 years. He talks about Stone Cold, Mick Foley, and Kane having to answer to him. He says on this sacred ground, he says for all who have fallen, he declares it’s time you truly rest in peace. J.R. wonders if this was a warning, and the announcers don’t seem to know what he meant.

    – The APA is backstage playing cards with Rhyno and Heath Slater. The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase walks in and throws a wad of cash on the table and wants to be dealt in.

    – They do a segment where some of the best managers in the last 25 years of RAW come out. John Laurinitis, William Regal, Eric Bischoff and Daniel Bryan come out. The Miz comes out to interrupt the segment, with Axel and Dallas by his side. Miz comes face to face with Bryan, then heads to the ring. The Miz is in action next.

    Roman Reigns (c) vs. The Miz: Reigns’ IC Title is on the line in this one. Miz rolls outside early on for a breather. He comes back in the ring and attempts a clothesline but Reigns catches him with an uppercut. Reigns goes for the Drive By, but Dallas gets in the way. Reigns uppercuts Dallas, then uppercuts Miz. Reigns gets distracted by Axel, then Miz hits a cheap shot on Reigns and throws him into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Reigns comes back and drops Miz with a big boot. Reigns beats on Miz in the corner, then drops him with another boot. The Miz comes back with a shot in the corner and then hits the Yes Kicks. Reigns blocks one and powerbombs Miz for a two count. Reigns comes back and looks for either a spear or a Superman punch, but Axel grabs Reigns’ leg from the floor, and Miz capitalizes with a clothesline in the corner. The ref decies to eject Axel and Dallas from ringside. They get on the apron to complain, and Reigns Superman punches them off. The Miz takes advantage of the distraction to hit the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz covers and Reigns kicks out at 2. Reigns fights his way up and goes for a spear, but Miz dodges and Reigns hits the middle turnbuckle. Miz followsu p with a Skull Crushing Finale, and he pins for the 3 count to win the IC Title.

    Winner & new Intercontinental Champion: The Miz

    – The Miz, Axel and Dallas celebrate up the ramp with the IC Title belt as Reigns recovers in the ring.

    – We go back to the poker game with the APA. The Hardy Boyz, MVP, and The Usos have joined them.

    – Christian is in the ring for the latest edition of The Peep Show. His guests tonight, Jason Jordan and Seth Rollins. They sit down in the ring, and Rollins gets cheered but Jordan gets booed every time he opens his mouth. Jordan says it’s an honor to be in the presence of Christian and all of the legends in the back. He says he wants to thank the crowd and his dad Kurt Angle, as the fans keep booing. Cesaro and Sheamus come out to interrupt. Sheamus says Jordan needs to slow down, fella. He says all the legends in the back have been wanting pictures and autographs from them, because they don’t just raise the bar, they are the bar. Sheamus and Cesaro get in the ring and leads a “you suck” at Jordan. Jordan attacks, and Seth backs him up. They dump The Bar outside, and Seth hits a suicide dive on Sheamus. Back in the ring, Jordan grabs Cesaro and holds him back. Seth goes for a flying forearm shot, but Cesaro moves and Rollins hits Jordan. The Bar leaves, and Seth helps up Jordan and tries to explain it was an accident.

    – Alexa Bliss does an interview in the back where she feels that interviewer Charly Caruso has insulted her. Alexa says she’s not just a champion, she’s a goddess. Charlotte interrupts, and says Alexa doesn’t have what it takes to continue to be champion. Ric Flair walks in, and says Alexa may be the Champion tonight, but Charlotte will be the Champion until she retires. Flair lets off a “Wooo” before leaving.

    – Titus Worldwide and Natalya have joined The APA’s poker game backstage. Slater loses another hand.

    – We go to the Manhattan Center with J.R. and Lawler, where Bray Wyatt makes his way out to the ring. Woken Matt Hardy is out next.

    Bray Wyatt vs. Matt Hardy: Hardy starts off with punches off the opening bell. Wyatt goes for the Sister Abigail early on, but Matt escapes. Matt beats on Wyatt in the corner, then hits a Side Effect. Matt goes up top the middle rope for a flying elbow, then attempts a Twist of Fate but Wyatt escapes. They run the ropes and Wyatt hits a big tackle on Hardy. Hardy fights up and drops Wyatt, then leads the crowd in a Delete chant. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate, but Wyatt fights out. They scuffle up against the ropes, then Wyatt catches him with the Sister Abigail for the three count.

    Winner: Bray Wyatt

    – Some of the women superstars from RAW’s 25 year history come out to the stage. The Bellas, Maryse, Jacqueline, Kelly Kelly, Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool, Maria Kanellis, Lillian Garcia, and Trish Stratus all come out to the stage one by one.

    – Elias is walking backstage, and he runs into Chris Jericho. A Y2J chant breaks out in the crowd, and Jericho tells Elias he has a song he would like to sing for him. Jericho asks to use Elias’ guitar, and Elias declines. Jericho has his own guitar, and sings a song about Elias being a stupid idiot and making The List.

    – We see footage of Triple H, Stephanie, and Dana Warrior at an event at the Empire State Building earlier today.

    – Elias is now in the ring for a song. He says it took RAW 25 years to find him, but they finally got it right by having him. Elias says WWE really stands for Walk With Elias. Elias calls out Jimmy Fallon, who is sitting in the front row, then starts his song. Elias sings that Cena has no balls, and Cena comes out to interrupt. Elias rolls out of the ring and Cena runs in. Cena says both he and Brooklyn have balls. Cena points to the crowd, and we see a beach ball get confiscate from the crowd. Elias steps back in the ring and t ells Cena to shut his damn mouth. Elias says no one wants to hear Cena, they came to hear Elias, and Cena ruined it. Cena tells Elias to do something about it then. They start fighting and Cena drops Elias. Cena goes for the AA, but Elias gets out and hits a low blow on Cena. Elias grabs the guitar from ringside and smashes it on Cena. Elias then hits his finisher on Cena and yells at the fans.

    – The New Day has joined the APA’s poker game. Slater gets called out for cheating. JBL yells for everyone to stop yelling, and says there’s no fighting at the poker table, if they want to fight then go to the ring. Slater and Rhyno leave, then Titus Worldwide follow them. Ted DiBiase wins the hand. “DAMN.”

    – Mark Henry is backstage and he runs into the Godfather, who is with a woman named Olivia. Godfather tells a story about Mark Henry being known as Sexual Chocolate. Mark Henry says he’s matured, but Olivia does look great. The Godfather tells him to hold up, because that’s his wife.

    Heath Slater & Rhyno vs. Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews: Dana Brooke is at ringside. Rhyno and Titus start off and trade chops. Apollo and Slater tag in and Crews drops him with a big dropkick. Crews follows up with a stalling vertical suplex on Slater. The aprons clear nd this one devolves into an all-our brawl. The ref calls for the bell and this one is no contest.

    Winner: No contest

    – The Dudley Boyz come out to the ring, and everyone clears out. Titus Worldwide, Slater and Rhyno roll outside and stop fighting. Titus, Crews and Rhyno all throw Slater in the ring to the Dudleys. Bubba slams Slater, then they do the Wassup headdbutt off the top. They get the table, then give Slater a 3-D through the table. Rhyno, Titus and Crews come in and shake hands with the Dudleys.

    – AJ Styles does an interview in the back where he introduces someone he brought along with him to help him with the interview. AJ brings out Mean Gene Okerlund to interview him. Mean Gene says Styles has his hands full on Sunday in a 2-on-1 match, and AJ cuts a Hogan-style “let me tell you somethin’ Mean Gene” promo. AJ talks about his plans to leave the Rumble with the WWE Title.

    – J.R. welcomes us back to the Manhattan Center, where Shawn Michaels and Triple H come out to the ring to the DX music. Shawn starts to tell some of his favorite DX moments, but Triple H stops him saying they aren’t PG. Shawn complains that he used to be the boss of the group, now Triple H is the boss of everything. Shawn say she can’t talk about it, but you can watch it on the WWE Network, and the fans boo. Triple H starts thanking the fans and says this is the place where it all started. Triple H talks about starting DX and coming out to the ring with Rick Rude and Chyna, and doing whatever they felt like doing. Triple H says they didn’t come alone tonight, and The New Age Outlaws come out and cut their usual promo. X-Pac comes out next and the crowd starts a 1-2-3 chant. X-Pac says he knows this is a D-X reuinion, but they can’t have a RAW celebration without this next guy. The Razor Ramon music hits and Scott Hall makes his way out to the ring. We go to commercial during Hall’s entrance.

    – Back from the break, Hall is in the ring with a mic. “Hey yo.” Hall says you can’t have a party on RAW without the Bad Guy, and the RAW 25th anniversary is just too sweet. Finn Balor, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows come out to interrupt. They high five and do the “Too Sweet” thing, then The Revival comes out to interrupt. It looks like we have a tag match.

    The Revival vs. Gallows & Anderson: DX, Hall and Balor are at ringside. Dawson starts off against Anderson and drops him with an elbow to the face. Wilder comes in but Anderson drops him. Dawson comes back in and Anderson hits him too, then Gallows and Wilder tag in. Gallows cleans house and drops Wilder with a big boot. Anderson tags in and they hit The Magic Killer on Wilder for the win.

    Winners: Gallows & Anderson

    – After the match, Dawson gets in Hall’s face. Hall throws the toothpick at him, then X Pac hits the X Factor on him. Road Dogg hits some punches, then Gunn hits the Fameasser. Michaels hits a superkick on Wilder, then Triple H hits the Pedigree. Balor hits the Coup De Grace. Billy Gunn gets on the mic and says if you’re not down with that, they’ve got two words for you.

    – Back to the Barclays Center, Kurt Angle comes out to the ring with the APA and some other legends. Eric Bischoff, Brother Love, Goldust, The Coach, William Regal, The Godfather and others are with him. The rest of the locker room starts to come out to surround the ring. Kurt Angle talks about the triple threat coming up on Sunday, and introduces the three participants. Strowman omes out first, then some of the other wrestlers at ringside get into the ring to make sure Kane and Strowman stay separate. Kurt Angle appears to have left the ring. Paul Heyman comes out to the stage next, and says he’s here to bring you someone relevant: his client, the WWE Champion, who is here for a fight. The wrestlers who were providing security in the ring leave. Strowman drops Kane, then Lesnar runs down the ramp and drops Strowman. Strowman gets in the ring and clotheslines Lesnar to the outside. Strowman picks up Lesnar and hits a running powerslam through the announcer table. Strowman gets in the ring and raises his hands as we see replays of the powerslam through the table. Strowman gets on the turnbuckle and stands tall as RAW goes off the air.

  • Roman Reigns Implicated In Steroid Distribution Ring By Alleged Dealer

    Roman Reigns Implicated In Steroid Distribution Ring By Alleged Dealer

    A gym in Miami was raided by the DEA last February, and the owner, Richard Rodriguez, was arrested and accused of running a steroid distribution ring. In a new interview over the phone from jail with filmmaker Jon Bravo, Rodriguez named Roman Reigns as one of his celebrity customers.

    In the interview, Rodriguez claims that Reigns and actor Mark Whalberg are among his A-list clients. Rodriguez calls Reigns a “down-to-earth guy.” Throughout the interview Rodriguez promotes a “documentary” about his situation coming soon, and says he will name more celebrities.

    The Miami Herald reported on the raid back in February, but so far no independent source has verified the former gym owner’s claims about celebrity clients.

    The report claims Rodriguez was part of a distribution chain that imported substances from China, manufactured illegal steroids in Arizona, and then sold them in Miami. Rodriguez and his wife reportedly made over $2 million in cash in under two years from the operation.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/16)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/16)

    The January 16th edition of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, TX.

    – This week’s broadcast opens up immediately with the New Day coming out to the ring. Tom Phillips welcomes us to the show and says tonight is all about the U.S. Title Tournament. This next match is in the second round of the tournament, and the belt is at ringside. There’s a podium in the ring with a flag on it. They step up to the podium and say tonight the USA’s freedom is at stake when Xavier takes on Jinder. Xavier says he will defend the power of positivity, and the principle of pancakes. They have a plate of pancakes on the podium, and talk about pancakes representing something that can bring the world together. Xavier says Jinder despises everyone in this arena, and asks the fans if that’s the kind of man they want as their U.S. Champion. They try to get a chant going with the crowd, but it doesn’t sound like they have much luck. The Singh Brothers come out to the stage to interrupt, and they introduce the Modern Day Maharaja.

    Xavier Woods vs. Jinder Mahal: The Singh Brothers are at ringside in Jinder’s corner, and Kofi and Big E are at ringside in Woods’ corner. The opening bell sounds and Jinder immediately opens up with a superkick to Woods. Jinder karate chops Woods, then chokes him up against the ropes. Jinder drops some knees on Woods and continues the beat down. Woods fires back with a dropkick and starts to get in the game. Xavier starts gaining momentum, but Jinder shuts him down with a lariat, then drops some knees and stomps on him. The New Day and the Singh Brothers start arguing at ringside as Jinder continues to beat on Xavier. The crowd chants “we want pancakes” as Wood starts hulking up. Woods throws some right hands, but Jinder catches him with a gutbuster, then a knee to the face. Jinder rolls outside and chokes Woods with the ring apron tarp. Jinder rolls back in the ring and Woods follows shortly after at the ref’s 9 count. Woods fights his way up to his feet, then Mahal whips him hard into the corner and drops a knee on him. Woods hits a boot to the face then goes for the Honor Roll, but Mahal blocks it with a jumping knee to the face. Woods comes back with a missile dropkick and starts working over Jinder. Jinder hits a cheap shot to the throat, but Woods keeps bringing the fight to Mahal. Woods keeps control and hits a Shining Wizard. The Singh Brothers get on the apron for the distraction, but Big E and Kofi chase them to the back. Woods hits a German suplex on Jinder, then goes up top. Woods misses the elbow drop, and Jinder throws Woods into the bottom rope. The ref checks on Woods, then Jinder picks him up and hits the Khallas for the three count. Jinder advances to the U.S. Title finals next week.

    Winner: Jinder Mahal

    – Jinder goes out to ringside and celebrates his win next to the U.S. Title belt.

    – The announcers promote the upcoming Royal Rumble PPV, and then we see a selfie video from Baron Corbin. Corbin cuts a promo about how being the Lone Wolf makes him perfect for the Royal Rumble, and anyone who gets in his way will be thrown over the top rope.

    – We go backstage, where WWE Champion AJ Styles cuts a promo on Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The Champ That Runs The Camp says he’ll leave Royal Rumble with the strap no matter what. AJ adds they will not turn this into the Kevin & Sami Show, because SmackDown is the house that AJ Styles built.

    – We see a series of very short, selfie-style videos from all of the women of SmackDown. Each woman’s name appears on the screen before their selfie videos, and Naomi seemed to get the biggest pop from the Laredo crowd. They all cut promos about their 30-woman Royal Rumble match.

    – Bobby Roode is out to the ring next.

    Bobby Roode vs. Mojo Rawley: This is the last semi-final match in the U.S. Title tournament. Mojo hits his hand on the ground and charges towards the ring now for his new entrance. They lock up off the opening bell and Mojo powers Roode down. Mojo kicks Roode, and Roode gets up and they stare down. They lock up again and Roode applies a side headlock, then a belly to back suplex. They stare down again and Mojo charges. Roode catches him in another headlock, but Mojo powers Roode into the corner. Roode hits a chop to the chest, and Mojo shoves Roode down. Roode gets back up and drops Mojo, then applies another headlock. Mojo fights out and hits a running tackle on Roode. Mojo argues with the ref to stay out of his way. Mojo puts the boots to Roode in the corner, then headbutts him back down. Mojo beats on Roode some more, then rolls him outside. Mojo follows him out, then hits a running tackle that launches Roode into the barricade. Back in the ring, Mojo boots Roode down. Roode hits some shoulders on Roode in the corner and yells at him. Mojo puts some kind of neck hold on Roode on the mat, and Graves comments that Mojo “may not have the greatest technique but makes up for it with raw strength.” Mojo misses a spear in the corner and crashes into the ring post. Roode comes back with right hands on Mojo, then a flying elbow. Roode hits a clothesline, then a running clothesline in the corner. Roode follows up with a neckbreaker, then waits for Mojo to get to his feet. Roode goes up to the middle rope and hits the Blockerbuster for a two count. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT, but Mojo escapes and picks up Roode in the fireman’s carry. Mojo pushes Roode up in the air, then slams him down in front of him, for a two count. Mojo takes Roode into the corner and lays into him with strikes. Mojo goes for a running big boot, but Roode blocks it with a boot of his own. Roode misses a shot off the middle rope, but he does connect with a spinebuster on Mojo. Roode hits the Glorious DDT for the three count.

    Winner: Bobby Roode

    – Bobby Roode is now in the U.S. Title tournament finals against Jinder Mahal. After the match, The Singh Brothers run in and attack Roode from behind. They drop Roode and stomp on him, then run off. One of the Singh Brothers appears to have injured his ankle in the scuffle. They head back to the stage, where Jinder Mahal is standing with a mic. Jinder cuts a brief promo about how he will be the next United States Champion as Roode stares him down from the ring. Roode grabs a mic and says we don’t have to wait until next week – why don’t we do this right now. The crowd chants “yes.” Jinder laughs, and says no, they’ll do it when The Modern Day Maharaja decides. Jinder says he wants Roode to have one full week to think about how bad Jinder will embarrass him. Daniel Bryan comes out behind Jinder and bumps into him. Bryan announces that he’s decided – they’ll have the U.S. Title match… tonight! He leads the crowd in a “yes” chant, and Roode is happy. Jinder looks angry and the Singh Brothers try to calm him down.

    – We see a promo video for the women’s Royal Rumble, featuring Stephanie McMahon’s original announcement. Next is a “25 years of RAW” video, showing the classic segment of Stone Cold Steve Austin spraying The Corporation with the beer truck in the ring.

    – They show a selfie video from Randy Orton standing in the ring in an empty arena. He talks about his plans to win the Royal Rumble, then go on to WrestleMania.

    Charlotte, Becky Lynch, & Naomi vs. The Riott Squad: Charlotte and Liv start off, and Charlotte takes control early on. Ruby tags in and Charlotte drops her, then does the headscissor slam. Becky tags in and continues the offense on Ruby. Ruby turns it around against Becky, then Liv tags back in and hits a bulldog on Becky. Liv pulls the hair and the ref warns her. Sarah tags in now and continues beating on Lynch. Becky takes down Sarah, and Naomi gets the hot tag. Liv tags in too, and Naomi cleans house. Naomi drops Liv with a kick, then hits a series of kicks. Naomi misses a splash in the corner, but follows up with a kick to the face. Naomi hits a springboard cross body and pins, but Sarah breaks it up. Charlotte spears Sarah outside. Ruby hits a cheap shot kick to Naomi’s face when the ref isn’t looking, and Liv follows up with another shot to Naomi for the three count.

    Winners: The Riott Squad

    – The Usos do an interview in the back where they question why Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin are even a team anyways. They say they’re chumps, and they’re about to say their Uso Penitentiary catch phrase, but Gable and Benjamin jump them from behind. Gable and Benjamin say The Usos will soon be former champions, and they walk off. Referees come to check on the Usos as they get to their feet.

    – Tom Phillips promotes the Mixed Match Challenge, which airs free on Facebook after SmackDown. Corey Graves confirms that Roode will be taking on Jinder for the U.S. Title tonight, and Phillips announces that the Singh Brothers have been barred from ringside for the match. We then take an in-depth look at the Styles vs. Owens & Zayn handicap match for Royal Rumble.

    – We see a selfie video from Shinsuke Nakamura who says he’ll be the 1 out of 30 who survives at the Royal Rumble. “Let’s rumble.”

    – Shane McMahon makes his way down to the ring and high-fives everyone sitting at ringside. Bryan is out next, and they’ll both be sitting at ringside for tonight’s U.S. Title match.

    – We see footage of The Fashion Files from WWE.com, where Rusev & English end up challenging The Ascension to a match next week.

    Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal: The U.S. Title is on the line here, and the Singh Brothers are banned from ringside. Graves says on commentary that it looks like Roode is still feeling the effects from his match with Mojo earlier. Jinder backs Roode into the corner earlier on and the ref pulls them apart. Jinder goes for a kick, but Roode blocks it and fires back with punches and chops. Jinder fires back with some strikes of his own, then stomps a mud hole in Roode in the corner. Roode comes back with a shot on Jinder in the corner, then mounts him for ten punches. Jinder comes back with a knee, but then Roode dumps him to the outside. Roode stays in the ring to recover, and is selling his ribs. Roode goes outside, and Jinder rams Roode into the ring apron. Jinder slams Roode into the ring steps, then suplexes Roode onto the top of the barricade right on his ribs. Jinder continues to beat Roode down around ringside, then takes him back in the ring for some knee drops. Jinder is in complete control here and slams Roode down, but instead of pinning he wastes some time taunting the fans. Jinder beats on Roode in the corner and chokes him with his boot. Jinder wastes some more time, and Roode stuns him with an elbow to the face. Roode clotheslines Jinder to the outside, then collapses to his knees selling his ribs. Roode climbs to the apron and hits a flying clothesline on Jinder. Back in the ring, Roode hits a flying cross body on Roode, but Jinder rolls through and pins for a two count. Jinder and Roode start brawling back and forth now. Roode hits a knee to the face, then a running splash in the corner. Roode boots Jinder, then hits the Blockbuster off the middle rope for the two count. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT, but Jinder escapes. They collide with a double clothesline in the middle of the ring, and both men are down. They get up, and Roode slams Jinder down with a spinebuster. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT again now, but Jinder escapes and rolls up Roode for a two count. Jinder grabs Roode and goes for the Khallas, but Roode escapes and hits the Glorious DDT for the 3 count.

    Winner: Bobby Roode

    – Roode gets a standing ovation from Shane and Daniel at ringside. They get in the ring, and they present the U.S. Championship belt to Roode. Roode holds up the strap and shakes hands with Shane and Daniel and thanks them.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/15)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/15)

    The January 15th edition of WWE RAW aired live from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.

    – This week’s broadcast opens up with a video recapping Braun Strowman’s assault on Brock Lesnar and Kane last week.

    – Strowman comes out to the ring to kick off the show. Strowman gets on the mic and talks about destroying Kane and Lesnar last week, and sending Lesnar to the hospital. RAW GM Kurt Angle comes out to interrupt and informs Strowman that he was out of line last week with his grappling hook attack. He says Strowman put lives in danger last week, and that is going too far. Kurt informs Strowman that not only will his match at the Royal Rumble no longer be a triple threat match, but Strowman won’t be competing at all at the Royal Rumble. Kurt Angle tells Strowman: You’re fired. Kurt Angle walks off as Strowman looks confused and angry. Kurt Angle goes backstage, and then a few moments later Strowman walks backstage with security surrounding him.

    – We go to the broadcast table and Graves thinks Angle made the right decision. They promote Asuka vs. Nia Jax later tonight, and Roman Reigns vs. The Miztourage in a handicap match.

    – We see security still escorting Strowman out. Strowman briefly takes issue with them, but he keeps walking. Strowman walks over to the door, but stops. One of the guards tell him he’s got to leave, and Strowman grabs him. Strowman drops the guard, then the other guards swarm him. Strowman fights them off and lays them out one by one. Strowman throws one through a table. Strowman says he’s not finished yet, and he’s not leaving until everyone “gets these hands.”

    Apollo Crews & Titus O’Neil vs. The Bar: Dana Brooke is at ringside. Sheamus starts off against Crews and backs him into the corner. Sheamus stomps on him then tags in Cesaro who continues. Sheamus tags back in and they go for the double team, but Crews dropkicks Cesaro down, then backflips away from Sheamus and dropkicks him too. Titus tags in and drops Sheamus with a shoulder tackle. Cesaro tags in and Titus starts laying into him with strikes. Titus hits some chops to the chest in the corner. Cesaro fires back with some chops of his own, but Titus no-sells them. Titus backs Cesaro into the opposite corner, chops him and slams him down. Crews comes in and slams Cesaro again, then hits an elbow drop. Crews runs the ropes and Sheamus hits a cheap shot from the apron. Sheamus tags in and beats down on Crews. Cesaro and Sheamus trade tags and keep Crews grounded. Crews finally fires back with a dropkick to Sheamus, and both men are down. Cesaro and Titus get the tags, and Titus cleans house. Titus hits a series of slaps to the chest in the corner, then throws Cesaro across the ring. Titus hits a splash in the corner, then a powerslam for a two count. Cesaro comes back with a kick, then Sheamus tags in and they double team Titus. Crews takes out Cesaro, then Sheamus throws Crews outside. Sheamus throws Titus into the ropes and Cesaro cheap shots him. Cesaro tags in and goes after Titus, but Titus drops him and tags in Crews. Crews hits a flying cross body off the top for a two count. Crews hits a standing moonsault and pins, but Sheamus breaks it up. Titus runs in and The Bar throws Titus outside. They double team Crews, then Sheamus tags in and they go for the double team White Noise. Before they can do it, Jason Jordan comes out to interrupt. The distraction leads to Crews rolling up Cesaro to steal the three count.

    Winners: Apollo Crews & Titus O’Neil

    – Jordan laughs from the stage as Rollins comes out and asks him what he’s doing. Rollins seems upset that Jordan cost Sheamus and Cesaro the match.

    – Braun Strowman is storming through the arena hallways looking for Kurt Angle. Strowman barges into an office and starts tearing apart everything inside. He destroys a plasma TV, among other things, then storms off back into the arena halls.

    – Back from commercial, we see some people (including Curt Hawkins) eating at some tables in the back. A guy runs up and warns them that Strowman is coming. Strowman runs in and starts flipping the tables. He chokeslams Hawkins through a table, then goes to walk off. He walks into a guy who is bringing some chocolate cake to the catering area. Strowman takes a piece of the cake and eats it, then walks off.

    – Enzo Amore and Tony Nese are out to the ring next, and Enzo cuts his usual entrance promo. They get in the ring and Enzo talks until Cedric Alexander interrupts, and Goldust is with him. Goldust says Enzo is a straight to DVD movie, and Cedric is a box office smash. Goldust says Cedric will be champion, then Cedric calls Enzo s-a-w-f-t. They’ve got a match coming up.

    – Braun Strowman is shown backstage throwing stuff around. He knocks over some pipes and some other equipment before storming off into other parts of the arena.

    Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese: Goldust and Enzo are at ringside for this one. Nese controls the opening moments of this one and gets a two count early on. Cedric tries to mount a comeback, but Nese shuts him down with a knee. Cedric fires back with some strikes and a dropkick. Nese takes out Cedric’s knee. Nese puts the boots to Cedric and hits a leg drop. Nese continues the offense until Cedric hits an uppercut and a springboard flying clothesline for a two count. Nese blocks the Lumbar check and elbows Cedric. Nese hits a kick and a knee, then goes for a pumphandle slam but Cedric escapes. Cedric hits the Lumbar Check for the three count.

    Winner: Cedric Alexander

    – Kurt Angle is backstage talking to an employee about the Braun Strowman situation, saying he’s never been in this kind of position before. A referee runs in and tells Angle that Strowman is headed for the production trucks. Angle yells “oh God they’re worth 12 million dollars,” and runs off.

    – Back from commercial, Braun Strowman runs in a production truck in the back of the arena and starts terrorizing the employees. Strowman starts throwing things around, then leaves. The employees start getting back to their desks, then the truck starts shaking. We see outside that Strowman has taken the truck off the trailer and is driving it. Strowman gets out and starts trying to flip it, then Kurt Angle runs in and asks what he hell he’s doing. Strowman gets in Kurt’s face, then flips the truck. Strowman screams in Kurt’s face again, then walks off and throws aside everything in his path. Strowman walks towards the stage and comes out towards the broadcast table. Booker T and Graves run off, but Cole can’t get away, and they leave him behind. Strowman grabs Cole and hauls him across the stage. Strowman looks to slam Cole, but Kurt Angle and some security run in and tell him to stop. Kurt says he just got off the phone with Stephanie, and Strowman can have his job back, but he has to stop and he has to put down Michael Cole. Strowman walks off from Cole, but before he leaves, he picks him up and throws Cole onto a crowd of security guards. Strowman heads backstage, and Kurt Angle looks very concerned.

    – Back at the broadcast table, Graves and Booker talk about how horrible what happened to Cole is. Tom Phillips joins them to take over for Cole, and they show replays of Strowman’s chaos. Booker says he doesn’t think Kurt should have fired Strowman earlier on national TV, which set Strowman off. We see more replays of Strowman throwing Cole.

    Nia Jax vs. Asuka: They lock up and Nia tosses Asuka across the ring to start. Nia continues to fend off Asuka’s offense and hits a backbreaker. Nia tosses Asuka across the ring again, then chops her. Asuka fires back with elbows, but Nia drops her with a short arm clothesline. Nia goes to pick up Asuka, but Asuka grabs her and goes for an armbar. Nia picks up Asuka and slams her into the corner. Nia controls the next several moments until Asuka is able to fire back with some kicks. Nia drops Asuka again, but Asuka grabs Nia’s leg and locks in a knee bar. Nia reaches the bottom rope to break the hold. Nia throws Asuka outside and follows her out. She slams Asuka into the ring apron, but Asuka fires back with a leg kick. They both roll back in the ring are are slow to get up. Nia is selling the leg from Asuka’s kick, and has trouble getting to her feet. The ref calls for the bell due to injury.

    Winner: Asuka

    – Alexa Bliss comes down to check on Nia after the match as she is being helped out of the ring.

    – Kurt Angle is in his office picking up the debris from Strowman’s rampage. Jason Jordan walks in and thanks Kurt for helping him, and starts talking about himself. Jordan says if Strowman came anywhere near Angle, he would have got him. Jordan says he was right behind Angle the whole time; Angle says he didn’t notice him there. Jordan ends up proposing a singles match for his partner Seth Rollins tonight so he can “stay sharp.” Jordan pitches a Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins match to Angle, and Angle thinks it’s a good idea. It sounds like Rollins vs. Balor is going to be tonight’s main event. Jordan walks off as Angle continues to clean up his office.

    – Tom Phillips introduces a Martin Luther King video package, and Booker T shares some thoughts. The video package features 10-bell salute.

    – Nia Jax is backstage icing her knee and Alexa Bliss is talking to her. Enzo comes in and says he’ll take care of her, and tells Bliss to leave.

    The Revival vs. Enhancement talent: The jobbers in this match don’t get any names in the opening moments. Wilder beats on one of the jobbers in the opening moments, then tags in Dawson for a double team suplex. Dawson cheap shots the other jobber off the apron, then Wilder tags in and they hit the Shatter Machine on the jobber in the ring for the three count.

    Winners: The Revival

    – The Revival does an interview in the ring after the match. Dawson says they just put on a clinic in tag team wrestling, which is something that’s been missing for a long time. He says too many tag teams are going backstage to play video games or check instagram, but all The Revival is worried about is punishing their opponents and winning matches. When asked what legends they’re looking forward to meeting at the RAW 25th anniversary next week. Wilder says they aren’t fans of beer baths or crotch chops, because they made a mockery of this business. They say they aren’t sports entertainers, they’re pro wrestlers, and they aren’t a creation of the WWE board room. Dawson says “they” will not change who they are, and this is their universe now. The fans boo as Dawson says they’re going to set the tone for RAW for the next 25 years.

    – Elias is backstage, walking towards the gorilla position.

    – Elias comes out to the ring for a song. He trashes Texas and talks about his intentions for the Royal Rumble. At the end of his song, he introduces The Miz and The Miztourage.

    – The Miz, Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas come out to the ring, and Elias leaves. The Miz gets on the mic and talks about his return. He says the spark that was missing from WWE wasn’t John Cena or Brock Lesnar, it was Miz. The Miz plugs his new USA Network reality show until Roman Reigns comes out to interrupt, and the handicap match is up next.

    Roman Reigns vs. The Miztourage: The Miz distracts Reigns early on to separate him from Dallas and Axel. Dallas and Axel attack Reigns from behind and overpower him. Back in the ring, Dallas and Axel beat down Reigns in the corner and keep him grounded. Reigns knocks Dalls to the outside, then catches Axel with a Samoan Drop. Reigns throws Dallas into Axel, then hits a big boot on Dallas. The momentum causes Dallas to appear to DDT Axel. Miz pulls Dallas outside, and The Miz runs out and hits a Superman punch on Dallas. Reigns chases off The Miz, then gets back in the ring. Axel runs up behind Reigns and rolls him up for a near-fall. Reigns gets up a ducks a clothesline, then fires back with a spear for the three count.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    – The Miz retreats up the ramp as Reigns celebrates in the ring.

    Sonya DeVille vs. Sasha Banks: Mickie James, Bayley, and Absolution are at ringside. Sasha starts off strong and looks for the Banks Statement in the opening moments. DeVille fires back with strikes, but Banks shuts her down and hits a running knee strike in the corner. Banks goes up top and comes flying down, but Sonya hits a kick that knocks Sasha out of mid-air. Sonya immediately covers for the win after a very short match.

    Winner: Sonya Deville

    – After the match, Sonya celebrates with Paige and Mandy. Mickie and Bayley check on Sasha in the ring.

    – Tom Phillips talks about MLK again, and shows us video footage of WWE stars at the Civil Rights Museum.

    – We go backstage where Rollins confronts Jordan about speaking on his behalf to his dad without his permission. Jordan offers to tell Angle to cancel the match, but Rollins doesn’t want that. Rollins wants the match, but tells Jordan that while they are teammates, Jordan isn’t his spokesperson. Rollins says doesn’t have a problem with what Jordan did, he has a problem with the way he did it. Jordan walks off, and Rollins starts getting ready for his match later.

    – Woken Matt Hardy is out to the ring next.

    Matt Hardy vs. Heath Slater: Matt controls this one early on and pummels on Slater. Hardy backs Slater into the corner and laughs at him and backs him up. Slater falls outside and looks like he wants to give up, but Rhyno gets in his face and tells him to toughen up. Slater gets in the ring and hits a kick on Hardy then beats him down. Slater starts working on Hardy’s left shoulder, but Matt bites him. Matt suplexes Slater into the turnbuckle then pummels on him. Matt hits a running clothesline in the corner, then a Side Effect for a two count. Hardy repeatedly slams Slater’s head into the turnbuckles, then hits a neckbreaker. Matt does the “Delete” thing, then hits the Twist of Fate for the win.

    Winner: Matt Hardy

    – Hardy celebrates his win in the ring and leads the crowd in a Delete chant.

    – We go to the broadcast table where they introduce s video package about Bill Goldberg being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

    – We see a replay of Kurt Angle’s confrontations with Braun Strowman earlier in the night, and Strowman’s attack on Michael Cole. The announcers then go over the card for Royal Rumble.

    Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor: Jason Jordan is at ringside in Rollin’s corner, and Gallows & Anderson are at ringside in Balor’s corner. Rollins and Balor trade holds in the opening moments until Rollins drops him with some strikes. Rollins hits some chops to the chest, then stomps on Balor in the corner. Balor comes back and dumps Rollins outsde, then follows up with a kick to the face from the apron. Back in the ring, Balor works over Rollins’ knee. Rollins fights back and hits a Blockbuster off the middle rope on Balor, but appears to further hurt his knee on landing. The fight spills out to ringside again, and Rollins sells the knee. Back in the ring, Rollins continues to beat on Balor with kicks and knees. Rollins goes for a suplex, but Balor escapes. Rollins hits him with an elbow, and then shortly after goes up to the middle rope for another Blockbuster. Before Rollins can jump, Balor runs up and stops him with a kick. Rollins hits some running splashes on BAlor in the corner, but Balor blocks one with a sling blade on Rollins. Rollins gets to his feet and Balor charges forward — and Balor runs right into a superkick from Rollins. Rollins picks up Balor, but Balor fights him off and hits some elbows and kicks. Balor hits a forearm shot and kicks, but Rollins hits some of his own. Rollins goes up top and looks for the Phoenix Splash, but Balor blocks it with his feet. Balor goes up top, but Rollins runs up and grabs him and superplexes Balor off the top. Rollins rolls through and hits the Falcon Arrow for a two count on Balor. Rollins is frustrated, and he goes back up to the top rope. Rollins goesf for the frogsplash, but Finn gets the knees up to block it. Finn rolls up Rollins and hook the leg for what appears to be a three count, but the ref says it was two. The Bar runs in and starts brawling with Anderson and Gallows at ringside. Balor hits a suicide dive on The Bar at ringside, then gets back in the ring. Balor ducks a clothesline from Rollins, but Jordan trips Balor from the floor and the ref misses it. Rollins immediately follows up with the Curb Stomp for the three count.

    Winner: Seth Rollins

    – After the match, Rollins and Jordan celebrate on the stage. We see a replay that appears the show the referee counting to three earlier in the match when Balor rolled up Rollins. Gallows and Anderson check on Balor in the ring, and Balor is selling like he has a concussion. Balor drops to his knees selling the concussion, then stands up, and RAW goes off the air.

  • MLW Zero Hour Results (1/11/18)

    MLW Zero Hour Results (1/11/18)

    MLW’s Zero Hour event took place on January 11th, 2018 at the Gilt nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

    MLW Zero Hour results:

    – Rhett Giddins def Kotto Brazil via pinfall

    – Jimmy Yuta and Jason Cade def The Dirty Blondes

    – Vandal Ortagun def. Parrow: The finish came when Al Sabah interfered and attacked Parrow. It looks like Vandal and Sabah will be a tag-team now.

    – Brody King def MJF via pinfall

    – Barrington Hughes def. Chico Adams via pinfall

    – Darby Allin def. Sammy Guevara via pinfall

    – Santana Garrett def. MJ Jenkins via pinfall

    – Penta OM def. Rey Fenix via pinfall

    – Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb def. Seth Petruzelli & Tom Lawlor: An attack on Cobb earlier in the evening was shown on the video screens, teasing that Cobb was injured before the match.

    – Low Ki vs. MVP – No contest: This one ended after getting out of control when Low Ki kicked the referee and laid him out.

    – Death match: Jimmy Havoc def. Shane Strickland

    The show was filmed for the MLW.tv VOD service, and will be released on January 18th. Tony Schiavone and Rich Brennan are on commentary.

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  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/9)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/9)

    The January 9th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL.

    – This week’s broadcast opens up with a replay of last week’s main event, where Sami Zayn beat AJ Styles in a non-title match.

    – Tom Phillips welcomes us to Birmingham, Alabama. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Bryon Saxton at the broadcast table.

    – WWE Champion AJ Styles comes out to the ring to kick off the show with an interview with Renee Young. Styles joins Renee in the ring and they talk about the Handicap Match at Royal Rumble. Styles says he was being sarcastic when he proposed it, but he can’t take it back and he has a strategy. AJ says the decision to book the match was not fair, but life isn’t fair. AJ mentions his displeasure with both Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon, and then he gets interrupted by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens and Zyn come down the ramp and mock AJ, and tell him he has no chance of leaving the PPV with the WWE Title. Owens says he and Zayn will be the first ever co-WWE Champions. Shane McMahon’s music hits and he comes out next. Shane says he agrees with AJ, and doesn’t think it’s fair he has to defend his title in a Handicap Match. Shane questions Bryan’s decision, but does support his call for now. Shane wants to talk about having a different Handicap Match here tonight: Owens & Zayn vs. Nakamura, Orton, & Styles. It sounds like that’s the main event tonight, and Shane heads backstage.

    – We see Shane arrive backstage and he approaches Daniel Bryan, who was watching on a monitor. Bryan says Shane made a great main event for tonight, and they shake hands. Bryan walks off and Shane seems confused by him.

    Ruby Riott vs. Becky Lynch: Women’s Champion Charlotte and Naomi are at ringside watching this one. Ruby Riott is accompanied by Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. Becky starts off strong from the opening bell. Logan tries to grab at Becky’s leg under the ropes, and Ruby tries to capitalize on the distraction, but it backfires and Becky drops her. Becky throws Ruby out to ringside ontop of Liv and Sarah. Back in the ring, Ruby drops Becky and works on keeping her grounded. Becky breaks free, but Ruby slams her down again. Ruby hits some knee strikes and applies an abdominal stretch. Becky breaks free and rolls up Ruby for a two count. Becky fires up and lays into Ruby with strikes, and drops her with an uppercut. Becky follows up with some suplexes. She goes for a running kick, but Ruby dodges it and connects with a kick of her own. Ruby goes for another kick, but Becky blocks this one and latches on to her with the Disarm Her for the win via submission.

    Winner: Becky Lynch

    – The Riott Squad retreats to the stage after the match as Ruby, Charlotte and Naomi stand their ground in the ring.

    – We see footage from earlier today of Sami Zayn and Becky Lynch talking about being Mixed Match Challenge partners.

    – We see a Fashion Files video from earlier tonight that ends with Breezango backing out of being in The Ascension’s corner tonight.

    The Ascension vs. The Bludgeon Brothers: The Ascension double teams Harper off the opening bell. Harper fires up and drops both Konnor and Viktor, and Konnor gets thrown outside. Rowan tags in and they double team Viktor for the win after a quick squash match.

    Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers

    – Rowan and Harper invite Konnor to come back in the ring after the match, but he holds off. After Rowan and Harper leave, Konnor finally gets back in the ring to check on Viktor. Rowan and Harper turn around and hit the ring again. They double team Konnor and leave him laying. The Bludgeon Brothers head backstage as their music plays.

    – Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable are still to come later tonight.

    – Bobby Roode comes out to the ring next.

    WWE United States Title Tournament Match: Zack Ryder vs. Mojo Rawley: Roode is watching from ringside. Ryder and Rawley both come out to new entrance songs. Ryder connects with a dropkick early on, and Mojo rolls outside to stall. Back in the ring, Mojo takes Ryder into the corner. Mojo backs up and charges, but Ryder stops him with knees. Ryder goes up top but Mojo knocks him down. Mojo continues the beat down on Ryder until Ryder catches him with a neckbreaker. Mojo charges and Ryder drops him then goes for the Broski Boot, but Mojo rolls outside to avoid it. Ryder kicks him through the ropes anyways, then throws Mojo back in the ring for a two count. Mojo ducks a shot and comes back with a big running lariat in the corner. Mojo pins and advances in the tournament to a match with Roode.

    Winner: Mojo Rawley

    – Mojo celebrates his win and Roode steps in the ring. They come face to face, then Mojo backs off and points at Roode.

    – Jinder Mahal is backstage with the Singh Brothers and he cuts a promo about 2017 being his year because of his WWE Title reign. Now he has his eyes on the WWE U.S. Title, and he will beat Xavier Woods in a tournament match next week. Jinder says Woods and The New Day are a fad, and the Modern Day Maharaja is forever.

    – Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable are backstage warming up.

    – The broadcast team promotes the upcoming RAW 25th Anniversary Show.

    – We see footage from earlier of Natalya and Nakamura learning that they’ll be in the Mixed Match Challenge.

    – Benjamin and Gable come out to the ring and get on the mic. They want justice from last week’s controversial loss to The Usos. They talk about what it takes to be successful in WWE. Benjamin cuts a promo about fans sitting on their couches stuffing their faces and gets booed. Gable talks about how they should be the Tag Champs right now, and along with Benjamin keeps knocking the fans too. They say the referee was a snitch, and snitches get stitches. They call out The Usos, but Daniel Bryan comes out instead. Bryan says they need to understand that the referee’s decisions are final, and they need to respect that. Bryan says they didn’t win because they pinned the wrong Uso, and he stands behind the decision. Bryan sets up a 2-of-3 falls match between The Usos and Benjamin/Gable, and it sounds like that’ll take place at the Royal Rumble.

    – Randy Orton is backstage warming up when AJ Styles walks in and they talk about tonight’s main event. Orton says AJ needs to trust him tonight, and he can also trust that he’s going to win the Royal Rumble and then tag the WWE Title from him. Nakamura walks in and says not so fast, because he’s also going for the Title.

    Rusev Day vs. Breezango: English sings and announces that he and Rusev will be in the Royal Rumble match. English and Fandango start off and Fandango takes control early on. Breeze tags in and they double team English. English takes a breather at ringside and gets some words of encouragement from Rusev. Back in the ring, English takes control of Breeze. English goes for a senton but misses, and Fandango gets the tag. Fandango beats on English until English stuns him with a kick and tags in Rusev. Rusev flattens Fandango and then hits a spinning heel kick. Rusev goes for the Accolade, but Breeze runs in. Rusev throws Breeze outside, then drops him again when he tries to come back in. Fandango takes advantage of the distraction and rolls up Rusev for the three count out of nowhere.

    Winners: Breezango

    – After the match, Breezango retreats up the ramp to celebrate. Rusev Day is in the ring shocked at the loss.

    – Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon chat backstage about the tag decision. Shane says he and Bryan are not on the same page, and he knocks Bryan’s decision making. Shane says Bryan is coming off as unstable, and asks if he’s okay. Bryan says he could say the same thing about Shane, especially given Shane’s gene pool. Shane says they’ll agree to disagree, and he’ll leave Bryan alone.

    – We go to the broadcast able where the announcers promote the Royal Rumble PPV.

    Handicap Match: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles, Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura: Orton and Owens start this one off. Orton takes control early on, but Owens stuns him with a boot to the face. Orton goes for the RKO early, but Owens evades it and rolls outside for a breather. They brawl outside before taking the fight back in the ring where Sami tags in. Sami works over Orton until Orton decks him and tags in Nakamra. Nakamura takes over the match with knee strikes to Sami. Nakamura hits a big kick, then followers up with a few more to Sami. Styles tags in now and continues the offense on Zayn. Sami fends off AJ and tags in Owens. Sami pulls Owens to safety to avoid a shot from AJ, and they roll outside. The ref starts counting them out, but Shane McMahon comes out to interrupt. Shane says this isn’t happening on his watch, and this match is now a No Count Out match. Shane calls for the match to be re-started, and AJ and Orton immediately leave the ring to brawl with Owens and Sami on the ramp. Back in the ring, Sami and AJ are going at it until Owens tags in. Owens puts the boots to AJ in the corner, then hits a lariat for a two count. AJ finally hits a neckbreaker on Owens to stop his momentum. Orton gets the tag and cleans house. Orton DDTs Sami and looks for the RKO, but Sami avoids it. Owens runs in with a steel chair and nails Orton, and the ref calls for the bell.

    Winners via DQ: AJ Styles, Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura

    – Owens delivers more chair shots after the bell. Owens and Zayn start heading up the ramp, but Shane McMahon comes out again. Shane says he’s making this a No DQ match now too, and re-starts the match again.

    No DQ Handicap Match: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles, Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura: AJ runs up the ramp with a steel chair and delivers some chair shots of his own. Owens and AJ brawl backstage, while Sami brawls with Nakamura at ringside. Sami tries to escape through the crowd, but Nakamura and Orton stop him and beat him down around ringside. Back in the ring, Nakamura hits the Kinshasa on Sami, and then Orton hits the RKO on him for the three ccount.

    Winners: AJ Styles, Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura

    – Orton and Nakamura celebrate in the ring as SmackDown goes off the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/8)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/8)

    The January 8th, 2018 edition of WWE Monday Night RAW took place at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN.

    – This week’s broadcast begins with a video package recapping the history between Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns.

    – Michael Cole welcomes us to the FedExForum in Memphis, TN. He’s joined by Corey Graves and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T at the broadcast table.

    – WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns comes out to the ring first to kick off tonight’s show. Reigns gets on the mic and talks about beating Samoa Joe last week. Fans are already giving Reigns the “What” chants. Reigns starts to talk about avenging Dean Ambrose, but then Jason Jordan comes out to interrupt. Jordan gets in the ring and starts thanking Reigns for what he did to Joe last week. Fans chant “Who’s your daddy” at Jordan until Jordan’s tag partner Seth Rollins comes out. Rollins sets in the ring and tells Jordan he appreciates what he’s trying to do, but he’s got a lot to learn. Rollins says Jordan means well, but he’s stepping on Reigns’ moment right now. Jordan interjects that this is all of their moment, and they’re all Champions now who run the show. Reigns says enough of this “we” stuff. Jordan admits they’re not The Shield, but the three of them are pretty good, maybe the most dominant group in all of WWE. Fans boo Jordan more until Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson come out to interrupt. Balor gets on the mic and says he’s been rolling with Gallows and Anderson pre-WWE, 10 years before Jordan even knew Kurt Angle was his dad. This prompts more “Who’s your daddy” chants from the crowd. The Club comes down to the ring and they call Jordan a nerd. Jordan looks like he wants to fight, but RAW GM Kurt Angle comes down and tells them to wait until the main event tonight. The six-man tag of Jordan, Reigns & Rollins vs. Balor, Gallows & Anderson is booked for tonight’s main event.

    – Still to come: WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is in the house, and The Miz will make his return.

    – We see Bayley, Sasha Banks and Mickie James are backstage, headed towards the gorilla position. They face Absolution next.

    – Back from the break, we see another replay of Stephanie McMahon’s female Royal Rumble announcement.

    Sasha Banks and Bayley vs. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose: Mandy starts off against bayley and gets the upper hand early on. Mandy beats down Bayley in the corner then hits a powerslam for a tow count. Bayley fights back and lands a suplex of her own. Paige and Deville pull Rose to safety, and Sasha tags in. Sasha fires up and knocks Sonya off the apron, but when she turns around she receives a knee to the face from Mandy for a two count. Sonya tags in and continues the beat down on Sasha. Rose tags back in and knocks Bayley off the apron. Sonya gets in a cheap shot on Sasha while the ref is distracted. Sasha rolls up Mandy out of nowhere but Sonya breaks it up. Bayley knocks Sonya to the outside, then Sasha comes back with a Banks Statement on Mandy in the middle of the ring. Mandy taps out.

    Winners: Sasha Banks and Bayley

    – Absolution recovers at ringside while Sasha, Bayley and Mickie celebrate in the ring.

    – Still to come: The Club vs. Reigns, Rollins and Jordan.

    – We see a replay of Brock Lesnar and Kane brawling last week. Lesnar is in the house and he’ll address Kane later tonight.

    – Goldust shows up in Cedric Alexander’s locker room for some words of encouragement. Goldust says he believes in Cedric, and wishes him luck in his Title shot.

    – Speaking of Goldust, the announcers promote the Mixed Match Challenge and show us footage of Goldust meeting his partner Alicia Fox.

    Matt Hardy vs. Curt Hawkins: “Woken” Matt Hardy comes out to the ring with new entrance music. We see a pre-taped video of Matt announcing his participation in the Royal Rumble this year. The opening bell sounds and Hardy and Hawkins lock up. Hardy bites Hawkins when the ref isn’t looking, then works over Hawkings in the corner. Hawkins fights back and goes up top for a cross body, but misses. Matt hits a German suplex into the corner, and repeatedly slams Hawkins head into the corner. Matt follows up with the Twist of Fate for the three count.

    Winner: Matt Hardy

    – After the match, Bray Wyatt hits the ring. Wyatt and Hardy stare each other down and trade evil laughs, and the segment ends.

    – Back from commercial break, Elias is in the ring under the spotlight with his guitar. Elias sings a song trashing Memphis, and then isngs a song which ends up being an entrance for The Miz.

    – The Miz’s real music hits, and The Miz comes out to the ring with Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel. They enter the ring for a special edition of Miz TV. Fans chant “welcome back” as The Miz begins to talk. He discusses filming The Marine 6 and visiting troops overseas. Miz says he is thankful to two people right now, Axel and Dallas for representing The Miztourage and turning their careers around. Dallas and Axel each present The Miz with gifts, trying to one-up each other. Dallas and Axel start gifting Miz the watches and coats they’re wearing right now. Miz tells them to shut up and sit down in the chairs. The Miz says he has a lot more planned, and says everything he touches turns to gold. He says he hasn’t forgotten about being attacked by The Shield. He says 2018 will be a year of celebration – for his daughter being born, and for him recapturing the IC Championship. The Miz declares now that he’s back, he’s coming for Reigns, and Reigns can “believe that.” Miz drops the mic and leaves with Axel and Dallas.

    – Balor, Gallows and Anderson are backstage talking about their pre-WWE experiences together, and then strategy for tonight. Balor says 2018 is the year of The Balor Club.

    – Still to come: Cedric Alexander finally gets his Cruiserweight Title shot from Enzo Amore.

    – WWE Cruiserweight Champ Enzo Amore is out to the ring for a promo. He talks about being sick for New Year’s Day and unable to compete because he was in the hospital. He thanks Nia Jax for bringing him soup when he was sick, and tells Cedric that Goldust is the closest he’ll come to gold in 2018.

    WWE Cruiserweight Title: Enzo Amore (c) vs. Cedric Alexander: The opening bell sounds and Cedric takes control early on. Cedric hits a big kick as we see Nia backstage watching on a monitor. Enzo turns it around and sends Cedric out to the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Enzo uses the ref for a cheap shot and continues beating on Cedric. Enzo hits a running dropkick for a two count. Cedric starts to fight back, but Enzo stuns him with a knee to the face. Cedric comes back with a dropkick, and follows up with a handspring into a flying kick. Cedric pins for a two count, then Enzo starts fighting back with elbow strikes. Cedric fires back with another kick to the head, then springboards in for a flying clothesline but Enzo dodges it. Enzo rolls outside, and Cedric hits a suicide dive on him. Enzo starts selling an ankle injury as Cedric rolls back in the ring. A trainer is out to check on Enzo and the ref counts him out.

    Winner via count out: Cedric Alexander

    – Enzo retains the Cruiserweight Title due to the count out finish. We see Nia backstage again looking concerned about Enzo’s injury. Enzo is helped to the back as Cedric celebrates his win.

    – Back from the break, Enzo is backstage being checked on by a trainer. He says Enzo will undergo x-rays and maybe an MRI. Nia Jax walks in and Enzo thanks her and starts trying to no-sell his injury.

    – RAW GM Kurt Angle is backstage on the phone with a surprise entrance in the women’s Rumble match. Angle says they haven’t been in the ring in years, but he knows they’ll be great for the Rumble. The Bar walks in and interrupts. They want their Tag Title rematch, and Angle books it for the Royal Rumble PPV. The Bar also wants competition for tonight, and Angle tells them to head down to the ring and wait for their opponents. The Miz walks in and talks about he and Maryse having their own reality show on the USA Network soon. Miz says Angle can prove he knows how to run RAW by giving Miz another IC Title shot against Reigns at the RAW 5th Anniversary Show. Angle thinks it’s a good idea and books the match.

    – Asuka is backstage warming up, and she gets interrupted by Alexa Bliss. Bliss warns Asuka that Nia Jax might be coming for her.

    Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews: Dana Brooke is at ringside in Titus Worldwide’s corner. Sheamus and Titus start off with back and forth brawling. Titus decks Sheamus with a shoulder tackle, then tags in Crews. Crews briefly works over Sheamus until Sheamus fights him off and tags in Cesaro. Cesaro and Sheamus briefly double team Crews until Crews fires back with a dropkick. Crews follows up with a standing moonsault for a 2 count. Crews throws Cesaro outside and Cesaro strts selling an injury. Back in the ring, Sheamus tags in and double teams Crews with Cesaro. Sheamus starts dropping knees on Crews and keeps him grounded. Sheamus misses a shot in the corner and hits the ring post, allowing Crews to get the hot tag to Titus. Titus tags in and cleans house. The match falls apart with the non-legal men running in, and the finish comes when Titus rolls up Sheamus out of nowhere for the three count.

    Winners: Titus O’Neil & Apollo Crews

    – After the match, Sheamus and Cesaro are in shock at the loss. Titus Worldwide celebrates as we see the replays.

    – We see another replay of what happened between Kane and Brock Lesnar last week.

    – WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is out to the ring next with Paul Heyman by his side. Heyman introduces his client, and talks about Lesnar having to defend against multiple challengers at the Royal Rumble PPV. He says Lesnar took what Kane had and laughed in his face, the same way he will at the PPV with Kane and Strowman. Heyman says the only question is whether Lesnar will pin Kane or Strowman. Or, will Lesnar stack them and pin both. Heyman continues to talk about how dominant Lesnar is before leaving. As Lesnar and Heyman are leasving, Kane attacks Lesnar from behind. Kane and Lesnar brawl into the backstage area, and Strowman runs in and joins in the fight. Strowman tosses Lesnar onto a table, then hits Kane with a road case. Strowman grabs a grappling hook and throws it up onto some scaffolding. Everyone around is yelling at Strowman to stop. Strowman pulls the structure down using the grappling hook, and it falls into Lesnar and Kane. Heyman screams as we go to commercial.

    – Lesnar is being stretchered out as we return from commercial. Kane was able to get to his feet and he stumbles away. Lesnar begs Heyman to get him out of the ambulance, but they ride off to the local medical facility.

    – Rhyno takes on Samoa Joe next in a match that we’re told Rhyno requested so he can show Heath Slater how to toughen up.

    Samoa Joe vs. Rhyno: Slater is at ringside in Rhyno’s corner. Joe controls the opening moments of this one. He hits an inverted atomic drop and a senton for a two count. Joe keeps control as Slater cheers on Rhyno. Rhyno tries to mount a comeback, but Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch for the quick win.

    Winner: Samoa Joe

    – After the match, Joe stares down Slater, then Charly Caruso comes in the ring to interview Joe. He says he’s beaten years off of Reign’s career each time they stepped in the ring. Joe says everything is coming crashing down on Reigns, and Joe is going to finish the job. He says until then, he’s focused on winning the Royal Rumble, and says he plans to eliminate John Cena first.

    – Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax are backstage talking about Enzo. Alexa says she thinks Enzo is holding Nia back, but Nia disagrees. Nia talks about entering the Royal Rumble, but Alexa tries to get her to focus on Asuka. Alexa brings up a possible Bliss vs. Jax WrestleMAnia 34 ream match, if Nia can take out Asuka first. Bliss says Asuka was talking trash about Nia, but Nia points out that Asuka doesn’t speak English and walks off.

    – Asuka is on her way down to the ring when Nia Jax attacks her from behind. Nia continues the assault and stands tall as Asuka sells the beating. Referees check on Asuka and Nia leaves towards the back.

    Roman Reigns, Jason Jordan and Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson: The opening bell sounds and Balor and Rollins start this one off trading holds. Rollins connects with a kick, and then they trade counters until Balor connects with a kick of his own for a two count. Anderson tags in and hits a spinebuster on Rollins for another tow count. Anderson works over Rollins some more, then tags in Gallows. Reigns tags himself in and hits a Samoan Drop on Gallows. Balor runs in, but Reigns and Rollins double team him and throw him outside. Reigns hits a Drive By on Gallows and Anderson at the same time at ringside, then Rollins hits a suicide dive on Balor at ringside. Rollins and Reigns stand tall in the ring, as Jordan joins them acting like he did something. Back in the ring, Balor goes at it with Rollins. Balor is working over Rollins’ arm, but Rollins counters and sends Balor into the turnbuckle. Reigns tags in and unloads on Balor with clotheslines, then drops him with a big boot. Reigns goes for the superman punch, but he gets distracted knocking Anderson and Gallows off the apron. Balor takes advantage of the distraction with a Sling Blade on Reigns. Anderson tags in and pummels on Reigns. Gallows tags in now and continues to beat on The Big Dog. Gallows drops Reigns and keeps him grounded and fans try to rally behind the IC Champ. Reigns fights back but Gallows pulls him down by the hair. The ref warns Gallows, and he tags in Anderson. Anderson runs in and hits a knee on Reigns for a two count. Reigns catches him with a big tilt-a-whirl slam, then Anderson tags in Gallows. Reigns tries to get the tag, but Gallows stops him with a big boot. Gallows hits a suplex on Reigns for a two count, then continues beating on Reigns. Reigns comes back with a superman punch, then Anderson and Rollins tag in at the same time. Rollins gets the upper hand on Anderson, then he knocks Gallows and Balor off the apron. Rollins hits a blockbuster on Anderson, then hits a suicide dive on Balor and Gallows at ringside. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a slingblade on Anderson, then a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Gallows and Anderson try to double team Rollins, but Rollins fights them both off. Jordan runs in and clotheslines Gallows to the floor. Anderson hits a sinebuster on Rollins for a two count. Gallows stops Rollins from tagging in Jordan, then he knocks Jordan off the apron. Rollins hits an enziguri on Gallows, then Gallows tags in Balor. Rollins dodges a slingblade and drops Balor. As Reigns waits for the tag from Rollins, Jordan enters the ring and the refs gets distracted by him. The confusion leads to Gallows and Anderson hitting a Magic Killer on Rollins. Reigns comes in and drops them both, then Jordan comes in again and Reigns argues with him. Anderson pulls Reigns to the floor and Gallows joins in brawling with him at ringside. Reigns sends Gallows into the ring post, then hits a superman punch on Anderson. Reigns spears Gallows on the floor next. Jordan helps Rollins to his feet, but Balor charges and hits dropkick on Rollins as Jordan moves. Balor knocks Jordan down, then hits the Coup De Grace for the win.

    Winners: The Balor Club

    – After the match, Reigns and Jordan exchange heated words while Rollins is down on the mat. Balor, Anderson and Gallows celebrate their win on the ramp. As Jordan checks on Rollins, The Miz, Dallas and Axel run in and attack. They beat down Jordan and Rollins first, then triple team Reigns. Miz hits a Skull Crushing Finale on Reigns, then fans chant “one more time.” Miz hits another one on Reigns as Axel and Dallas celebrate. The Miz stands tall over Reigns as RAW goes off the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/2)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (1/2)

    The first WWE SmackDown of 2018 took place at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL on January 2nd.

    – Before the show, a spot runs on the USA Network featuring shots of fans in the Amway Center and Tom Phillips promotes an AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn match later tonight.

    – The first SmackDown of 2018 opens up with a video package looking at the history between Kevin Owens and AJ Styles, with Owens defeating AJ last week in a non-Title match.

    – Tom Phillips, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton are on commentary tonight.

    – AJ Styles comes out to the ring first to kick off the show. AJ says he knows everyone else in the company’s new year’s resolution is the to win the Royal Runble, but his is to leave WrestleMania with the WWE Title belt still around his waist. AJ questions Daniel Bryan’s decision last week, seemingly in favor of Owens and Sami Zayn, and invites Bryan out to explain. Bryan comes down to the ring, but before he can start, Shane McMahon comes out to the ring too. Shane apologizes to AJ for last week, and he questions if Bryan is in cahoots with Owens and Zayn. Shane says he’ll be at ringside for tonight’s main event, and Bryan says we may as well have OWens at ringside too. Bryan also says he may as well be at ringside too. Shane says it looks like they’re starting off 2018 with a bang. They shake hands and leave.

    – The announcers show us the brackets for the WWE U.S. Title Tournament, which will finish at the Royal Rumble PPV.

    The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: The Usos’ Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. Shelton and Jimmy start off. Gable tags in early but gets knocked off the apron. Jimmy goes up top, but Shelton runs up and takes Jimmy down with a suplex. Gable comes in and follows up with a shot from the top for a two count as Jey breaks the pin. The two teams go back and forth until Shelton and Jimmy get the hot tags. This leads to Shelton and Gable hitting the double team off the top for a three count after a short match.

    Winners & new Tag Team Champions: Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin

    – As Gable and Benjamin and celebrating on the ramp with the Tag Title belts, referees are reviewing the replay of the match at The Usos’ request. The ref determines that Jey Uso was the one pinned for three, while Jimmy Uso was the legal man. The ref decides to reverse his decision, and restart the match.

    The Usos vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: The referee calls Gable and Benjamin back to the ring and takes back the Title belts. This one is back on. The Usos knock Gable and Benjamin to he outside and beat them down around ringside. Back in the ring, Jey works over Shelton and hits a Samoan Drop. Jey goes to follow up with the running butt bump in the corner, but Gable pulls Shelton to safety. Gable distracts Jey and Shelton rolls him up for a two count. Shelton and Gable go for the double team off the top, but Jimmy makes the save. He superkicks Gable and then they double-superkick Shelton. Uso hits the big splash on Shelton for the win.

    Winners & still Tag Team Champions: The Usos

    – Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are backstage for an interview with Renee. They talk about Owens, McMahon and Bryan all being at ringside for tonight’s Styles vs. Zayn main event. Owens says tonight’s outcome will be similar to last week: Last week Owens beat AJ, and this week Zayn will beat AJ.

    – Breezango’s rematch with The Bludgeon Brothers is up next.

    – We see a video package looking at RAW’s 25 year history, and promoting the 25th anniversary show on January 22nd.

    Breezango vs. The Bludgeon Brothers: The Brothers attack before the bell and destroy Fandango and Breeze as the ref tries to get them to stop. The Ascension runs in for the save. Konnor and Viktor jump up on the ring apron, but get knocked right off by the Brothers. They take Viktor in the ring and double team him while Konnor lays on the floor. Rowan and Harper look at the bodies scattered around ringside and their music hits. They leave without the match ever having officially started.

    Winner: No contest

    – The New Day is backstage. Kofi and Big E present some “2018” pancakes to Xavier to ring in the new year. English and Rusev interrupt and talk some trash before Rusev blows out the candles. Rusev and English walk off.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Mojo Rawley, talking about how he will defeat his former partner Zack Ryder in the U.S. Title tournament next week.

    Aiden English vs. Xavier Woods: Rusev sings this time instead of English, and does a quick song about how English will be the new U.S. Champ, until the New Day interrupts with their entrance. English takes control early on until Woods dodges a shot and sends him flying outside. Rusev has a brief stare-down with Kofi and Big E at ringside. Woods misses an Honor Roll and hits the floor hard. English takes Woods back in the ring for a two count, as we see Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers backstage watching on a monitor. English beats down Woods in the ring until Woods comes back with some strikes and a rack. Woods follows up with a backbreaker for a two count. They trade pin attempts until English plants Woods with a powerbomb. English takes Woods up top, but Woods reverses and back drops English down to the mat. Woods goes up top and taunts Rusev, then hits the flying elbow on English for the win. Woods advances in the U.S. Title tournament.

    Winner: Xavier Woods

    – Kofi and Big E celebrate with Xavier after the match, and they look at the U.S. Title belt on display at ringside.

    – Carmella, Tamina, Lana, and Natalya are backstage for an interview. They’re all going to be in the Royal Rumble, and they cut promos on the Riott Squad ahead of tonight’s six-woman match.

    – NBA Hall of Famer and former WCW star Karl Malone is shown in attendance at ringside.

    The Riott Squad vs. Natalya, Tamina, & Carmella: Liv and Natalya start off and trade holds until Natalya hits the discus clothesline for a two count. Natalya goes for a Sharpshooter but Liv escapes and rolls outside. Ruby and Logan check on her at ringside as Liv takes a breather. Logan and Carmella tag in and Logan takes control. Logan knocks Natalya off the apron, but Carmella is able to tag in Tamina who comes in and cleans house. Ruby runs in but Tamina superkicks her down. Tamina hits a Samoan drop on Logan next. Tamina goes up top, but Liv pushes her off while Ruby distracts the ref. Logan hits a running knee to the head on Tamina for the three count.

    Winners: The Riott Squad

    – After the match, The Riott Squad stands tall in the ring and Ruby cuts a promo. She bashes the Orlando fans and bets they “believe in Magic.” She says The Riott Squad is a strong dose of reality for everyone. Ruby announces that the three of them will all be in the women’s Royal Rumble match. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte comes out to the stage to interrupt. Charlotte says she believes in magic and dreams, but also has a dose of reality for Ruby – actions have consequences. Charlotte introduces Naomi, and then introduces Becky Lynch. They charge the ring and brawl with The Riott Squad at ringside. Charlotte brings Logan in the ring and hits a big boot on her that sends Logan back outside. Naomi takes out Liv, then Becky takes Ruby in the ring for a Bexploder. Becky hits one Liv next. Charlotte, Becky and Naomi stare down The Riott Squad as they retreat back up the ramp.

    – Baron Corbin cuts a pre-taped promo about the Royal Rumble. He says he can’t wait to compete in the Rumble match, where it’s 30 people and “anything goes.” Corbin feels confident he’ll go on to main event WrestleMania 34.

    – Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring and greets fans along the way. Shane McMahon is out next, and our main event is up next.

    AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn: This one is a non-title match. Kevin Owens is also at ringside, along with Bryan and McMahon. Styles takes down Zayn early on, but Zayn fires back with some right hands and kicks. AJ hits soe chops to the chest, but Sami shuts him down with a back body drop. AJ comes back with a dropkick that stuns Zayn and sends him rolling outside for a breather. Owens checks on him, but AJ and Shane chase him off. Bryan gets between Shane and Owens. AJ throws Sami back in the ring but is distracted by Owens for another moment. On his way back in the ring, AJ eats a boot to the face from Zayn. Zayn turns it around now and continues beating on The Champ That Runs The Camp. AJ fights back with elbows, kicks, and a lariat that drops Zayn. AJ follows up with a forearm shot to the grounded Zayn. AJ hits a splash in the corner, then a pumphandle gutbuster for a two count. Zayn hits some elbows on AJ then drops his throat across the top rope. Sami goes up top, but AJ knocks his leg out from under him. AJ lifts Sami off the top rope in a fireman’s carry and drops him into a neckbreaker for a two count. AJ looks for the Styles Clash, but Sami blocks it. Sami escapes and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Zayn waits for AJ to get up then goes for a big boot, but AJ ducks and locks Sami in the Calf Crusher. Zayn reaches the bottom rope to break the hold. AJ and Sami trade strikes in the middle of the ring until AJ stuns him with a Pele kick. AJ hits an elbow to the face, then he attempts the Phenomenal Forearm, but Zayn ducks. The ref dives outside to avoid behind hit by Styles, and Owens distracts the ref. AJ rolls up Zayn in the ring, but the ref is distracted by Owens. The ref gets back in and counts two. Shane shoves Owens, then yells at the ref and the ref ejects Kevin from ringside. Bryan gets on the mic and tells Shane if Owens is leaving, then Shane should leave with him. After the distraction, Zayn hits a running big boot to AJ and rolls him up for the three count.

    Winner: Sami Zayn

    – Sami and Kevin celebrate on the ramp as Shane looks disturbed at ringside. AJ gets on the mic and says Sami and Kevin can’t do anything on their own. AJ says he doesn’t know whose side Bryan is on, and tells he and Shane to stop bickering like children. AJ says he’s the WWE Champion and he wants to fight without someone else getting involved. AJ says why not make it a handicap match since they keep running in. Daniel Bryan takes him seriously and books AJ vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn in a handicap match at Royal Rumble. Bryan gets on the announce table and does the “yes” chant, as Shane and AJ look on in disappointment.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/1)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (1/1)

    The January 1st 2018 edition of WWE RAW takes place at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, FL.

    – Michael Cole welcomes us to the American Airlines Arena, and then we go backstage where RAW Women’s Champ Alexa Bliss is trying to talk to Kurt Angle about her match tonight with Asuka. Angle refuses and tells Bliss to settle her problems in the ring, and Angle walks off.

    – RAW GM Kurt Angle comes out to the ring to kick off the first RAW of 2018. He welcomes us to the show and talks about how 2017 was one of the biggest years of his career. He starts talking about the Royal Rumble and John Cena, which prompts boos from some fans. Angle talks about the Women’s Royal Rumble briefly, then The Bar comes out to interrupt. Sheamus says he doesn’t want to talk about tonight, he wants to talk about last week when The Bar was robbed. Sheamus complains about how the new team of Rollins and Jordan received a title shot right away. Cesaro accuses Angle of playing favorites. They start arguing about a rematch, and then Jason Jordan comes out to interrupt. Jordan argues with The Bar, which leads to Angle booking Jordan vs. Cesaro tonight. Seth Rollins interrupts next, and he says Jordan needs to be a better partner and less self-absorbed. Rollins says he’ll be in Jordan’s corner, but he’s out here to watch Jordan lose. Cesaro hits a cheap shot on Jordan from behind, and we have a match.

    Cesaro vs. Jason Jordan: Rollins and Sheamus are at ringside. This one starts with some back and forth brawling, with Jordan making a comeback and mounting some offense. Jordan dumps Cesaro to the outside, then follows him out. At ringside, Cesaro grabs Jordan and slams him on the corner of the ring apron and he mounts a comeback. Cesaro brings Jordan back in the ring and works over his knee. Cesaro drops Jordan with a European uppercut, then continues the attack on Jordan’s knee. Jordan escapes a powerslam attempt and drops Cesaro with a kick. Jordan goes for a suplex but his leg gives out. Jordan hits some strikes and finally is able to hit a belly to belly suplex. Jordan follows up with another one for a two count. Cesaro starts to fight back, but Jordan catches him with a Northern Lights suplex. Jordan rolls through for a second Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Cesaro comes back with a shot to the bad knee and then a Boston Crab. Sheamus looks to get involved with a cheap shot, but Rollins intercepts and drops Sheamus. The distraction leads to Jordan suplexing Cesaro for a three count.

    Winner: Jason Jordan

    – Jason Jordan celebrates his win but leaves Rollins hanging on the fist bump.

    – Roman Reigns is backstage for an interview about Samoa Joe. Reigns says Joe is a punk and it’s going to be ugly when he gets him in the ring. Reigns says unfortunately for Joe, he’s going to stay within the rules – he hopes.

    – Bray Wyatt is out to the ring next.

    – We see a quick promo from Sasha Banks talking about entering the Royal Rumble.

    Bray Wyatt vs. Apollo Crews: Titus and Dana Brooke of Titus Worldwide are at ringside in Crews’ corner. Crews starts this one off strong, but Wyatt decks him and focuses on keeping Crews grounded. Wyatt stares down Dana and she seems disturbed by it. Wyatt continues the beat-down on Crews until Apollo catches him with a running big boot out of nowhere. Crews fires up with more kicks, then a flying clothesline. Crews hits a standing shooting star press for a two count on Wyatt. Crews looks for the powerbomb but Wyatt catches him with a lariat. Dana gets on the apron and yells to Apollo, then Wyatt chases her off and she falls onto Titus at ringside. Dana and Titus crash down at ringside as Wyatt watches. Apollo takes advantage of the distraction with a flying kick to the face, but Wyatt is able to come back with a Sister Abigail out of nowhere for the three count.

    Winner: Bray Wyatt

    – After the match, Matt Hardy appears on the big screen and he cuts a promo on Wyatt. Hardy does his evil laugh, then talks about converting Wyatt’s fireflies into “woken warriors.” Hardy laughs at Wyatt again as Wyatt looks around confused.

    – Alexa Bliss approaches Nia Jax backstage for a favor, but Nia says she has to go deliver chicken soup to Enzo, who isn’t feeling well. Alexa says Nia has to chose between her or Enzo, but Nia says her soup is getting cold and leaves.

    Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka: This one is a non-title match. It’s all Asuka in the opening moments of this one. Alexa leaves the ring multiple times for breathers. Back in the ring, Alexa comes back with a kick to the midsection. Alexa drops Asuka and keeps her grounded with some holds. Asuka fights out, but Alexa drops her again, then bends her around the ring post by the feet and hair. They trade pin attempts, then Alexa grabs the hair and hits a backbreaker. Alexa pummels on Asuka on the mat, then pins for a two count. Asuka comes back with an arm lock, but Bliss shuts her down with more kicks to the midsection. Alexa slaps Asuka across the face, and Asuka answers with a series of dropkicks. She follows up with a running hip attack in the corner, then another one on the mat. Asuka hits a kick, but Alexa comes back with a shot in the corner. Asuka hits a kick and then puts Alexa in the Asuka Lock for the win via submission.

    Winner: Asuka

    – Asuka celebrates in the ring while Bliss recovers with her Women’s Title belt at ringside.

    – Samoa Joe does an interview in the back, and Renee Young doesn’t seem happy to talk to him. Joe says he owns Reigns, and will beat him like he beat Ambrose. Joe says Ambrose is now a stay-at-home husband living off his wife’s paycheck because of him. Joe says he’s already exposed Reigns, and now he’s going to take the Intercontinental Title from him.

    – Braun Strowman is out next.

    – Bayley does a pre-taped promo saying she’s entering the women’s Royal Rumble match, and then will “hug her way” to WrestleMania.

    Braun Strowman vs. Rhyno: Slater is at ringside, and Jojo accidentally announces it as “Heath Slater accompanied by Rhyno.” Strowman knocks Rhyno back into the corner and Slater gives Rhyno some words of encouragement. Strowman follows up with a shoulder tackle and a big boot. Slater gets on the apron and Strowman orders the ref to get rid of him. Strowman climbs out of the ring and gets on the mic. He says either Slater can stand on the floor and shut his mouth, or get in the ring and get these hands like his partner. Strowman gets back in the ring and Rhyno hits him, but Strowman stuns him with a headbutt. Slater now runs in and starts beating on Strowman with Rhyno. Strowman shoves them away, and hits running splashes on each of them in opposite corners. Strowman follows up with the running powerslam on Rhyno for the win.

    Winner: Braun Strowman

    – After the match, the crowd chants “one more time.” Strowman goes to pick up Rhyno, but Slater stops him. Slater goes for a kick, but Strowman swats him away. Strowman follows up with a running powerslam on Slater. The crowd chants for more, so Strowman grabs Rhyno and hits another running powerslam on the former ECW Champion. Strowman’s music plays, but he’s not finished. He grabs Slater and hits another running powrslam on him, then gets on the corner and poses. It looks like Strowman is finished, but he’s not. He picks up Rhyno and hits another running powerslam on him. Strowman picks up Slater with one arm, then hits another running powerslam on him.

    – Roman Reigns is backstage cracking his knuckles, when Seth Rollins walks in. Rollins tells Reigns to keep his cool after what Joe said tonight. Reigns says Joe is a joke to him, and he hopes Ambrose and the whole world is watching tonight to see what he does to Joe. Rollins mentions that he doesn’t want Reigns to get DQed, because the title can change in the event of a DQ tonight. Jason Jordan walks in and says if The Bar tries to run in, they’ll stop them, believe that. Jordan walks off, and Reigns and Rollins look confused by Jordan’s appearance.

    – Kane approaches Strowman backstage and says he just wants to talk. Kane says they should work together to take out Lesnar, but Strowman declines. Strowman says he’s the true alpha monster of WWE, and he’ll take out Lesnar on his own.

    – Finn Balor approaches Kurt Angle in his office. Balor says he’s entering the Royal Rumble, and also announces his partners for a six-man tag against Elias and The Miztourage. Balor brings in Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, and says he’s teamed with them before and is ready to again. They say if it wasn’t them, it would have had to be some “Nerds” from the locker room.

    Roman Reigns (c) vs. Samoa Joe: Reigns’ IC Title is on the line in this one, and the Title can change hands via DQ. Joe starts off strong off the opening bell with right hands to Reigns. Reigns starts fighting back on the ropes but the ref pulls them apart and admonishes Reigns. Joe comes back and sends Reigns to the outside. Reigns takes a breather and comes back in. Joe fires up and hits an elbow then goes for a suplex, but Reigns reverses it into a suplex of his own. Reigns goes for a spear in the corner, but Joe dodges and Reigns hits the ring post. Joe covers for a two count. Reigns starts fighting back with a series of clotheslines and punches. Joe fights back and hits a Pele kick. Joe chokes Reigns over the middle rope until the ref hauls him off. Joe follows up with strikes in the corner on Reigns. Joe whips Reigns into the corner then works on Reigns’ left arm. Joe whips Reigns into the corner again, but this time Reigns comes out with a flying clothesline on Joe. Reigns hits a series of ten clotheslines in the corner, then boots Joe in the face and sends him falling out to ringside. Reigns follows him outside and hits the Drive By. Back in the ring, Reigns and Joe brawl in the corner before Joe knocks Reigns outside. Joe follows up with a suicide dive onto the Champion at ringside. Back in the ring, Joe continues to work on Reigns. When Reigns starts coming back, Joe shoves Reigns into the ref. Reigns tries to explain what happened to the ref and the ref allows it to continue. After some back and forth, Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch. Reigns fights out and runs the ropes and hits the spear for the win to retain the IC Title.

    Winner & still Intercontinental Champion: Roman Reigns

    – Reigns celebrates with his IC Tite belt as Joe storms up the ramp looking disgruntled.

    – Kurt Angle is backstage watching Reigns’ win, when Paul Heyman walks in. Heyman warns Angle that they’re aware of Kane proposing a conspiracy to Strowman to take out Lesnar before the Royal Rumble. Heyman says if Angle doesn’t put a stop to it, Lesnar will let all Hell break loose.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Absolution, where Paige says 2018 is going to be an even bigger year for them.

    – Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari are in the ring. Gulak reads a message from Enzo, which starts off with Enzo’s usual promo, and then goes into saying Enzo is sick so he’s not at RAW tonight. The message gets on the subject of Cedric Alexander, which prompts Alexander to come out and interrupt. Cedric has doubts that Enzo is really sick, but since he’s not here, either Gulak or Daivari are going to have to face him instead. Gulak and Daivari say they’ll do it, but in a tag team match, so Cedric better hope for someone to come out and help him right now. Goldust’s music hits and the former Intercontinental Champion comes down to the ring. Goldust says he has some friends in low places, but none are lower than Gulak and Daivari, then says he’ll be friends with Cedric, and we have a match.

    Cedric Alexander & Goldust vs. Drew Gulak & Ariya Daivari: Cedric starts off in control against Daviari. He sends Daviari flying with a hurricanrana, then levels him with a dropkick. Cedric gets distracted by Gulak, and Daivari slams Cedric into the corner. Daivari beats on Cedric until Alexander comes back with an elbow to the face of Daivari. Goldust and Gulak get the tags and Goldust cleans house. Goldust hits a bulldog and beats on Gulak in the corner. Goldust follows up with a spinning powerslam. Daivari runs in and Goldust hits him with an inverted atomic drop. Goldust goes up top and hits a moonsault on Gulak and Daivari. Cedric tags in and takes out Daivari while Goldust hits an uppercut on Gulak. Cedric gollows up with a Lumbar Check on Gulak for the three count.

    Winners: Goldust & Cedric Alexander

    – Alexander and Goldust celebrate in the ring after the match.

    – Gallows, Anderson & Balor are backstage walking towards the gorilla position.

    – Elias comes out to the ring for a song. He also announces that he’ll be in the Royal Rumble, and he intends to win and go on to WrestleMania. Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel join him, and Dallas announces that The Miz will be returning next week. They briefly sing a song, and then Gallows and Anderson’s entrance interrupts.

    Finn Balor, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Elias, Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel: Balor and Axel start this one off. Axel backs Balor into the corner and hits some should strikes then a neck breaker. Elias tags in and continues to beat on Balor. Elias stomps on Balor in the corner and works on keeping him grounded. Balor trips up Elias and hits a double foot stomp on him. Gallows and Dallas get the tags and Gallows cleans house. Gallows hits a big boot on Dallas then a running splash. Elias breaks up the pin, then Anderson takes out Elias. Gallows hits a superkick on Dallas, then Anderson comes in and they hit the Magic Killer on him. Anderson then hits a suicide dive on Axel at ringside. Balor tags in and hits the Coup De Grace on Dallas for the three count.

    Winners: Finn Balor, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

    – We see a promo for The Miz’s return next week on RAW.

    – WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is out to the ring next with Paul Heyman beside him. We see a replay of Kane propositioning Strowman earlier in the night to take out Lesnar, and Strowman seeming to decline. Heyman gets on the mic and complains about Lesnar having to face two opponents again, this time at the Royal Rumble against Kane and Strowman. Heyman takes issue with the fact that either Kane and Strowman could pin one another and Lesnar would lose the Title. Heyman says Lesnar will still win, and he fears no challengers. they go to leave, but Kane comes out to interrupt and he hits the ring. Kane grabs Lesnar by the throat and chokeslams him. Kane goes to leave, but then Lesnar sits right up and smiles at Kane. Lesnar gets up and uses the Title belt to hite Kane to the outside. Lesnar falls out to ringside too, and before they can start brawling, members of the locker room break it up. We’re told Kurt Angle is on the stage ordering the fight to be broken up. They haul off Kane, while Lesnar holds up his Universal Title belt at ringside, and RAW goes off the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (12/26)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (12/26)

    The December 26th, 2017 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.

    – Tom Phillips welcomes us to the Allstate Arena for the final SmackDown of 2017. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.

    – SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring to kick off the show. Bryan talks about Dolph Ziggler seeming to leave the company, and says they now need to move forward with the vacated U.S. Championship. Bryan says they’ll be doing a U.S. Title tournament, and then Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable come out to interrupt. They say that’s great about the U.S. Title, but they want to know about the Tag Team Titles. Rusev and Aiden English come out to interrupt, and English sings on the way down to the ring. They say everyone knows what comes on December 26th – Rusev Day. The New Day comes out to interrupt next. They say everyone is wasting their time, because the true #1 contenders for the Tag Titles should be The New Day. Big E calls Shelton the “old Jason Jordan,” and continues to state their case for being the #1 contenders. Bryan books a triple tag team match between the three groups, and that takes place right now. Before the bell, Tag Team Champs The Usos come out to the ring.

    The New Day vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin vs. Rusev Day: Big E and Xavier are representing The New Day in this one. This one spills out to ringisde early one, where Xavier hits a suicide dive onto his opponents. Back in the ring, Big E powerbombs his own partner Woods onto English for a two count. Gable comes in and hits a German suplex on both Rusev and English, then Gable and Shelton beat on Big E in the corner. They continue to work over Big E, then English comes in and continues the assault on Big E. Rusev gets the tag and cleans house until Gable comes in and suplexes him. English and Xavier go at it now, then Gable and Shelton double team Rusev. Gable goes for a German on Aiden, but Aiden blocks it by latching onto Xavier. Xavier hits a tornado DDT on Gable, then English slams Woods for a two count. Gable and Benjamin go for a superplex on English, but Rusev powerbombs them down and English follows up with a frogsplash on Gable for a two count. Rusev boots Xavier in the face, then lays him on Gable and locks them both in the Accolade. Shelton breaks it up and decks English. Big E spears Shelton to the outside through the ropes. Back in the ring, Shelton hits a knee to the face on Big E, then Gable tags in. Shelton and Gable hit a variation of the Doomsday Device for the three count on Big E.

    Winners & new #1 contenders for the Tag Titles: Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable

    – Shane McMahon confronts Daniel Bryan backstage and says he took offense of Bryan’s comment last week that Shane was turning into his dad. Shane says Daniel has to give Vince his due to building this business brick by brick and redefined this business. Shane says Baron Corbin has a legitimate gripe for being in line for the U.S. Title, and suggests Corbin vs. Bobby Roode makes sense for the U.S. Title. Bryan says SmackDown is the land of opportunity, and he wanted to give the shot to many superstars. Shane also questions AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens tonight in a non-title match, because they know Sami Zayn will run in. Shane says Owens and Zayn don’t deserve the opportunity, and Bryan is showing favoritism towards those two. Bryan says Styles vs. Owens was one of the biggest rivalries of 2017, so why not give them another match to end the year. Shane says “OK,” and they have an awkward stare-down.

    – We see a pre-taped segment where The Ascension informs The Fashion Police that they got them a rematch with the Bludgeon Brothers tonight.

    Luke Harper & Eric Rowan vs. Tyler Breeze & Fandango: Harper hits a side suplex on Fandango early on, while Rowan beats down Breeze at ringside. Back in the ring, Harper slaps Rowan across the face then whips Rowan into Breeze in the corner. They hit a double team sit-out powerbomb on Breeze, but decline to pin him for the finish. Harper knocks Fandango off the apron, and Rowan beats him down on the floor. The Ascension runs in and the ref calls for the bell.

    Winners via DQ: Tyler Breeze and Fandango

    – The Ascension immediately leaves the ring and they haul the Fashion Police to the back.

    – We see a backstage interview where The Ascension says they were happy to help their best friends, the Fashion Police. They say what the Bludgeon Brothers did isn’t fair, and so that’s why their best friends are challenging them to another rematch. Breezango looks disappointed at the news.

    – The Riott Squad is out next and Ruby Riott has a singles match.

    Ruby Riott vs. Naomi: Ruby takes over off the opening bell, but Naomi quickly comes bakc with a springboard kick to the face. Liv Morgan gets on the apron for the distraction and Naomi knocks her off, then Sarah gets on the other apron and Naomi knocks her off. Ruby takes advantage of the distraction by kicking Naomi’s knee out, then kicking her in the face for the three count.

    Winner: Ruby Riott

    – After the match, the other SmackDown women come out to confront the Riott Squad, and the Squad leaves. Tamina, Carmella, Lana, and Natalya chase the Squad all the way up the ramp to the back.

    – WWE Champion AJ Styles does an interview in the back where he discusses his plan for tonight. Styles says Owens will have to outwork, outsmart, and out-hustle him, and that’s not going to happen.

    Bobby Roode vs. Baron Corbin: This is the first match in the tournament to crown a new U.S. Champion. The opening bell sounds and Roode knocks Corbin down and sends him out to ringside early on. Corbin takes a breather before coming back in. Roode continues to take the fight to Corbin and hits a neckbreaker. They fall back out to ringside and Corbin throws Roode into the guard rail. Back in the ring, Corbin continues beating on Roode. They throws Roode back out to ringside and decks him with a clothesline on the floor. Back in the ring, Roode comes back with a forearm shot and then clotheslines Corbin back outside. Roode hits a flying clothesline off the apron, then takes Corbin back in. Roode hits a blockbuster off the middle rope on Corbin for a two count. Corbin goes for the Deep Six, but Roode escapes and hits a spinebuster. Roode goes for the DDT, but Corbin escapes and hits the Deep Six on Roode. They fight up to the turnbuckle, then back down to the mat where Roode catches Corbin in a roll-up for the three count.

    Winner: Bobby Roode

    Jinder Mahal vs. Tye Dillinger: The Singh Brothers give Jinder his ring introduction, and this one is the next match in the U.S. Title tournament. Jinder takes the fight to Tye right off the opening bell and gets him in a front face lock. Jinder beats down Tye in the corner until Tye fires back with a boot and some chops. Tye stomps a mud hole in Jinder in the corner. Jinder comes back with a gutbuster. Jinder appears to be bleeding from the mouth now. Tye comes back with some strikes, but Jinder shuts him down with a shot to the knee. Jinder follows up with the Khallas for the three count.

    Winner: Jinder Mahal

    – Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are backstage with a bottle of champagne that they plan to pop after Owens beats AJ. Owens trashes Shane a bit, and says he has a vendetta against him. He says he’s better than “phenomenal,” he’s Kevin Owens.

    – Randy Orton does an interview backstage where he says he’s been dealing with everyone else’s issues except for his own. He says now he’s worrying about himself and looking into the future. He announces he’s officially entering the Royal Rumble match, and then Shinsuke Nakamura interrupts. Nakamura says good idea, “let’s rumble.”

    AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens: This one is a non-title match. AJ backs Owens into the corner off the opening bell and puts the boots to him. Owens drops AJ but AJ comes right back with a hurricanrana. AJ puts Owens in the Calf Crusher but Owens quickly reaches the bottom rope. The fight spills outside and AJ is briefly distracted by Zayn before Owens drops him with a clothesline on the floor. Back in the ring, Owens hits a senton bomb for a two count then locks AJ in a headlock. AJ comes back with a big facebuster, and both men are down. AJ picks up Owens and Owens drops him with a clothesline. Owens follows up with a neckbreaker for a two count. AJ answers with a fireman’s neckbreaker, and both men are down again. They get up and trade shots to the face until AJ tees off with a series of strikes to Owens’ face. AJ looks for a Styles Clash but Owens escapes, so AJ hits him with a Pele kick instead. Owens comes back with a gutbuster and an elbow off the top for a close two count. Owens takes AJ up top, but AJ pulls him down and hits a spinning fireman’s carry slam. Styles knocks Zayn outside and then he hits a suicide dive on him. AJ pushes Owens into the ring post, then throws him back in the ring. Zayn gets on the apron for a distraction, and Owens hits a superkick on Styles for a two count. Shane McMahon comes down and orders Sami Zayn to be removed from ringside. The ref ejects Sami, and Owens gets mad. AJ rolls up Owens in a Small Package, but the ref was distracted by Zayn and Shane. AJ gets up and yells at the ref, then Owens rolls up AJ from behind to steal the three count.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    – Owens celebrates with Zayn at ringside, as Shane and AJ both look pissed off and SmackDown goes off the air.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (12/25)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (12/25)

    The Christmas 2017 edition of WWE RAW aired live on December 25th from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.

    – Michael Cole welcomes us to RAW and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas. Cole announces that the first hour of RAW will be commercial-free, thanks to the USA Network.

    – John Cena comes out to the ring to kick off the show. He gives his shirt and hat to a kid in the audience, and then cuts a promo about the Holidays being about “togetherness.” He says the WWE is his home and the fans are his family. He gets interrupted by Elias, who comes out to the stage with his guitar. Elias walks down and says he’s sick of being interrupted, so he’s going to interrupt someone else this time. The crowd chants for CM Punk, and Elias says Punk won’t be interrupting him any time soon. Cena says the Chicago fans love their fellow Chicagonian, and that’s okay. Elias says he wants to perform uninterrupted now. Cena goes to offer him some last minute advice, but Elias tells him to stop. Cena tries to get it out, but Elias puts his finger over Cena’s mouth and tells him to stop. The lights go down and the spotlight goes on Elias, as he tells the crowd to shut their mouths and listen to his Christmas song. The crowd chants CM Punk as Elias starts to sing, then they boo him. Cena interrupts Elias and tells him to stop trashing Chicago because it’s a good place to spend the Holidays. Elias says he speaks the truth, but Cena tells him the audience aren’t the jerks, Elias is the jerk. Elias says maybe Cena is right, and he wants Chicago to give him a second chance to do a nicer song. This leads to Elias cheap-shotting Cena and beating him down. Elias says Santa didn’t visit him today, so he’s giving himself the Christmas gift of a match with Cena. Elias demands that a referee come to the ring, and one does.

    John Cena vs. Elias: Elias continues the beat-down on Cena in the opening moments. He takes Cena out to ringside and hits a knee to the face, then some chops to the chest. Back in the ring, Elias continues the offense until Cena finally starts to fire up. Cena hits some right hands, but Elias shuts him down with a back suplex. Elias works on Cena in the corner and stomps a mud hole in him. They fight up to the top turnbuckle, but Elias slides under Cena and powerbombs him down for a two count. Elias keeps Cena grounded with a side headlock now. Cena escapes and hits some flying shoulder blocks, then he goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Elias rolls outside. Cena runs outside and throws Elias back in, but when Cena gets back in Elias drops him with a lariat. Elias pins for a two count, then hits a backbreaker for another two count. Elias looks frustrated and takes him time grabbing Cena, and it costs him, as Cena locks Elias in the STF. Elias escapes and kicks Cena off him, then hits a knee to the face. Cena rolls outside for a breather, and Elias is down too. Cena gets on the apron and Elias walks over to him, and Cena hits a sunset flip over the top rope on Elias. Cena rolls through and locks Elias in the STF again. Elias reaches the ropes to break the hold, then hits his finisher move for a two count. Elias works on Cena a little more, but Cena fires up and hits some flying shoulder blocks. Cena follows up with the AA for the three count.

    Winner: John Cena

    – We go to the announce table, where Graves talks about how Elias impressed him tonight. Cole then introduces a video package promoting Samoa Joe. It features Joe beating on Jason Jordan, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns.

    – We go backstage where Kurt Angle is decorating a Christmas tree. Jason Jordan walks in and the fans boo. Seth Rollins walks in next. Jordan and Rollins both want Samoa Joe tonight. Angle says before they take on Joe, they need to deal with The Bar first. Rollins and Jordan get in each other’s faces, and Jordan complains about having to work a tag match. Angle says his decision stands, and Jordan and Rollins will face Cesaro and Sheamus tonight for the RAW Tag Team Titles. Jordan and Rollins leave, then Roman Reigns walks in. Angle tells him that Joe is all his tonight, and Angle makes it a Championship match.

    – Charly Caruso is in the ring for an interview with Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher. Kendrick cuts a short promo on Hideo Itami, and then Itami comes out.

    Hideo Itami vs. Brian Kendrick: Itami starts off strong with strikes to the face of Kendrick and he drops him. Itami gets distracted by Gallagher on the apron, and Kendrick capitalizes with a flying kick to the face of Itami. Kendrick follows up with shots to the face of Itami while he’s grounded, then Kendrick stomps on him in the corner. Kendrick hits a suplex for a two count, then he applies a headlock. Itami comes back with some boots to the face, then a neckbreaker. Itami follows up with a flying clothesline off the turnbuckle. Itami hits a fisherman’s suplex, then a series of strikes to the face. Itami hits a dropkick in the corner, then hits the Go To Sleep for the three count.

    Winner: Hideo Itami

    – Michael Cole introduces a recap video with soft piano music over it showing Stephanie McMahon’s women’s Royal Rumble announcement.

    – Sasha Banks, Mickie James and Bayley are walking backstage. They run into Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel, who talk about The Miz not being her for “Miz-mas” because he’s filming a movie. They sing a song about The Miz, and wish the women a Merry Miz-mas. The women leave for their match, not impressed.

    Bayley, Sasha Banks & Mickie James vs. Absolution: Sasha starts off against Paige, but Paige quickly tags in Mandy. Sasha drops Mandy and beats her down before tagging in Mickie. Mickie comes in with a shot off the top rope on Mandy, then a leg drop. Sasha and Sonya get into it at ringside and Sonya hits a big clothesline. Back in the ring, Mandy tags in and continues the beat down on Sasha. Mandy applies some holds and hits an elbow drop for a two count. Sonya tags back in and keep beating on Sasha. Paige tags in and grabs Sasha by the hair until the ref tells her to stop. Paige hits some more shots on Sasha, then tags in Mandy. Mandy continues to beat on Sasha and keep her away from getting a tag. Mandy knocks Mickie off the apron, then Sasha grabs Mandy and throws her into the other corner. Bayley and Paige tag in, and Bayley cleans house. Bayley hits a DDT, then a back suplex. Bayley takes Paige into the corner and hits some spears, then goes for a splash but Paige moves. Bayley knocks Sonya off the apron, then Paige knocks Bayley into the turnbuckle. Bayley comes back with a belly to belly suplex, but Sonya breaks up the pin. All six women start brawling at ringside as all HEll breaks loose. Back in the ring, Bayley hits a neckbreaker on Paige, then goes up top. Paige kicks her down, then hits the Rampaige for the three count.

    Winners: Absolution

    – Cole announces the attendance as 13,201 in the Allstate Arena tonight. He also introduces a video replay of Joe beating down Ambrose last week, and says Ambrose may be out for 9 months due to the injury.

    – Renee Young is backstage with Samoa Joe for an interview. She asks if Joe has any remorse for injuring Ambrose last week, but Joe says absolutely not. Joe says now that Ambrose is injured, he can stay at home with those he loves over the Holidays. He says no that Ambrose is out of the way, he’s going to take out Roman Reigns next. He says after he puts Reigns to sleep tonight, Reigns will be in a nightmare, as Joe will be raising his Intercontinental Title in the air.

    – Kane is backstage, walking towards the gorilla position.

    Kane vs. Heath Slater Rhyno is at ringside in Slater’s corner. We see a pre-taped promo where Slater says his kids didn’t get Christmas gifts because Kurt Angle threatened their jobs last week. Rhyno thinks Angle just wants Slater to toughen up, and this is their first step in doing that. The opening bell sounds and Kane backs Slater into the corner. Kane lays into him with strikes, then drops him with a one-armed sidewalk slam. Kane boots Slater out to the floor. Rhyno cheers on Slater, and Slater says he’s doing his best. Slater gets on the apron but Kane knocks him right back off. Rhyno gives Slater some words of encouragement as the crowd chants “you got kids.” Kane pulls Slater onto the apron and Slater fights back. Slater coems back with a flying knee. Slater charges forward again, but Kane decks him with a right hand. Kane follows up with a chokeslam for the three count.

    Winner: Kane

    – Rhyno comes in to check on Slater. Kane looks for a chokeslam on Rhyno, but the former ECW & NWA Champion fights him off. Rhyno hits a shoulder in the corner, then backs up for the Gore, but Kane grabs him by the throat. Kane hits the chokeslam on him, then makes his exit.

    Finn Balor vs. Curt Hawkins: Booker talks about some famous jobbers in reference to Hawkins, and calls them “good hands.” The opening bell sounds and Hawkins starts off strong against Balor. Balor stops Hawkins’ momentum with a boot to the face, and he starts turning things around. Hawkins ducks a shot in the corner and rolls up Balor for a two count. He works on Balor some more and rolls him up again for two. Hawkins gets frustrated and Balor drops him and hits a double stomp. Balor follows up with the Slingblade, then dropkicks Hawkins into the corner. Balor goes up top and hits the Coup De Grace for the three count.

    Winner: Finn Balor

    – Bo Dallas and Curt Hawkins find Goldust backstage and sing him a song about his career slowing down. They give him a copy of a DVD The Miz starred in as a gift and leave, and Goldust looks disgusted at the film. Titus, Dana and Apollo walk by, and Goldust re-gifts the DVD to Titus.

    – Bray Wyatt comes on the big screen and tells Chicago that he’s here. Wyatt comes down to the ring with his usual entrance, but when he gets in the ring and blows the light out, Matt Hardy attacks him out of nowhere. Matt beats down Wyatt and Wyatt retreats all the way up the ramp. Matt gets the mic and does his evil laugh as Wyatt looks confused on the stage. The word “woken” flashes on the screen to end the segment.

    – We go backstage to Sheamus and Cesaro, who exchange Christmas gifts. Cesaro is wearing a mouth guard. They exchange Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose action figures, and make fun of them. Cesaro also gives Sheamus a Jason Jordan figure, and they say no one wants that — not even Kurt Angle. They laugh and wish each other a Merry Christmas.

    – At ringside, WWE staff are setting up Christmas props for a street fight up next.

    – Enzo Amore comes out dressed as Santa, and Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari are behind him dressed as elves. Cedric Alexander, Mustafa Ali and Akira Tozawa are in the ring, and Enzo briefly cuts a promo on them before coming down for the street fight.

    Enzo Amore, Drew Gulak & Ariya Daivari vs. Cedric Alexandder, Mustafa Ali & Akira Tozawa: This one spills out to ringside almost immediately and the babyfaces hit suicide dives in tandem on Gulak and Daivari. Back in the ring, and there are now Christmas trees and big wrapped boxes in the ring. Enzo tags in and starts going gat it with Tozawa. Enzo sets up a tree in the corner and whips Tozawa into it. Enzo knocks Cedric off the apron, and Tozawa takes the opportunity to kick Enzo in the head. Daivari and Ali come in and Ali cleans house. Ali hits a dropkick, then an X-factor. Ali goes up top and hits the inverted 450, but Gulak breaks up the pin with a cookie sheet shot. Cedric and Enzo come in, and Enzo has a big candy cane. Cedric takes it from him and backs him up into the corner. Enzo begs for mercy, and Cedric dodges a splash from Gulak, leading Gulak to crash into Enzo. Cedric bashes Gulak with the giant candy cane, then Daivari rolls up Cedric from behind for a two count. Cedric comes back with the Lumbar Check on Daivari for the three count.

    Winners: Cedric Alexander, Mustafa Ali and Akira Tozawa

    – Roman Reigns’ Intercontinental Championship defense against Samoa Joe is up next.

    – Enzo is backstage recovering from his match when he runs into Nia Jax. They realize they are standing under mistletoe and it gets awkward. They are just about to kiss, but Alexa Bliss runs in and says she needs Nia right away. She says it’s about the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match, and Alexa takes Nia with her.

    – Roman Reigns does an interview in the back where he says he’s not worried about what Samoa Joe says, and he’s going to take him out tonight.

    Roman Reigns (c) vs. Samoa Joe: Reigns’ IC Title is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and Reigns comes out strong with right hands to Joe. Joe fires back with some strikes of his own, and they trade right hands now in the middle of the ring. Reigns drops Joe throat-first on the middle rope, then he rolls outside to hit the Drive By. Back in the ring, Joe gets back in the game with some right hands, a chop and a headbutt. Joe slams the champion’s head in the corner then hits a back suplex for a two count. Joe hits some elbows to the face, and Reigns fires back with some clotheslines in the corner. Reigns hits a running big boot, then he looks for the Superman punch. Joe stops Reigns with some punches and backs him into the corner. Joe hits a back splash, then a Pele kick on Reigns in the corner. Joe continues to beat on Reigns until Reigns stuns him with a Samoan Drop for a two count. Reigns goes for a powerbomb, but Joe escapes. Joe and Reigns trade strikes in the middle until Joe stuns him with knee strikes then hits a suplex. Joe goes for a senton bomb, but Reigns rolls out of the way and hits a Superman punch for a two count. Reigns goes for a spear, but Joe blocks it with a kick to the face. Joe hits a version of the Rock Bottom for a two count. Reigns goes out to the apron and drops Joe’s neck across the top rope. Reigns approaches Joe, and Joe locks him in the Coquina Clutch. Joe latches on to Reigns and drops him down to the mat. Joe initially prevents Reigns from reaching the ropes, but Reigns finally reaches the bottom rope and the ref pulls Joe off of him. Reigns rolls outside, and Joe immediately runs the ropes and hits the champion with a suicide dive. Reigns is now selling an arm injury. Back in the ring, Joe works on the bad arm. Reigns fights Joe off and stomps a mud hole in him in the corner. Reigns shoves the referee off of him, and the refs calls for the bell to make it a DQ. Joe wins, but Reigns keeps the IC Title. After the bell, Reigns hits a Superman punch on Joe, and Joe rolls outside. Reigns goes outside and jumps off the ring steps to hit another Superman punch on Joe. Reigns whips Joe into the ring post and Joe is now selling a shoulder injury.

    Winner via DQ: Samoa Joe

    – Reigns continues to beat down Joe at ringside and whips him into another ring post. Reigns gets the ring steps and hits Joe with them. Referees come out and ask Reigns not to, but Reigns hits Joe again with the ring steps. Reigns grabs a steel chair and goes after Joe, but referees take the chair from him.

    – We see Seth Rollins backstage watching in approval on a monitor as Joe retreats up the ramp. Jason Jordan walks in, and Rollins says he’s only doing this because he owes Kurt a favor, and he wants a piece of Cesaro and Sheamus. Rollins tells Jordan to bring his A game and listen to him. Jordan says he makes a good replacement for Ambrose, but Rollins says he’ll never be Dean Ambrose. Jordan says he’ll be better, and walks off.

    – Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel are in the ring, saying they’re super excited because Kurt Angle just booked them in a “secret Santa” match. They start singing a Christmas song, but then get interrupted by Braun Strowman.

    Braun Strowman vs. Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas: Strowman starts off with a slam on Dallas, then he throws him across the ring. Axel comes in and Strowman drops him in the corner. Strowman picks up Axel and hits the running powerslam for the win after a very short squash match.

    Winner: Braun Strowman

    – After the bell, Strowman hits a running powerslam on Axel. He hits another one on Dallas, then another one on Axel.

    – Alexa Bliss is backstage heading towards the gorilla position.

    – RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss comes down to the ring and wishes everyone a “Merry Bliss-mas.” She says she’ll end the year Champion and she dominates every challenge that faces her “like a Jedi from Star Wars.” Alexa introduces another replay of Stephanie’s Rumble announcement last week. Alexa says she watched that clip a hundred times already, and she wants to tell everyone “you’re welcome.” Alexa takes credit for the women’s Rumble happening, and says the other superstars walk in her shadow. Asuka comes down to the ring and announces that she’ll be in the Rumble. Asuka gets in Alexa’s face and kicks her out of nowhere. Asuka dances and leaves.

    – WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is announced for next week’s New Year RAW in Miami.

    The Bar (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan: Sheamus and Cesaro’s Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. Sheamus and Jordan start off, and Jordan overpowers him and slams him. Sheamus fires back with an elbow to the face, then Cesaro tags in. They briefly double team Jordan, until Rollins runs in and breaks it up. Rollins hits a slingblade on Cesaro and sends him to the floor. Rollins hits a suicide dive on both Cesaro and Rollins at ringside. Sheamus and Rollins now go at it in the ring and Sheamus gets the upper hand. Cesaro tags in and hits a leg drop on Rollins for a two count. Sheamus tags back in quickly and punishes Rollins more. Sheamus tosses Rollins out to the apron and distracts the ref, allowing Cesaro to hit a cheap shot on Rollins. Rollins briefly fights off The Bar, but they double team him and Jordan runs in and levels Sheamus. Rollins finally gets the tag to Jordan, and Jordan starts cleaning house. Jordan beats Sheamus into the corner and hits a running spear. Jordan hits a suplex on Sheamus for a near-fall. He goes for another suplex, but Cesaro breaks it up. Sheamus drops Jordan with a clothesline, then Cesaro tags in for another double team move. Cesaro goes for the Sharpshooter and locks it in on Jordan. Rollins and Sheamus go at it, and Cesaro breaks the hold to deal with Rollins. Cesaro picks up Jordan and Sheamus hits a flying clothesline off the top. Rollins runs in again and dropsCesaro, but then Sheamus hits a BRogue Kick on Rollins. Sheamus then locks the Cloverleaf in on Jordan. Jordan reaches the ropes to break the hold. Sheamus picks up Jordan and Cesaro goes up top for the double team, but Rollins knocks off Cesaro. Sheamus hits the white Noise on Jordan by himself. The fight spills out to ringside where Sheamus goes into the steel ring steps, and Cesaro hits an uppercut on Rollins. Sheamus rolls back in the ring, and Jordan immediately drops him for the win.

    Winners & new Tag Team Champions: Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan

    – The Bar recovers on the floor as Rollins and Jordan celebrate with their new Title belts. The last RAW of 2017 goes off the air as Rollins and Jordan hold their Tag Titles in the air.

  • WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (12/19)

    WWE SmackDown Live Results & Discussion (12/19)

    This week’s edition of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, and was the first episode after Sunday’s Clash of Champions PPV.

    – We see a recap from Clash of Champions, then SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring. Bryan has a mic, and he starts off talking about the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. He announces Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles in a six-man tag for tonight’s main event. Shane McMahon’s music hits and the SmackDown Commissioner comes down to the ring to meet Bryan. Shane talks about what happened at the PPV on Sunday, and says he knows Bryan falling into him was an accident now. Shane makes a comment that he doesn’t need any protection from Daniel Bryan, and Bryan tells him he does. Bryan says Shane is a hot heat and sometimes loses track of what’s best for the entire SmackDown roster – including Owens and Zayn. Shane says Bryan’s empathy will be his weakness with Owens and Zayn, because they’ll stab him in the back. Bryan asks if he shouldn’t have done what was best for business on Sunday, and if Shane wants to fire someone, don’t fire Owens or Zayn, fire him. The crowd makes lots of noise, and Shane says “well Daniel.” He says he respects and trusts Daniel, and wishes him good luck with the show tonight. Shane steps out of the ring and leaves.

    – The Usos will take on Chad Gable & Shelton Benjmain in a non-title match tonight.

    The Usos vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin: The Usos start off strong and send Gable and Benjamin out to the ringisde floor. Shelton comes in an goes back and for with Jimmy. Jey and Gable get the tags and Jey fires up. Jey hits a series of kicks on Gable and goes for a Samoan drop, but Gable evades it. Jey finally hits the Samoan drop, then goes up top but Jordan stops him. Jimmy comes in but Gable hits him with a German suplex. Gable hits a German on Jey next, then Shelton tags in and they connect with a double team powerbomb/flying clothesline. Shelton pins for the three count.

    Winners: Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable

    – WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte comes out to the ring and reminds everyone that she beat Natalya on Sunday. She recaps Stephanie McMahon’s announcement from Monday that there’s a women’s Royal Rumble coming up. Charlotte says this is thanks to all the fans, for going on social media and making their voices heard. Charlotte panders to the crowd some more, then Naomi comes out to interrupt. Naomi says she’s announcing she’ll be in the Royal Rumble, and that she’ll see Charlotte at WrestleMania to take her title. The Riott Squad comes out, and Naomi cuts a promo on them and calls them chicken-heads who won’t last in the Royal Rumble. Naomi challenges two of them to a tag match right now against her and Charlotte.

    Ruby Riott & Sarah Logan vs. Charlotte Flair & Naomi: Logan and Flair start off nad Logan gets some good offense in early on. She covers Flair for a 2 count before tagging in Riott. Ruby focuses on Charlotte’s leg and keeps things near her corner. They heel now trade tags to keep control and continuously work Charlotte’s knee. Naomi gets the hot tag and cleans house. She hits a scorpion kick on Logan, then another kick for a two count as Riott breaks up the pin. Charlotte comes in and takes out Riott with a big boot. Logan and Naomi go at it and Logan hits a headbutt. Liv gets on the apron, but Naomi dodges the cheap shot and Logan accidentally spears Liv off the apron. Naomi then rolls up Logan for the win.

    Winners: Naomi and Charlotte

    The New Day is backstage dressed in Christmas costumes, and then Rusev and Aiden English (also in Christmas/Rusev Day costumes) join them. Rusev says no one wants Christmas stuff, because they want Rusev Day stuff. English sings, and there’s some tension as Rusev doesn’t like The New Day’s pancakes. It looks like there might be a match between these two sides later.

    – Dolph Ziggler comes out to the ring for his U.S. Title victory celebration. Ziggler says no one can do what he does in the ring, and he starts showing highlight videos from his past. Ziggler shows all of his previous championship victories, and says the fans don’t appreciate it. He says he’ll give them something to remember him by, and takes a long look at his U.S. Title belt. He drops the belt down to the mat, drops the mic and walk off. The announcers wonder what this means.

    – Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens approach Daniel Bryan backstage to thank him for what he did on Sunday. Bryan says he didn’t do it for them, he did it because he thought it was the right thing to do for SmackDown. Bryan tells them to wipe the smiles off their faces and get ready for their match tonight.

    – The New Day is backstage heading towards the gorilla position and they’re throwing pancakes at people working.

    Rusev Day vs. The New Day: Everyone in this match is wearing a Christ-mas themed costume. Rusev chases Kofi around to start as Kofi taunts him. English tags in and Kofi dropkicks him. Rusev runs in but Kofi throws him outside. The New Day grabs a red bag from ringside and they start throwing out tshirts to people in the crowd. Rusev and English drop Woods and Kofi from behind. English and Kofi are the legal men and English is beating down the New Day member. Rusev tags in and continues the assault on Kofi. Xavier finally gets the hot tag and lays into English with kicks. Kofi and Rusev come in, and Rusev dumps both Kofi and Woods to the outside. English and Rusev now go to the announce table and start pulling stuff off of it. English and Rusev set up a plate of The New Day’s pancakes with whip cream on it, and English tries to slam Xavier’s face into it but Xavier escapes. Kofi hits a suicide dive on Rusev at ringside, and Xavier and Kofi slam English’s face into the pancakes. Back in the ring, Woods hits a flying elbow drop on English for the three count.

    Winners: The New Day

    – We see an ad for Total Divas with a clip of The Miz and Maryse.

    – WWE Champ AJ Styles is backstage discussing strategy for tonight with Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura.

    AJ Styles, Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, & Jinder Mahal: The Singh Brothers do Jinder’s introduction and are at ringside in his corner. Randy Orton starts this one off and Jinder and he knocks the other heels off the apron too. This one quickly becomes a ringside brawl as all four men spill outside and fight on the floor. Orton slams Jinder onto the announce table then throws him back in the ring. Orton goes for the early RKO, but Jinder escapes. Orton drops him, then Nakamura and Zayn come in. Nakamura backs Zayn up to the ropes and rips some of his chest hair out. Zayn charges but Nakamura drops him, then tags in AJ. AJ beats on Zayn, then quickly tags in Orton who picks up Zayn and drops him across the top rope. Jinder tags in and starts putting the boots to Orton. Jinder drops Orton with an elbow to the face. Owens tags in now and continues to stomp on Orton. AJ comes in and he has some trouble against the combination of Zayn, Owens, and Jinder, as they trade frequent tags and wear down the WWE Champion. Jinder hits a series of knee drops on Styles chokes him. Nakamura and Zayn come in now and Nakamura tees off with kicks. He follows up with some knee drops on Zayn, then hits the good vibrations in the corner. He sets up Zayn in the corner and hits a running knee strike for a two count. Nakamura misses one kick, but connects with the second one and gets another two count on Zayn. Zayn escapes a suplex attempt and hits a cheap shot, but Nakamura comes back with an armbar attempt. Owens runs in and hits a senton on Nakamura to break it up. Orton throws Owens outside, then Jinder runs in and hits a DDt on Orton. AJ runs in and hits a Pele kick on Jinder, then AJ hits a suicide dive on Owens outside. The Singh Brothers get on the apron which appears to lead to a cheap shot on NAkamura. The ref kicks the Singh Brothers out ,but they don’t leave. Orton hits an RKO on Jinder, then he hits a draping double DDT on both Singh Brothers. AJ comes flying off the top rope with a Phenomenal Forearm on Owens, then Nakamura hits the Kinshasa on Zayn for the three count.

    Winners: AJ Styles, Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura

    – Styles, Orton and Nakamura celebrate their win in the ring and stare down the heels laying at ringside.

  • WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (12/18)

    WWE RAW Results & Live Discussion (12/18)

    The December 18th edition of WWE RAW took place at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI.

    – This week’s broadcast opens up with a video package replaying last week’s match between Kane and Braun Strowman to determine who will face Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble.

    – Kurt Angle comes out to the ring to kick off the show. Kurt says since there wasn’t a decisive winner of Strowman vs. Kane last week, he will announce tonight who will face Lesnar at the Rumble. Kurt gets interrupted by Braun Strowman, who comes into the ring with a mic and points out that he was the last man standing last week. Kane interrupts next, and gets in the ring and talks about his years of destruction in WWE. Paul Heyman comes out to the stage next to interrupt, and he says there won’t be any conversations without including his client, Brock Lesnar. WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar comes out and marches down to the ring. Lesnar steps in the ring, and Kurt Angle says before things get out of hand, he’s going to make his announcement right now. Kurt says at the Royal Rumble it’ll be a triple threat: Lesnar vs. Kane vs. Strowman. Kurt quickly says “its’ true, it’s true” and gets out of the ring before all hell breaks loose. Kane, Lesnar and Strowman circle each other. Kane and Lesnar dump Strowman outside, then Kane and Lesnar grab each other. Lesnar gets the better of the exchange and hits the F-5 on Kane. Lesnar holds up his Universal Title belt and then leaves the ring to join Heyman back on the ramp. Before they leave, Kane sits up and gets to his feet just moments after the F-5, and Lesnar and Heyman look concerned.

    – Seth Rollins comes out for a match against Samoa Joe, but instead of Joe — Jason Jordan comes out. Jordan gets on the mic and says he thinks he deserves a shot at Joe first. Rollins starts to tell Jordan he’s out of line, but Samoa Joe interrupts. Samoa Joe comes out to the stage and tells them to fight each other, and he’ll face the winner. Rollins declines, saying he’s already been booked in a match with Joe, but then Jordan shoves down Rollins. That’s enough for Rollins, and he agrees to face Jordan. The ref makes it official, and Joe sits at ringside to watch.

    Jason Jordan vs. Seth Rollins: This winner of this one will face Joe later tonight. The opening bell sounds and Jordan overpowers Rollins early on, but Rollins decks him with a running big boot. Rollins throws Jordan outside and Joe taunts Jordan. Back in the ring, Jordan gets the upper hand and beats down on Rollins in the corner. Jordan hits some shoulder strikes, and some fans are chanting “boring.” Rollins tries to come back, but Jordan shuts him down with a backbreaker and keeps him grounded. Rollins gets off a good shot to Jordan’s face, but once again Jordan shuts him down and takes over. Rollins finally starts to mount a real comeback and he hits a slingblade on Jordan. Rollins hits a springboard clothesline for a two count. Jordan answers with a suplex for a two count of his own. Rollins hits some elbows an throws Jordan to the outside. Rollins goes for a suicide dive and crashes into Jordan hard. Rollins and Jordan make it back in the ring at the 9 count. Rollins hits some kicks, and Jordan answers with a Northern Lights suplex. Jordan rolls through and hits another one with a bridge for a two count. Jordan gets frustrated and he continues to beat on Rollins. They fight on the turnbuckle and Rollins knocks Jordan down to the mat, then follows up with a frogsplash for a two count. Jordan rolls outside and Rollins comes flying off the apron with a knee to Jordan’s head. Joe gets in Rollins’ face at ringside. Rollins shoves Jordan into Joe, and Joe charges but he runs into a superkick from Rollins. Rollins takes Jordan back in the ring, and Jordan grabs him in a roll-up for a two count. Rollins gets up and immediately hits a flying knee to the face for the three count.

    Winner: Seth Rollins

    – Joe attacks Rollins after the match and they brawl out to ringside. They fight back into the ring and the ref gets between them. Joe hits a cheap shot and the Uranage. Joe contiinues to beat on Rollins until more referees haul him off. Joe heads up the ramp while Jordan and Rollins are both checked on by officials.

    – Seth Rollins is backstage with Seth Rollins, and they confront Kurt Angle. Rollins says he wants Joe no matte what tonight, and Ambrose says he wants Joe tonight too. Jason Jordan walks in and says he also wants Joe later. Ambrose tells him to get in line. Angle decides to make a six man tag match later: Rollins, Ambrose & Jordan vs. Joe, Sheamus & Cesaro.

    – The announcers talk about “Woken” Matt Hardy, and then we cut to a pre-taped segment with Bray Wyatt. Wyatt cuts a promo on Matt and says The Great War between them must end. He sings a bit before leaving.

    Handicap match: Finn Balor vs. Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel: Axel and Dallas use frequent tags in the opening moments to control the match against Balor. Balor eventually fights them off out of the corner, but Axel shuts him down again. Axel goes for a sunset flip, but Balor stomps on him for a two count. Dallas distracts Balor and Axel drops him again. Axel takes Balor up top, but Balor drops him down to the mat. Balor looks for the Coup De Grace, but Bo knocks him off the turnbuckle. Bo comes in the ring and stomps on Balor until the ref calls for the bell.

    Winner via DQ: Finn Balor

    – After the match, The Mistourage beats on Balor until NXT’s Hideo Itami comes out for the save. Itami drops Axel and Dallas, and we go to commercial.

    Hideo Itami & Finn Balor vs. The Miztourage: Back from the break, we’re told this one was made an official tag match during commercials. Itami works on Dallas early on, then Balor tags in and hits a shot off the top. Balor picks up Dallas, and while the ref is distracted by Axel and Itami arguing, Dallas thumbs Balor in the eye. Axel tags in and continues the assault on Balor, and he hits a backbreaker for a two count. Axel continues the beat down until Itami gets the hot tag. Itami unloads with kicks on Axel ad hits a knee. Bo comes in but Balor takes him out. Balor dropkicks Bo into the barrier at ringside. Itami grabs Axel and hits the GTS for the three count.

    Winners: Hideo Itami & Finn Balor

    – Itami’s music plays and he and Balor celebrate in the ring as Axel and Dallas are down on the floor at ringside.

    – Cedric Alexander does an interview in the back where he talks about how bad he wants to beat Enzo for the Cruiserweight Title. He says he’s not overlooking Drew Gulak tonight, and will beat Gulak and go on to win the Cuiserweight Title.

    – Enzo Amore comes out to the ring with Drew Gulak. Enzo cuts his usual promo, and then hands the mic off to Gulak for a brief promo. They both made some Star Wars references. Cedric’s music interrupts, and their #1 contender match is on.

    Drew Gulak vs. Cedric Alexander: The winner of this one will face Enzo for the Cruiserweight Championship, and Enzo is on commentary for this match. They go back and forth in the opening moments until Cedric sends Gulak out to the floor. Cedric runs the ropes and goes flying with a suicide dive on Gulak. They fight into the ring and then back out to ringside. Gulak takes control and they get back in the ring. Gulak puts Cedric in some holds but doesn’t get the submission. Enzo gets a text message at the announce table, and he gets up and leaves. Gulak is distracted by Enzo leaving, and Cedric gets some time to recover. Cedric gets up and fires back with some stiff shots, and Gulak starts bleeding from his nose. Cedric hits a springboard clothesline, and then nails the Lumbar Check for the three count.

    Winner: Cedric Alexander

    – We see Enzo backstage approaching Nia Jax. Enzo says he got Nia’s message, and Nia says she wants to continue their conversation from last week. Gulak interrupts and apologizes to Enzo for losing. Gulak won’t leave Enzo alone and keeps bugging him about the match. Gulak has paper towel in his nose to stop the bleeding. Nia tells Enzo they’ll talk later and leaves. Enzo freaks out at Gulak for interrupting.

    – We see a pre-taped promo from Alicia Fox where he says her match against Asuka won’t get interrupted this week, and she’ll finally be able to take out Asuka tonight.

    Asuka vs. Alicia Fox: Asuka dominates this one early on. Fox comes back with a big boot and a headlock. Fox hits a Northern Lights suplex for a two count on Asuka. Asuka quickly mounts a comeback and hits a dropkick. She throws Fox across the ring, and catches Fox in an armbar submission for the win.

    Winner: Asuka

    Jason Jordan, Seth Rollins & Deam Ambrose vs. Samoa Joe & The Bar: Jordan, Rollins and Ambrose seem to argue about how will start off in this one, but they decide on Rollins. Jordan then tags himself in on Rollins’ back before the action starts. Rollins is not happy, but he leaves. Jordan and Sheamus start off. Sheamus whips Jordan into his corner and Jordan knocks Joe and Cesaro off the apron. Sheamus drops Jordan with a lariat, then Joe tags in. Joe stomps on Jordan and then lays into him with punches up against the ropes. Cesaro tags in now, and his team continues to use frequent tags to stay in control of Jordan. Jordan finally gets Cesaro off of him and hits a suplex. Rollins tags in and hits the slingblade on Cesaro, then Rollins knocks Joe off the apron. Rollins superkicks Cesaro for a two count. Rollins sends Cesaro outside and hits a suicide dive, then Rollins gets back in the ring before Joe and Sheamus can get to him. Joe tags in and hits a series of knee strikes to the body of Rollins. Joe drops Rollins and now slows things down with a head lock. Rollins hits a jawbreaker, but Joe drops him right back down with an elbow for a two count. Sheamus and Cesaro now use tags to repeatedly double team Rollins. Rollins starts to fire up, but Joe tags in and shuts him down with a kick to the head. Sheamus comes in next and he misses a spear in the corner. Cesaro tags in before Rollins can tag someone in, and he puts Rollins in a front face lock. Cesaro throws Rollins outside, and Joe and Sheamus start stomping on him. Jordan and Ambrose run around and start brawling with Joe and Sheamus. Back in the ring, Rollins almost get the hot tag to Ambrose, but Cesaro runs in and boots Ambrose in the face. Cesaro and Ambrose spill out to ringside, then Rollins hits a suicide dive onto Cesaro and Joe at ringside. The referee and a medic are checking on Ambrose on the floor at ringside. Rollins brings Cesaro back into the ring, but Rollins is distracted by Ambrose’s injury. Cesaro lays out Rollins with a cheap shot, and the ref gets in the ring just in time to count to three.

    Winners: Samoa Joe & The Bar

    – After the match, Joe, Sheamus and Cesaro celebrate on the ramp and stage. Ambrose is still being checked out by a trainer on the ringside floor.

    – A limo pulls up to the back of the arena, and Stephanie McMahon gets out. She walks into the building as we go to commercial.

    – Matt Hardy does a pre-taped interview where he cuts another “Woken” promote on Bray Wyatt, and he mentions “the great war.” Hardy says he’ll stand by his “woken” followers, and that Wyatt and Sister Abigail must be stopped. Hardy does some more catch phrases and starts a “Delete” chant.

    – Joe and the Bar attack Ambrose and Rollins backstage while they’re being checked on by trainers. Joe flips over a production case onto Ambrose’s arm. On commentary, Cole says that Ambrose has been taken to the hospital for damage to his arm.

    The Revival vs. Rhyno & Heath Slater: Rhyno and Slater take over on Dawson early on. Slater continues the offense, until Dawson drops him and gets the tag to Wilder. They briefly double team Slater and take turns beating him down. The Revival knocks Rhyno off the apron, then they hit the Shatter Machine on Slater for the win.

    Winners: The Revival

    – Stephanie McMahon is seen speaking with Kurt Angle backstage. Cole wonders if they’re making plans for next week’s Christmas edition of RAW.

    – Slater and Rhyno are backstage and they are greeted by Kurt Angle. Angle says with the new year coming up, Rhyno and Slater need to toughen up and improve their win-loss record. Kurt walks off, and Rhyno tells Slater that he knows exactly how to toughen them up. Rhyno walks off, and Slater follows him, asking if this is going to hurt.

    – Elias is in the ring for a song. He cuts a promo about New England and Tom Brady. Elias says Tom Brady isn’t a real legend, Elias is. He says he’ll enter and win the Royal Rumble match on January 18th. Elias starts singing a song, but he gets interrupted by Sasha Banks’ entrance music. She comes down to the ring and Elias starts to resume his song, but then he gets interrupted by Mickie James’ entrance. Elias tries to sing his song again, but this time he gets interrupted by Bayley’s entrance music. Bayley tries to give Elias hug as he leaves, but he declines and walks past her.

    Sasha Banks, Bayley & Mickie James vs. Absolution: Mickie starts off against Paige, and Paige seems to get the upper hand. Sasha and Sonya tag in and start going at it, but this one quickly devolves into an all-out brawl between all the women. Sonya and Mandy double team Sasha in the ring until the ref calls for the bell, and it looks like this one is ending in a DQ.

    Winners via DQ: Sasha Banks, Mickie James, Bayley

    – Nia Jax runs in for the save and starts taking on Absolution. Nia hits a double Samoan Drop on Sonya and Mandy, but then Paige runs up and takes out Nia’s knee from behind. The rest of the women’s locker room clears out and hits the ring to brawl with Absolution. They keep fighting until Stephanie McMahon’s music hits and she makes her way down to the ring. The wrestlers stop fighting and form a half-moon around Stephanie who is in the middle. Stephanie talks about how inspiring the women are, and then announces that at Royal Rumble there will be an all-woman battle royal. Stephanie tells the crowd that if there was ever a time for a “Yes” chant, this is it. The crowd cheers and some join along in Stephanie’s “Yes” chant. The women in the ring look excited about the news and RAW goes off the air with everyone in the ring happy.