Tag: wwe live results

WWE NXT live results: Gold Rush week one

Posted on by Chris Aiken

A two-week special event kicks off on WWE NXT tonight with the start of Gold Rush 2025.

Following last night’s Raw at Madison Square Garden, WWE is still in New York City for NXT Gold Rush. The show is taking place at The Theater at MSG and is branded as an event that will feature representatives from NXT, Evolve, TNA, and Lucha Libre AAA.

There will be a rematch for the NXT Women’s Championship as Tatum Paxley defends her title against former champ Jacy Jayne. Along with that, the Women’s North American Championship will be up for grabs in a bout between Blake Monroe and Sol Ruca.

In the opening match, Chelsea Green & Ethan Page defend their AAA Mixed Tag Team titles against Thea Hail & Joe Hendry.

Je’Von Evans — fresh off his loss to Gunther on Raw — will team up with TNA star Leon Slater for a title challenge against NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState.

Plus, NXT Champion Ricky Saints will meet face-to-face with Oba Femi.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

NXT Gold Rush is on the air from The Theater at MSG with a raucous crowd in attendance. They pop big for the entrance of mixed tag team Joe Hendry and Thea Hail. They challenge tonight for the AAA Mixed Tag Team titles in the opening match. The champions enter next.

Joe Hendry & Thea Hail vs. Ethan Page & Chelsea Green for the AAA Mixed Tag Team Championship

—

From the start, the crowd was hot. The babyfaces shine before a commercial break. Before the show cuts to the break, Hendry and Hail do some double team moves and a stereo pose. Page cuts off Hendry as the show is in picture-in-picture, and Page is working over Hendry as the show returns from the break. Alba Fyre interferes, which allows Page to derail a hope spot.

Comeback by Hendry, who does a hurricanrana and a fallaway slam before hitting his signature pose. In turn, Hail with a trust fall off the top rope to the outside. Hail and Page run through some spots in the ring, and Hail gets a near fall. Page jumps in to break up the pin, and Hail superkicks him for his trouble.

Fyre interferes again, which allows Green to attempt an Unprettier. Hail counters to catch Green with an armbar. Hail with a Kimura lock as Page shoves Hendry backwards on Hail. She releases the hold, and Green delivers an Unprettier. Green then covers Hail for a three count. And still…

Match result: AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions Ethan Page & Chelsea Green defeated Joe Hendry & Thea Hail to retain their titles.

— Lola Vice and Jordynne Grace are in a locker room for a skit where TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan barges in to bicker with them. This is designed to build up Grace against Jordan in a title match set for next week on NXT.

— John Cena is featured in a plug for his final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

— NXT General Manager Ava announces an Iron Survivor match for NXT Deadline, and Cena will decide all of the competitors for both men’s and women’s Iron Survivor.

— Rapper Lil’ Yachty is shown on camera sitting at ringside in the front row.

— Sarach Schreiber interviews Tavion Heights in a spot overlooking The Theater. Heights is asked about making big moves, and Heights says it was a wild ride. Heights also mentions growing pains of moving from collegiate wrestling to the pros. Heights gets a cheap pop mentioning NYC, and Heights says he needs to focus. Heights is hyped, and he also mentions Cena picking the participants in the Iron Survivor. As Heights vows to to become the Iron Survivor, he is ambushed by Josh Briggs. They have a pull-apart brawl.

— Sol Ruca once again insists to Zaria that she is ready to regain her title in the championship match tonight, and Ruca insists she must regain the title on her own.

— NASCAR driver Jesse Love is shown in attendance in NYC in what one can assume is a promotional tie-in with the CW.

Blake Monroe vs. Sol Ruca for the NXT Women’s North American Championship

—

Monroe works a knee as she targets the brace on Ruca’s left leg. Double down before a commercial break, as they both deliver a lariat to each other on the floor. Monroe is back to working the knee when the show returns from the break. Ruca soon begins a comeback. Monroe briefly dashes the hope spot, by Monroe nonetheless fires up. Missile dropkick off the middle rope from Ruca. She then does kip up with one leg, and Ruca gets a two count on Monroe.

Double down in the ring, and Monroe rolls outside. Ruca runs and jumps over the ropes to springboard off the middle turnbuckle into a quebrada. Back in the ring, Monroe cuts off Ruca. Monroe then applies a half crab, which she had applied earlier in the match as well.

To further targeted the knee with the brace, which was coming loose. Monroe tries rips the brace off Ruca’s knee. Ruca went to superkick, but her leg gave out. Monroe applies another submission hold as Zaria screams at the timekeeper to ring the bell.

Zaria grabs a white towel, and the crowd gasps. Zaria hesitates and teases throwing in the towel before ultimately doing so. Zaria throws in the towel, and Monroe is awarded the match. And still…

Match result: NXT Women’s North American Champion Blake Monroe defeated Sol Ruca when Zaria threw in the towel.

— The Fatal Influence trio cut promos in a backstage skit where they vow to win all the gold the next two weeks at Gold Rush.

— Footage from after NXT went off the air in Orlando shows Oba Femi confronting NXT Champion Ricky Saints. Another clip shows Femi, the former champion, confronting Saints at a NXT spot show in Chicago. The new champ is then seen headed to the ring for a confrontation with the former champ.

Saints and Femi set up title match for NXT Deadline

—

Saints is dressed in street clothes with the title belt slung over his shoulder. Femi towers to the ring in jeans with no shirt. Femi also has his fist tapes for some reason. They face off in the ring and cut promos on each other. That led to Saints giving Femi a rematch for the title at Deadline.

Trick Williams interrupts them to cut a promo of his own. However, Williams is ambushed by Myles Borne, who lays out Williams. Borne cuts a quick promo saying payback is a bitch. Borne then vows to become the Iron Survivor, ensuring he sees the champ at New Year’s Evil.

Borne jumping Trick leads to a match between them next week on part two of Gold Rush. That match-up is made official later in the show.

— After a commercial break, Ava is scolding Borne in a backstage skit.

— In a page from TNA Impact of old, it was TO THE BACK! Josh Briggs and Tavion Heights are still brawling backstage.

Je’Von Evans & TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater vs. Darkstate (Osiris Griffin & Dion Lennox with Saquon Shugars and Cutler James) for the NXT Tag Team Championship

—

The match goes through a commercial break. Before the break, Evans gets a near fall soon after he leaps over Griffin onto the announce desk. Slater & Evans with double teams moves, followed by stereo planchas. The babyfaces are standing tall as the show cuts to commercials.

Darkstate are in control as the show returns from the break. Evans is worked over, although he tries to fight back. Evans with superkicks to create separation, and Evans tags out. Hot tag to Slater, who is on fire and runs wild. Slater with a two count after a high cross.

Slater & Evans with more tandem moves, and they are on a roll. Slater runs corner to corner to leap outside with a corkscrew plancha. Shugars tries to interfere, but Evans kicks him away. Evans then leaps off the top rope with a frog splash for another near fall.

Evans is shoved off the turnbuckles by Lenno, which left Slater alone against Darkstate. Slater takes a double powerbomb, and Lennox goes for a cover. Evans breaks up the pin with a springboard body press, but in doing so he lands on his tag partner. Slater is again alone against Darkstate. Slater falls victim to a Doomsday Device, and Griffin covers Slater for a pinfall. And still…

Match result: Darkstate defeated Je’Von Evans & Leom Slater when Osiris Griffin pinned Slater.

— Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair talk in a backstage skit. They hype Grey’s title match for next week, but they bring up the invasion of TNA.

— John Cena is again featured in a hype video plugging his final match at SNME.

— A photo shows a basketball player from Michigan State holding a title belt after winning the Champions Classic game in MSG, which was head up with the NXT when the show went on the air.

— Shiloh Hill is the subject of a personality profile sponsored by an insurance company. Hill is the season two winner of LFG. Hill’s gimmick plays on him being an athlete and a nerd. He also talks about playing football while attending Stanford University.

— Sean Legacy is featured in a vignette.

— Zaria and Sol Ruca argue over Zaria turning in the towel earlier on.

Jacy Jayne (with Fatal Influence) vs. Tatum Paxley (with The Culling) for the NXT Women’s Championship

—

The match goes through a commercial break. Paxley was getting to shine before the break, after thwarting interference by Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid. Paxley takes out Henley and Reid with a quebrada off the apron.

Jayne cuts off Paxley during the break, and Paxley is getting worked over over as the show returns from the break. Jayne gets a two count. She also uses a Frankensteiner, only to eat a superkick from Paxley.

Double down in the closing minutes of the match. They square off again in a exchange of fighting spirit. Paxley lands a bicycle kick on Jayne for a near fall.

Jayne with a running cannonball to set up Jayne climbing the ropes. That led to an avalanche twsiting neckbreaker off the top. Paxley held out to deliver a sit-out powerbomb as well. Jayne somehow kicked out for a close near fall.

From ringside, Izzi Dame tries to slide a metal folding chair to Paxley, but Paxley tosses back in Dame’s direction. Moments later, Paxley thwarts interference by Fatal Influence. Jayne then strikes with a running soccer kick off the apron.

Back in the ring, Jayne lands her Roaring Encore (roaring elbow). Paxley kicks out at two and half for a very close near fall. At ringside, Reid snatches the title belt from it’s pedestal. Dame waylays Reid with a lariat. Dame then slides the title belt into the ring, presumably for Paxley to use as a weapon. Jayne intercepts the belt, and teases a belt shot. The referee sees Jayne with the belt, and he takes it from her. O’Connor roll by Paxley for a two count down the home stretch.

In dramatic fashion, Shawn Spears and Niko Vance of The Culling block Paxley’s way as she tries to get back into the ring. Dame then comes out of nowhere with a big boot to Paxley. Dame then rolls Paxley into the ring for a waiting Jayne. Roaring Encore by Jayne, and she pinned Paxley to regain the title. And new…

Match result: Jacy Jayne defeated NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley to win the title.

After the match, Jayne poses with the title alongside Fatal Influence. Meanwhile, Dame and The Culling stand over a fallen Paxley as the show goes off air.

WWE Raw live results: John Cena’s final Raw

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: November 17, 2025
Location: Madison Square Garden in New York City 

The Big Takeaway —

John Cena was victorious in a six-man tag match in his supposed final Raw match ever. There was no post-match angle, but Cena will be defending his Intercontinental Championship at Survivor Series in a rematch against Dominik Mysterio. (Read more below.) 

Gunther and Solo Sikoa advanced in the Last Time is Now tournament with wins over Je’Von Evans and Dolph Ziggler, respectively. 

AJ Lee returned and cost Becky Lynch the Women’s Intercontinental Championship to Maxxine Dupri. 

The main event angle saw Brock Lesnar return to join The Vision’s team at WarGames, while Roman Reigns returned to join the team of CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Becky Lynch, The Vision (with Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre), Solo Sikoa & Talla Tonga, and Gunther arrived at Madison Square Garden. Lynch complained to a staff member that her picture wasn’t on the hallway walls alongside other wrestlers. She stuck a photo of herself over a CM Punk poster. 

It’s a packed house, so the stage just consists of a relatively small screen. 

John Cena kicks off Raw for the final time

Cena entered to a massive ovation. Chants of his name, “Thank you, Cena,” and loud applause. His gear was in the colours of the New York Yankees, and he carried his newly won Intercontinental Championship title belt. 

Alicia Taylor introduced him as “the greatest of all time” and called this his last Monday Night Raw appearance in Madison Square Garden. More chants of “Thank you, Cena.” 

Cena welcomed the enthusiasm. He said New York City makes and breaks careers. And now, at the end of his career, he looked around and saw people as far as the eye could see. He thanked them. 

Madison Square Garden allowed him to step on the stage in these hallowed halls for 23 years. There was some extra enthusiasm in the air because it was the last time they could talk together—at MSG and on Raw. It was a bittersweet moment for some, but a very important one to him. 

Dominik Mysterio interrupted (carrying the AAA Mega Championship). He was booed as he spoke. Dom said Cena was handed a title shot last week, just as he was handed everything else. Dom fought for everything he had. He wanted an IC title rematch. 

Cena was up for it and polled the crowd. They cheered, but Dom said no. Dom said they already did it Cena’s way. Cena had management and his hometown by his side, so now they would do it Dom’s way. The crowd loudly chanted, “Shut the f—k up.” 

Dom wanted the match in his hometown of San Diego at Survivor Series. Cena had no problem with that, so he accepted (and made sure to mention it was on ESPN). 

Cena did have a problem: he told the fans he would have his final Raw match tonight. Cena offered Dom a non-title match and a chance to make history. Cena asked, “Do you feel lucky, punk?” 

Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh entered. Dom said Cena wouldn’t be getting his last match, but a beating instead. 

Judgment Day attacked Cena until Sheamus ran out to make the save, but Judgment Day overwhelmed him, too. 

Dominik Mysterio ran out next and immediately attacked his son. Mysterio, Sheamus and Cena cleared the ring. Cena made a six-man match and called out a referee. 

A referee ran out and called for the bell to start the match—which led to commercial break. 

Six-man tag team match: Intercontinental Champion John Cena, Sheamus & Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Bálor, JD McDonagh & Dominik Mysterio

During the break, Judgment Day tried to bail as the match began, but the babyfaces went after them. Sheamus gave Dom a Claudio big swing during the break, but Judgment Day used a double-team to get the heat as they returned from break. 

Rey got a hot tag and ran wild as Wade Barrett mentioned this was his first match in seven months. Rey went for a 619 but was tripped by Dom from outside. Rey gave Dom a dropkick, but Bálor attacked Rey from behind, allowing Judgment Day to take over ahead of another break. 

The first 10 minutes of Cena’s final Raw match included 6 minutes of commercials. 

During the break, fans chanted, “Who’s your daddy?” right on time for Dom to give Rey the three amigos (the last suplex was a brainbuster). Rey fought back and fought off a double-team by Bálor and McDonagh.

Cena made the much-anticipated hot tag and hit McDonagh with shoulder tackles, a side slam, and five knuckle shuffle. McDonagh landed on his feet off an AA attempt and followed with a headbutt. 

Everyone traded moves, which left Cena alone in the ring. McDonagh hit Cena with a moonsault, Bálor hit a Coup de Grace, and Dom hit a frog splash. The heels covered Cena, but Rey and Sheamus leaped in to break it up. 

Sheamus, Rey and Cena each grabbed members of Judgment Day and hit ten beats of the Bodhrán (Rey did it to his own son). With the heels down, Cena, Rey and Sheamus all did the five knuckle shuffle. 

Rey gave Bálor and McDonagh a double 619, Sheamus gave Bálor a Brogue Kick, and Cena hit McDonagh with an AA for the pinfall win.

The crowd went nuts as Sheamus and Rey hugged Cena. The babyfaces left together and posed on the stage. 

Cena looked into the camera and stated, “Monday Night Raw. That’s all she wrote. Love you. Thank you.” 

Match result: Intercontinental Champion John Cena, Sheamus & Rey Mysterio defeated JD McDonagh, Finn Bálor & Dominik Mysterio (14:42) 

********

Nick Aldis met with Adam Pearce. Pearce wasn’t surprised to see Drew McIntyre game the system on SmackDown. Paul Heyman sauntered in and could tell they were heated. Heyman said what he did was within the rules and regulations (Aldis and Pearce didn’t disagree). 

Heyman said if they were pissed about him picking McIntyre, they should see who he picked next. Heyman handed them a clipboard, and they were not happy to see the name. 

*******

Jackie Redmond introduced Andrew Schulz during a break. Fans weren’t thrilled to see him. Schulz introduced injured New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (who was also at UFC on Saturday). Skattebo wore a New York Rangers Matt Rempe jersey. 

Schulz referred to Dom as a bitch, but Dom and Judgment Day were still at ringside, so Dom got in his face. Skattebo stood up for Schulz and shoved Dom to the ground. Bálor, McDonagh, and Dom attacked Schulz, Skattebo, and other members of the NY Giants until it was broken up. 

After the break, Eric Andre, Ashley Cooke, and members of the Philadelphia Eagles (they were booed) were shown at ringside, as were the Giants whom we saw moments ago. 

********

Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella segment 

Redmond was in the ring to interview Stephanie Vaquer, but Nikki Bella attacked Vaquer from behind during her entrance. Bella said she didn’t come back to be Vaquer’s sidekick. She returned to take back her division. She told Vaquer she would be giving her a shot at the Women’s title, and Vaquer would bow down to the woman who changed this entire industry. Bella posed with the belt. 

(This was a fairly standard angle, but Vaquer had to stay down selling for way too long after Bella’s attack. All Bella did was shove Vaquer once into the video screen.) 

********

Asuka and Kairi Sane approached Bayley and Lyra Valkyria backstage. Asuka said she was feeling kind. They needed five people for WarGames, so she would forgive Bayley for the past if she teamed with her. Bayley laughed maniacally at the idea, considering everything they had done to her. She said no. Asuka and Sane left. 

Valkyria was proud of Bayley for that. She wanted a high five, but Bayley was suddenly in no mood and asked Valkyria if she was five years old (for offering a high five). Bayley walked away while saying, “Let’s go, you idiot.” 

********

The Last Time Is Now Tournament Round One: Solo Sikoa (w/ Talla Tonga) vs. Dolph Ziggler 

Dolph Ziggler was the mystery opponent, and he received a big pop and chants of “Welcome back.” Ziggler started with his usual offence: a dropkick, Stinger splash, neckbreaker, and an elbow drop. Ziggler hit a flying elbow drop moments later for just a one count. 

Sikoa took control during a break and hit a Samoan drop when they returned. Ziggler fought back with a leaping DDT and Fameasser for two. Sikoa responded with a Spinning Solo for two. 

Ziggler ducked a spike and applied a schoolboy for two. Ziggler followed with a Zig-Zag for a close nearfall. The fans went nuts for that and told the ref that he sucked. 

Ziggler tuned up the band for a superkick, but Sikoa blocked it. Ziggler managed to hit a superkick anyway, but Sikoa shoved him off and hit a Samoan spike for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Solo Sikoa defeated Dolph Ziggler to advance in The Last Time is Now Tournament (8:53) 

A returning mid-carder who was never taken seriously as a world champion wasn’t the most exciting mystery participant, but it came across well enough thanks to these fans giving him the biggest reaction he was going to get anywhere. 

********

There was a quick video package for Je’Von Evans. 

New Day did their usual commercial break promo alongside Grayson Waller, who wore a Tyrese Haliburton jersey for heat. 

Lil Yachty, Aljamain Sterling, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephanie McMahon & Elyse Dudzinski were shown in the crowd. 

Alexa Bliss promo and WarGames angle 

Alexa Bliss entered. She said she hasn’t heard back from Charlotte Flair all weekend. Since Charlotte wasn’t responding, Bliss looked into the camera to address her instead. Bliss knew Charlotte was upset they lost the tag titles, but they could get those back. It would be harder to get back trust. 

Everyone warned her not to trust Charlotte, but she ignored them because she knew who Charlotte was on the inside. But maybe now Charlotte was proving her wrong. Bliss got her ass beat simply because Charlotte didn’t like Rhea Ripley. Charlotte wasn’t there when Bliss needed her best friend. (Bliss was getting ‘What’ chants, but she did a great job dealing with it by incorporating it into her promo.) 

She was interrupted by Asuka, Sane, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend. Jax, as Bliss’ former friend, said she understood why Charlotte left her. The heels surrounded Bliss on the apron, but Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky ran out to join her. 

Ripley and Sky brawled with Asuka and Sane outside the ring, but that left Bliss alone in the ring for Jax and Legend. 

Charlotte ran out with a kendo stick and attacked Jax and Legend until they left the ring. Charlotte helped Bliss to her feet and hugged her. Ripley and Sky were in the other corner of the ring, and upon seeing them hug, Sky quickly hugged Ripley in response. The crowd laughed at the amusing visual, and Charlotte broke out laughing, too. 

********

Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Maxxine Dupri

Jessika Carr was the referee. Lynch wasn’t happy with this because she blamed Carr for her previous losses. Lynch got in Dupri’s face during her introduction, and she aggressively handed Carr the title belt. 

Lynch was still arguing with Carr as Carr called for the match to start, so Dupri booted Lynch for a quick nearfall. Lynch took over quickly by knocking Dupri off the top rope, and they went to break 90 seconds into this title match. 

Dupri fought back as soon as they returned from break with clotheslines and a roundhouse kick for two. Dupri hit a fisherman’s suplex, dropped her straps, and hit (missed) a leg drop for two. Lynch booted Dupri’s arm and tried targeting it, but Dupri fought back again. Lynch lifted her out of the corner and hit a powerbomb. 

Lynch tried applying an arm bar, but Dupri bridged out of it. She countered it a second time and applied a cradle for two. Dupri applied an ankle lock and grapevined the legs to avoid a rope break. Lynch still managed to slip out of it, and she kicked Dupri in the arm again. Lynch hit a Man-handle Slam right next to the ropes, so Dupri got a predictable rope break. 

Lynch got in Carr’s face and poked her in the chest. Carr knocked her hand down and told her to get back to the match. 

Lynch chucked Dupri out of the ring and, as Carr checked on Dupri, Lynch tried to expose the top turnbuckle. 

AJ Lee then skipped out to her music, which distracted Lynch, so Dupri caught her with a flying crossbody for the pinfall win. Dupri is the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion. 

Dupri sprinted out of the ring and embraced AJ. Fireworks went off as Dupri posed with her new title belt. Lynch was pissed. 

Match result: Maxxine Dupri defeated Becky Lynch to win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (9:50)

This match was not good. They tried to manufacture a moment while also getting heat behind a Lynch/AJ Lee singles match. But now Maxxine Dupri is the IC champion. The crowd was not really into Dupri here, and they only popped for the finish. Perhaps they will get behind her more now, but she won’t improve fast enough, and fans can see she isn’t ready. 

********

Byron Saxton interviewed Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez during a break. The most notable thing here was Perez correctly complaining that Bella was getting a title shot despite Perez beating her twice in a row. 

Brandon Marshall, Chuck Zito, and Gabriel Iglesias were in the crowd.  

The Last Time Is Now Tournament Round One: Je’Von Evans vs. Gunther

Gunther dismissively patted Evans on the head, so Evans smacked him. Evans chopped Gunther and countered a few spots until Gunther simply booted him to take over. 

Gunther maintained control through a commercial break, and there was a “Y2J” chant as he did. 

Evans countered a powerbomb into a hurricanrana. It might’ve been a nice nearfall, but the referee stopped counting because Gunther’s shoulders weren’t flush against the mat. Evans followed with a somersault kick, and the crowd started to get into him. He tried a suicide dive, but Gunther caught him and chucked him hard into the side of the ring. 

During a break, Gunther tried a German suplex, but Evans landed on his feet. Gunther cut him off again, this time with a dropkick. Evans countered him again, this time into a sunset flip cradle for two as they returned from break. 

They traded strikes until Evans tried springing off the ropes, but Gunther booted him. Evans countered Gunther once again, this time into a cutter, and he hit a dive over the top rope. Evans followed with a great-looking frog splash for two. (The crowd is fully into this now.) 

Gunther hit an uppercut to the back of Evans’ neck as he came off the top. Gunther followed with a suplex and powerbomb, but Evans kicked out. Gunther applied a sleeper, and Evans tried fighting through it, but Gunther cinched it in, and Evans tapped out. 

— Gunther left the ring, and you could hear the crowd starting to give Evans an ovation, but they cut to the back. 

Match result: Gunther defeated Je’Von Evans to advance in The Last Time is Now Tournament (15:04)

This was really good. Evans and the match would’ve benefited from an extra minute or two, but Evans still came across great. Unlike the previous match, the crowd really got into the underdog as it went along, and it seemed like the fans were ready to give him a big ovation despite the loss. 

*******

Backstage, Dupri (with AJ Lee) told Redmond that this title win meant everything because all the hard work paid off. She beat one of the best of all time, and that meant she finally belonged here. It was all thanks to AJ Lee. 

AJ said the credit belonged to Dupri. AJ hated a bully and just wanted to put Lynch in her place. Otis and Akira Tozawa showed up to celebrate with Dupri, and they left together. 

Redmond asked AJ if she was sticking around. AJ said she initially came back to help her husband, but Lynch lit a fire under her, so we’ll see. Ripley approached AJ and asked if they could chat. AJ left with Ripley. The fans cheered. 

*******

Somebody named Gangster Granny was shown ringside during a break.

Main event WarGames angle 

Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul entered together. Drew McIntyre entered separately to join them. Heyman said he walked with the Samoan Swat Team & The Freebirds, with the Dangerous Alliance, and with The Bloodline to the ring for WarGames, but this was the greatest assembly of talent for WarGames ever. 

CM Punk interrupted to his music. He waited ringside as Jey and Jimmy Uso entered to Jey’s music through the crowd. They all waited for Cody Rhodes to come out next to his music. (Rhodes stood side-by-side with Punk and went for a fist bump, but Punk legitimately didn’t see it, so Rhodes forcibly bumped his fist so it didn’t look like he got left hanging.) The babyfaces cleared the ring, and Punk dropped Paul with a bulldog. 

Brock Lesnar entered. Punk went after him, but Lesnar laid him out with a couple of suplexes. Rhodes went after Lesnar, but Lesnar laid him out with suplexes, too. Lesnar stood tall, and they displayed the trademark graphic to fake that the show was over, but it wasn’t. 

Roman Reigns entered and faced off with Lesnar. Lesnar tried to attack, but Reigns ducked a clothesline and knocked Lesnar out of the ring with a Superman punch. 

Security stepped in front of Reigns, so Reed attacked Reigns from behind. Reed went for a Tsunami, but Reigns popped up and gave Reed a Superman punch. 

“NYPD” appeared at ringside as Punk choked out Paul with a kendo stick. NYPD and security tried settling things down, but Reigns speared Reed through the barricade as the show abruptly ended at 10:25 pm ET.

WWE NXT live results: Last Man Standing title match

Posted on by Chris Aiken

A big title match headlines WWE NXT tonight with Ricky Saints set to defend against Trick Williams.

In a rematch from Halloween Havoc, Saints and Williams will face off with the NXT Championship on the line. This time, the matchup will have a Last Man Standing stipulation. Saints retained in their first meeting — but Williams has refused to accept his loss and has kept his rivalry with Saints alive.

Another title match will go down on the episode with men’s WWE Speed Champion El Grande Americano battling Jasper Troy, who earned the title shot by winning a number one contender’s tournament.

We’ll hear from NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley, who has continued to be a target of former champ Jacy Jayne and Fatal Attraction.

Plus, Tavion Heights will be in action against Josh Briggs.

Tonight’s show will finish setting the stage for NXT Gold Rush 2025, a two-week special that begins next week. Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

Opening the show is a tribute to the Unites States military for Veterans Day.

NXT is back on the air from a sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando in front of a live studio audience.

Hype for the last man standing title match later from the commentary duo of Vic Joseph and Booker T.

Kicking off the show in the sound stage is the entrance of The Culling. NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley is joined by Izzi Dame, alomg with Shawn Spears and Niko Vance. They get in the ring for community theater, which sets up a women’s title match for Gold Rush.

Paxley defends at Gold Rush against Jacy Jayne in a blow-off to their feud. Jayne talks Paxley into a title match, much to the chagrin of Izzi Dame.

Before Jayne and Fatal Influence come out to interrupt Paxley and company, Paxley was giddy and excited as heck to be the champ. Paxley says she still gets goosebumps. Paxley’s mood takes a turn, as she gets upset with herself about last week. She should have listened to Dame.

Dame helps to lift Paxley’s spirits. Dame goes on to tell Paxley they want her to remain the goofy and dancing champion they have come to love, but only if she stops handing out random opportunities. Paxley admits to the flaw, and says she will do better. She then marks out for spinning the wheel in a comedy bit. Paxely is soon interrupted by the Fatal Influence trio.

Jacy Jayne is flanked by Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley. Jayne tries being empathetic with Paxley, as Jayen also tries to paint her as a fighting champion. Jayne was trying to talk Paxley into another title bout. Dame comes again trying to talk sense into Paxley, as they just talked about something like this moments ago. Paxley tells Dame she will be more careful… after New York. The match is on for Gold Rush.

El Grande Americano vs. Jasper Troy for the WWE Speed Championship

While Troy is getting a monster push, I would still consider the result an upset. Troy goes over clean, and he wins the Speed title from El Grande Americano. In the final minute of the match, Americano is handed a foreign object by his luchador henchmen, and he puts it in his singlet. He then drops in plain sight of the referee. Troy then batters him and executes a Bossman slam, followed by a pinfall.

Match result: Jasper Troy defeated El Grande Americano to win the WWE Speed Championship.

— Thea Hail is backstage for a skit with Joe Hendry, who is in her corner tonight for a match that is up next after a commercial break.

— After the break is another skit. Sean Legacy is chatting with NXT General Manager Ava. In walks Sol Ruca and Zaria. Although Zaria cautions her on coming back so soon after her supposed injury, Ruca wants a title match at Gold Rush.

Thea Hail (with Joe Hendry) vs. Alba Fyre (with Chelsea Green and Ethan Page)

The bout goes through a commercial break. Hail is down selling as the show cuts to a break, after Fyre hit her with a tope suicida. Green distracted Hail at ringside to set up the spot. Fyre works over Hail, but Hail makes a comeback after the break.

Green gets involved again as Hail is going to the top rope. Hail fights her off. Page soon jumps on the apron to interfere. That leads to a spot where Green inadvertently slaps Page, after Joe Hendry posts Page.

Fyre gets a near fall on Page after a superkick, and Fyre goes for her Gory Bomb finisher. Hail counters into a Code Red, and she pins Fyre to win the match.

Match result: Thea Hail defeated Alba Fyre via pinfall.

— NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley is in the trainer’s room for a skit with NXT Champion Ricky Saints. The Culling usher Paxlet away, and there some foreshadowing with Saints.

— “NXT Spotlight” with NXT Women’s North American Champion Blake Monroe is a skit with Monroe interviewing herself. This was ridiculous. Monroe is talking with her dark side, and her dark side will be there with her at Gold Rush.

— Sarch Schreiber interviews Jordynne Grace, and Grace cuts a great promo vowing to win the TNA Knockouts title at Gold Rush over Kelani Jordan.

— Je’Von Evans is in the ring for a monologue in front of the studio audience. Moments ago, Evans was on the phone with TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater. Evans says he will put Legacy on the video screen for this promo. Slater then links up via video chat with Evans, as Evans announces they will challenge Darkstate for the NXT Tag Team Championship at Gold Rush.

With Legacy still on the screen, the lights go dark in the sound stage. Out comes the four members of Darkstate. They surround the ring looking to ambush Evans, who stands his ground. Evans calls them foolish, as Slater was not the UK on video. Slater is there in Orlando, and he runs down to join Evans in going two-on-four against Darkstate. Nonetheless, the two babyfaces run wild on Darkstate. Slater and Evans both do dive over the ropes to the floor. This angle was silly, but at least they put the babyfaces over strong.

— Trick Williams gives TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan a pep talk, while Jordan says she is picking Williams to win tonight.

— Fallon Henley (with Jacy Jayne & Lainey Reid) vs. Skylar Raye in the first round of the WWE Speed Championship Tournament.

Henley won after catching Raye with a Rocker Dropper. Raye got a video package before the match, as they put over he being the LFG winner. Henley still beat her convincingly.

Match result: Fallon Henley defeated Skylar Raye via pinfall to advance in the tournament.

Tavion Heights vs. Josh Briggs

Briggs strikes as the bell sounds, and Heights eats a big boot. Briggs shows a ton of fire, even as Heights tries to fire up. Briggs hammers Heights as the show goes through a commercial break.

Briggs with a cheap shot to cut off a Heights rally. Nevertheless, Heights soon makes a comeback and executes a belly-to-belly suplex to pin Briggs for a three count.

Match result: Tavion Heights defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall.

— Ava warns Myles Borne about interfering in the main event, and she even begs him. Wren Sinclair and Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey are also with Ava. Up walks Lainey Reid, who slaps Grey across the face. They have a pull-apart brawl, as this seems to set up a natural match-up.

Ricky Saints vs. Trick Williams in a last man standing match for the NXT Championship

Weapons are used early on, as the match begins with a tightrope spot playing off a kendo stick. Metal folding chairs are soon used, along with metal trash cans. The ring steps are also used as a prop.

Saints ribs are taped, and Trick targets them with shots from the trash can. Saints is also dropped on a trash can, and he crushes it on impact. Trick is in control as he taunts Saints and the audience.

Trick ties Saints in the ropes, leaving Saints defenseless for a shots from a kendo stick. However, the ropes are too tight, and Saints cannot stayed tied up. He sells big anyway. Saints goes on to feed his back from a chair shot. Saints sells big like Trick caught him on the head with the chair shot.

Taunting Saints, Trick goes to hit Saints with a trash can lid. Saints blocks it and whacks Trick with the trash can lid instead. Trick takes several shots from the lid before falling outside the ring. The show cuts to a commercial break with Trick on rubber legs.

During the break, Saints is trapped in the ring skirt with a trash can over his head. Trick hits him repeatedly with the kendo stick while ads play throughout picture-in-picture.

On the floor outside ring, Trick measures for a running knee lift. Saints sidesteps him, and Trick goes crashing through a gimmicked section of the barricade.

Double down before they both square off again in the ring. Saints peppers Trick with shots from the kendo stick. Saints with receipts from earlier in the match. Trick was bleeding from the side of his head at this point.

Saints calls from a chair, only to have the it kicked back into his face. Nonetheless, Saints gives Trick several chair shots. Austin-Rock chair shot spot. Trick still answers the count by getting to his feet before the ten count. Spear by Saints, and Trick is again barely able to beat the count. But Trick does, as he gets to his feet.

Saints is sent crashing outside on a pile of debris. Trick picks up the steps and hits Saints with the metal prop. Saints still answers the count, only for Trick to land his leaping knee strike. Saints somehow manages to break the count.

Saints is placed under the steps as Trick tries to hold him down. Saints escapes and shoves Trick off the steps. Saints goes charging towards Trick, only for Trick to sidestep him. Saints crashes through a gimmicked wall. Saints answers the count, and comes back on fire.

They brawl through the crowd in attendance. Trick stand atop the barricade as he taunts the crowd. Saints out of nowhere flew in with spear, and they take a bump on the announce desk. The desk explodes into pieces beneath them. It was a helluva stunt. Saints appears to be bleeding from the mouth.

The bloody combatants both trying rising to their feet. Saints gets to his feet, and he shoves down Trick to win the match. Trick could not answer the ten count. Saints is the last man standing, thus retaining the title.

Match result: NXT Champion Ricky Saint defeated Trick Williams in a last man standing match to retain his title.

— As the show is going off the air, the cliffhanger is the entrance of Oba Femi. He returns.

WWE Raw live results: John Cena’s last Boston appearance

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: November 10, 2025
Location: TD Garden in Boston, MA 

The Big Takeaway —

John Cena won the Intercontinental Championship for the first time in his career by beating Dominik Mysterio. 

In the Last Time is Now tournament, Sheamus and Rusev advanced in their matches. The tournament continues next week with Gunther returning to face Je’Von Evans, and Solo Sikoa will face a mystery opponent. 

Asuka and Kairi Sane beat Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss to win the tag titles—with help from Nia Jax and Lash Legend. The post-match angle set up a Women’s WarGames match, and an angle earlier in the show set up the beginnings of a Men’s WarGames match. 

Plus, Nikki Bella turned heel on Stephanie Vaquer.

**********

Show Recap — 

Shinsuke Nakamura, Damian Priest (selling a damaged left eye), Asuka & Kairi Sane, and Stephanie Vaquer & Nikki Bella arrived at TD Garden in Boston. 

In addition to the usual establishing shot of the city, they aired footage of West Newbury, Massachusetts, as fans chanted for John Cena. 

John Cena kicks off Raw

The crowd continued chanting for Cena, but they were instead greeted with Paul “Triple H” Levesque, already in the ring. His music played for a while as he soaked up his own crowd reaction. He waited a full minute after the ring announcer said his name before he began speaking. 

He said everyone had an opinion, and there weren’t many agreements. Everyone had an opinion on who the greatest of all time was. You can measure it by in-ring performance, charisma, ability to tear down your opponent on the mic, etc. It was all subjective. However, Levesque was in the position to see it from all sides (he began getting ‘What’ chants here), and he knew that tonight, we’d all be able to agree on one thing. 

From an objective measure, there was one person at the top of that list. As a box office attraction, someone who gave it all in the ring, ruthless on the mic, and did it all with a smile on his face because he loved the business and wanted to see it elevated to the highest level possible. He was the single greatest asset the business has ever seen. He was, without a doubt, the greatest of all time. (Imagine that being a great asset to a company is the reason you’re considered the greatest wrestler ever.) 

Finally, Levesque introduced John Cena. 

Cena entered to a huge reaction, and he shook Levesque’s hand. Fans chanted, “Thank you, Cena.” Cena has been asked a lot about who he wanted to face. But only one person asked him what he wanted to do with this exercise. (He pointed at Levesque.) 

Cena’s goal was to leave the business better than he found it. To pay back all the opportunities that the company gave him, and that the fans were gracious enough to put up with. The Last Time is Now tournament would determine who could retire John Cena, and that started tonight. 

Cena also had an announcement about December 13th at Saturday Night’s Main Event. It would close one chapter, but it would open an opportunity. It would be an opportunity for main roster wrestlers to host exhibition matches against the best from NXT. (That’s what he wants?) That night would close one chapter but would pave the road ahead.

Cena didn’t make the schedule, but he did want to come to Boston one last time. It meant everything to be in TD Garden again and feel the atmosphere, surrounded by family and friends. 

Dominik Mysterio interrupted. He was booed and greeted with obscenities. Dom confronted Levesque and wanted to know what he would do about last week, when he was interrupted by a deadbeat. Dom was the one who should be interrupting old men. 

Cena interrupted and welcomed him to Boston. Dom said this wasn’t about him and told Cena to go to the corner—or else he’d put him down. Cena reminded Dom of who he was. 

Cena said Dom might have a chance on any other night, but tonight, Cena felt invincible. If Dom wanted to pick a fight, Cena promised that he would lose. However, Cena respected Dom’s father, so he offered Dom a chance to leave. 

Dom was amused because he wasn’t even at his peak yet, but was already better than Cena in his prime. Dom said he would’ve whooped Cena in any era. (The fans told Dom that he f—cked up.) 

Levesque interjected to make an announcement: Dom would defend his Intercontinental Championship right now against Cena (who, fortunately, is always dressed in his gear). The crowd went nuts.

(It’s always nice to see Cena at this point, but this was an odd segment until Dom came out. Cena’s SNME announcement aside, Levesque’s opening promo felt out of place, and it couldn’t have been more obvious that he wanted to be the one to make the announcement that would obviously get a big pop.)

Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. John Cena

Cena’s final match in his hometown started during a commercial break. They did the in-ring introductions during the break, and Dom attacked Cena when they were done, so the referee started the match. 

Cena had the better of it until Dom tossed him into the ring post. Dom countered an AA and hit a DDT. Dom hit a slingshot senton, but Cena got his knees up on another attempt as they returned from a second break (two breaks before the match was ten minutes old). 

Cena did his usual comeback and five knuckle shuffle. Dom slipped out of the AA again and shoved Cena shoulder-first into the ring post. Dom exposed the metal turnbuckle to distract the referee while he grabbed a steel chair. Dom tried the Eddie Guerrero trick of faking a chair shot and tossing the chair to Cena, but Cena dropped the chair and lay down on the mat. The crowd chanted for Eddie while Cena winked at Dom. 

Cena hoisted Dom up for the AA again, but they bumped the referee. Cena applied an STF, and Dom tapped out. Cena, who has been doing this for more than 20 years, leaped to his feet to celebrate as if it was over, but there was no referee. 

Dom tried a belt shot, but Cena ducked it and hit an AA. A new referee ran out to make the cover, but Dom kicked out. The fans were on their feet. 

Dom tripped Cena on the ropes and hit a 619, followed by a frog splash. However, Cena rolled through and hit an emphatic AA for the pinfall win. The crowd exploded. 

Cena celebrated with the Intercontinental title, a belt he has now won for the first time. Cena is now a grand slam champion. He thanked Boston and said the champ was here. 

Match result: John Cena defeated Dominik Mysterio to win the Intercontinental Championship (13:30)

******** 

During a break, Byron Saxton interviewed LA Knight, who is in the Cena tournament. Knight congratulated Cena, but he never cared about having a ‘dream match’ with anyone. But now Cena had something he wanted. Knight kept going, and his promo was actually cut off mid-sentence as they returned from break. 

Babyface members of the roster greeted Cena backstage and congratulated him. Rey Mysterio shook his hand, and the crowd cheered. They popped even bigger when Cena bumped into Cody Rhodes. They shook hands. 

********

There was a Veterans Day video. 

A SmackDown clip showed that Aleister Black was to blame for Priest having a bad eye.

The Last Time Is Now Tournament Round One: Damian Priest vs. Rusev

The crowd came right down for this match, and they were dead silent for Rusev getting the heat on Priest during a break. Priest eventually came back with kicks and a crossbody off the ropes, but Rusev targeted his eye (as he did earlier). Rusev raked Priest’s eye and hit a Matchka Kick for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Rusev defeated Damian Priest (8:51) 

Extraordinarily dull match and weak finish. 

*******

AJ Styles and Dragon Lee met with Adam Pearce backstage. Dragon Lee suggested their team name be Dragones Con Estilo (Dragons with Style), but Styles didn’t like that. Styles said they’d work on it. 

Maxxine Dupri approached Pearce. He asked her if she was ready for Becky Lynch. She said yes… and no. She knew she could train forever, but there was nothing that would make her feel “ready.” She wanted the match. Pearce made it official for Madison Square Garden next week. 

Pearce left, and Lynch appeared out of thin air to punch Dupri in the face. Lynch told Dupri she didn’t stand a chance. 

********

CM Punk segment

Punk entered, and he made his way to the ring as they went to break. During the break, Punk went to the announce table and saw they had some action figures of Dusty Rhodes, John Cena, Hulk Hogan, and Logan Paul. Punk put down the Paul figurine and put Dusty to stand over him. 

Punk was pissed off and wasn’t about to wait for a douchebag to interrupt him. Punk was calling him out. Punk was in Boston, and he was dressed for a street fight. He knew Logan Paul was a piece of garbage, but didn’t quite know how big a piece of garbage he was. Punk said Paul wasn’t about to get a title shot, but Punk would still fight him. Paul had his eyes on Punk’s belt, but Punk would put his boot up Paul’s broccoli-headed millennial ass. 

Paul sauntered out and remained on the stage. He wondered why Punk was so mad, and Punk told him to stop wasting time. Paul told Punk that he once got punched by the greatest boxer of all time, Floyd Mayweather, but that was nothing compared to getting flattened by Bronson Reed last week. After dropping  Seth “deadweight” Rollins, The Vision would crack anyone who didn’t conform to them. Paul didn’t want to get cracked every week. 

Paul thought he knew it all, but after getting hit with that Tsunami, his eyes were opened to a whole new vision. Paul Heyman, Reed, and Bron Breakker entered to join Logan. 

Heyman led his men to the ring as he called Punk the single most unlikable person in the world. Punk had no friends. His friends didn’t betray him; he betrayed his friendships. Punk was a miserable, rotten bastard, and he couldn’t be more unlikable unless his name was AJ Lee. 

Punk said Lee would leave the four of them in a pool of their own piss and blood. She wasn’t there, so Punk would do it instead. He invited them to the ring. 

Jey Uso joined Punk in the ring from the crowd (without his music). They were still outnumbered, so Cody Rhodes ran out to his music to even the odds. 

The two sides brawled as Punk grabbed Heyman by the shirt. Logan saved Heyman, but Punk chucked him into the barricade. Reed wound up alone in the ring, so the babyfaces took shots at him before tossing him from the ring. 

The heels bailed as the babyfaces stood tall in the ring (with the fans loudly singing Rhodes’ name). 

********

Women’s World Championship match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) (w/ Nikki Bella) vs. Raquel Rodriguez (w/ Roxanne Perez)

Vaquer set up for Devil’s Kiss early on, but Rodriguez blocked it, hoisted Vaquer up on her shoulders in an electric chair drop position and dropped her face-first on the turnbuckle. 

As with the opening match, the crowd was dead quiet for the heel’s heat during the break. A smattering of applause greeted Vaquer’s comeback. She tried SVB, but like last week, Rodriguez was too damn big. Vaquer tried a tornado DDT, but Rodriguez blocked that too and transitioned into a vertical suplex, followed by a big boot for two. 

Vaquer tried a running corner meteora (for the second time), but Rodriguez blocked that too and hit a powerbomb for two. Vaquer caught Rodriguez in a submission between the ropes, and the ref checked on Rodriguez after she let go. Perez tried to attack Vaquer, but Nikki tossed her into the barricade. 

Vaquer tried a flying crossbody, but Rodriguez caught her and hit a fallaway slam. Vaquer dodged an elbow drop and hit Devil’s Kiss, a thrust kick, and a corkscrew moonsault for the pinfall win. 

— Nikki turned heel after the match. 

Perez tried to attack Vaquer, so Nikki made the save. She stood tall with Vaquer before nailing her with the world title belt. The crowd booed her. 

Nikki posed with the belt. She also ripped off her red top that read “Fearless,” to reveal a black top that also read “Fearless.” 

Match result: Stephanie Vaquer defeated Raquel Rodriguez to retain the Women’s World Championship (10:38)

The match itself was pretty good despite the crowd. I thought they might wait until Perez got a title shot before doing this turn. Perez has two wins over Nikki in recent weeks, so we’ll see how she plays into this, if at all. 

********

Men’s WarGames announcement 

Pearce approached Punk, Rhodes and Jey backstage. Punk said he was pissed. He had a team and wanted Heyman to get a team because he was tired of the ‘games.’ Pearce asked Punk if he meant what he was thinking. Punk yelled, “Regal!” and William Regal suddenly appeared (to a nice pop). He yelled, “War Games!” and people cheered. 

******** 

The Last Time Is Now Tournament Round One: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus

Sheamus was mostly in control through a break, in between some offence by Nakamura. After the break, Nakamura hit a superplex for two. Sheamus no-sold some kicks and hit ten beats of the Bodhrán. Sheamus went for a Brogue Kick, but Nakamura cut him off with a slingblade. 

Nakamura came off the top, but Sheamus hit a lifting knee strike for two after Nakamura grabbed the bottom rope. Sheamus went for an avalanche White Noise, but Nakamura blocked it and hit a powerbomb for two. Nakamura hit an enziguri, but Sheamus came right back with a Brogue Kick for the pinfall win. 

— Nakamura hugged Sheamus after the match and raised his hand. 

Match result: Sheamus defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (10:52) 

This was a nice TV match that didn’t follow the usual pattern. The crowd was more into it than the previous two, and they popped for Sheamus’ win. 

******** 

The Last Time Is Now Tournament continues next week with: 

  • Je’Von Evans vs. Gunther 
  • Solo Sikoa vs. mystery opponent 

Yes, they did the mystery gimmick again. 

Also next week on Raw at Madison Square Garden in New York City: 

  • Becky Lynch (c) vs. Maxxine Dupri for the Women’s IC title 
  • John Cena appears 

********

Women’s Tag Team Championship match: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane 

They followed the usual pattern here with the heels getting the heat over Bliss ahead of an early break. Charlotte was previously getting the better of her opponents, but Asuka and Sane outsmarted Bliss to take control. 

Bliss hit both opponents with a double DDT as soon as they returned from break. Charlotte made the hot tag and hit a double flying crossbody. Charlotte hit each of them with a fallaway slam, and with Asuka and Sane lying next to each other, Charlotte hit a moonsault on both for a two count (on Asuka). 

Bliss hit Sane with a Natural Selection, but Asuka blocked Charlotte’s attempt and applied an Asuka Lock. Charlotte got out of it and went for a tag, but Sane yanked Bliss off the apron. Asuka hit Charlotte with a knee strike and applied an arm bar, but Charlotte countered into a Walls of Jericho. Asuka countered that into a cradle for two, followed by a kick to the head. 

Charlotte responded with a big boot and Figure Four. Sane tried to break it up with an Insane Elbow, but Bliss caught her and hit Sister Abigail. (Bliss’ Sister Abigail got the only significant crowd reaction all match.) 

Charlotte had Asuka in a Figure Eight, but as the referee was distracted, Nia Jax and Lash Legend broke up the submission. Bliss confronted Jax and Legend, so Sane shoved her into the announce desk. 

Asuka attacked Charlotte from behind and held her in position so Sane could hit the Insane Elbow for the pinfall win. New champs. 

— Bliss chased Asuka and Sane out of the ring. Bliss stood up to Legend and Jax, but they laid her out. Asuka and Sane returned to the ring and joined the attack. 

Iyo Sky ran out to her music. She dropped the rope on Legend to get her out of the ring, and laid out Asuka and Sane with a double springboard dropkick. Sky went after Jax, but Legend absolutely clobbered Sky with a forearm. 

The five heels continued the beat down until Rhea Ripley ran out next (wearing a face mask to cover her broken nose). Ripley attempted to clear the ring, but Jax punched her. However, the babyfaces now had the edge, so they got rid of Jax after Charlotte booted her right in the face. Sane was alone in the ring, so Ripley gave her a Razor’s Edge over the top rope and into the other heels. 

Ripley grabbed a mic and yelled, “War Games!”

Match result: Asuka & Kairi Sane defeated Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss to win the Women’s World Championships (10:12)

The crowd didn’t seem that into this match, either. It seemed like they were waiting for the finish, but they didn’t even pop for the title change. Perhaps the Jax and Legend run-in didn’t help. They did cheer for people running out to their music, though. 

WWE SmackDown live results: Saturday Night’s Main Event fallout

Posted on by Marc Quill

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown will emanate live from Greenville, South Carolina.

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes retained his title over Drew McIntyre at last weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event after using the title belt as a weapon. The answer as to what is next for Rhodes will be answered tonight.

Jade Cargill will celebrate on tonight’s show after she defeated Tiffany Stratton last Saturday to capture the WWE Women’s Championship.

Chelsea Green will get a chance to protect her record as the longest-reigning WWE Women’s United States Champion tonight as she challenges current champion Giulia for the title.

Men’s United States Champion Ilya Dragunov will host another open challenge as his young title run continues.

In a clash of former Women’s Champions, Charlotte Flair will battle Nia Jax, who fell to Flair’s tag team partner Alexa Bliss last Friday.

After a backstage skirmish, Rey Fenix goes one-on-one with Talla Tonga.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

– Our show kicked off with a recap of last week’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, specifically as it pertained to Cody Rhodes retaining his Undisputed WWE Championship over Drew McIntyre. This segued right into our opening segment with the aforementioned Rhodes.

Cody Rhodes kicks off SmackDown

The champion arrived in his usual grand manner, pyrotechnics and all, to the cheers of the crowd in Greenville. As Rhodes entered the ring and took a microphone, he opened by asking what the crowd wanted to talk about. He said that we could talk about what happened at SNME last week, stating that Drew McIntyre was the one who introduced the Undisputed WWE Title as a weapon during the match. Rhodes responded that his reluctance to pull the trigger has cost him time to time, something that McIntyre obviously had no issue with. That said, Rhodes called McIntyre the most “self-sabotaging athlete” in this business, which meant that the Scotsman was now fully well behind him.

Rhodes said that he wanted to do something different tonight, with that something different being sitting in the crowd with the fans to decide who’d be next for the Undisputed WWE Championship. That’s when the music of Aleister Black interrupted. Black arrived to the ring with Zelina (nee Vega) and had something to say.

Black talked about how he set Damian Priest on fire as he confronted Rhodes in the ring, showing the issue being the “size” of the Undisputed WWE Title. As Rhodes tried to step up to Black, Zelina slapped him in the face. This brought out Nick Aldis to make it official for tonight: Cody Rhodes vs. Aleister Black as the main event on SmackDown.

This is something thankfully different to kick off SmackDown, and a Black vs. Cody main event is something that is a bit fresh, so I’m at least interested to see where this goes.

**********

– Michael Cole and Corey Graves teed up the rest of tonight’s show as we saw Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, as well as new WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill arriving to the arena. We then cut to U.S. Champion Ilja Dragunov making his entrance, but not before he was confronted by Tama Tonga of the M.F.T.s.

U.S. Title Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Johnny Gargano

As Dragunov’s challenger stepped out, Tommasso Ciampa walked out and was indignant about being rejected last week and being called a “jackass” by the U.S. Championship last week. He demanded that the bell be rung on this match. Once Ciampa entered the ring, Dragunov said that he accepted the challenge… but from Johnny Gargano.

The match kicked off as Ciampa provided a bit of a distraction to Dragunov, which allowed Gargano to strike early against the champion. Gargano attempted a superkick, but Dragunov caught it and hit a set of German suplexes consecutively. Dragunov then battered the back of Gargano’s neck with elbow strikes before he delivered a suplex as we headed to a break in the action here.

Our match returned from commercial as Dragunov blasted Gargano with an uppercut to the face. The challenger matched the effort with an uppercut of his own, but the Constantine Special by Dragunov connected right on the button. With Gargano stunned in the corner, he was open for a big boot from Dragunov, followed by a diving knee for the near-fall.

Gargano used the ropes to get himself back to his feet as he stopped Dragunov’s dive from the top with a kick to the gut. Another kick by Gargano was then immediately followed by a Poison Rana for a near-fall for the challenger. Gargano lifted Dragunov up to the top rope, but the U.S. Champion lit his chest up with chops, followed by an elevated headbutt. Dragunov leapt off the top rope with a senton, but that wasn’t enough to put Gargano away.

With Gargano dazed in the middle of the ring, Dragunov attempted the H-Bomb, but was countered with a boot to the face. Gargano, however, couldn’t escape Dragunov’s standing uranage. Another attempt at a Constantine Special was thwarted by Candice LeRae at ringside as the referee was distracted. This opened Dragunov up for a tornado DDT to the outside by Gargano, followed by One Final Beat. Dragunov somehow kicked out of that at two.

Gargano tried for a dive from the apron, but was stopped by a kick from Dragunov. The U.S. Champion lifted him up from the middle rope for a superplex, as one final H-Bomb put an end to this 19th U.S. Title defense in Dragunov’s favour.

Ilja Dragunov def. Johnny Gargano via pinfall to retain the United States Championship

Another fantastic U.S. Title match that felt somewhat short, especially compared to other Open Challenge matches we’ve had before. That said, Dragunov continues to be a highlight of these shows since his return and he certainly brought out the best in Gargano, who got a chance to dig into some of that NXT magic for this one.

**********

– As Nick Aldis was discussing something with a referee, Sami Zayn once again tried to ask to have Rey Fenix’s back against Talla Tonga later tonight. Aldis rejected Zayn’s request, as he was not medically cleared. Zayn warned that he wasn’t able to watch for longer as the M.F.T.s ran roughshod over everyone. Once Zayn left, R-Truth appeared and asked Aldis if he could be in the tournament for John Cena’s final opponent. In Truth’s words, he said he was putting “his balls” in Aldis’ hands. After the SmackDown GM told Truth he was already in the Cena tournament, Truth said that he didn’t want his balls in Aldis’ hands anyway.

– We got a recap of Jade Cargill’s Saturday Night’s Main Event victory over Tiffany Stratton, which made her the new WWE Women’s Champion.

– Backstage, a defeated Johnny Gargano talked about his loss to Tommasso Ciampa. The Fraxiom duo of Nathan Frazer & Axiom showed up to rub a little salt in the wounds, particularly towards Ciampa for being rejected two weeks in a row by Dragunov.

Jade Cargill celebrates her WWE Women’s Title win

Once Cargill got into the ring, she made it short and sweet. What happened to Tiffany Stratton would happen to anyone else in the SmackDown’s women’s locker room. That’s because Cargill was “that bitch”.

As Cargill left and made her way to the ramp, she was interrupted by Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, who were entering for our next match. Cargill took time to taunt Flair briefly, which got enough of Flair’s attention that she tried to confront Cargill. Bliss got her tag partner to focus herself on her upcoming match against Nia Jax before anything physical could happen, however.

Pretty much just a short promo from Cargill that didn’t really need to go on for long, which does neatly help get around any sort of perceived limitations promo-wise from Cargill.

**********

– Backstage, Chelsea Green was getting herself hyped up for her Women’s U.S. Championship match against Giulia later tonight. That’s when Michin & B-Fab showed up to talk trash to her. As Green was boasting about being the greatest women’s champion on SmackDown, Jade Cargill appeared behind her. Green backed off and took her leave. B-Fab had a confrontation with the new WWE Women’s Champion afterwards, which led to a match between the two to be set for next week.

Nia Jax vs. Charlotte Flair (w/ Alexa Bliss)

The match got underway as Flair and Jax locked up in the middle of the ring. Jax used her strength to push Flair aside, as she then weathered a shoulder tackle from her foe. Jax facewashed Flair with a hand, but got taken down with a Lou Thesz Press. Jax shrugged that off and pushed Flair into the corner. Flair answered with a dropkick, followed by a headscissors takedown as she played to the crowd afterwards.

Back in the corner, Flair chopped at Jax, but got thrown into the corner, which led to her getting crushed and an ad break halfway through this one.

We returned from commercial as Flair attempted to fight back with a boot from the apron. She then went up to for the diving crossbody that landed on Jax. Flair fired away with chops to the chest of Jax, then the running clothesline to ground her gargantuan foe. Flair headed to the top rope and connected with the moonsault. One, two… no! Flair attempted to lock in the Figure-Eight, but Jax responded with a sitdown powerbomb that wasn’t enough to put this one away.

Jax dragged Flair near the corner as she looked for the Annihilator. Flair escaped, but found herself on Jax’s shoulders for a move of some kind. That, however, was countered as Jax fell victim to a diving elbow from the apron. Jax’s attempt at a Samoan Drop was countered into a Tornado DDT for the near-fall. Outside the ring, Lash Legend attacked Alexa Bliss and put her in a sleeper hold. This caused enough of a distraction as Jax won this with the Annhilator.

Post-match, it was clear that Legend was now aligned with Jax.

Nia Jax def. Charlotte Flair via pinfall

The match was not my cup of tea, but the partnership between Lash Legend & Nia Jax is at least somewhat interesting to partially freshen up SmackDown’s women’s division. Hopefully something’s cooking on that front.

**********

– A video package for the tournament to decide John Cena’s final opponent at the December 13th Saturday Night’s Main Event aired, narrated by the man himself. Afterwards, a video from Nick Aldis revealed the two matches that have been drawn so far: The Miz vs. Jey Uso and LA Knight vs. a surprise opponent.

– Backstage, Nia Jax and Lash Legend were interviewed about their new partnership. Jax called Lash her friend, something that she knew from their encounters on NXT. Lash said that this was only the beginning.

Women’s United States Championship: Giulia (c) (w/ Kiana James) vs. Chelsea Green (w/ Alba Fyre)

Green’s AAA Mixed Tag Team Champion partner, Ethan Page, was in the crowd and congratulated her as she made her way to the ringside area.

Green started off with a hard slap to Giulia’s face. She got a headbutt for her troubles, followed by a vertical suplex. Giulia caught Green with a knee to the face, but that wasn’t enough for the victory. Green got Biel thrown into the corner by Giulia, as she then found herself trapped across the ropes, and a knee to the face.

Kiana James got involved with a slap to the face to the stunned Green, which got her a superkick to the face by Alba Fyre. In the midst of this chaos, Green snuck in a roll-up pin with feet on the ropes to pick up the win and the Women’s U.S. Championship.

Chelsea Green def. Giulia via pinfall to win the Women’s United States Championship

This was not good, sorry to say. While I’m glad Chelsea got the win, and the result was certainly shocking, this certainly needed a bit more time to cook, and I’m not sure if people will be up for Giulia losing her title in only her third defense in the manner that she did here. It does highlight that there are underlying problems with how weak SmackDown’s women’s division is even with the new champions we’ve got, something that needs to be fixed.

**********

– The M.F.T.s plotted backstage ahead of Talla Tonga’s match with Rey Fenix. Solo Sikoa wanted to see Talla crush Fenix in their match. As the M.F.T.s left, we saw the Wyatt Sicks emerge from the shadows, as they kept a watchful eye on Sikoa’s group.

– As Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss were recovering from their tough night, Asuka — disguised as a doctor — spat her blue mist in both their faces before she and Kairi Sane made their escape.

Talla Tonga (w/ The M.F.T.s) vs. Rey Fenix

The Motor City Machine Guns & Shinsuke Nakamura snuck up behind the M.F.T.s and attacked them, which evened the odds for Fenix.

Once the match started, Fenix hit a feint between the ropes as he went after Talla’s legs with kicks to the back of his legs. Talla fought back by throwing Fenix down with a standing flapjack. With Fenix on the apron, Talla kicked him down, which sent Fenix crashing into the apron. Outside the ring, Talla threw Fenix into the barricade as we got a break in the action.

We returned from commercial as Fenix’s attempt at a springboard was met by Talla easily pushing him aside, to the amusement of Solo Sikoa at ringside. Talla clotheslined Fenix and began to pummel him in the corner with hard elbow strikes. Fenix created some separatation by avoiding a running attack from Talla, which allowed him to hit a feint kick to the big man’s face.

Fenix’s attempt at a sunset flip was stopped by Talla, who nailed his foe with a huge uppercut. As Fenix recovered on the apron, he avoided the big boot from Talla. He hit the Goodbye, Amigo kick on a stunned Tallaw as he then took off from the top rope with a crossbody for the near-fall. Fenix blasted Talla with a superkick to his kneeling foe. He tried to go for a dive, but Talla caught him for a chokeslam for the victory.

After the match, Sikoa tried to get Talla to chokeslam Fenix again, but Sami Zayn ran down with a chair in hand. Sikoa and Talla backed off.

Talla Tonga def. Rey Fenix

I honestly did not enjoy this match, but that might be largely due to me not really vibing this whole rebooted M.F.T.s. storyline, but I did somewhat appreciate the David vs. Goliath story that was attempted here. Other than that, not really much to write home about.

Next Week on SmackDown

  • Jade Cargill vs. B-Fab
  • Last Time is Now Tournament Rd. 1: The Miz vs. Jey Uso
  • Last Time is Now Tournament Rd. 1: LA Knight vs. ???

– The Miz was interviewed about his match with Jey Uso last week, as well as what he did to Carmelo Hayes last week. In Miz’s eyes, that was a reminder of what he was capable of. He said that he made Hayes relevant and that once he beats Jey Uso next week, he will be the one to end John Cena’s career.

Cody Rhodes vs. Aleister Black (w/ Zelina)

The two sized one another up and got into a chain wrestling battle to start off, with neither Black nor Rhodes having the upper hand early on. Shortly after, Rhodes lifted Black up for a standing suplex throw. He attempted his signature dropdown uppercut, but Black caught him with an armbar. Rhodes went for the Disaster Kick, but was met by a kick from Black instead, which took us to the final break of the evening.

SmackDown’s main event returned as Rhodes avoided a kick from Black and attempted the roll-up pin. Black responded with a boot to the face and another quick cover. In the corner, Black attacked Rhodes with chops and a kick to the chest, as he then hit him with the knee in the gut. Rhodes fought back with a running clothesline, followed by a successful Disaster Kick and the near-fall. Rhodes sized up Black for the Cross Rhodes, but Black countered and hit a fierce kick to the face for the two-count.

Black attempted a back suplex, but had that countered by Rhodes, who answered right back with the Cody Cutter for yet another near-fall. As Black got himself up, Rhodes tried for the Dusty-style strikes, but was met with a knee and a jackknife suplex from his foe. Black went for the Black Mass, but tried for the Cross Rhodes. That attempt was reversed as the two traded kicks that took each other out. Just as Black and Rhodes were recovering, Drew McIntyre appeared and hit the referee with a Claymore Kick.

Things descended into chaos as Black and McIntyre tried attack Rhodes with a two-on-one assault. Damian Priest ran down as a brawl broke out between everyone. Nick Aldis appeared after all this and announced that McIntyre was suspended indefinitely. The Levesque & Fitting producer credits appeared as McIntyre shouted repeatedly at Aldis that, quote, “his back was against the wall”.

Cody Rhodes vs. Aleister Black went to a No Contest

**********

It was an alright main event, and I suspect McIntyre’s “suspension” is to cover for him filming the Highlander reboot. That said, it does leave a hole in SmackDown’s world title scene, especially as it relates to who could Cody Rhodes face next while McIntyre is off TV.

The show itself, however, was not something I enjoyed watching. If 2025 has shown us anything, it’s just how much the bloom is off the rose with regards to Triple H’s booking post-Vince. SmackDown as a weekly show is a prime example of that. I enjoy the U.S. Title Open Challenges, yes, but everything else is either just there or not at all entertaining, sorry to say.

WWE Raw live results: New World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk appears

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: November 3, 2025
Location: Rio Ranch Event Center in Rio Ranch, NM 

The Big Takeaway —

The Vision are clearly coming for CM Punk, but it appears his first title defence as World Champion will be against Logan Paul. Paul laid out Punk with brass knuckles following the main event. 

The tournament to determine John Cena’s final opponent begins next week in Boston. The first two matches will see Rusev against Damian Priest, and Shinsuke Nakamura against Sheamus. Two more matches will be announced on SmackDown. Announcing matches in parts will allow them to keep some names a mystery for now, but tonight’s announcement wasn’t the most exciting start.

Also, Rey Mysterio returned to confront Dominik Mysterio, and next week’s Raw will also feature two title matches. 

**********

Show Recap — 

New Mexico hosts Raw for the first time tonight, according to Joe Tessitore. 

CM Punk kicks off Raw

There was a recap of CM Punk beating Jey Uso to win the world title (including reaction shots of fans live-watching the event at home). 

Punk entered the arena with the World Heavyweight Championship belt on his shoulder, and the camera followed as he made his way through the stage. Punk posed with fans as he walked down the long aisleway toward the ring, where he soaked in the crowd reaction. 

Punk started with: “Is it great to be champ on a Monday night in the great state of New Mexico or what?!” Punk felt good to be there as champ, and he had a long list of people to thank for helping him get there. Fans chanted, “You deserve it.” 

The first person he wanted to thank was his smart, funny, intelligent, tough, and mean when she wants to be wife, AJ Lee. She stuck with him through the bad times so they could stand together, chests puffed out, in the good times. 

Second, he wanted to thank the fans. Some called them the WWE Universe, but to him, they were CM Punk fans. He doesn’t get there without them, and they should give themselves a hand. They chanted for Punk. 

The third person he wanted to thank was Jey Uso. Punk thanked him for the hard fight and said Jey was truly ‘main event.’ He wanted to remain friends, but he wouldn’t cry about it if they couldn’t be. When he returned, he said he didn’t come back to make friends, he came back to make money and be champion—and now he was. 

Punk didn’t know how much time he had left, and SummerSlam taught him he had to hold on to the strap as tight as he could. The good news was that there was no snake in the grass like Seth Rollins with MITB waiting to cash in. Punk then paused his promo to swing the belt around over his head to mock Rollins’ usual celebration. Punk warned Rollins he would put him back on the couch if he came after him. 

Punk knew the crown meant there was a target on his back. The locker room was filled with badass talent. He had to be the best in the world to keep the title. He knew Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed were coming for his gold. 

Punk wanted to be a fighting champion, and there were a lot of people he wanted to punch in the face, The Vision included. He wanted to test himself against the best in the business, including guys like AJ Styles. Unlike Styles, Dominik Mysterio didn’t deserve a shot, but Punk would still love to punch him in the face. 

Punk put over JD McDonagh (who he called an exceptional pro wrestler) and Finn Bálor, and said he’d love to have a banger with Sheamus. He also would love to face John Cena one more time. Punk ended with, “The champ is here.” 

Logan Paul interrupted. Punk interrupted his entrance because he didn’t want to hear from Paul. Punk suggested he go back to SmackDown and answer Ilja Dragunov’s open challenge. 

Paul said he was a Ferrari, while Punk was a used Honda Civic with 250,000 miles on it. Paul has already faced the best, and beat Styles at WrestleMania. 

Paul Heyman and the Vision interrupted. Heyman called Logan a bitch who should go to the back of the line, because the front of the line belonged to Reed and Breakker. Heyman warned the men in the ring and told them to leave, but they didn’t budge. Logan said he got to the ring first and should get the title shot. 

Breakker said Heyman bought everyone two weeks to live (by keeping them out of the battle royal). They had to sit in the back for two weeks after they dropped Rollins in the dirt. Breakker said Punk’s had his moment, but he wasn’t waiting anymore. Breakker warned them to get out of his ring before he whipped them like a dog. 

Punk knew a fight was coming, so he told Paul to fight with him or get out of the ring. Paul was about to leave, but Breakker shoved him on his ass. 

The Brons swarmed Punk and beat him down. Paul decided to help, but they beat him up too, and Reed laid him out with a Tsunami. That allowed Punk enough time to recover, so he attacked the Brons with a chair, and they bailed.

(The show was 26 minutes old by the time this ended.) 

******** 

Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer & Nikki Bella vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez 

Judgment Day got the heat over Bella using a distraction during a break. Perez crunched Bella with a springboard moonsault, but Bella fought off Rodriguez moments later and hit a tornado DDT before making a hot tag to Vaquer. 

Vaquer ran wild on Rodriguez, but couldn’t hit SVB because Rodriguez was too big. Vaquer hit a flying crossbody instead for two. Vaquer gave Perez the Devil’s Kiss to the delight of the crowd. Bella tagged in and hit Perez with “Rack Attack 2.0,” but Rodriguez broke up the cover (barely). 

Vaquer sent Rodriguez over the top and tried Devil’s Kiss on the apron, but Rodriguez blocked it and slammed her face-first on the apron. 

Bella tried a cradle, but Perez shoved her into the ropes. Rodriguez gave her a cheap shot (with the referee’s back turned), and Perez followed with Pop Rox for the pinfall win. 

That’s two straight pinfall wins over Nikki Bella for Roxanne Perez. 

Match result: Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez defeated Nikki Bella & Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer (12:47)

******** 

They aired John Cena’s announcement regarding the tournament to determine his final opponent. Adam Pearce was backstage with a tumbler of balls, drawing names for the tournament. That’s one way to determine the final opponent for one of the company’s all-time greats. 

Jey Uso approached Punk backstage. Punk wondered if he was talking to Jey Uso or little Roman. Jey said he was talking to Main Event Jey Uso. Jey warned Punk they wouldn’t stop coming after him as long as he was champion and offered to help him against The Vision tonight. Punk gladly accepted. 

(It seems like Jey is getting his usual babyface reaction so far. If anyone is booing, it’s hard to hear because people are also Yeeting.) 

******** 

Penta vs. El Grande Americano (w/ Bravo & Rayo Americano)

Penta went for a Canadian Destroyer on the apron, but El Grande blocked it and dropkicked him off the apron. El Grande tied Penta’s mask to the bottom rope during a break, which always seems to happen to Penta (and always during the break). 

Penta made his comeback as soon as they returned from break, but El Grande cut him off with a Finlay Roll. Penta came back with kicks, a tornado DDT, and a big flip dive. (The crowd chanted, “Holy sh-t” at the big dive.) 

Bravo tried to interfere, so the referee tossed him from ringside. As she argued with Bravo, Rayo gave El Grande the metal plate to put in his mask. Penta avoided the loaded headbutt and went to the top. Rayo tried to interfere, so the ref tossed him too. 

Penta decided to give Rayo a dive before he could leave. El Grande went for a running headbutt, but Penta superkicked him. (It was a silly but amusing visual because of how far away Penta was from actually getting headbutted.) 

Penta followed with a Canadian Destroyer for the pinfall win. 

— Rayo and Bravo tried to attack Penta, but he escaped. 

Match result: Penta defeated El Grande Americano (10:26) 

********

There was a pre-taped interview by Asuka and Kairi Sane. They issued a warning to Bayey and Lyra Valkyria. Asuka said her kindness would not last forever, and they were coming for the tag titles. 

Rusev had an interview during a break. He complained about losing to Dom and Penta before stating he wanted to win the tournament and face John Cena. 

********

Dominik Mysterio segment, Rey Mysterio returns 

Dom called himself the king of the luchadors. He proved he was the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time and the greatest AAA Mega Champion of all time. 

Rey Mysterio interrupted to a big reaction and “Holy sh-t,” chants. The announcers discussed rumours that Rey had been cleared. Rey said Dom crossed the line when he called himself king of the luchadors. (Some fans chanted, “Dirty Dom,” so others booed the chant because Rey was standing right there.)  

Rey mentioned all-time greats El Santo, Blue Demon, and Eddie Guerrero. Dom responded, “You keep my father’s name out of your mouth,” which also got a huge pop. Dom said he was better than all of those men, including Guerrero. Dom said he was also better than Rey. 

Rey said Dom could disrespect him if he wanted to, but he wouldn’t let Dom disrespect lucha libre. The crowd chanted, “Whoop his ass.” 

Dom said he made the Mysterio name relevant. Dom has already surpassed everything Rey has ever done and threatened to kick his ass unless he got out of the ring. 

Rey agreed to leave the ring but wanted Dom to understand three things: As long as Rey was around, Dom would never be king of the luchadors; this would never be Dom’s ring; and Dom would never be the greatest Mysterio. 

Dom tried a cheap shot, but Rey saw it coming and hit him with a 619. Rey went up for a splash, but Dom bailed. 

This was a fun segment, and the crowd was hot for it. 

********

Bayley and Valkyria met backstage. They weren’t exactly on the same page, but Bayley convinced Valkyria that everything was good between them. They did their special handshake, but Valkyria didn’t know what to make of this. 

Becky Lynch segment 

As the announcers were talking, Becky Lynch suddenly appeared, and she climbed on the announce table. She said she has been going through a lot. Her hot husband was laid up at home. The Vision ruined everything. A crooked referee seems hellbent on holding her down, and Pearce sent her (Lynch) home to cool down—even though she was the definition of cool. 

Lynch told the crowd that the only thing cool to come out of New Mexico was a TV show about how much meth they did. Maxxine Dupri wasn’t cool either. Dupri was lucky to survive a match against her, but now she wouldn’t shut up about it because the idiot fans made her feel like she belonged. (I think a young fan yelled, “We’re not idiots!”) 

Lynch called herself the greatest of all time. A match against her was not a test Dupri could cram for. Dupri would make one wrong move in their next match, and it would be her last. 

As Lynch marched to the back, she came face-to-face with Asuka as she entered with Sane for their match. 

******** 

Asuka & Kairi Sane vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria

Asuka and Sane had the heat on Valkyria until she gave Sane a gut-wrench powerbomb. Bayley tagged in and ran wild on Asuka, hitting a diving elbow drop to the back of her neck for two. Sane cut off Bayley after making a blind tag, but Bayley responded with a Bayley-to-belly for two. 

Bayley gave Sane a sunset flip powerbomb into the turnbuckle, and Valkyria followed with a diving leg drop for a nearfall. (Sane barely kicked out before three.) Sane gave Valkyria a double footstomp (as Valkyria held herself up using the ropes), but Bayley broke up the cover. 

Valkyria and Bayley hit Sane with a backbreaker/elbow drop combo, but Asuka broke up the cover. Bayley broke up a double-team attempt by Asuka and Sane, so Asuka shoved Valkyria into Bayley, knocking her off the apron. 

Valkyria tried a move off the ropes, but Asuka caught her in the Asuka Lock, and Valkyria tapped out. 

— Asuka and Sane cornered Valkyria after the match, but Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair ran out (to Bliss’ music) to chase them away. Asuka and Sane were all smiles as Bliss and Charlotte posed with their title belts. 

Match result: Asuka & Kairi Sane defeated Lyra Valkyria & Bayley (13:28) 

********

Perez and Rodriguez entered the Judgment Day locker room with some good news: Rodriguez was getting a world title shot against Vaquer. Bálor and McDonagh were happy to hear it. 

Dom barged in, upset about what happened with Rey earlier. Dom wondered why they didn’t help him. Bálor said they weren’t invited to his little celebration. Bálor told Dom that he and McDonagh were about to win back the tag titles. After they left, Perez talked Dom into being at ringside for their match. 

World Tag Team Championship match: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee (c) vs. Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh

Judgment Day got the heat right away by attacking the champs as soon as the bell rang. Dragon Lee gave Bálor a sit-out powerbomb and tagged in Styles, who laid out both guys with a slingshot dive. 

A double-down spot led to Dom sauntering out during a break, holding a shillelagh. Styles gave McDonagh a Pelé kick as they returned from break. Dragon Lee tagged in and went on offence until Bálor cut him off with a slingblade and running dropkick. Dragon avoided the Coup de Grace and applied a cradle for two. 

Styles took a swipe at Dom, so Dom jumped on the apron to distract the referee. McDonagh held down Styles while Bálor went for a Coup de Grace, but Styles moved and Bálor hit McDonagh with the stomp by mistake. Styles hit McDonagh with a Phenomenal forearm, but Bálor broke up the cover. 

Bálor told Dom to hit Styles with the IC title belt. Dom was about to do it, but the referee saw him. Sheamus showed up and attacked Dom. The ref was distracted again, this time arguing with Sheamus, so Bálor hit Styles with the shillelagh. McDonagh crawled into a cover, but Dragon Lee broke it up. 

Dragon Lee wiped out Bálor with a dive, and Styles gave McDonagh a Styles Clash for the pinfall win. 

Match result: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defeated JD McDonagh & Finn Bálor to retain the World Tag Team Championships (10:30) 

*********

Bella apologized to Vaquer for tonight’s loss, and as a result, Vaquer having to defend her title against Rodriguez. Vaquer told her not to worry about it. Bella was doubting herself because she wasn’t sure she could hang with the rest of them anymore. Vaquer told Bella to be herself because she was one of the greats who paved the way for this division. That meant a lot to Bella, who wished her luck next week. 

********

Heyman met with Jey in his locker room. Heyman wondered why Jey would team with Punk, who prevented him from becoming champion. Jey appreciated that Punk faced him man-to-man with no tricks. Heyman was about to mention Roman Reigns, but Jey said he didn’t care what Reigns, Jimmy Uso, or anyone else thought about him. 

Heyman warned him that the leash was off with the Brons after he asked them to stay out of it two weeks ago. The Vision would go after anyone who didn’t conform. However, that didn’t apply to Jey because Jey had a vision of his own. Heyman wished him luck. 

********

John Cena tournament bracket announcement (part one) 

Pearce announced the first two matches in the first round of The Last is Now tournament to determine John Cena’s final opponent (chosen by “random” draw): 

  • Rusev vs. Damian Priest 
  • Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus 

Both matches will happen on Raw next week, and Cena will be in attendance. Nick Aldis will announce two more matches on SmackDown. 

Also on Raw next week: 

  • Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s World Championship 
  • Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane for the Women’s Tag Team Championships 

******** 

World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed (w/ Paul Heyman)

During a break, Punk hit a clothesline off the ropes, but Breakker went down awkwardly. Breakker likely missed the planned spot because Punk shook his head when Bron went down. Punk said something to the ref, and they went back to the spot. Bron countered Punk’s Irish whip, so Punk booted Bron. As the ref checked on Bron, Reed decked Punk to get the heat. 

The Brons worked over Punk as fans chanted for Jey Uso. The Brons gave Punk a Shatter Machine, but Jey broke up the cover. Jey (who was over as a babyface) got the hot tag and he hit Reed with strikes, enziguris, a running hip attack and a spear, but Breakker broke up the cover. Punk wiped out Breakker with a dive, and Jey hit Reed with a suicide dive. 

The four men awkwardly brawled outside the ring as the referee counted to ten for a double count-out. The crowd booed. 

— The babyfaces were getting the better of the brawl until Breakker speared Jey. Reed knocked down Punk, and Breakker sent him over the barricade. Reed held up Jey in the ring so Breakker could hit another spear, and Reed followed with a Tsunami. 

Punk chased the Brons from the ring with a chair, but the Brons grabbed chairs of their own. 

Punk stood tall against the Brons as Logan Paul ran out to seemingly even the odds with brass knuckles in hand, but he turned around and knocked out Punk. Heyman held back the Brons from going after Paul, who handed the knux to Heyman as the crowd chanted, “F—k you, Logan.” 

Match result: World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed ended in a double count-out (10:17)

I think this match is an example of why the company isn’t quite ready to put a world title on Bron Breakker. I don’t agree with it necessarily, but the missed spot with Punk and a few other awkward moments during the match and post-match are hard to ignore. More experience (house shows) would’ve helped him work that out by now, so we’ll have to wait a little longer, as Logan Paul is up next for Punk. 

Paul was an early title challenger for both Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes during their reigns, so he’ll slide in again and be an easy (and obvious) first successful title defence for Punk whenever it happens.

WWE SmackDown live results: Saturday Night’s Main event contract signing

Posted on by Marc Quill

The final WWE SmackDown before Saturday Night’s Main Event will see WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre interact one final time before their title bout.

Last week, McIntyre defeated Jimmy Uso in a no DQ match and then got the upper hand on Rhodes after a post-match altercation. The champion and challenger will have a contract signing tonight as the Scotsman hopes to gain one last bit of momentum ahead of taking on Rhodes.

Jade Cargill will address her actions from last week when she attacked WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton after fending off Giulia and Kiana James. Cargill is challenging Stratton for the title tomorrow night.

Alexa Bliss will face Nia Jax after she took exception to Jax’s insinuation that she’d be disloyal to her WWE Women’s Tag Champion partner Charlotte Flair.

After Pretty Deadly’s Kit Wilson accused Carmelo Hayes of giving off “toxic masculinity” backstage, Hayes and Wilson will go one-on-one.

Plus, Ilja Dragunov issues a United States Championship open challenge.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

– Following the WWE signature, we went to shots of Salt Lake City, as well as shots of Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, as well as Jade Cargill (dressed as the Punisher).

– We went to a recap of Jade Cargill’s attack on WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton from last week. Michael Cole and Corey Graves then welcomed us to tonight’s show before Stratton interrupted.

Tiffany Stratton opens SmackDown

Stratton demanded that Jade Cargill come out to fight her now until SmackDown GM Nick Aldis asked that she back down as there was to be no physical contact before tomorrow night.

Cargill appeared as GM Aldis had security come out to prevent physicality. She said that she tasted her own blood last week and it only made her hungry to become the WWE Women’s Champion. Cargill vowed to end “Tappy Time” tomorrow night as Stratton tried to come at her. Security got in the way and prevented any physicality to happen.

Kind of a nothing segment and didn’t really do anything to build towards the Cargill/Stratton title match for tomorrow.

**********

– After receiving Halloween candy from R-Truth dressed as Santa Claus, the Motor City Machine Guns were confronted by Solo Sikoa. This led to a match between the MCMGs and the MFTs made for later tonight.

U.S. Title Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Nathan Frazer

As Fraxiom was entering for the Open Challenge, Tommasso Ciampa stormed past the two and was upset about not getting picked. Dragunov interrupted and told Ciampa that Frazer would get the opportunity as he got him to leave.

Once the match started, Dragunov struck Frazer in the corner but found himself floored by an enzuigiri. Frazer followed that up with a suicide dive on Dragunov. Back in the ring, Frazer used his agility to briefly stymy the U.S. Champion, but a Dragunov chop put a stop to that. We went to commercial after Frazer went face-first onto the commentary table.

We returned from the break with Dragunov connecting with the repeated German suplexes on Frazer. He managed two before Frazer landed on his feet on the third. Frazer leapt off the middle rope with an amazing reverse DDT followed by a shooting star for the near-fall.

Frazer’s kick was blocked by Dragunov, who dropped him with a standing uranage. That wasn’t enough to end this Open Challenge. Dragunov tried to jump at Frazer, but found himself flying over the top rope. A missed senton by Dragunov allowed for Frazer to land a frog splash, but that only got a near-fall as we took a second break in the action.

Action resumed with Dragunov attempting a powerbomb, but Frazer managed to stun him with a kick. On the top rope, Frazer had Dragunov set up for a Frankensteiner. After a struggle, Frazer nailed it as he had Dragunov on the backfoot with a dropkick outside the ring. He then took off from the top with a Phoenix Splash. One, two…. Dragunov barely kicked out!

After he battered Dragunov with punches, Frazer tried to go to the top rope again. The U.S. Champion chopped at Frazer’s knee, which let him connect with a middle rope suplex. Frazer miraculously kicked out at two after that high-risk move. This war of attrition ended with Dragunov finishing Frazer off with a powerbomb, followed by the H-Bomb for the three.

Post-match, after Dragunov showed respect for Frazer’s effort, Tommasso Ciampa attacked the defeated challenger outside the ring. Axiom and Johnny Gargano made their way down to the ring as a brawl erupted between the teams.

Ilja Dragunov def. Nathan Frazer via pinfall to retain the United States Championship

A fantastic Open Challenge match as Frazer got his time to shine and looked incredibly strong in defeat.

*********

– Backstage, as Fraxiom and #DIY were brawling, Dragunov was confronted by Tama Tonga, who did his signature “yeah yeah yeah” taunt while he had the U.S. Title in hand.

Kit Wilson vs. Carmelo Hayes

Wilson got the advantage early with a flying elbow to Hayes, as he pulled at his head and then stomped on the back of the head. Wilson hit a swingng DDT.

Hayes fought back with a chop followed by a hurricanrana. Wilson retreated from the ring, but got dropped by a vaulting press from Hayes. Outside the ring, The Miz threw Hayes into the ringpost with the ref distracted. This allowed Wilson a temporary advantage, but Hayes won out with the First 48.

Post-match, The Miz snuck up on Hayes and delivered a Skull-Crushing Finale.

Carmelo Hayes def. Kit Wilson via pinfall

Nothing really to write home about in terms of a match, and this Miz/Hayes feud is alright, I suppose.

**********

– Sami Zayn asked to have the Motor City Machine Guns’ back, but Nick Aldis told him to stand down. Cody Rhodes showed up and had some friendly words with Zayn before Mr. Aldis asked Rhodes bluntly if he had something to do with the attack on Jacob Fatu two weeks ago. Rhodes denied it, and was then asked by Aldis if he read the contract for the Saturday Night’s Main Event match.

Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss

Jax took a cheap shot at Bliss while she was conversing with Flair to start off the match. Jax crushed Bliss in the corner as she held the upper hand to start off here. Jax missed on an elbow, which gave Bliss an openingS

Bliss got caught and thrown into the ringpost by Jax. A missed running hip charge across the apron caused Jax to crash into the ringpost. However, outside the ring, Jax took control once again by tossing Bliss into the barricade. This took us into commercial.

The match continued from the break as Bliss dodged a running hip strike in the corner. Bliss chopped away at Jax’s leg and kept her grounded with a kick to the head. Jax ran into the steel post again, which stunned her. Bliss headed up to the top rope, but was caught for the Samoan Drop by Jax for the near-fall.

Bliss was dragged into the corner as she was in the drop zone for the Annihilator, but Charlotte Flair got on the apron and created a distraction, this let Bliss drop Jax with a kick and pick up the win.

Alexa Bliss def. Nia Jax via pinfall

Just a standard underdog vs. giant match as Bliss got the win with the help of her tag partner.

**********

– Rey Fenix challenged Solo Sikoa to a match. Instead, Sikoa offered Talla Tonga to face him next week instead. Fenix slapped Talla in the face afterwards.

– The WrestleMania 42 teaser was shown.

– Damian Priest said that Aleister Black will feel his punishment soon enough.

Saturday Night’s Main Event Card:

  • Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
  • Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta vs. Rusev
  • World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk vs. Jey Uso
  • WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill

The M.F.T.s (JC Mateo & Tama Tonga) (w/ Talla Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Solo Sikoa) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley)

The Machine Guns had the upper hand early with a double team assault that kept Mateo and Tama on their toes heading into the commercial break.

We returned from the break as Tama held Shelley in a resthold as the MFTs held the advantage now. Shelley escaped with a Flatliner to the middle turnbuckle to Mateo, which allowed him to tag Sabin in.

Sabin was a force as he held his own against Mateo and Tonga. Shelley had the clear for the suicide dive. A Solo Sikoa distraction allowed Tanga Loa to dump Shelley from the top rope, followed by the not-so-hidden blade of Tama Tonga’s Cutthroat for the MFT victory.

Sikoa had the MFTs attack the Machine Guns after the match, as Rey Fenix and Shinsuke Nakamura tried to make the save, but fell victim to the MFTs’ numbers game.

The MFTs def. Motor City Machine Guns via pinfall

Standard tag match followed by a standard beatdown by the “Bloodline with a new hat” afterwards. Not much home to write about.

*********

Next Week on SmackDown

  • Talla Tonga vs. Rey Fenix
  • Ilja Dragunov’s U.S. Title Open Challenge
  • Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax

Cody Rhodes/Drew McIntyre contract signing

Nick Aldis introduced Rhodes first to the ring. Once Rhodes entered, he took the microphone as he wished Salt Lake City a Happy Halloween. Aldis then introduced Rhodes’ Saturday Night’s Main Event opponent, Drew McIntyre. Once both men were in the ring, Mr. Aldis asked them to sign the contract.

McIntyre refused to do so, while Rhodes did so without question. The Scotsman said he would not sign such a “lopsided” contract as he complained that if he were to be disqualified or counted out, Rhodes would keep the title.

Aldis stated that he had enough of McIntyre’s whining as there were many others in the back that would gladly do it. As McIntyre walked out, Rhodes called him out and said that maybe McIntyre wants it where if he were to be counted out or disqualified, the title will change hands.

Despite Aldis’ protestations, he agreed the new terms. McIntyre again boasted about how he was the “real” American Dream as opposed to Rhodes. The Undisputed WWE Champion admitted that McIntyre may have created the blueprint that many followed. Rhodes said where he and McIntyre differ was when he was fed up with WWE, while Drew got fired. “Nice guys used to finish last, ‘til I showed up,” said Rhodes.

McIntyre again whined and riled up Rhodes by invoking his daughter’s name. In the chaos, Rhodes was again blasted by a Claymore from the Scotsman. McIntyre then powerbombed him through the table. McIntyre talked trash some more as the Levesque & Fitting producer credits ended the night.

*********

A fine enough contract segment to end a rathee weak SNME go-home show. McIntyre standing tall does not bode well for his chances of winning.

The rest of the show was just there, but seek out the Dragunov vs. Axiom Open Challenge match. That was my highlight of the night.

WWE SmackDown live results: Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre conflict continues

Posted on by Marc Quill

After last week’s impromptu match, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre will both be in the building for tonight’s SmackDown from Tempe, Arizona.

McIntyre won last week’s title match by DQ after he hit Rhodes with the title belt. With their rematch at November 1’s Saturday Night’s Main Event now official, both men will advance their storyline tonight.

In a non-title match, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton will look to return to her winning ways when she takes on Kiana James. The business associate to Women’s U.S. Champion Giulia found herself in this match after having some choice words for Stratton last Friday.

Ilja Dragunov became the new United States Champion last week by defeating Sami Zayn in an open challenge. Dragunov has vowed to continue the open challenge series and make his first title defense tonight.

A grudge match between Fraxiom and DIY was originally made for tonight but isn’t listed on the official WWE.com preview for the show. We’ll see if that bout is still on.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

– Over a live shot of the Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ, we were taken to a recap of last week’s chaos with Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre and an injured Jacob Fatu.

– After the recap, Rhodes was shown arriving backstage as Jimmy Uso welcomed him. Jimmy thanked Rhodes for sticking up for Fatu last week.

Cody Rhodes opens SmackDown

The Undisputed WWE Champion headed out to the ring to address the challenge of Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night’s Main Event next week.

”So, Tempe, Arizona, what do you wanna talk about?” asked Rhodes before he turned attention to what he did to McIntyre last week, something he described as being “uncharacteristic of him”.

Before Rhodes could continue, Drew McIntyre himself interrupted and remained incredulous that the crowd would cheer for Rhodes over him. McIntyre ranted about the crowd cheering for Rhodes no matter what he did, even with the title belt strike last week. McIntyre said that this had now become about him finishing the story, and he’d do it next week.

McIntyre again deflected blame for the Jacob Fatu attack, trying to insinuate Jimmy Uso as the culprit. Rhodes angrily interrupted and challlenged the Scotsman to a fight. As McIntyre and Rhodes got ready for a fight, Jimmy Uso leapt from the barricade and went on the attack. Security poured in to break up the skirmish but not before Uso got in a dive between the ropes on McIntyre.

With order being attempted to be restored, Solo Sikoa and The M.F.T.s made their way to the ring for our opening contest, which was coming up next.

A wild and chaotic opening buoyed by Jimmy Uso’s anger-filled attack on McIntyre, which will undoubtedly set up our main event for tonight.

**********

– Backstage, McIntyre yelled at Nick Aldis to do something, but Jimmy Uso again attacked as security stopped the chaos once more.

The MFTs (JC Mateo & Tama Tonga) (w/ Solo Sikoa & Rey Fenix)

Nakamura and Tama started off this match. Tama went on the attack against Nakamura with a series of strikes, but he found himself downed by a knee to the gut. Fenix and Mateo tagged in and had their turn of the action.

Fenix launched himself from the rope with an elevated armdrag as Nakamura entered the match with a tag. The two showed impressive teamwork in the corner at Mateo’s expense, which forced the M.F.T.s to retreat to ringside as we took a commercial break.

Our match returned as Tama stopped Fenix’s atrempts to reach his corner with a fierce lariat. Mateo re-entered the match and slammed Fenix with a bomb as the M.F.T.s continued the momentum. Fenix created some needed separation with an enzuigiri as Nakamura got the hot tag.

Nakamura atrempted to lift Mateo, but to no avail. Mateo answered with a twisting back suplex that kept Nakamura grounded. As Tama tagged in, Fenix made his presence known with a springboard on Tama. He followed that up with the Goodbye, Amigo tightrope kick. Things broke down further, which led to Fenix leaping onto Tama and Mateo on the outside.

As Fenix tried to go up top, Solo Sikoa created a distraction, as Talla Tonga chokeslammed Fenix onto the apron. This weakened Fenix for Tama’s Hidden Blade-style running elbow for the three and the win for the M.F.T.s

Match Result: The M.F.T.s def. Rey Fenix & Shinsuke Nakamura via pinfall

Not a bad first outing for the “Bloodline with a new hat”. A decent tag opener for sure.

**********

– Backstage, Jimmy Uso spoke with Nick Aldis and through all this, we learned that our main event tonight would be Jimmy taking on Drew McIntyre in a No Disqualification match.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James (w/ Giulia)

Stratton wrenched James’s arm to start us off, as the two got into a bit of a stalemate afterwards, owing to both women’s gymnastics backgrounds. Stratton connected with consecutive armdrags on James before she again went after the arm with a submission. James attempted to fight back with a forearm strike, but she found herself taken down by a dropkick. A running hip strike against a stunned James across the middle ropes sent her to the outside. Stratton continued the punishment with a right hand strike. Giulia provided a distraction by stepping up to Stratton, which allowed James to throw the WWE Women’s Champion into the barricade, as we took a break in the action.

We returned to our match as James flattened Stratton with a running big boot to the face, but couldn’t put her foe away. James punched at Stratton, who responded with a jawbreaker that took her and Giulia’s business manager down out. Both women struggled to get up as they then battered away at one another with strikes to one another. Stratton got the better of James and nailed the handspring elbow into the corner, followed by her signature Alabama Slam. Stratton connected with the Rolling Senton, but couldn’t capitalize with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever.

James responded with a Falcon Arrow but again only got a near-fall in the process. In the corner, James placed Stratton on the top rope, but couldn’t get the Superplex as she was shoved aside to the canvas. Stratton soared with a Swanton Bomb, as she followed that up with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the victory.

After the match, Stratton’s victory was cut short as Giulia attacked with the Arrivederci Knee. Before Giulia could dole out more damage, Jade Cargill ran in and sent Giulia scurrying with a pump kick. As Giulia and James backed off, Cargill offered a hand to Stratton, who accepted the help of her former foe. However, that seemed to be an all-too-fleeting moment as Cargill abruptly smashed Stratton with a clothesline. The embittered Cargill refused to let up with her attack on Stratton, throwing her around at ringside into the steel steps and ring post.

With Stratton unable to defend herself, Cargill stomped away on her behind the announce table as referees and officials led by Jamie Noble tried and failed to stop the assault. As Stratton’s leg was planted along one of the steel steps, Cargill stomped on it before she walked off.

Match Result: Tiffany Stratton def. Kiana James via pinfall

A good match, but the real story was Jade Cargill’s heel turn, which was much needed for her as she was feeling kind of stale as a face. Could be what’s needed to refresh SmackDown’s flagging women’s division.

**********

– Sami Zayn congratulated Ilja Dragunov on his U.S. Title victory last week, as he passed on the U.S. Championship Open Challenge onto the new champion. In Zayn’s mind, Dragunov was the right guy to carry on the legacy of these Open Challenges as he hyped up the champ.

– Jade Cargill was asked about her actions as she said that this world does not reward patience and she was ready to take what was hers: the WWE Women’s Championship.

U.S. Title Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Aleister Black (w/ Zelina Vega)

Before the match, Dragunov addressed the crowd, stating that he missed the fans after being out for so long. He thought he’d never see the light at the end of the tunnel, but he said that he’d never give up. Dragunov declared that he’d defend the title with all his obsession and proudly continue the U.S. Open Challenge. “Tonight, pain shall entertain you,” Dragunov said.

Black and Dragunov locked up to begin the match before the challenger attempted to take control with his fierce kicks. Black countered the Constantin Special with a kick before Zelina Vega threw Dragunov into the barricade with a hurricanrana. Black absolutely pasted Dragunov with a running kick to the face from the apron to send us to the break.

We returned from commercial with Black and Dragunov exchanging fierce blows, as the U.S. Champ connected with an enzuigiri. Dragunov followed that with a running strike to the corner on a stunned Black. Dragunov then threw Black around with repeated German suplexes followers by a unique rotating suplex for the near-fall.

As Dragunov headed to the top rope, Vega created a distraction, which allowed Black to stop Dragunov’s attack. From the top, a Black Meteora stunned Dragunov. Suplex attempt was turned into a rollup by Dragunov for the two. Black once again drove a knee to the back of Dragunov, but couldn’t get the three. Black failed to connect with some sort of springboard attack, as Dragunov struck with the Constantin Special and this match went to a second break in the action.

The match returned with Dragunov taking off from the top rope with a dropkick on a prone Black. He then flew from the top with a sentin for a two. Dragunov had Black targeted for the Torpedo Moscow, but was met with a knee to the face. One, two… not quite!

Black had Dragunov in his sights for the Black Mass, but he missed and fell victim to a Torpedo Moscow instead. Dragunov got up and attempted to finish this off with an H-Bomb, but Zelina Vega pulled at his leg. This earned Vega an ejection from the match. At that moment, Damian Priest marched down to the ring, with eyes on revenge on Black. Priest removed his sunglasses to reveal a burn mark as Black was distracted long enough for a Torpedo Moscow from Dragunov and the the three.

Post-match, an irate Priest attacked Black as he got two chairs and cleared away the commentary table as he looked to dish out some ultimate damage. Zelina Vega leapt onto Priest’s back and scratched at the burnt eye, which allowed Black to escape a most grisly fate.

Match Result: Ilja Dragunov def. Aleister Black via pinfall to retain the United States Championship

A fantastic Open Challenge match. I’m glad Dragunov is continuing it. However, I’m not too hot on the Aleister Black vs. Damian Priest feud continuing longer than it needs to.

**********

– Carmelo Hayes was interviewed about his attack on The Miz last week. Hayes said that everyone was expecting him to say he was happy to attack the Miz, but he wasn’t going to do that because revenge was a double-edged sword. Hayes noted that he was ready to get his career back on track with thanks to the support of the people and he owes it to get back to being “HIM”. Kit Wilson interrupted and trashed Hayes for being a proponent of “toxic masculinity”, and found himself set for a match against Hayes on next week’s SmackDown.

– Ilja Dragunov met with Fraxiom and said that the Open Challenge would continue. #DIY taunted Fraxiom, who called Gargano and Ciampa a scared duo. Tama Tonga then appeared and mocked Fraxiom as he did his signature “yeah yeah yeah” taunt.

– Nia Jax appeared to question Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss’s friendship, which led to a match between Bliss and Jax to be made for next week.

No Disqualification Match: Jimmy Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

Things got going right away as Uso and McIntyre brawled at ringside for a bit before the action spilled into the ring. McIntyre pummeled Uso in the corner with strikes, before he found himself lit up with chops to the chest. McIntyre struck Uso with a hard kick to the chest, as he then continued the punishment with a clubbing blow to the back. Uso fought back and clotheslined McIntyre to the outside. He then followed this up with an attempted suicide dive that was met with a forearm from the surly Scotsman.

At ringside, Uso slammed McIntyre’s face across the steel steps, which sent McIntyre retreating into the crowd. Uso followed suit and the fight continued into the stands. McIntyre attempted a DDT onto the floor, but got countered into a suplex by Uso. McIntyre was thrown back over the barricade into the ringside area afterwards. Uso obliged the crowd’s demand for tables by pulling one out from underneath the ring, which was suitable enough for our final commercial break of the evening.

We returned to SmackDown’s main ewvent with McIntyre lifting Uso onto his shoulders, but instead getting blasted with a kick to the head. Outside the ring, Uso tightrope walked across the barricade in the hopes of nailing a splash, but he got caught by McIntyre, who threw him for a belly to belly suplex onto the floor.

McIntyre grabbed a steel chair from the timekeepers area and immediately struck Uso in the ribs before whacking his foe across the back with it. McIntyre unfolded the chair and smashed Uso’s face on the seated portion. He set Uso up for a Claymore, but a drop toehold instead sent the Scotsman face first onto the chair. Uso fired himself up and hit a Whisper in the Wind onto McIntyre for the two-count.

Uso grabbed the chair and went to town on the fallen McIntyre with repeated strikes before he set up the Slim Jim-branded table. As Uso tried to grab at McIntyre, he was caught by surprise with a Future Shock DDT for yet another near-fall. McIntyre tried to go for another Claymore, but he was intercepted with a Samoan Drop onto the table that broke it on impact. Uso tried to go up top for an Uso Splash, but McIntyre threw a chair in his face to counter it. This allowed McIntyre to finish things off with a Claymore Kick for the pin and win in our main event.

After the match, McIntyre placed Uso’s neck across a chair and pressed on it, which led to officials running down in the hopes of breaking it up. Just then, Cody Rhodes ran down and mixed it up with McIntyre, as he thrw him over the timekeeper’s area. McIntyre recovered and took out Rhodes with a Claymore as the Levesque & Fitting producer credits signalled the end of the show.

Match Result: Drew McIntyre defeated Jimmy Uso via pinfall

**********

Standard SmackDown main event followed by standard post-match shenanigans to top of a moderately good show. This Rhodes/McIntyre feud is at least a hot one, but I’m feeling a bit cold on it, if we’re being honest.

Other than that, tonight’s show had some decent-to-great in-ring action that buoyed everything else, and I dare say that SmackDown has been better than above-average as of late. Ilja Dragunov’s U.S. Title Open Challenge and a needed heel turn for Jade Cargill were the standouts of tonight’s show, in my view.

WWE NXT live results: Halloween Havoc go-home show

Posted on by Chris Aiken

Ricky Saints and Trick Williams sign the contract for their Halloween Havoc match tonight on NXT.

The NXT Championship will be on the line this Saturday when Saints and Williams clash at Halloween Havoc. It’s the first title defense for Saints, who defeated Oba Femi last month to become champion. Tonight’s official contract signing is their last interaction before the PLE.

Sol Ruca has been scheduled to defend her NXT Women’s North American Championship against Blake Monroe on Saturday, but the status of that match is now up in the air due to a potential injury Ruca suffered on SmackDown. Ruca will address the fans tonight and give an update on her condition.

TNA gold will be up for grabs on the episode with X-Division Champion Leon Slater defending against Stacks.

A new tournament will begin as WWE looks to determine a number one contender for men’s Speed Champion El Grande Americano. The first two matchups are Axiom vs. Sean Legacy and Jasper Troy vs. Zachary Wentz.

Plus, Hank & Tank battle OTM in tag team action.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

NXT is on the air before a live studio audience from the Performance Center in Orlando.

The Culling open the show with an in-ring promo where Tatum Paxley celebrates her win last week on NXT. Izzi Dame is at Paxley’s side. Shawn Spears and Niko Vance flank them, as Paxley recites a promo where she is giddy with excitement.

While they are soon interrupted by the Fatal Influence trio, Paxley gets a few minutes of spotlight. Dame and Jayne eventually get in each other’s face, potentially setting up a match between the two.

At first, the studio audience chants “you deserve it” for Paxley. She gushes over them and their support. She also puts over her friendship with Dame, whom she called her best friend. Paxley could not be happier than being with The Culling, and Paxley promises to bring a singles title to the faction.

From there, enter Fatal Influence. A tirade from Jayne follows where she says Paxley has no chance in winning the title. Jayne cuts a scathing promo on Paxley, then she tries to sew dissension between Paxley and Dame. That is when Dame verbally gets into it with Jayne.

A brawl eventually erupts and Fatal Influence are sent packing. Glares are exchanged. The tension builds ahead of Halloween Havoc.

Leon Slater (with Je’Von Evans) vs. Stacks (with Arianna Grace) for the TNA X-Division Championship

This was a really good television match with a lot of action. The match goes through a commercial break, and Slater gets to shine just before the show cuts to commercials. High flying and a plancha to the outside by Slater. Evans is hyped at ringside, and he celebrates with Slater. They are near the announce desk, and Evans gets on the headset to send the show to break.

When the show returns from the break, Stacks is working over Slater. As Slater makes a comeback, Arianna Grace jumps on the apron to help Stacks. Slater hits the ropes with a handspring, causing Grace to go sailing off the apron into the waiting arms of Evans. A jealous Stacks freaks out like Randy with Liz, and Slater pays the price by taking a bump on the announce desk.

On the home stretch, Slater runs corner to corner with a flip dive over the ring post to the floor. Slater flew back into the ring with a 450 splash, and Slater covers Stacks for a clean three count. Great way to open the show.

Match result: TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater defeated Stacks via pinfall to retain the title.

Afterwards is an in-ring promo from Slater and Evans. They want to team together at Halloween Havoc against a team from anywhere. Out comes Mr. Iguana and La Parka to answer the challenge, which looks to set up a tag bout for Halloween Havoc this weekend.

Mr. Iguana is over huge with the crowd, as is La Yesca. Iguana questions whether they could have even have Halloween Havoc without them. They already spoke to NXT General Manager Ava, and the tag bout is booked for Halloween Havoc.

— Zachary Wentz and Jasper Troy each hype their match in pre-tape promos, before the show cuts to a commercial break.

Jasper Troy vs. Zachary Wentz in a first round match in the WWE Speed Men’s Championship #1 Contender’s Tournament

—

Being a “Speed” match, the match was short, yet packed with action. They made to most of their time. Wentz gets some near falls, but he ultimately is pinned clean. Troy with a swinging uranage slam, and he covers Wentz for a clean pin.

Match result: Jasper Troy defeated Zachary Wentz to advance in the tournament.

— TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan is banned from the NXT women’s locker room, and the roster dumps her belongings on the floor outside the door. Jordynne Grace tries to help Jordan, only for Jordan to cut a promo on her.

The Hardys transforms into “Broken” characters in vignette

Darkstate is cutting a promo when they are supernaturally interrupted by Matt and Jeff Hardy from their family compound. The brothers go into the Lake of Reincarnation, and they emerge again as Broken Matt Hardy and Brother Nero.

Broken Matt announces they will face Darkstate in a “Broken Rules” match at Halloween Havoc, and Darkstate is scheduled for deletion. Delete…delete…delete!

— Clips from Smackdown show Sol Ruca suffering a knee injury. Cut to present day, and Ruca is walking with a crutch backstage alongside Zaria. On Ruca’s knee is a large brace. Ruca is headed to the ring to address the audience after a commercial break.

Sol Ruca vacates title; new Women’s North American Championship match set for PLE

—

An emotional Sol Ruca talks about her injury, and she does not know when she will return. Ruca was basically saying she would vacate her titles when Blake Monroe interrupts her. Ruca at the moment held both the NXT Women’s North American title, along with being the WWE Speed Women’s Champion.

Monroe gets into the ring and offers sarcastic condolences. Monroe then lobbies for the North American title. Zaria takes exception to Monroe wanting to simply be awarded the championship, as Ruca fought to win and defend the title.

Monroe accuses Zaria of fighting all of Ruca’s battles, and even Ruca herself says Monroe has a point. Ruca goes on to talk about not knowing how long until she is cleared, but Zaria assures her that Zaria has got it until then.

This all sets up Zaria subbing for Ruca in a title match against Monroe at Halloween Havoc. Monroe gets into it with Ava, and Ava checks her. Ava then makes the match official for the PLE. Monroe seethes at Ava, and Zaria steps in to give Monroe a F-5. Zaria then snatches the belt from Ruca, and Zaria poses with the title belt.

What started as an emotional speech from Ruca turned into a contrived angle by the end.

Axion vs. Sean Legacy in a first round match in the WWE Speed Men’s Championship #1 Contender’s Tournament

—

While the earlier Speed match was good, this bout was even better. Great finish where it came down to the wire, with seconds remaining as they go home. Los Americanos are watching the match from ringside seats.

Spanish Fly off the top rope, and Axiom covers Legacy for the finish, which capped off a hot match. They pulled off the finish so well, with under 10 seconds remaining as they do the Spanish Fly. A second remained as Axiom scores the clean pin.

Match result: Axiom defeated Sean Legacy via pinfall to advance in the tournament.

— The upcoming title match at Halloween Havoc with NXT North American Champion Ethan Page defending his title against challenger (and AAA Latin American Champion) El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. is the focus of a video package hyping the bout. Great stuff here.

Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Lucien Price & Bronco Nima

—

Hank & Tank battle OTM in a hoss fight, and the fight begins before the bell sounds to start the match. Hank & Tank jump OTM during their entrance. Bedlam before the bell, and that continues as the match gets under way.

Heat on Hank, with OTM cutting him off from his corner. OTM work over Hank, and they toy with him. However, Hank creates separation and rolls into a hot tag. Tank in and he gets a near fall after a flying shoulder tackle.

Hank takes an uranage slam, and he rolls out of the ring. Tank then fights two-on-one, and he is cut off. Tank takes an assisted spinebuster, and Price covers Tank for a clean pinfall.

Match result: Lucien Price & Bronco Nima defeated Hank Walker & Tank Ledher when Price pinned Ledger.

In a post-match beat down, OTM jump Hank & Tank after the bell. Hank is hit with a shot from the ring steps, and Tank takes is sent crashing through the announce desk. Hank & Tank are not only pinned clean, but they are beaten up again for good measure. Hank & Tank lost clean and were then laid out.

— Lash Legend insults Wren Sinclair in a locker room skit that included product placement with sponsor Maybelline. Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey sticks up for Sinclair, which seems to set up a match between Legend and Grey.

Jacy Jayne & Lainey Reid (with Fallon Henley) vs. Tatum Paxley & Izzi Dame (with The Culling)

—

The tag bout goes through a commercial break. The babyfaces were fired up just before the show goes to commercial. Paxley swings in through the ropes with a wrecking ball dropkick on Henley. However, Reid ties up Paxley’s legs, which allows Jayne to deliver a draping neckbreaker on Paxley. The heels are in control as the show cuts to the break.

Back from the break, and Dame cleans house after a hot tag. Melee develops, and when the smoke clears there are Paxley squaring off with Jayne. Challenger against champion, and Paxley held her own until Henley causes a distraction.

Henley jumps on the apron to distract both the referee and get the attention of Dame. Henley takes a bump into the ring after Dame strikes her. Dame then goes to run the ropes, but she is tripped up by Reid and pulled outside. In the ring, Jayne with a Rolling Encore that drops Paxley. Jayne then covers Paxley for a pinfall. So, the champ pins the challenger clean ahead of their title match. Take that for what it is worth.

Match result: Jacy Jayne & Lainey Reid defeated Tatum Paxley & Izzi Dame when Jayne pinned Paxley.

Henley and Reid jump Dame after the match, and they send her crashing into the ring steps. Dame is down and out while Paxley is left defenseless in the ring. The heel trio surround Paxley. She is held by Reid and Henley for Jayne to taunt her.

Jayne goes to hit Paxley with the title belt, but Paxley jumps up to kick Jayne. Paxley then fights off Reid and Henely, as they bump and feed. Paxlet then executes her finisher on Jayne. Paxley concludes the segment by posing with the women’s title belt.

NXT Champion Ricky Saints is heading to the ring, as is Trick Williams. They meet face-to-face in the ring for a contract signing.

Contract signing for NXT Championship Match at Halloween Havoc

—

Ava is the ring with security surrounding her. She is standing at a table when she introduces both Saints and Trick. Ava first brings out the challenger, followed by the champ. They take a seat on opposite ends of the table set up in the ring.

Trick claims Saints is jealous that Trick is still the man in NXT, despite Saints being the champion. Trick says that is why he left Saints hanging a few weeks ago at Showdown. Trick wants to prove he is the only one that can carry NXT on his back.

Pivoting on NXT, Trick says to not “get it twisted” with him and NXT. Trick says he owes nothing to NXT. Trick is only loyal to one man, and that person is Trick himself.

“Trick Williams loves himself Trick Williams,” Trick said.

Trick vows to become a three-time NXT champ. Saints responds by saying the title can ether make the holder complacent or more ambitious. Saints ponders what did it do for Trick, and Saints concludes Trick started to think he was bigger than the NXT brand. Saints accusing Trick of wanting to leave NXT for a long time.

Trick makes a crack at Saints about the indies. Trick boasts he is Hollywood, thus above going to the indies. Trick claims Saints is cosplaying as champion, and Trick vows to kick his butt and end the “Absolute Era”.

Saints gets fired up while scolding Trick about the indies. Saints claims Trick wants to be like him, because Saints also claims to be more slick and more stylish than Trick. Saints stands up to lay claim as the face of NXT.

Shoving starts as security holds them back, and Trick goes for a cheap shot on Saints. A brawl begins to erupt, as security tries to keep them apart. Saints and Trick both clobber the security holding them back, and Trick boots Saints in the face. Saints counters Trick, and Saints gives Trick a F-5 through the table set up in the ring.

Saints then poses with his title belt while taunting a fallen Trick.

WWE SmackDown live results: Cody Rhodes addresses Crown Jewel loss

Posted on by Marc Quill

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown in San Jose, California will be the first since Crown Jewel: Perth.

At the PLE, Cody Rhodes lost to Seth Rollins and was unsuccessful in his mission to repeat as men’s Crown Jewel Champion. Rhodes will kick off the show tonight and address that loss, along with what’s next for him in his WWE Championship reign.

Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss have a title defense tonight against NXT’s Zaria & Sol Ruca — who have made it clear they want the gold. The team known as ZaRuca earned their opportunity after proving themselves several weeks ago with a win over Chelsea Green & Alba Fyre.

Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu are scheduled to finally settle their score in the ring. The two have been involved in a heated rivalry for the past few weeks after Fatu took exception to McIntyre’s ranting. Reports this week have Fatu out for a considerable amount of time with a non-wrestling related injury, so it’s unclear what will develop tonight.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

– We opened with a recap of the major events that took place at Crown Jewel concerning Seth Rollins’ big win over Cody Rhodes, followed by the shocking betrayal Rollins suffered at the hands of Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed two nights later on Raw. We have Vic Joseph filling in for Michael Cole on commentary, and a returning Corey Graves joining him.

– Inside the ring, SmackDown’s GM Nick Aldis was here to inform us that tonight’s Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre match will now be a No. 1 Contender’s match, with the winner set to face Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. At this time, Rhodes was introduced by Mr. Aldis.

Cody Rhodes opens SmackDown

Rhodes started by stating that he might not feel that he and Seth Rollins need to be in the ring together again, but that’s not how it worked around here. He said that Rollins had some business of his own with a rogue Vision and Paul Heyman to deal with, and he had business of his own to handle as the top guy of SmackDown.

Rhodes sized up both Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre, one of which would be facing him for the Undisputed WWE Title at the next Saturday Night’s Main Event in two weeks time. He concluded that he didn’t know how things would shake out, but Rhodes knew that the road to SNME ran through San Jose.

Standard Cody Rhodes promo to open SmackDown, as the Fatu vs. McIntyre match still appears to be on despite the reported injury that Fatu sustained. We’ll see how that plays out later tonight.

**********

– Solo Sikoa and the M.F.T.s accosted a cameraman who was taking pictures of Rey Fenix, who took exception to Sikoa’s belligerence. Fenix paid for it as the M.F.T.s. laid a beating on him before a vanguard of officials warded them off.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Zaria & Sol Ruca

Blake Monroe was shown in the crowd, stated to be watching Sol Ruca ahead of their Women’s North American Championship match at Halloween Havoc.

Ruca and Flair got things going with a test of strength in the ring before the former escaped the grasp of the latter with a somersault. Flair answered by flipping over the turnbuckle so that she could kick Zaria on the apron. Flair then continued to go to work on Ruca as Bliss got the tag. Bliss connected with a hurricanrana on Ruca that sent her back to her home corner as Zaria entered with a tag.

Bliss tried for a charge, but got caught by Zaria, who lifted her. However, Bliss escaped and attempted a Sister Abigail early on. Zaria answered with a huge spinebuster that sent us to the commercial break.

We returned from the break with Zaria having Bliss trapped in the corner with an elevated sleeper hold from the middle rope. Bliss managed to escape the Aussie’s grip as she tried to reach out for a tag to Flair. Zaria, however, managed to cut Bliss off as Ruca entered the match and sent her championship foe spinning with a tilt-a-whirl drop. Zaria and Ruca tried to connect with an assisted diving attack, but Bliss dodged and managed to get to her corner as Flair got the hot tag.

In the ring, Flair blasted both Zaria and Ruca with chops before she connected with her signature somersault clothesline on the former. Flair then dropped Zaria with a northern lights suplex followed by a taunt towards Ruca. Shortly after, Ruca got a tag as she went to work on Flair with a German suplex in the corner followed by an attempted diving dropkick. Flair intercepted and caught her legs to turn that into a Boston Crab. Flair was in position for the Sol Snatcher by Ruca, which hit its target perfectly. One, two… Bliss managed to break it up in the nick of time.

Outside the ring, Bliss tried to dive at Zaria, but she got thrown against the barricade instead. Flair interjected with a boot to the face as Ruca leapt from the apron to take down the Women’s Tag Champions. Ruca then traded some words with Blake Monroe in the front row, which opened her up to Flair clipping her in the back of her legs. Flair threw Ruca into the ring and proceeded to lock the Figure Eight submission hold, with Ruca being forced to tap shortly after.

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss def. Zaria & Sol Ruca via submission to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships

That was a fun opening tag match, and the Blake Monroe involvement in the finish does continue that story she has with Ruca ahead of their Halloween Havoc match.

**********

– Cody Rhodes was walking backstage as Jacob Fatu had a chat with him. Fatu said that once he was finished dogwalking Drew McIntyre from San Jose to San Francisco, Rhodes would find out that Jacob Fatu is all gas and no brakes. Fatu and Rhodes shared a respectful handshake as the latter walked off.

– We got remarks from Aleister Black regarding what happened last week with Zelina Vega’s arrival to his side. Black said that he had been setting this in motion for months now, and that Vega’s assistance was part of the plan alll along. “We are not the infection, just the mirror that shows it,” said Vega of her alliance with Black. They said that the venom wasn’t poison, but it was salvation.

– Backstage, The Miz was shaking hands with Nick Aldis as Sami Zayn appeared and wondered why the U.S. Title Open Challenge wasn’t happening tonight. Aldis explained that Shinsuke Nakamura was still owed a rematch but he wasn’t here tonight, and the M.F.T.s were still lurking about. Zayn would have none of it as he said he waas ready to hold the Open Challenge and if anyone wanted a shot at the U.S. Title, they knew where they could find him.

U.S. Title Open Challenge: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

As it appeared that The Miz was going to answer Zayn’s Open Challenge, Carmelo Hayes attacked from behind and took him out of the equation as the two brawled out of the stage area.

After a moment, we found out that the returning Ilja Dragunov was Zayn’s opponent for the Open Challenge.

Dragunov and Zayn shared a handshake of respect as the bell rang before the two stood toe-to-toe and slugged one another with strikes. Zayn recovered and lit up Dragunov with a chop as he went for a suplex. Dragunov countered out of the suplex with Zayn fighting back afterwards. Dragunov left Zayn stunned a enzuigiri, as he then threw the U.S. Champion in the corner and absolutely blasted him with a running boot to the face. This took us to a break in the action.

We returned from commercial break with Zayn dropping Dragunov with a clothesline as we got a replay of the action that took place during the break. With both men back up, Zayn and Dragunov once again got into an exchange of strikes that neither man could get an upper hand of. Zayn recovered and delivered a tornado DDT in the corner.

As Dragunov seemed to be stunned in the corner, Zayn ran at him, but ended up eating a jumping kick to the face instead. That only got a near-fall for the returning Dragunov. Zayn valiantly tried to fight out of Dragunov’s grip, but got dropped with a German suplex. Zayn eventually escaped and nearly got the win on a roll-up, as he then responded with some German suplexes of his own on Dragunov.

Dragunov lifted Zayn up and then dropped him with a standing uranage that once again got the two-count. Dragunov tried to go up top, but Zayn avoided it and connected with the Michinoku Driver for a near-fall. The two competitors’ battle reached the apron as Dragunov tried to get Zayn up on his shoulders. Zayn countered and instead got Dragunov with a nasty DDT onto the apron. With both men down, we took another break in the action.

The match returned from break with Zayn and Dragunov duking it out on the top rope, but it was the U.S. Champion who found himself flat on the canvas as Dragunov soared with a senton on Zayn. One, two…. NO! Zayn once again headed up to the top rope, but Dragunov again tried to go after his foe. Even after Zayn took Dragunov down, he just couldn’t keep his foe out cold as he fell victim to a Superplex.

Dragunov had Zayn dead to rights for the H-Bomb, but Zayn got a boot up to stop it. Meanwhile, Zayn’s Helluva Kick attempt was avoided by Dragunov, who then connected with a standing back suplex for the near-fall. Dragunov hit the Constantin Special and nearly had the match won with a Torpedo Moscow. Zayn intercepted at the last second with a Helluva Kick, followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb. One, two… 2.99999999!!!!!

As Zayn had Dragunov targeted for a Helluva Kick, Solo Sikoa appeared on the ramp and provided a distraction. Zayn threw Dragunov in the corner with an Exploder Suplex. However, Sikoa’s distraction seemed to be enough as it inadvertently bought Dragunov time to recover. Dragunov intercepted the Helluva Kick with a Torpedo Moscow. He then finished it off with an H-Bomb to become the new United States Champion.

After the match, the M.F.T.s. rolled up and unleashed an assaualt on Zayn and Dragunov while Sikoa watched on. Rey Fenix ran in but fell victim to the M.F.T.’s numbers game.

Solo Sikoa got on the microphone and promised that the M.F.T.s would run SmackDown as they’d get their championships back again. Before he could continue, he was interrupted by a video from The Wyatt Sicks, as Bo Dallas asked Sikoa if he and his M.F.T.s were ready for what was to come on the other side. As the video ended, the members of The Wyatt Sicks appeared in the darkness and once again stared down Sikoa and the M.F.T.s. Sikoa’s group backed off as the segment ended with the usual Wyatt Sicks static.

Ilja Dragunov def. Sami Zayn via pinfall to become the new United States Champion

Fantastic match. It was great to see Dragunov back in action, as he and Zayn put on a hell of a contest. A shame that it got partially marred by the M.F.T.s stuff at the end. I’m not sure if a feud between Sikoa’s faction and the Wyatt Sicks will be any interesting, I have to admit. Still, it’s nonetheless great to see Dragunov finally become a champion.

**********

– There was an Arby’s-sponsored recap of Stephanie Vaquer’s big victory over Tiffany Stratton at Crown Jewel to become the 2025 Women’s Crown Jewel Champion.

– Stratton was interviewed backstage about her loss and how that’d affect her. Stratton said that one loss would not affect her as she’d be still the WWE Women’s Champion. Kiana James interrupted and badmouthed Stratton for not being a “premium talent” unlike her client, the Women’s U.S. Champion Giulia. Stratton taunted James for not having it in the ring and promptly challenged her to a match for next week’s show.

– We got Earlier Today footage of the Motor City Machine Guns celebrating their one-year anniversary in WWE before Los Garza rudely interrupted the two. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley pointed out that it was Angel and Berto who lost to them in their debut match and they sought to make it an annual thing, which led to this next match.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. Los Garza (Angel & Berto)

Angel and Shelley started off, as Berto provided a brief distraction, which allowed Angel to go on the attack. That advantage for Los Garza was all too fleeting as the MCMGs got the momentum back with a dive outside the ring. As Sabin was trying to get into the ring, Berto grabbed at his leg, which again gave Angel an opening to pounce on his foe with a stomp.

Sabin avoided a corner splash from Angel as Shelley got the tag. Los Garza once again turned it around as they dropped Shelley with an assisted double team boot to the face. Sabin got sent to the floor as we took a break in the action.

We returned from the break with Angel working over Shelley as we got a look at a replay of a double knee/kick combo from Los Garza that left Shelley stunned during the break. Shelley hit a neckbreaker on Angel as Sabin got the hot tag. The tag team veteran unleashed a flurry of offense on both Angel and Berto while Shelley contributed as well. Los Garza turned it around with a Gory Special/jumping neckbreaker combo on Sabin. One, two… Shelley broke it up just in time.

As the action broke down ont he outside, Berto took flight and vaulted over the top rope to take both Shelley and Sabin out. Back in the ring, an attempted double team move by Los Garza was thwarted by Shelley and it came down to a patented Skull and Bones from the Machine Guns on Berto to pick up the victory.

Motor City Machine Guns def. Los Garza via pinfall

A fun tag match yes, but honestly kind of a sad indictment that this is the first time in over a month or so that we’ve seen either team. I understand it’s hard to find time to fit the many tag teams of the tag division of SmackDown into a two-hour show, but it’s kind of unfortunate that the Machine Guns were brought in with much fanfare and seem to just be mostly an afterthought.

**********

– As Fraxiom plotted their next moves for the WWE Tag Titles, the #DIY duo of Tommasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano rolled up and had some harsh words for the rest of the SmackDown tag division. Axiom took exception to Gargano making fun of his mask as he challenged him to a match

– As Jacob Fatu was scheduled to make his entrance for our main event, we suddenly cut backstage as Fatu was seen crushed underneath a girder with various officials running up to check up on him. After the break, Nick Aldis was checking up on Fatu alongside the officials while McIntyre made his entrance.

The Main Event: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre entered with a smug smile on his face as he then got into the ring with a microphone in hand. He taunted Fatu as he demanded the referee to award him the match to become the number one contender. Mr. Aldis interrupted and warned McIntyre that if he found out that McIntyre had something to do with this, he’d do something about it. As McIntyre continued to complain about a conspiracy, Cody Rhodes interrupted and angrily said that if McIntyre wanted a shot at the WWE Title, that we should do it right now. We went to a commercial break just as the match was apparently kicking off.

Our main event continued with Rhodes and McIntyre continuing to brawl at ringside before the battle spilled into the ring as it finally kicked off in earnest. McIntyre got the upper hand with a suplex across the ring. Rhodes threw his vest at McIntyre as he punched away at him. The surly Scotsman got the advantage again with another throw across the ring. Rhodes recovered and punched away at McIntyre in the corner, followed by a bite to the forehead.

McIntyre caught Rhodes by surprise with a Future Shock DDT, and nearly had the WWE Title won, but Rhodes kicked out at two. McIntyre continued his attack in the corner as he punched away at Rhodes before the referee got him to back off. McIntyre caught Rhodes by surprise with a headbutt as he then continued away with the chops to the exposed chest.

Rhodes recovered and hit his uppercut followed by a Cody Cutter. As Rhodes tried to go for a suicide dive, McIntyre met him at the ropes with a headbutt. Rhodes was then thrown over the timekeeper area. McIntyre tried to retrieve Rhodes, but he got hit in the face with the WWE Championship title belt to cause the DQ.

The brawl continued after the bell as Rhodes cleared away the announce table and had him set up for a Cross Rhodes over the announce table. At that moment, Nick Aldis and several officials stepped in to stop the chaos. However, Rhodes eluded them and headed to the top rope as he then crushed McIntyre with a dive to the outside.

SmackDown ended with both men separated by the gaggle of officials as Rhodes looked on from the ring at McIntyre with anger.

Drew McIntyre def. Cody Rhodes via DQ (Rhodes retains Undisputed WWE Championship)

**********

Obviously, this whole main event angle with Jacob Fatu being crushed underneath a girder was WWE’s way of writing him off TV and add more heat to McIntyre to build him up as (most likely) the opponent for Cody Rhodes at Saturday Night’s Main Event in two weeks.

That said, this was a strong edition of SmackDown, bolstered by a big main event angle and a shock return that doubled as a shock title win. I’ll admit that I quite enjoyed tonight’s show a fair bit and hopefully we’re in for more episodes like this in the coming weeks.

WWE NXT live results: Battle royal for Halloween Havoc title shot

Posted on by Chris Aiken

Tonight, we’ll find out Jacy Jayne’s NXT Women’s Championship challenger for Halloween Havoc

A multi-promotional number one contender’s battle royal is set to take place on tonight’s WWE NXT episode. In addition to the NXT women’s division competing, stars from TNA’s Knockouts division have been invited to be in the battle royal as well. Halloween Havoc is now less than two weeks away with the PLE set to be held in Arizona on October 25.

TNA’s Matt Cardona — the former Zack Ryder — makes his return to the WWE ring tonight for a match against Josh Briggs.

Lucha Libre AAA will also be represented on NXT with AAA Worldwide Champion Dr. Wagner Jr. taking on Lexis King.

Plus, Blake Monroe vs. Zaria has also been announced for the episode. It will continue Monroe’s feud with NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

New NXT Champion Ricky Saints opens the show with an entrance dressed in street clothes, and he is holding the NXT title belt. Trick Williams interrupts Saints a few minutes into Saint’s monologue, with Trick appearing on the Titantron.

Saints begins the monologue boasting about winning the title despite odds stacked against him. Saints then cuts a promo on Trick, with Saints saying Trick folds like origami. After cutting a cutting a promo on how bad Trick is, Saints turns around and lobbies for a title match against Trick. Saints is “calling his shot” in the “Absolute Era” of NXT.

Trick interrupts with a pre-taped promo shown on a video screen. Trick insults Saint in a short video where he cut his promo uninterrupted by Saints. After Trick’s promo, Saints responds by saying must have slipped on the cocoa butter he puts on, and Trick bumped his head. Saints vows to burst the bubble on Trick’s fantasy land.

Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater are talking backstage when they are met by Matt and Jeff Hardy. The Hardys vow to give Darkstate some receipts at Halloween Havoc on behalf of Evans and Slater.

— Matt Cardona gets a full entrance before a commercial break.

— “Anonymous” footage shows TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan arguing with Jordynne Grace. This would seem to set up a match between the two for the Knockouts title.

Matt Cardona vs. Josh Briggs

Cardona put over Briggs in a good match, where Briggs scores a clean pinfall on Cardona. For the finish, Briggs hits Cardona with a big boot. Briggs then falls on top of Cardona to score the pinfall.

The match went through a commercial break. This was clearly a big match for Briggs as he wore his fancy vest complete with a smoking skull. It was literally gimmicked to emit smoke. Cardona put him over well, but Cardona looked great in doing so. The finish came out of nowhere, as they had traded near falls earlier in the bout. Very well laid out with modern sensibilities, but an old school type of finish.

Before the commercial break, Cardona fires up and does a flip dive over the top rope to the floor. After the break, Briggs is getting heat on Cardona. Comeback by Cardona as they head down the stretch going home.

Match result: Josh Briggs defeated Matt Cardona via pinfall.

Lyra Valkyria joins Hank & Tank and Chase U for a backstage skit where they are all confronted by The Culling. This served to set up a triple threat tag team match for next week, along with Izzi Dame vowing to win the battle royal tonight.

— AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. has a full entrance before a commercial break.

— Fatal Influence is the focus of a video package. Lainey Reid officially joined the group. After the video package, Vic Joseph on commentary was baffled at Reid joking the faction. What show was he watching the last several weeks?

El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Lexis King in a non-title match

The match goes through a commercial break after Wagner does a moonsault to the floor. After the show returns from the break, King works a leg. Wagner hulks up into a comeback, while still selling his leg in a silly manner. For the finish, Wagner lands a Shining Wizard, followed by a Michinoku Driver on King.

Match result: El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. defeated Lexis King via pinfall.

Wagner cuts a promo after the match where he calls out NXT North American Champion Ethan Page, who enters dressed in a suit jacket and dress shirt that matched his Canadian version of the North American title belt. This confrontation led to the announcement of a death match between the two at Halloween Havoc. More specifically, they are billing the bout as a “Day of the Dead” match.

— Trick Williams attacked Ricky Saints in a phantom assault during a backstage skit with others. The skit begins with authority figures Santino Marella and Ava talking when with Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans. Those two wrestlers are lobbying for a tag team match tonight. Their lobbying efforts are interrupted by Arianna Grace and Stacks. This led them booking an X-Division title match with Stacks challenging Slater. Suddenly, a commotion is heard and the camera pan away. Trick is seen standing over a fallen Saints. Trick is yelling when officials and security pour into the scene. Ava tells for “medical!”

From there comes the entrances of Blake Monroe and Zaria, respectively. They are vastly different, yet both great entrances in their own way.

Blake Monroe vs. Zaria

Sol Ruca plays a part in the finish after running in and jumping on the apron. Ruca takes a metal folding chair away from Monroe, who was intending to use the chair as a weapon. Despite making the save, Ruca’s interference causes a distraction. The referee is distracted by Ruca, as he argues with her on the apron. Dude, do your job!

With the ref distracted by Ruca, Monroe retrieves a hair pick from her knee pad. Monroe uses the pick as weapon and strikes Zaria in the throat. Monroe follows up with The Beauty Shot (double-arm DDT), and Monroe covers Zaria for a tainted victory.

Match result: Blake Monroe defeated Zaria via pinfall.

— Ava announces a Speed tournament, and the winner faces El Grande Americano for the Speed title. The tournament starts next Tuesday on NXT.

— Hank and Tank enter the sound stage before a commercial break.

Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Chase U (Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors) vs. The Culling (Shawn Spears & Niko Vance) in a triple threat tag team match

The match was action packed and going along when OTM returned to clean house. Lucien Price and Bronco Nima run in and assault the match participants. This leaded to what I assume is a no contest finish. The match was very entertaining until the finish. Nevertheless, OTM looked dominate in their return. Does this set up a four-way tag match, or what?

Match result: The triple threat tag team match ends in a no contest after outside interference by OTM.

— In a backstage skit, Sol Ruca gifts Zaria her spot in the battle royal.

— Ricky Saints is storming around backstage looking for Trick Williams. Saints is stopped by Ava, who wants him to calm down so the match can happen. Ava reveals Saints and Trick have a contract signing next Tuesday on NXT.

— Several women wrestlers get full entrances ahead of the battle royal. Those getting entrances include Jordynne Grace, Lash Legend, Lei Ying Lee (formerly Xia Li in WWE), Xia Brookside, Victoria Crawford (formerly Alicia Fox in WWE), and Jaida Parker (who was over huge with the live studio audience in attendance). After a commercial break, the rest of the battle royal participants are in the ring.

— In between the break and the start of the battle royal, Darkstate lays out the Hardys in a phantom attack that involved chairs.

NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s 20-Woman Battle Royal

Far as battle royals go, this was good. They wove a few feuds and story lines into the match.

The final four were Kendal Grey, Jordynne Grace, Izzi Dame, and Tatum Paxley. As they go home, Paxley is on the apron with a rear naked choke on Grace. Meanwhile, Dame tosses out Grey, who looked strong throughout the match. Dame then goes for a Cactus Jack clothesline that sends both her and Grace over the ropes to the floor for a double elimination. That leaves Paxley as the sole survivor, and she wins the battle royal to earn a title shot.

Match result: Tatum Paxley won a battle royal to become number one contender.

After the match, the Fatal Influence trios enters the scene. NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne poses with the title belt in a stare down with Paxley. Lyra Valkyria runs past Fatal Influence, and Valkyria joins with Paxley in celebrating her win.

WWE Raw live results: The fallout from Crown Jewel

Posted on by Steve Khan

WWE will hold one final event in Perth, Australia, before leaving town with Monday’s early edition of WWE Raw — the fallout edition from Saturday’s Crown Jewel PLE.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer both won their respective bouts Saturday to each win the Crown Jewel title. Both are expected on the show to celebrate their victories.

WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio will defend against Penta who is still looking for his first WWE title. Penta, Dragon Lee & AJ Styles were victorious over Mysterio, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh in a trios match last week to set it up.

The issues involving Bayley, Lyra Valkyria, Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez continue as well with Bayley and Valkyria teaming against Judgment Day’s Rodriguez and Perez.

Join us for live coverage beginning at 8 AM Eastern.

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  • Date: October 13, 2025
  • Location: RAC Arena in Perth, Australia

The Big Takeaway —

Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed betrayed Seth Rollins in a big show-closing angle.

**********

Show Recap — 

(I watched One Battle After Another over the weekend, and there’s a minor character without a speaking role who wears an Eddie Guerrero ‘Latino Heat’ t-shirt. The character isn’t named, but is referred to as ‘Latino Heat’ by another character. Anyway, time for morning Raw.)

Following a recap of Crown Jewel, CM Punk, LA Knight, Jey Uso, and Rhea Ripley were shown arriving. 

Michael Cole announced a sold-out crowd of 13,737 (54 more people than Crown Jewel, supposedly). 

Seth Rollins and The Vision open Raw

The Vision entered (without Becky Lynch). Rollins wore the giant Crown Jewel title belt around his waist. The crowd sang Rollins’ song as he entered and barked for Bron Breakker. It was 8:09 am ET by the time Rollins spoke. 

Rollins did his usual spiel, and the crowd sang along. The fans have been calling him a ‘wanker’ for days, so he referred to the fans as wankers, and they cheered. 

Rollins put over Paul Heyman and called himself a blessed man for being in his presence. Rollins hugged him. Fans chanted, “Kiss,” so Rollins kissed Heyman’s forehead, and they all cheered. 

Rollins put over Breakker before moving on to Bronson Reed. Reed got a big reaction, and the crowd sang his name. Rollins said Reed destroyed and embarrassed Roman Reigns and was the new Tribal Chief. 

Rollins called himself the greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time. People like to say there are levels to this game, but no one was on his level. Unlike all the other greats lately, Rollins hasn’t needed any help to gain his success. (The crowd chanted “Bullsh-t.”) 

Rollins said Reigns needed The Shield and The Bloodline. Cody Rhodes needed him to beat Reigns. Rollins beat CM Punk and Reigns at WrestleMania on his own. He won the world title on his own, and he trounced Rhodes on his own. Rollins didn’t need Breakker, Reed, or Heyman. He has chosen them, and they have chosen him. 

Rollins ended with his usual line, and fireworks went off as he posed with his title belt. 

********

Rusev confronted Penta backstage. Rusev didn’t like that Penta was getting an IC title shot ahead of him against baby boy Dom. It was fine, though, because Rusev spoke to Adam Pearce, and he would get the winner of tonight’s match. 

Rusev told Penta he hasn’t forgotten about getting kicked last week. Penta called him a pendejo and left. (Dom started walking in Rusev’s direction in the background, but turned around and slunk away upon seeing him.) 

Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta 

There were lots of “Dirty Dom” chants throughout the match. Penta went right after Dom instead of doing his usual pose. There was a great spot where Dom charged at Penta outside the ring, but Penta gave him a backbody drop onto the announce table, and Dom went flying. 

They went to break one minute into this title match. (I mention the breaks every week because it’s so odd that, if this were real, you would schedule a match to start knowing you need to go to break a minute or two later.) 

Penta remained in full control through the break and hit a springboard crossbody for two. Dom drove Penta into the ring post and followed with a suicide dive tornado DDT. Dom drove Penta into the barricade, and Penta almost landed in the front row onto some children (they managed to avoid getting hit). Dom tried to take a count-out win, but Penta got back in the ring. 

(They went to a second commercial break just eight minutes into the match. So the first eleven minutes of the match had five minutes of commercials.) 

Dom remained in control during the break while doing a lot of posing. He did Eddie’s springboard senton, and the crowd called for another. He did try another, but Penta moved (as they returned from break), and hit a flying crossbody/splash off the ring post to the outside. 

Dom went for three amigos, but Penta blocked it and hit the move instead. The crowd lightly booed because they wanted Dom to do it. Dom blocked the third suplex and hit one of his own. Fans chanted for Eddie. 

Penta dodged a 619 and hit a Penta Driver for a nearfall. Penta went for a Canadian Destroyer, but Dom countered into a Michinoku Driver for two. 

Rusev marched out, so Penta wiped him out with a dive before he could get involved. Dom used the distraction to grab the little ring bell hammer. Dom also slid his title belt into the ring to distract the referee. As the ref got rid of the belt, Dom hit Penta in the knee (over his knee pads) with the hammer. 

Dom followed with a 619 and a frog splash for the pinfall win. The crowd was happy. 

Match result: Dominik Mysterio defeated Penta to retain the Intercontinental Championship (15:38)

This was a good TV match, but nothing outstanding. It helped that the crowd was very into Dom. It was obvious since last week that the match wouldn’t end until Rusev got involved, and that’s what happened. 

I believe this is the third time that Dom has successfully defended the IC title against Penta. Penta has lost four straight matches to Dom overall. 

********

Jackie Redmond interviewed LA Knight. Redmond said there would be a triple threat tonight to become the number one contender for the world title. Knight said he would pin CM Punk or Jey Uso, and this match might as well be for the title, because he would go on to beat Rollins again. 

Punk interrupted. Punk said Knight would never pin him or become champion. They argued a bit more, and Knight got the last word before leaving. Punk called him an idiot after he left. 

********

Asuka confronted Kairi Sane. Asuka was pissed about losing at Crown Jewel. Sane apologized and said she would fix it. Asuka told Sane she would fight Ripley tonight and remind everyone that she (Asuka) was in charge. 

Asuka was about to leave, but Sane peeled her hair back to reveal a bruise on her forehead (the crowd gasped). Sane said it happened because she tried to protect Asuka. Asuka didn’t care, and she slapped Sane (which got a big reaction). 

This was good. 

******** 

Alexander Volkanovski and Jack Della Maddalena were in the front row. 

Rhea Ripley (w/ IYO SKY) vs. Kairi Sane (w/ Asuka)

Asuka caused a distraction, of course, so Ripley confronted her outside the ring. Sky attacked Asuka, so Sane wiped out Sky. Asuka laid out Sky as they went to break. Sane held control over Ripley through the break, and there were “F—k her up, Rhea” chants (which were censored). They also called Asuka a wanker.

Ripley came back with clotheslines, a thrust kick, and a running boot for two. There was a great shot in the replay of Sky smiling as Ripley kicked Sane in the face. Sane dodged a charge, and Ripley ran into the ring post. Sane followed with an Insane Elbow off the ropes to a standing Ripley outside the ring (which looked great). 

Sane went for an ill-advised spear, but Ripley simply caught her and hit a Razor’s Edge. Ripley followed with a running kick for two. A battle on the ropes led to Sane hitting a double foot stomp for two. Sane flew off the top rope, but Ripley caught her out of mid-air and hit an electric chair facebuster. 

Asuka tried another distraction, but Sky got rid of her. Sane tried a rollup for two, and Ripley followed with a Rip-tide for the pinfall win. This was a pretty good match. 

— Asuka attacked Sky after the match, so Ripley attacked Asuka. Ripley set up Asuka for a Rip-tide on the table, but Sane hit Ripley from behind with a kendo stick. Asuka gave Ripley a DDT onto the table. Asuka posed with Sane over Ripley’s prone body. Officials checked on Ripley during a break, and Sky helped her to the back. 

Match result: Rhea Ripley defeated Kairi Sane (15:58)

******** 

Cathy Kelley interviewed Rusev during a break. Rusev said Penta got what he deserved. Rusev was coming for Dom’s belt, and nobody would stop him. (I’m thinking somebody will stop him.) 

Jimmy Uso met with Jey backstage. Jimmy couldn’t believe they were getting blamed for Roman’s loss. Jey said they should start listening to Reigns and start looking after themselves. Jey appreciated Jimmy’s help, but he had to focus on tonight’s triple threat. Jey was about to say something, but Jimmy cut him off. Jimmy knew Jey thought he couldn’t handle Bronson Reed, but Jimmy told him, “You handle your business, and I’ll handle mine.” The crowd cheered Jimmy standing up to Jey here. 

Bronson Reed vs. Jimmy Uso 

Jimmy’s ribs were taped after getting speared through the barricade on Saturday. He attacked Reed as soon as he entered the ring, but Reed immediately punched him in the ribs to take over. Reed had complete control through an early commercial break until Jey dodged a senton. 

Jimmy was too weak to hit a Samoan drop, so he instead hit an enziguri and a running hip attack for two. Jimmy followed with Whisper in the Wind for two. Jimmy tried a Samoan drop, but collapsed with Reed landing on top of him. Reed followed with consecutive sentons and a Tsunami for the pinfall win.

— Breakker greeted Reed in the aisle before spearing Jimmy in the ring. Reed held up Jimmy, and Breakker speared him again. 

Breakker was about to spear Jimmy through the barricade, but Jey ran out to make the save. Jey managed to clear the ring, but ate a corner splash by Reed in the process. (They mistimed the spot, so Reed actually hit Jey’s shoulder, but Jey sold his mid-section because that was the plan.) 

Jimmy thanked Jey for the help, but they were not on the same page.  

Match result: Bronson Reed defeated Jimmy Uso (7:39) 

******** 

Lyra Valkyria and Bayley met in Gorilla. Valkyria told Bayley they were teaming tonight, but it would only be a one-time thing. The delusional Bayley thought she was kidding and excitedly went through the curtain. 

Lyra Valkyria & Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez

Valkyria and Bayley worked well as a team early on and did a bunch of double-team spots. It was one spot too many, because Bayley flung Valkyria into Rodriguez (outside the ring), but Rodriguez caught her and gave her a fallaway slam into Bayley. 

Judgment Day had control of Bayley through a break until she hit Perez with a Bayley-to-belly and made the hot tag to Valkyria the moment they returned from break. Judgment Day cut off her comeback attempt, and Perez brought Bayley off the top rope with a hurricanrana. Judgment Day continued to dominate Bayley, and Perez hit her with a springboard moonsault for two. 

Valkyria checked on Bayley and cleared the ring of the heels in the process. Valkyria slapped Bayley to fire her up, and that caused Bayley to snap into a different personality. 

Bayley wiped out Perez and Rodriguez with a suicide dive. She slammed Rodriguez into the ring post and clotheslined her over the barricade. She hit Perez with a flying elbow drop in the ring and followed with a Rose Plant for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Bayley & Lyra Valkyria defeated Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez (11:10) 

********

Backstage, Rollins told Heyman he could feel something special coming on the horizon. Rollins was proud of the Brons and told them this was the most incredible weekend of his professional life. 

The birth of his child, marrying his wife, and seeing how much the Brons have grown in the past six months have been the proudest moments of his life. This was the mountain top. He told them to breathe it in. They were also on the verge of taking the next step, and no one could knock him off the mountain top. 

*******

During a break, there was a replay of Maxxine Dupri beating Becky Lynch via count-out last week. Kelley interviewed Dupri in the crowd, and Dupri thanked the fans for their support. She announced that she would be facing Lynch for the Women’s IC title next week in her hometown of Sacramento. 

********

AJ Styles met with Pearce. Styles called Crown Jewel an incredible night, despite the loss. He called John Cena a legend. Pearce thanked him for an incredible moment. 

Dom interrupted because he wanted some credit. (I forgot to mention it earlier, but Dom has a new neck tattoo.) Dom also wasn’t happy about having to defend his IC title against Rusev. 

Styles talked Pearce into giving him and Dragon Lee a tag title match against Judgment Day. Dom realized he messed up by getting involved here. Dom left to inform Judgment Day of the title match. 

******** 

Next week on Raw: 

  • Becky Lynch (c) vs. Maxxine Dupri for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship 
  • Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev for the Intercontinental Championship 
  • Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh vs. AJ Styles & Dragon Lee for the World Tag Team Championships 

********

Stephanie Vaquer segment 

Redmond interviewed Vaquer by the stage. Vaquer felt blessed after winning the Crown Jewel champion, and she was the first woman in company history to win four titles in one year. 

Rodriguez and Perez interrupted. Perez was pissed because she thought she should be the world champion, not Vaquer. Perez was the last person to beat Iyo Sky, and it should have been her wrestling for the title at Wrestlepalooza. Vaquer told her to stop crying and do something about it. Perez said she would—on her own time. 

*******

Cole thanked the Perth fans and announced a 3-day combined attendance of 40,503 (SmackDown, Crown Jewel and Raw). 

Triple threat number one contender’s match: CM Punk vs. LA Knight vs. Jey Uso

(There was a big angle at the end.) 

Punk entered to a huge reaction. The crowd continued to sing his song after it was cut, and Punk was happy. 

Jey quickly cut off Punk with a superkick, but the crowd continued to chant for Punk. Knight went after Punk outside the ring, and Jey wiped him out with a dive. They went to break 90 seconds into this high-stakes match. 

Knight and Jey took out Punk again during a break before going at it in the ring. Back from break, Punk knocked down men with a dive off the top. Punk did his usual comeback spots and took down both men with a combo bulldog/clothesline before hitting Knight with a flying elbow drop. 

Knight avoided a GTS, gave Punk an inverted DDT and gave Jey a regular DDT. Knight hit both men with a diving elbow drop (which didn’t look great), but they each kicked out of pinning attempts. They went to break again, and like the opening match, this match had five minutes worth of commercials in the first eleven minutes. 

After the break, Jey gave Punk a superkick and followed with an Uso Splash on Knight for a nearfall. Knight gave Punk a BFT, but Jey broke up the cover and shoved Knight into the ring steps. 

With Punk still down in the ring, Jey went for an Uso splash, but Punk got his knees up. Punk followed with a GTS for the pinfall win. 

— The Vision entered as Punk celebrated. Breakker sprinted down to ringside and speared both Jey and Knight. 

The Brons swarmed Punk in the ring. Breakker speared Punk, and Reed hit a Tsunami. Rollins stood over Punk and told him he would never be champion. They chucked Punk out of the ring. The Vision posed, but notably, Breakker had his back turned in the corner of the ring. 

It seemed like the show was about to end, but Bron Breakker turned around and speared Seth Rollins. The crowd exploded. 

Breakker got in Reed’s face and told him to make a choice. Reed didn’t waste much time. He slid Rollins to the corner and hit him with a Tsunami. 

Heyman checked on Rollins and told them to stop. Breakker pulled Heyman to his feet. Breakker grabbed Rollins’ world title belt. Heyman stood between Breakker and Reed and raised their hands (the crowd popped). So all three men are together. 

Match result: CM Punk defeated Jey Uso and LA Knight to become number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship (13:30)

The timing of this angle is interesting, considering Punk just became the number one contender. The focus immediately shifted to Bron and Bronson. I wonder if this was always the plan, or if they sped things up with the show being in a lull lately (or if Rollins is hurt). I am glad they pulled the trigger with Breakker in particular, because I did not want a full year or two of him standing by Rollins’ side knowing the turn was coming.

WWE Raw live results: Crown Jewel go-home show

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: October 6, 2025
Location: American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX 

The Big Takeaway —

The same three men who lost to Seth Rollins at Clash in Paris are still vying for the next world title shot. Three straight matches tonight ended thanks to a distraction, and another ended because one person just stopped paying attention. 

Crown Jewel is Saturday.

**********

Show Recap — 

(There’s an updated Raw thumbnail on Netflix. The old one had Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and Bianca Belair, three people who are frequently not on Raw. The new one has Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Jey Uso, Dominik Mysterio and Penta.) 

Roman Reigns opens Raw 

Reigns entered after a recap of his return last week. The crowd sang his name and chanted “OTC.” He told the Dallas crowd to acknowledge him, and they did, but he was quickly interrupted by Bronson Reed and Paul Heyman. 

Nothing happened for a while (because they stood around waiting for crowd chants), so Reigns asked them if they were just there to stare or to say something. Heyman told the crowd to acknowledge their Tribal Thief. They booed. Heyman wanted Reigns to acknowledge the one man he feared in his heart—Bronson Reed. 

Heyman said Reigns has never been beaten so badly that he needed to be taken out on a stretcher. Reed (who was booed as he spoke) said Afa and Sika never got stretchered out in their careers. Reed wondered how they would feel looking down at Reigns getting stretchered out at his hands. 

Reigns said Reed didn’t know his dad or his uncle, but the dumbass Heyman did, so Heyman knew what they would tell Reigns: fight him now. Reigns challenged Reed to a fight right now. Reed was ready, but Heyman talked him down. Reigns knew Heyman was delaying it, so he said he would be ready whenever they were. 

Heyman issued the challenge for Crown Jewel on Saturday in Australia in a match Reed has never lost, an Australian street fight. (This got a lukewarm reaction.) Reigns accepted. 

As Heyman began to leave, Reigns said they had shown up ready to fight, but now they were leaving like a couple of bitches. Reed marched to the ring to brawl with Reigns. 

Reigns got the better of Reed until security and officials got between them. Reigns broke through and gave Reed a second Superman punch. Reigns posed for the crowd as Reed looked on from the stands.

(The crowd had an understandably underwhelming reaction to the announcement of a street fight between these two. We just saw Reigns wrestle Reed, and Heyman teased the match type like it would be something big, but it’s something we see all the time, including on Raw.) 

********

CM Punk (wearing a Chicago Cubs cap), Lyra Valkyria, and Iyo Sky were shown arriving. 

Backstage, Asuka demanded that Adam Pearce make a match between Kairi Sane and Sky tonight. Pearce said he had to make sure there was enough room in the show first. (He also mentioned that Rhea Ripley was already in Australia doing media.) 

Pearce left as Sane arrived. Asuka was riled up while speaking to Pearce, but she wore a smile upon seeing Sane. Asuka told her that she’d be facing Sky tonight. Sane wasn’t happy about fighting her friend, but Asuka slapped her in the face and told her the match was happening. 

******** 

Non-title match: Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri

Dupri went for a simple dropkick but missed the target and dropkicked Lynch in the knee. It was meant to hit Lynch up high. Lynch reacted by hunching over, but because the spot was meant to hit her in the head and send her out of the ring, Lynch went from being hunched over to doing a back bump and rolling out of the ring. 

Dupri hit a cannonball off the apron, but Lynch suplexed her into the barricade to take over ahead of a break. Dupri fired back after the break and applied an ankle lock (after dropping her straps like Chad Gable or Kurt Angle). Lynch broke out of it, but Dupri hit a sit-out powerbomb (which didn’t look great) for two. 

Lynch hit a superplex for two and applied a Disarmer, but Dupri countered into a cradle for a nearfall. Dupri countered a Man-handle Slam and hit a German suplex. 

Dupri followed with a roundhouse kick for a very close nearfall that had the crowd going. (It was one of those nearfalls that probably should have been three, as Lynch barely kicked out at the absolute last millisecond.) They traded a few more cradles, and Dupri even tried a schoolboy with her feet on the ropes, but they all ended in nearfalls. 

Lynch was frustrated, so she tossed Dupri around ringside, driving her into the announce table and barricade. 

Lynch taunted the crowd while standing on the announce table, but she stopped paying attention to Dupri, who rolled back into the ring to beat the ten-count. The ref counted out Lynch, and Dupri was declared the winner. 

Dupri celebrated while quickly scampering up the ramp away from Lynch. 

Match result: Maxxine Dupri defeated Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch via count-out in a non-title match (13:34) 

This was the biggest mixed bag of a match. It started poorly, and Dupri’s offence didn’t look good, but the counters and nearfalls were laid out well, so the crowd really got into Dupri almost pinning Lynch. Wade Barrett was too over-the-top trying to emphasize Dupri’s supposed improvements, and even called the match a banger before all the nearfalls happened. 

********

Reigns met with Jimmy and Jey Uso backstage. Jimmy was about to tell Reigns that they had his back at Crown Jewel, but Jey cut him off to say, “I got you.” Reigns didn’t want their help, especially not Jey. Reigns already told Jey to focus on himself. Reigns mentioned that it was CM Punk—not Jey Uso—speaking at the top of the hour. Jey didn’t like that, so he left. 

Reigns told Jimmy that he knew everything that was going on around here. He asked Jimmy why there would be a problem with Jey seeking his advice. (Referring to Jimmy’s obvious discontent.) Reigns left. 

********

Lyra Valkyria (w/ Bayley) vs. Roxanne Perez (w/ Raquel Rodriguez)

(The opening match was a rematch from August 11th, and this was a rematch from September 15th.)

Perez worked over Valkyria’s arm through a break, enough that Valkyria had trouble hitting her finisher. 

It was time for a distraction, so Rodriguez distracted the referee, which also distracted Valkyria as she went to the top rope. Valkyria stopped what she was doing upon seeing Rodriguez on the apron, so Perez tried a move off the ropes, but Bayley held Valkyria’s arm down to prevent that from happening. Valkyria gave Bayley a thumbs up before hitting Perez with a moonsault for two. 

Rodriguez booted Bayley, so Valkyria dropkicked Rodriguez. Perez threw through the ropes and laid out Valkyria with a tornado DDT. Perez followed with Pop Rox in the ring for the pinfall win. 

— Bayley was not happy, so she encouraged Valkyria to storm to the back with her.

Match result: Roxanne Perez defeated Lyra Valkyria (9:24) 

********

There was a video package for John Cena vs. AJ Styles. They really want you to think this match is happening because of the fans. 

Jackie Redmond tried to interview Styles about his upcoming match against Cena, but he was interrupted by the male members of Judgment Day. Dominik wondered why Styles thought he could beat Cena when Styles couldn’t even beat him. (Dom wore a t-shirt with the picture of himself as a kid playing PSP.) 

Finn Bálor heard a rumour that Styles and Dragon Lee wanted to challenge for the tag titles. Bálor warned Styles that would be a mistake. 

Styles said they were acting tough because it was three on one. Styles said he would find Dragon Lee and a partner, and they would have a six-man match tonight. (Hopefully, there’s enough room on the show.) 

After a break, Styles and Dragon Lee met with Penta. The meeting ended before Penta could answer their request because Bayley and Valkyria were beating the crap out of Perez and Rodriguez nearby. Pearce and officials stormed in to break it up.

******** 

Some professional bull riders and Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders were in the crowd.  

CM Punk, LA Knight and Jey Uso segment

(Long story short, the three guys who most recently wrestled for the world title still want to be world champion.) 

Punk was glad to be back after being gone for two weeks. He thanked the fans for their warm welcome back of AJ Lee. 

Punk spoke about the upcoming match between Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. He called it title vs. title, but quickly noted no titles were on the line and didn’t want anyone in the back getting mad at him (for calling it title vs. title). 

Punk hasn’t been around because he didn’t want to get involved in their match. But he noted that he kicked off the year by beating Rollins on the Netflix premiere. He wanted to end the year by beating Rollins for the title. He had Rollins’ number. He always won when it was one-on-one and man-to-man. Punk was better than Rollins, and Rollins knew it. 

LA Knight interrupted. Knight said he deserved and earned a reign as world champion. Knight said Punk was known for his pipe bomb, but lately, he’s been known for being a husband. That wasn’t meant to be an insult. Everybody needed love—it was a beautiful thing. But as good a husband Punk seemed to be, he was a trash champion. 

Knight said Punk was champion for five minutes before Rollins pinned him in the ring. Rollins pinned him again at Clash in Paris. Knight called himself the guy who had never been pinned by Rollins. Punk said he’s also the guy who has never been world champion. 

Knight called Punk a two-time loser against Rollins, while Knight was the last to pin Rollins. Knight would be the next to pin Rollins and become champion. 

Jey Uso interrupted. Jey was finally thinking clearly. He was the one. The one who never got his singles rematch for the world title. He was up next. 

Knight said this was déjà vu. It was the three of them again (after they wrestled Rollins in Paris). Knight said Jey’s time came and went. Knight knew Jey thought he lost because he wasn’t quite Roman enough. Knight said that was a good thing, but Jey should probably focus on being a tag champion right now. But given The Usos’ recent history, Jey should probably stop sucking at being a tag team first. 

Jimmy marched out after hearing that comment. Knight kept rambling, so thankfully, Jey superkicked him to shut him up. 

Punk (whose hair now looks like Beavis or Butt-head) told Jey that Knight had a point. Maybe Jey should focus on being a tag team. Punk liked Jey Uso—but he didn’t like Little Roman. 

Punk and Jey argued, but Jimmy got between them. Jey was about to superkick Punk, but Jimmy pulled him away. Punk saw the attempt, so he decked Jey. Jimmy didn’t like that, so he superkicked Punk. 

********

There was an Iyo Sky video package outlining her recent history with Asuka. 

A tag match was made official for tonight with CM Punk and LA Knight facing The Usos. There will also be a six-man match with AJ Styles, Dragon Lee and Penta facing Judgment Day. (It’s hilarious that Pearce even suggested there may not be room on the show for one impromptu match, given that there are now three of them.) 

IYO SKY vs. Kairi Sane (w/ Asuka)

Sky wiped out Asuka with a dive before the match officially began, although it didn’t really matter. There was a terrifying spot moments later. 

Sky went after Sane while outside the ring, but a distraction by Asuka allowed Sane to shove her into the side of the ring. Sane followed by giving Sky an Alabama Slam onto the edge of the ring, and boy did it look like Sky’s head slammed right against the ring. Her arms were up, too, so hopefully they caught the brunt of it. (Even worse, this happened during commercials.) Sky continued the match. 

Later on, Sane went for an Insane Elbow, but Sky got her feet up and followed with a corner meteora. 

As in the previous match, the heel outside the ring jumped on the apron, which distracted the babyface. This allowed Sane to cradle Sky—as Asuka held down Sane’s arms for leverage—for the pinfall win.

— After the match, Asuka held down Sky while Sane hit an Insane Elbow. (Ripley is in Australia, so there was no save.) 

Match result: Kairi Sane defeated IYO SKY (9:51) 

********

They aired part two of the three-part video package for Rhodes vs. Rollins. 

Lynch ranted to Rollins backstage about losing to Dupri. She was pissed at the way she was treated and left to tell Pearce she wasn’t going to Australia until they got better referees. 

After she left, Rollins repeated to Heyman that he had to beat Rhodes on Saturday. Rollins asked him what would happen if he lost to Rhodes. Heyman didn’t take that possibility seriously, but Rollins wanted him to consider it. 

Heyman said Rollins would lose the locker room if he lost. He would lose the faith of Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. He would throw away the fact that the entire Netflix era has been built around him. Rollins would become a de facto secondary champion. Heyman told him not to lose. 

Rollins wondered what Heyman would do if he lost. Heyman would have to ask himself why he picked Rollins, and why he picked him over Reigns. Heyman left. 

********

Jey wasn’t happy about Jimmy getting involved and having to wrestle a tag match while he was focused on getting the world title. Jey wondered if Jimmy was protecting Punk earlier, and told him to know what side he’s on tonight. Jey left. 

Jimmy told Reigns that he and Jey were nothing like him. Reigns told Jimmy that if he wanted to help Jey, he should just get out of his way. 

********

Styles “tried” cutting a promo before the match, and seemed like he had something to get off his chest, but he was interrupted by Judgment Day’s music, so he stopped out of frustration. (I think having a microphone allows people to hear you despite music being played.) 

Six-man tag team match: AJ Styles, Dragon Lee & Penta vs. Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio & World Tag Team Champions Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh

They went to break twice in the first 7.5 minutes of the match, so the first 10 minutes included 5 minutes of commercials. 

Absolutely nothing happened during the second break, and Dragon Lee made a hot tag to Penta as soon as they returned. Penta ran wild and went for a Canadian Destroyer, but McDonagh reversed into a Spanish Fly (Joe Tessitore thought it was Penta who hit the offensive move). 

Styles tagged in next and hit a Dom with a spinning rack bomb, but McDonagh broke up the cover. Dragon Lee got rid of McDonagh, and Penta wiped out Bálor with a flip dive. 

Dom went for a 619 on Styles, but stopped in his tracks upon seeing Rusev. Yes, another distraction. 

Rusev marched out, and Dom bailed from the ring. Dom grabbed his belts and tried to escape, but Rusev caught him. Penta went to superkick Dom, but Dom ducked, and Penta superkicked Rusev by mistake. Dom bailed through the crowd. 

Styles grabbed McDonagh and hit a Styles Clash for the pinfall win. 

— Styles grabbed a mic after the match. He said his match against Cena didn’t need a story because it wrote itself. Two men will dance for the last time. They would leave it all in the ring, and it will kick ass. Styles did Cena’s salute. 

Match result: AJ Styles, Dragon Lee & Penta defeated Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio & World Tag Team Champions Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh (14:05) 

********

Crown Jewel card (8 am ET start time, with a 6 am pre-show): 

  • John Cena vs. AJ Styles 
  • Roman Reigns vs. Bronson Reed – Australian Street Fight 
  • IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane 
  • Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer vs. WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton 
  • World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes 

Raw next week (also an 8 am ET start time): 

  • Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta for the Intercontinental Championship 
  • Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez 

The announcers said Penta earned the IC title shot with tonight’s win (Styles pinned McDonagh in the match). We can probably guess how the match will end, considering what happened with Penta and Rusev tonight.

********

Punk and Knight agreed that neither of them wanted this match tonight. Knight had one thing to ask of Punk: don’t get pinned. 

Knight’s entrance was cut short by Punk, who stormed out to get things started against The Usos. 

CM Punk & LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso

Punk and Knight weren’t getting along, and Punk chopped Knight’s chest to tag him in. Jey aggressively launched Knight into the steel steps as the Usos held control through an early break. 

Punk made a hot tag and hit Jimmy with a flying elbow drop. Jimmy slipped out of a GTS attempt and tagged in Jey, who hit an Uso splash, but Knight broke up the cover. Knight gave Jimmy a BFT, then Jey superkicked Knight. Jey speared Punk and went back to the top, but leaped down to knock Knight off the apron. 

Punk gave Jey a GTS, but Knight tagged himself and pinned Jey for the win. 

Match result: LA Knight & CM Punk defeated Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso (9:30) 

A weak finish and match to end a weak show.

WWE Raw live results: The Usos vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: September 29, 2025
Location: Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC 

The Big Takeaway —

Not much happened on Raw until the very end, when Roman Reigns returned to help The Usos beat Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. It was good timing by Reigns because the Usos were getting obliterated. Jimmy Uso has been worried about Jey turning into Reigns, and the closing shot saw Reigns imparting more words of encouragement on Jey, as Jimmy looked on disapprovingly. 

Plus, Iyo Sky will team with Rhea Ripley to face Asuka and Kairi Sane at Crown Jewel.

**********

Show Recap — 

The Usos, Judgment Day, Los Americanos (all three of them), and Rusev arrived at the arena in Raleigh. 

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are tonight’s announcers. 

Tessitore welcomed us to Raleigh, NC, and said the city was “That unique mix of cutting-edge business savvy and rah-rah spirit that mirrors modern-day WWE.” 

There was a recap of Asuka and Kairi Sane attacking Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley. 

Rhea Ripley kicks off Raw

A pissed off Rhea Ripley entered to a big reaction. She said Asuka and Kairi Sane crossed the line with what they did to Iyo Sky, whom they claimed was family. Ripley wanted to settle things in the ring and called them out, but Sky entered instead. 

Sky admitted Ripley was right about Asuka and Sane, and it broke her heart to say that. But they were her family, and she still loved them. 

Asuka and Sane appeared on the screen. Asuka addressed Ripley and Sky. (It was a pre-taped promo, so there were subtitles.) Asuka said she taught Sky everything she knew and paved the way for her, but now Sky acted as if none of that mattered. Sky became champion because of her, but now Sky calls Ripley family and tries to forget about her (Asuka). 

Asuka was willing to forgive Sky, but wanted an apology. “Be like Kairi. You can both be my students.” Sane (still a hesitant participant in this) told Sky they can still be a family. Asuka said it was too late for Ripley. 

Ripley tried talking sense into Sky. Ripley said she knew what it was like for family to turn on you (Judgment Day), and there was no way Sky could go back to Asuka and Sane. Sky was upset. She needed time. She apologized to Ripley and left. 

Asuka and Sane attacked Ripley from behind. Sky wasn’t sure what to do, but she ran into the ring and pulled Asuka away from Ripley. Sane pleaded with Sky until Asuka spat mist in Sky’s face. 

Ripley attacked, but Asuka and Sane fought her off. Asuka held Ripley down in the Asuka Lock while Sane hit an Insane elbow. Officials entered to check on the babyfaces as the segment ended.

******** 

Dom entered with his Intercontinental and AAA Mega Championship belts. Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh initially entered with Dom, but they returned to the back for the match. 

Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev

Rusev was all over Dom early on, sending him over the announce table with a fallaway slam, which sent us to break less than two minutes into the match. Not much happened until Dom made his comeback following a break, leading to a springboard senton for just a one count. Dom went for a 619, but Rusev clotheslined him. 

Rusev set up for the Machka Kick, but Dom spilled out of the ring. Dom shoved Rusev into the steel steps and hit a 619 to the gut back in the ring. Dom hit a normal 619 and went for a frog splash, but Rusev moved and hit a Machka Kick for a nearfall. 

Rusev applied the Accolade, but Dom quickly wriggled out of it and escaped the ring. Dom grabbed his two belts and started to leave, but Rusev pulled him back in the ring. 

Dom tried to pull an Eddie Guerrero trick by feigning that Rusev hit him with a belt, but the referee caught him. As the ref put the belt away, Dom low-blowed Rusev and applied a schoolboy for the pinfall win. 

Match result: Dominik Mysterio defeated Rusev to retain the Intercontinental Championship (8:56)

This was ok. It followed the same pattern as most WWE TV matches, so the crowd only got into it toward the end with Dom’s antics, and they popped big for his win. 

********

Earlier today, LA Knight told Adam Pearce he wanted a world title shot because he was the last person to beat Seth Rollins. 

New Day interrupted them because they wanted a tag title shot. Pearce told them to earn it. Knight tried to dismiss them, so Kofi Kingston told him that only one of them had actually been a world champion. Knight said he would be world champ very soon, and told Pearce to make a match between him and Kingston. Pearce agreed. 

********

There was a shot of Cody Rhodes’ tour bus, followed by part one of a video package exploring the history of Rhodes and Seth Rollins since Rhodes’ return. 

Happy Bayley approached Lyra Valkyria, who wasn’t buying what Bayley was saying. Bayley wanted Valkyria’s help tonight (in her match with Raquel Rodriguez). Valkyria didn’t want to give her any more chances and told her she was on her own. 

******** 

They announced the launch of Zuffa Boxing with a picture of Turki Al-Sheikh and Dana White.

Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez (w/Roxanne Perez)

Bayley went for a hurricanrana off the apron (like Kelani Jordan tried in her recent TNA match with Lei Ying Lee), but Rodriguez successfully caught her and drove her into the barricade. 

Bayley fought back after a break and hit a senton bomb for two. They were in North Carolina, so Bayley did the Hardy Boyz pose before the spot. Rodriguez and Bayley messed up a spot, so they moved on, and Rodriguez clotheslined her. 

Bayley responded with a figure four (to pay tribute to Ric Flair in NC), but Rodriguez called the ref for help to distract her. This allowed Perez to rake Bayley’s eyes and break up the hold, and the ref didn’t see it because she has no peripheral vision. Rodriguez followed with a big boot and Tejana Bomb for the pinfall win. 

— The heels attacked Bayley after the match, so Valkyria ran out to make the save. The heels got the better of her, but Bayley suddenly snapped. She popped out of the corner and cleared the ring by herself. Bayley cackled like heel Bayley and helped Valkyria to her feet. 

Match result: Raquel Rodriguez defeated Bayley (10:24) 

********

The Usos met backstage. Jimmy wanted to know why Jey walked away from him and LA Knight last week. Jey said helping Knight got them nowhere, and he was the reason they lost at Wrestlepalooza. Jey wanted to know why Jimmy helped Knight. 

Jey basically reiterated what Roman Reigns told him (without mentioning him), that they shouldn’t be helping anyone. 

Jey did what he had to do. He beat Knight. Mission accomplished. If he did more of that, maybe he’d be world champion. That was something Jimmy didn’t understand. Jey told him to forget about Knight so they could take care of the Brons. They shook hands. 

*******

The useless medical staff was still tending to Sky, who was still covered in blue mist and having trouble seeing almost an hour after the opening segment. Sane approached Sky and tried reasoning with her. 

Sane wanted Sky to apologize to Asuka so they could be a family again. Sky told Sane to leave her alone. A very sad Kairi left, but not before leaving a photo of the three of them together. (The camera zoomed in on the picture in case you were having trouble understanding.) 

******** 

LA Knight vs. Kofi Kingston (w/Xavier Woods)

Knight had control until a Woods distraction allowed Kingston to take over ahead of a break. Woods also took a cheap shot during a break. Knight made his post-commercial break comeback, hitting a slingshot shoulder tackle and neckbreaker. 

Woods distracted Knight again, this time by jumping on the apron in front of the referee. Knight knocked him off, but Kingston applied a rollup with his feet on the ropes for two. Knight ducked a Trouble in Paradise and hit a BFT for the pinfall win. 

Match result: LA Knight defeated Kofi Kingston (10:22) 

Another ordinary, patterned match. 

******** 

Becky Lynch approached Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa. She mocked Dupri for being a loser. Lynch called herself the greatest of all time and reminded us that everyone was saying it. Durpi said not everyone, certainly not AJ Lee. 

Tozawa, playing a total caricature, giggled at the comment. Lynch punched Tozawa, and he dropped to the floor. Dupri stood up for Tozawa, so Lynch backed off. Durpi checked on Tozawa, but Lynch attacked her from behind and hammered away until officials broke it up. Lynch found Rollins nearby. Rollins left to head to the ring. 

******** 

Byron Saxton interviewed Dom during a break. Dom bragged about his win before being confronted by Penta. Saxton asked Dom for comment, but Dom dismissed Penta as a challenger because he’s already beaten him so many times. 

Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes segment 

(Long story short, Rhodes isn’t buying that their Crown Jewel match will determine the future. Rollins wanted to make it clear that any perceived allegiance between them in the past meant nothing. The match was meaningful because Rollins would win and write a new story.) 

Rollins entered. The crowd sang his song, chanted for CM Punk and “OTC.” The fans remembered he isn’t currently feuding with those guys, so they eventually started singing for Cody Rhodes. 

Rollins finally spoke when they did. Rollins acknowledged that he had lost all three matches against Rhodes. It didn’t bother Rollins because it didn’t matter. Those were in the past. Those versions of Rhodes and Rollins were in the past. They were both men trying to reach the top, but now, headed into Crown Jewel, they were on top. 

The winner of the match wouldn’t just be the Crown Jewel champion—the winner may just decide the next 10-20 years of the entire industry. Rollins didn’t understand why anyone would want Rhodes to win that match and lead this company into the future. 

Rollins said he has done everything right. He stayed with this company when times were tough, brought the company into its golden age, and took two young men—Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed—and took them under his wing so they could reach the top. Rollins has tried to rid this place of cancers like Reigns and Punk, yet people still chanted for Rhodes (instead of him). 

Rhodes entered to a big reception. Rhodes wanted to know what Rollins was even talking about, as if either of them had any control over the future of the industry. Rhodes looked at the fans and said they were the ones who controlled the future. 

Rhodes mentioned that Breakker and Reed appeared on SmackDown, but it wasn’t Rollins who sent them, it was Paul Heyman. Rhodes wondered who was really in charge. Rollins claimed it was him who sent them because every decision ran through him. 

Rhodes wondered if it was also Rollins’ idea for Heyman to introduce Brock Lesnar. Rollins reiterated that every decision ran through him. 

Rhodes said Crown Jewel should be about best versus best. Rhodes wondered where they would be in twenty years. Would they be sitting in the back, reminiscing about the past? Rhodes recalled Rollins being his shield at WrestleMania 40. He thought Rollins was his friend. 

Rollins told him to shut up. Rollins said he was never Rhodes’ friend. That act at WrestleMania was a means to an end. Rhodes was the lesser of two evils. They would never be friends reminiscing about the past. They would never shake hands. That would never happen. 

Rollins planned on cleansing the timeline at Crown Jewel. Everything that happened between them before was dead. Rollins would write a new future at Crown Jewel. 

********

Ripley approached Sky, still covered in blue mist. Sky told Ripley she was right about Asuka. She spoke to Pearce and got them a tag match against Asuka and Sane at Crown Jewel. Ripley earnestly asked Sky if she could trust her. Sky said she could. Sane was lost, and she could not go back to them. 

********

Dragon Lee cut a pre-match promo. The crowd was quiet for it. He was honoured to team with Styles and said he was coming for Dom’s Mega Championship. 

Styles spoke about his upcoming match against John Cena. Styles said it was thanks to the fans that this match was happening, and now he got to do something that he loved: “I get to beat up John Cena.” 

AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Los Americanos

The two Americanos who aren’t Ludwig Kaiser have new fake names, Rio and Bravo. 

They went to break 40 seconds into the match, and the Americanos had the heat on Dragon Lee as the fans watched quietly. The crowd woke up when Styles made the hot tag. He ran wild and wiped out Kaiser with a springboard forearm to the outside. 

Lee hoisted an Americano into the air and into the arms of Styles. Lee wiped out the other Americano with a dive while AJ hit a Styles Clash for the pinfall win. 

Match result: AJ Styles & Dragon Lee defeated Los Americanos (7:02) 

Another match where you only need to see the last minute or so. 

********

Next week on Raw in Dallas, TX (start time 8 pm ET/5 pm PT): 

  • CM Punk appears 
  • Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri (non-title) 
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez 

********

Jackie Redmond interviewed Stephanie Vaquer about her upcoming match against Tiffany Stratton. Vaquer respected Stratton, but Stratton would learn why nobody could stop her. 

Stratton suddenly showed up. Stratton said she’s proven herself as champion against some of the best over the past 268 days. Vaquer has only been on top for a few weeks, and she would learn that it was still Tiffy Time. Vaquer said Tiffany’s time was over. 

********

In the back, a very serious Rollins told Heyman that he needs to beat Rhodes. Heyman was upbeat and confident that he would, but Rollins cut him off and said, “I have to beat him. I have to.” 

Tornado Tag Team Match: Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed (w/Paul Heyman)

The Usos attacked the Brons with dives during their entrance, so the referee chose that moment to start the match, which hardly seems fair. The Brons fought them off and eventually took control anyway. The highlight was Breakker putting Jimmy through the announce table with a leaping clothesline off the barricade. 

This left Jey on his own for a while. Jey tried fighting back, but Reed cut him off with a world’s strongest slam. The Brons followed with a Steinerizer. 

Reed went up for a Tsunami, but Jimmy woke up and shoved him off the top. Jimmy hit Breakker with a superkick and a pop-up Samoan drop. However, Reed gave Jimmy a Jagged Edge (DVD), and Breakker speared Jey. 

Breakker stacked up the Usos, who were getting decimated in a fair fight, and Reed set up for a Tsunami, but Roman Reigns’ music hit. 

Reigns entered with a chair in hand to a gigantic pop. Reigns dumped Breakker from the ring and hit Reed repeatedly with a chair, eventually sending him over the barricade. Breakker tried to attack from behind, but Reigns hit him with the chair and sent him into the ring. 

Jimmy superkicked Breakker, and Jey followed with a spear. Jimmy and Jey hit Breakker with simultaneous Uso splashes for the pinfall win. 

— Reigns attacked Breakker again with a chair after the match. 

Reigns shook hands with Jey. They stood face-to-face as Reigns gave Jey words of encouragement (telling Jey that this was his show and to take everything). Jimmy had a skeptical look on his face and didn’t like what he was seeing. 

Match result: The Usos defeated Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed in a tornado tag team match (12:38)

WWE SmackDown live results: Women’s title triple threat

Posted on by Marc Quill

Tiffany Stratton defends her WWE Women’s Championship against both Nia Jax and Jade Cargill in a triple threat match as part of tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.

Stratton last defended her title two weeks ago in a no contest against Cargill due to a Jax attack. An altercation between the three last week led to Nick Aldis making this match for tonight. It will determine who heads to Crown Jewel: Perth to face Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer.

After defending his WWE title at Wrestlepalooza against Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes will appear on tonight’s show to address his upcoming Crown Jewel match against World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.

United States Champion Sami Zayn will hold another open challenge after successfully retaining against Carmelo Hayes last week.

The card is rounded out by Michin & B-Fab joining forces to take on Women’s United States Champion Giulia & Kiana James in tag team action.

The show began with the updated WWE signature open introduced this week. We then got shots of Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, Nia Jax, and Sami Zayn arriving to the Kia Center.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

– Michael Cole welcomed us to tonight’s show as Booker T was introduced as his partner on commentary for tonight. Cole then tossed to a recap of what happened at last Saturday’s Wrestlepalooza.

Paul Heyman opens SmackDown

After the Wrestlepalooza recap ended, we returned to the arena with Paul Heyman in the ring. He did his usual “ladies and gentlemen” introduction as he said he’d paraphrase a pseudo-de facto secondary champion, “So, Orlando, what do you want to talk about?” Heyman asked if we’d like to talk about the World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins as the fans chanted “O.T.C.” at him.

Heyman said he’d love to talk about to Roman Reigns, but it’s disrespectful to speak of the injured after he got stretchered out of Paris following Bronson Reed’s attack. He then asked if we should talk about the man who will main event WrestleMania into the 2030s and 2040s, Bron Breakker. Heyman then turned his attention to the conspiracy theories and rumors about Brock Lesnar. Before Heyman could go on further, the theme of Cody Rhodes cut him off.

The Undisputed WWE Champion made his way down to the ring as the Orlando crowd cheered him on. Once Rhodes got into the ring, he took a mic and asked if we all got a chance to watch the Wrestlepalooza recap. He said that he made a mistake last week in calling Paul Heyman a “goon”. Rhodes called Heyman the most smartest man that he knows as he said that he’d go ahead and ask the question: tell him more about Brock Lesnar. Rhodes then had a still from Wrestlepalooza of Heyman introducing Lesnar before the match.

Rhodes said that the face on Heyman last Saturday, that it wasn’t the face of a guy treating it as a one-night thing. He asked Heyman if he was talking to the Oracle, to the Wiseman, or the Advocate? Heyman responded by saying that Rhodes was talking to the GOAT and that he respected him for confronting him about Brock Lesnar. He said that when Lesnar is around, everyone will be in danger. Heyman mentioned that Lesnar is not here, but the bad news for Rhodes, he’s got others here instead as Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed appeared.

As Breakker and Reed faced down the Undisputed WWE Champion, Rhodes tried to give the two advice as he asked “who is Paul Heyman loyal to?” Rhodes said he didn’t know for sure, but he said that it ain’t to the Brons. This then led to Rhodes attempting to fight the Vision’s deadly duo, but the numbers game got the better of him. Randy Orton made the save as he took the fight to Breakker and Reed. Orton delivered an RKO on Reed, while Rhodes clotheslined Breakker out of the ring.

An interesting open to this week’s show, and again, I’m left cold at the idea of seeing another Brock Lesnar match, as they teased a potential title match with him against Cody Rhodes. As for the now, it seems we’ll likely get Rhodes and Randy Orton fighting The Vision soon.

**********

WWE Tag Team Title No. 1 Contenders Match: The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) vs. Melo Don’t Miz (Carmelo Hayes & The Miz)

The match got underway with Ford and Miz as the legal men. As Ford tried to get at Hayes on the apron, Miz attempted to get an early rollup pin, to no avail. Hayes tagged in and tried to keep things going for his team, but he ate a high knee to the face from Ford. Dawkins entered the match as Miz tried to get involved. Miz got thrown onto a downed Hayes for his troubles. At ringside, Dawkins tried for a running attack, but was met by a dropkick by Hayes, as the action went to a break.

We returned to the action as Miz drilled Ford with a kneeling DDT for the near-fall. The cohesive unit of Hayes and Miz continued to work over Ford as they grounded him with an assisted double-team clothesline in their corner. With Ford struggling to get himself back up, Miz taunted Dawkins in the corner, but paid for it with a kick to the face from Ford.

Hayes got the tag as he delivered a cheap shot to Dawkins on the Street Profits corner. Meanwhile, Ford attempted to fight his way out of enemy territory and managed to do so after sending Miz out of the ring. Ford tried to tag Dawkins, but Miz pulled Dawkins from the outside. This allowed Hayes to hit Ford with the First 48. Hayes headed up top and looked for Nothin’ But Net, but Miz once again selfishly tagged himself in. This gave Ford the opening to get the tag on Hayes.

The Street Profits took command as Dawkins rocked Miz with his corkscrew elbow followed by a spinning neckbreaker. With Ford as the legal man, he took to the skies with his From the Heavens frog splash. As Ford pinned Miz, Hayes didn’t seem to be in a hurry to break up the pin as the Street Profits became No. 1 contenders for The Wyatt Sicks’ WWE Tag Titles.

After the match, The Wyatt Sicks appeared in front of the commentary table and simply stared down the victorious duo of Ford and Dawkins.

The Street Profits def. Melo Don’t Miz via pinfall

That was a decent match to start off the in-ring action tonight, and it seems we’re getting forward movement with the Miz/Hayes breakup if that finish is any indication, so it’s a win all around.

**********

– As Jade Cargill was interviewed ahead of her triple threat match for the WWE Women’s Championship, the Women’s World Heavyweight Champion, Stephanie Vaquer confronted her. Cargill said that storm would be coming Vaquer’s way at Crown Jewel. Vaquer responded by saying that she’d be ready.

Giulia & Kiana James vs. Michin & B-Fab

B-Fab opened the match by blasting James with some strikes, before she got taken down by a clothesline from the business associate of Giulia. B-Fab responded with a dropkick to James as she tagged Michin in. James managed to get the drop on Michin, which allowed Giulia to be tagged in. The Women’s U.S. Champion struck Michin with a kick, but was met with a hurricanrana by her hated rival. The tag was made to B-Fab, who kept Giulia grounded with a double team move.

Outside the ring, Giulia rolled out for the retreat and things broke down with the Women’s U.S. Champion getting waylaid by a dropkick from the commentary table by Michin, which took us into the commercial break halfway through this one.

SmackDown returned with B-Fab in trouble as James and Giulia teed off with a big boot, followed by a missile dropkick. James re-entered the match and maintained the upper hand on B-Fab with a punch. A missed elbow dropped allowed B-Fab to create some separation as she desperately tried to go for a tag to Michin. One final side kick from B-Fab finally got the hot tag from Michin.

Michin dropped James with a DDT, using Giulia as a base. As things broke down, Michin hit James with Eat Defeat, but that sent her to Giulia’s corner, which allowed the Women’s U.S. Champion to make the tag. Giulia flattened Michin with the Arrivederci Knee, followed by a Northern Lights Bomb with some added sauce for the pin and win.

Giulia & Kiana James def. Michin & B-Fab via pinfall

A fine enough tag match, but I’m kind of tired of the very limited Women’s U.S. Title picture where it seems like it’s just Michin as a frequent challenger to whoever is the champion. I think this is where some NXT call ups to bolster SmackDown’s women’s roster would do the most good. Giulia certainly deserves better than fighting the same two people every so often.

**********

– Backstage, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair were confronted by Zaria and Sol Ruca, who wanted to call their shot for the WWE Women’s Tag Titles. Bliss told the two that they needed to prove themselves as she told Zaria and Ruca to get in line. After the NXT duo left, Flair expressed joy in seeing Bliss telling off Zaria and Ruca the way she did.

– A preview for Crown Jewel was shown highlight the matches we’d be seeing, including Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins for the Men’s Crown Jewel Champion, plus John Cena vs. AJ Styles.

Drew McIntyre on his Wrestlepalooza defeat

McIntyre appeared with a walking boot following his loss at Wrestlepalooza.

McIntyre said that Orlando held a special place in him, as he talked about making his WWE return here, winning his 2nd WWE Championship in front of a bunch of screen. He then talked about how he should’ve been here as the new WWE Champion as he proceeded to got mad about the referee getting in the way at Wrestlepalooza. McIntyre claimed that the referee was being paid off by Cody Rhodes as Nick Aldis soon interrupted him.

Aldis said that McIntyre was making too many excuses, and that to acknowledge that people won some and lose some. As McIntyre continued to complain about the WWE medical team being supposedly on the Cody Rhodes payroll, Aldis said that he was done and left the surly Scotsman to his own devices. Before McIntyre could continue on, the returning Jacob Fatu interrupted him unexpectedly. Fatu marched his way down to the ring and confronted McIntyre face to face.

Fatu snatched the microphone from McIntyre and told him to “shut his ass up” and to “stop bitching”. He said that McIntyre came out every week to cry, complain and blame everyone else for his wrong doing. Fatu told him to sit his peg-leg ass down. McIntyre had his turn yelled at him for trying to put him out. As Fatu was doing his usual “all gas and no brakes” spiel, McIntyre surprised him with a headbutt. Fatu answered with a superkick to the face of McIntyre before he ripped the walking boot off of the Scotsman’s foot. Fatu then kayoed McIntyre with the boot as he left him laying.

This Fatu/McIntyre feud has the potential to be very interesting, so this has my full, undivided attention for when this match goes down.

**********

– While Tiffany Stratton was getting ready for the main event triple threat match, Stephanie Vaquer sized up her potential Crown Jewel challenger, like she did with Jade Cargill earlier.

– Sami Zayn was chatting with Fenix as he prepared for his U.S. Title Open Challenge match up next. He said he didn’t know who he’d be facing, as it could be anyone from Raw or SmackDown, or even NXT, as they’re in Orlando. Shinsuke Nakamura was briefly seen in the background watching Zayn in the shadows.

– We got another vignette for Solo Sikoa’s M.F.T. that focused on J.C. Mateo. Sikoa said that Mateo was loyal to him and that he’d be rewarded as long as he was part of the Family Tree.

U.S. Title Open Challenge: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Je’von Evans

Zayn’s challenger in the Open Challenge was revealed to be Je’von Evans from NXT. Evans’ opponent at NXT No Mercy tomorrow, Josh Briggs, was seen in the crowd watching.

The two combatants locked up to start as Evans dodged Zayn acrobatically before he got thrown around by arm drags from the U.S. Champion. In the corner, Zayn lifted Evans back up as the chain wrestling battle continued between the two. In the corner, Evans delivered a chop to the chest of Zayn and backed off. In response, Zayn got in some chops of his own on Evans. The NXT young gun answered with a high-flying springboard clothesline, folowed by a leaping rana off the top rope. Evans sent Zayn to the outside and looked like he was about to take flight. Zayn put a stop to that with a hard lariat that took us into the commercial break.

We returned with Zayn literally having Evans on the ropes with a chop. The challenger fought out and threw Zayn outside of the ring before he finally connected with a soaring dive over the top rope on the U.S. Champion. In the ring, Evans countered a Blue Thunder Bomb attempt and answered with a springboard enzuigiri that took Zayn out. On the top rope, Zayn and Evans had a skirmish, with the former winning out by sending the latter.

Zayn tried to go for a diving move off the top, but Evans ran up and delivered an avalanche hurricanrana that nearly won him the U.S. Title. In the corner, Evans tried to run at Zayn, but got caught with the Exploder Suplex. A Helluva Kick attempt was intercepted by a dropkick on the button by Evans. Another attempt at the Helluva Kick was once again countered by Evans, who dodged at the last second. This left Zayn stunned as Evans connected with the OG Cutter. One, two… NO!

Evans headed to apron for a springboard, but miscalculated, as he ended up in the corner as a result following a rollthrough. Zayn made him pay with a Helluva Kick, followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb for the one, two, three.

After the match, Zayn congratulated Evans on his effort and got the fans to cheer for the NXT upstart.

Sami Zayn def. Je’von Evans to retain the United States Championship

For the fourth week running, Sami Zayn’s U.S. Title Open Challenge is the highlight of the show. The matches have been fantastic since Zayn began the Open Challenge, and this week was no exception. Je’von Evans is my favorite of NXT’s prospects, and he had a great showing here in this one. Certainly match of the night, for sure.

**********

– Nia Jax was walking backstage on her way for our main event when Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre attempted to recruit her into the Secret Hervice to fill in for the injured Piper Niven. Jax emphatically rejected the offer by ripping up the flyer that Green gave her. She was then confronted by Stephanie Vaquer, who made it clear that whoever one between Jax, Tiffany Stratton, or Jade Cargill, she’d be ready for them at Crown Jewel.

– Damian Priest was accosted by Kit Wilson, who called him the “personification of toxic masculinity”. Wilson got a bit too pushy in calling Priest toxic, but ended up running into oxygen tanks. Priest turned around and got a Black Mass kick from Aleister Black. With Priest yet again left down and out, Black mockingly wished him a happy birthday before he left.

WWE Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Nia Jax vs. Jade Cargill

The match started off right away as Jax threw Stratton right into Cargill. She then slammed Stratton onto a fallen Cargill. The WWE Women’s Champion struck back with a double dropkick on Cargill and Jax as we took an oddly-placed commercial break just a minute into this main event bout.

We returned to SmackDown’s main event as Stratton flew into Jax with a suicide dive that she did not get all of. Jax recovered and pushed Cargill into the steel steps before she reentered the ring and took aim at Stratton in the corner with running charges. Cargill intercepted Jax with a shove as she then hit a modified pumphandle facebuster on Stratton. Cargill’s pin attempt was broken up by Jax. With Jax in the top rope, Stratton shoved Cargill and attempted a rollup pin. Cargill turned that into a submission hold as Stratton escaped the hold. Stratton tried for the pin, but got out of the way as Jax took off with a legdrop that ended up hitting Cargill instead.

Stratton headed to the top rope and hit a Swanton Bomb on Jax, but got put down with a superkick by Cargill which ended up actually making her fall onto the out-of-it Jax for the pin attempt. As Jax kicked out, we took one more commercial break as the action continued in picture-in-picture on the USA Network feed.

The main event returned from the break as Cargill and Stratton unexpectedly teamed up to deliver a double superplex onto Jax. With Jax still recovering, Stratton took Cargill down with the rolling senton as she then connected with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on the still-knocked out Jax. Cargill easily broke up the pin after avoiding Stratton’s moonsault. In the middle of the ring, Stratton countered Cargill’s powerbomb into a hurricanrana. As Stratton ran towards Cargill in the corner, she was caught and promptly dropped into a modified Jaded. One, two… Nia Jax saved the match by pulling the referee out at the last possible second.

Outside the ring, Cargill cleared the commentary table, but got thrown into the steel steps by Jax. The top half of the steps was cleared as Jax attempted some sort of elevated suplex from the steps. Cargill countered that into a samoan drop onto the base of the steel steps. Cargill was shown to have suffered a cut to her upper eyebrow in the midst of this.

In the ring, Jax got dropped by an Eye of the Storm from Cargill. Stratton broke up the count and tried a pin, which led to a “phantom kickout” from Jax and some miscommunication, as it appeared to be a botched pin. The true finish came when Stratton ended things with a Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Jax, as she retained her WWE Women’s Championship in the SmackDown main event.

After the match, Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer made her way down to the ring to get a better look at her opponent at Crown Jewel in two weeks. We ended the night on the two raising their respective titles and jawjacking at one another.

Tiffany Stratton def. Nia Jax & Jade Cargill to retain the WWE Women’s Championship

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That was a fine main event that seemed to pick up steam a bit as the match neared its conclusion, though the botched finish with the phantom kickout did kind of put a damper on things.

That being said, I liked this week’s SmackDown a lot more than previous weeks, and after a rather mediocre Wrestlepalooza show, that is a miracle in of itself. The in-ring action was mostly great, especially the continuing success of Sami Zayn’s U.S. Title Open Challenge and we got some set ups of interesting matchups to come in the near future. All in all, a better edition of WWE’s Friday night show than what we’ve seen recently.