WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Sept. 29, 2023) with a live show emanating from Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Fastlane premium live event scheduled for early next month in Indianapolis.
Advertised for tonight: Rey Mysterio defends the United States championship against fellow LWO member Santos Escobar.
Also on the card: Charlotte Flair has a singles match against Bayley, an irate Bobby Lashley is a guest on Grayson Waller’s talk show, John Cena could really use a friend as he stands up to The Bloodline, and much more!
Top talent is essential to any wrestling promotion, and All Elite Wrestling and WWE currently have a strong crop of names ready to lead each company into the future.
AEW is in good hands as the fans’ favorite scarf-wearing scumbag continues to grow into his role as a main eventer. Meanwhile, The Tribal Chief is on a generational run, with another second-generation star waiting for his chance at retribution.
On WWE Raw, a new stable has risen to power, and a colorful character seeks to create a new legacy as the world heavyweight champion. It will take some time, but the new title has offered the show a refreshing change of pace.
Pro wrestling is in a great place now that there’s more parity and healthy alternatives. These 10 wrestlers are important to the growth of their respective brands.
10. Athena
Athena is, debatably, the best women’s champion in the United States. And she is, unquestionably, the most prominent star on Ring of Honor programming.
The Fallen Goddess is the most present titleholder on the show, and her feud with Willow Nightingale has defined the promotion’s second year under Tony Khan.
9. FTR
FTR have been a focal point on Collision since their debut. The AEW world tag team champions produced top-notch matches with Adam Cole and MJF and Bullet Club Gold on Saturday night.
In fact, their work with the latter helped to elevate Jay White and this iteration of his stable after a slow start with the company.
The duo also delivered a fantastic match with The Young Bucks at All In in London, and they’re set to face Aussie Open at WrestleDream on Oct. 1.
8. Gunther
Gunther has been WWE’s preeminent workhorse champion for a solid year. He also stood out as the runner-up in the 2023 men’s Royal Rumble match.
His record-breaking Intercontinental Championship reign has made him one of the most compelling villains in pro wrestling. As a result, The Ring General has become a consummate final boss for wrestlers like Chad Gable to overcome.
7. Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch is a proven household name. Her jump to NXT to attain its women’s title was successful for WWE as it produced a substantial ratings boost and exposed Tiffany Stratton to a larger audience.
The Man’s feud with Trish Status also produced a Match of the Year candidate at Payback. She must be an early front-runner to win the 2024 women’s Royal Rumble match following a strong performance in July’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
6. Swerve Strickland
Swerve Strickland has quietly become one of the top heels in the industry over the past few months. His rivalry with Darby Allin and upcoming match with “Hangman” Adam Page has produced some of the best segments and matches on AEW Dynamite.
The head of The Mogul Embassy also oozes crossover appeal as a rapper who was covered by XXL magazine and participated in an interview with DJ Drewski of Hot 97. Meanwhile, Prince Nana’s dance is quickly becoming an internet sensation.
5. Seth Rollins
Although Roman Reigns remains the top WWE champion, Seth Rollins has been a significant figure in his absence.
The WWE World Heavyweight Championship has provided a much-needed prize for Raw. Since his title win at Night of Champions in May, The Visionary has held and defended the mantle well.
His current feud with Shinsuke Nakamura has revitalized The King of Strong Style, and Rollins’ presence has made the title scene much less predictable.
4. Cody Rhodes
Despite his loss at WrestleMania 39, Cody Rhodes still seems like the most believable contender in pursuit of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The second-generation star even earned an endorsement from Brock Lesnar.
The American Nightmare is poised to become the face of the company even though WWE continues to stretch out his story with Roman Reigns. Furthermore, his exit from AEW and influence in signing Jade Cargill could lead to more acquisitions from the alternative promotion he helped to create.
3. The Judgment Day
In the aftermath of The Bloodline implosion, The Judgment Day has become the most dominant stable in WWE. The fearsome foursome is the most visible act on Raw, and they’ve been instrumental in the rise of interest in NXT.
Rhea Ripley has been a popular champion since her win against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39, but the entire crew is currently draped in gold. In addition, Damian Priest is still an impending threat as Señor Money in the Bank.
2. MJF
MJF has stepped up as the flagbearer for AEW. He is possibly one of the best champions in the history of the company as a consummate draw and an integral part of its programming.
His matches always deliver, and his reluctant friendship with Adam Cole has become one of the most talked-about storylines of 2023. This has been an incredible year for MJF, filled with career-defining moments such as the main event of All In at Wembley Stadium.
1. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is still the biggest star in wrestling and the face of WWE. He was at the heart of the hottest storyline in the industry with The Bloodline, and he consistently generates a colossal ratings boost and top merchandise sales.
No one else is more important to their company than The Tribal Chief. If you possibly doubt this, it’s apparent on SmackDown, which is much more entertaining when he’s on television.
The return of WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns has officially been announced for an upcoming edition of SmackDown.
Reigns hasn’t appeared on WWE TV since the August 11 edition of SmackDown, when he was attacked by Jey Uso in the aftermath of their SummerSlam bout.
The Tribal Chief notably defended his WWE Undisputed Universal Title against Jey Uso at the August 5 premium live event. As of writing, this is Reigns’ most recent match.
Reigns has now been announced for the October 13 SmackDown at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK.
The BOK Center shared the following update on Twitter:
Another @WWE Superstar is headed to Tulsa! Great new seats have been added so grab your tickets now and don’t miss the opportunity to see @WWERomanReigns live in action at BOK Center on October 13th!
This show notably takes place in the week following WWE Fastlane, with WWE’s next premium live event slated for October 7.
In addition to the October 13 show, Reigns has also been advertised for the October 27 taping at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This all comes after a report that Reigns will be in action at the upcoming Crown Jewel event, set for November 4.
Raw airs tonight (Sept. 25) with a live show from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California. This is the fourth episode of Raw during the five week build towards Fastlane, which takes place on October 7.
WWE finally has a solution to its Cody Rhodes problem
Cody Rhodes has spent most of this year feuding with main event stars Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. The Brock feud in particular exposed a problem where WWE didn’t really have anyone else at Cody’s level to match him up with on those occasions when part-timer Lesnar wasn’t in the building. We saw it once again after Cody finished Brock off at SummerSlam; Cody Rhodes didn’t wrestle at Payback and still has nothing lined up for Fastlane.
However, after last week’s Raw, I think it’s reasonably safe to say that WWE has solved this Cody problem thanks to Omos Drew McIntyre. Cody and Drew crossed paths at the very end of the show, after Jey Uso turned down the Judgment Day and was getting assaulted by the group for doing so. McIntyre looked on from the ramp and did not come to Jey’s help, but Cody Rhodes did.
In the short-term, that angle can keep Cody on Judgment Day’s radar for weekly angles or matches on Raw. But in the bigger picture, it sets him up for a more important feud with McIntyre. Drew is a former main event star who once defeated Lesnar to win the number one prize in the company, so he’s a great choice for keeping Cody busy with top level matches on PPV until the road to WrestleMania.
Cody is set to kick off tonight’s Raw, where he’ll surely want to talk about the show-closing angle on Raw. Meanwhile, McIntyre will be a guest on Miz TV later in the show, where Miz will probably try to bring out his darker side. How will Cody and Drew’s paths cross tonight, if at all? Will Cody instead have to deal with Omos before WWE really gets things hot between him and Drew?
You’ll have to tune into tonight’s Raw to find out.
The rest of the title scene
WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and Finn Balor defend the belts tonight against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The babyfaces will likely need some help to neutralize Dominik Mysterio, Rhea Ripley, and JD McDonagh. Will Jey Uso get involved looking for revenge on Judgment Day after they beat his ass at the end of last week’s episode?
World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is losing his mind and willing to do whatever it takes to get Shinsuke Nakamura in the ring for a rematch. That includes letting Nakamura choose the time, place,and stipulation for the match. It sounds like this is exactly what Shinsuke wanted all along, so his mind games have worked. How will he respond to Seth’s desperate idea?
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley missed last week’s show thanks to an attack from Nia Jax. Assuming she’s back tonight, it will probably become clearer when we can expect to see Jax challenge Ripley for the gold.
Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER now has Tommaso Ciampa on his radar. Ciampa goes one-on-one with Ludwig Kaiser tonight, presumably on his way to earning a future title match with the Ring General.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green and Piper Niven were taken out by Nia Jax last week. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn have since explained that they are behind the curse of the women’s tag belts, so maybe Piper and Chelsea will need to pay a visit to SmackDown later this week. Will Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler look for a rematch with the champs tonight, or do they instead want revenge on Jax?
Other stuff to keep an eye on
– NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio defends the title tonight against Dragon Lee. Mustafa Ali is no longer with WWE and will not be showing up on Raw to affect the outcome of this bout.
– After defeating Chad Gable last week, Bronson Reed looks to continue his dominance over Alpha Academy by beating Otis. They’ll go at it in a singles match tonight.
– We’ll hear from NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch on tomorrow’s episode of NXT. But what about tonight on Raw? Will she issue another open challenge after beating Natalya last week?
– Kofi Kingston beat Ivar last week. New Day and Viking Raiders were originally supposed to have a 2-out-of-3 falls match, but Erik wasn’t cleared. Is that match still going to take place at some point?
The Rock and John Cena have reacted to the WWE reportedly releasing at least 20 wrestlers from their contracts.
Dolph Ziggler and Shelton Benjamin were among those let go by the company, which recently merged with UFC.
The Rock, real name Dwayne Johnson, and Cena both paid tribute to Ziggler – who has reportedly performed in 1,554 matches for WWE over two decades.
“Respect”, said Cena, while The Rock added: “Can’t wait to see what he (and everyone) does next.”
Current WWE superstar Big E described Ziggler as “one of the smoothest workers I’ve ever been in the ring with”.
Ziggler, a two-time WWE World Champion, hasn’t issued a public statement on his release.
But Shelton Benjamin, a former intercontinental champion, thanked fans, fellow wrestlers and WWE staff in a statement.
“Something ends, something new begins,” he wrote. “Looking forward to my next chapter.”
Other wrestlers who’ve confirmed their departures include Mustafa Ali, Elias, and Aliyah.
Another wrestler who’s been released is Emma, who calls herself the “first female Aussie WWE superstar”.
She posted on socials to say how excited she was about a WWE event in Australia next year – only to post again an hour later saying: “Oops nevermind. I just got released.”
WWE and UFC recently announced that they’d merged to form a single company – TKO – in a deal worth $21.4bn (£17.3bn).
Since then, the company reportedly made more than 100 staff working in office and behind-the-scenes roles redundant.
The new company recently signed a deal with US TV company NBC to secure the rights to its Smackdown show.
But despite that, fans had been expecting talent to be released from the company’s roster.
One fan online described it as “a mix of fresh up-and-comers, notable performers and decorated veterans” leaving the company.
Another posted it “hurts seeing such great talent” being released.
WWE has had a history of letting go of its superstars, often citing financial pressures such as during the Covid pandemic.
But wrestling fan Sabrina Nicole says some of the names announced have surprised her.
“There were quite a few releases that shocked a lot of fans around the world and especially me,” she tells BBC Newsbeat.
“A lot of people have been commenting about Dolph Ziggler, [it’s] just a shock and we’re all excited to see what he will do next.
“Almost 20 years in WWE is such a huge accomplishment and he won so many different titles as well, [and] had a lot of fan support.”
Going forward, Sabrina hopes WWE’s merger with UFC will see a bit more of a crossover between the two.
“There’s not been a great deal that we’ve heard about what may happen,” she says.
“Hopefully as time goes on we’ll start to see more exciting things happen.”
The September 22 episode of SmackDown featured a dream match with championship implications as Iyo Sky defended her WWE Women’s title against Asuka.
The contest headlined a Fox broadcast that also featured the latest appearance from John Cena and a tag team battle pitting the LWO’s Santos Escobar and United States champion Rey Mysterio against The Street Profits.
Who emerged victoriously and what else went down as the company continued the build to Fastlane on October 7?
Find out with this recap of Friday’s show.
Announced in advance for Friday’s show are:
John Cena appearance
WWE Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Iyo Sky
Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar vs. The Street Profits
John Cena and AJ Styles Kick Off SmackDown
Credit: WWE.com
John Cena kicked off the night’s show with the energy only he can bring. It is that energy that elevates the quality of everything he is involved in, including this opening segment, which was little more than a tease for the rest of the show.
The WWE special, if you will.
Cena was energetic and his enthusiasm to get back in the ring as an active competitor popped the crowd. It was that electricity that helped elevate what was rather uninspired creative that did not necessarily create a ton of excitement for the rest of the broadcast.
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
Cena hits the ring with so much enthusiasm that it’s infectious. We are lucky we have a living legend who cares when he comes back and still engages with the product the way that he does.
Cena thanked fans for the opportunities he has had to be a talk show host and a referee but he wants to be a wrestler and calls out The Bloodline. AJ Styles joined him in the ring and teased a partnership before Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa interrupted.
Santos Escobar and Rey Mysterio vs. The Street Profits
Credit: WWE.com
A week after leaving the LWO lying, The Street Profits looked to make it 2-0 against the red-hot faction as they battled United States Champion Rey Mysterio and his protege, Santos Escobar.
They would not be able to maintain that momentum, though, as they fell in defeat at the hands of the veteran luchador and his tag team partner.
It was a good match, as should be expected based on the talent involved, and the finish was certainly a surprise. Whether it is the first chapter in a rivalry between the LWO and the trio of Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, and Bobby Lashley remains to be seen, but one would hope that is the case.
Otherwise, this was an interesting time to have the Profits drop a match, even with a backstage vignette moments later confirming that Lashley berating his proteges is part of the story, mostly because it is so early in the run.
Result
Mysterio and Escobar defeated The Street Profits
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
Ford and Dawkins need new music. If they are intended to be the heels, their traditional theme skews babyface. They need something edgier that reflects their new-found aggression.
The babyfaces going over was certainly a choice. The saving grace could, potentially, be Lashley using the loss as a teachable moment for Ford and Dawkins. Otherwise, it was an unnecessary defeat for a team that should be building momentum at this point, not having it interrupted. (Update: Lashley berated the team afterward, threatening to take everything away from them if they are not going to win.)
Austin Theory responded to a recap of The Rock’s return on last week’s show by tearing up the announce table and threatening Michael Cole. A backstage vignette with Adam Pearce, Grayson Waller, and The Brawling Brutes led to the finalization of a match later on in the show.
WWE Women’s Championship Match: Asuka vs. Iyo Sky
Credit: WWE.com
There was a considerable amount of excitement and anticipation ahead of the WWE Women’s Championship Match between Iyo Sky and Asuka.
The action itself did not disappoint.
Champion and challenger wrestled a damn good match with the sort of in-ring action that you do not see from other competitors on the roster. There was a smoothness to it, an effortlessness to the maneuvers even. it was superbly wrestled by two competitors as good as anyone else in the division.
The booking left a bit to be desired, with Charlotte Flair factoring into the outcome as she laid out Sky’s Damage CTRL teammate, Bayley, at ringside and set up the tired distraction finish.
This likely keeps Flair in the title picture and recreates the same tension The Queen had with Bianca Belair over the summer, essentially keeping things at status quo.
Speaking of which, where was Shotzi?
She was around last week but suddenly decided that a big title match on SmackDown, in which Bayley would absolutely try to get involved, was the time to sit back and let Damage CTRL engage in shenanigans.
It makes little sense, something we should be begging for from WWE Creative when it comes to this women’s division, which has been all over the place for the better part of the last year.
Result
Sky defeated Asuka to retain
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
Is WWE contractually obligated to have Flair around the women’s title at any and all times?
The Queen interrupted the opening seconds of the championship bout, making her presence felt and seemingly countering Damage CTRL’s Bayley and Dakota Kai at ringside.
Asuka and Sky’s strikes were unlike anything this division has seen. There is a different physicality and urgency to each one. There was also a smoothness to their counters, reversals, and transitions that just hit differently.
The match deserved a better finish.
Brawling Brutes vs. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory
Credit: WWE.com
The result of a backstage confrontation, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller battled The Brawling Brutes’ Butch and Ridge Holland in tag team action, upsetting the more experienced tandem to secure a big win.
The heels overcame the toughness and tenacity of the babyfaces, with Waller smashing Butch into the ring post and delivering a rolling stunner to Holland. Theory took advantage, delivering A-Town Down for the pinfall victory.
A good, competitive match, it highlighted the heels and provided a hint of things to come for them and the tag team division as Michael Cole not-so-subtly suggested Theory and Waller could be in line for a shot at the winner of the tag title match between Judgment Day and the team of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on Raw.
If there are no better plans for Waller and Theory at the moment, they have proven to have solid chemistry to this point, and there are far worse uses for them than as tag team title contenders.
Result
Waller and Theory defeated Butch and Holland
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
Kudos to Cole and Corey Graves for putting over Butch’s recent match with Tyler Bate as part of the Global Heritage Invitational and recommended fans check out his tournament final against Joe Coffey.
Contract Signing
Credit: WWE.com
Who will team with John Cena to battle Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa at Fastlane?
It is the question posed by the closing segment of Friday’s SmackDown, thanks to a backstage attack of AJ Styles by Sikoa that left The Phenomenal One in need of medical attention.
Back in the arena, the heels laid out an overzealous Cena, leaving him in a heap before signing a contract for the match at the aforementioned premium live event.
This was a great improvement over the earlier segment, which felt mostly unnecessary and served no real purpose in hindsight other than to set up a main event contract signing that could have been accomplished literally any other way.
The mystery of who will team with Cena is a nice touch that will create buzz and intrigue surrounding a PLE that feels very much like an afterthought. Who might that person be?
It very well could be someone whose name everyone is sayin: LA Knight!
If so, there are few more effective ways to solidify The Megastar as just that than by having him main event a show with Cena as his partner.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
Sikoa making good on his promise to take one of the babyfaces out (Styles) and seemingly call off the tag team match at Fastlane was a nice touch and created intrigue as to what would come next.
The heat for Heyman rivaled that of Dominik Mysterio.
The idea of Uso’s hubris getting the best of him, and putting The Bloodline in tough predicaments by ruining the order of things, is an interesting development in this story.
Overall Grade
This show was going to go where two specific segments took it: the showdown between Asuka and Sky and whatever Cena was involved in.
The title bout between The Empress of Tomorrow and The Genius of the Sky was fantastic and really highlighted how great those two are.
The stuff with Cena started dicy but ended spectacularly, with the opportunity to make a genuine star out of LA Knight, if that is the direction the company takes in the absence of AJ Styles.
A good show with some much-needed focus and a damn good title match to boot.
Following the announcement of a new TV deal for “WWE SmackDown” starting next October, reportedly netting the company $1.4 billion over 5 years (via Wall Street Journal), WWE began informing talent of their releases this morning. Some performers have come forward on social media with their own announcements while others have been confirmed by various outlets.
Full List Of Talent Reportedly Released By WWE
WWE
BY NICK MILLER/UPDATED: SEPT. 22, 2023 6:20 PM EST
Following the announcement of a new TV deal for “WWE SmackDown” starting next October, reportedly netting the company $1.4 billion over 5 years (via Wall Street Journal), WWE began informing talent of their releases this morning. Some performers have come forward on social media with their own announcements while others have been confirmed by various outlets.Mustafa Ali took to X this morning to reveal that he was no longer a member of the WWE roster. Ali was the first to make the announcement, which came while the WWE star was in the midst of a “WWE NXT” North American Championship feud with Dominik Mysterio and Dragon Lee.
Dolph Ziggler was confirmed to be part of today’s releases by Fightful Select. Ziggler’s last match took place May 29 on “WWE Raw” against JD McDonagh, ending after a double count-out.
Shelton Benjamin, former Hurt Business member, announced on X that he was released today. Benjamin had two lengthy stints with WWE — from 2000 until 2010, and again from 2017 until now.
Emma, as well as her husband Riddick Moss, both confirmed on social media that they had been let go this morning. Prior to receiving the call, Emma had just been celebrating the company’s announcement that WWE Elimination Chamber will take place in the city of Perth in Australia next year.
Elias, who hasn’t been seen on WWE programming in a number of months, was confirmed by Fightful Select to have been released today. The former WWE 24/7 Champion last competed in a battle royale in May to determine a new number one contender for the WWE Intercontinental Championship — a match won by Ali.
Rick Boogs, or Eric Bugenhagen, was also released today, as confirmed by Fightful Select. Along with his own singles career, Boogs was best known as the musical accompaniment to Shinsuke Nakamura for a time.
Hit Row member Top Dolla was released today, confirmed by Fightful Select. The performer’s last televised match took place on August 11, where he was defeated by LA Knight in just over 2 minutes.
Aliyah was confirmed by Fightful Select as another member of the WWE roster to be cut this morning. In early 2022, Aliyah set the record for the fastest victory in WWE history at 3.17 seconds — a record that has yet to be broken.
Mace and Mansoor, Maximum Male Models, have also been released. Both wrestlers had played various parts in the company before being paired together alongside Maxxine Dupri.
Shanky, who was seen on WWE programming in an alliance with Jinder Mahal, has been released.Dana Brooke was released by WWE today, as well. She joined “WWE NXT” in 2013 and lasted more than a decade with the company, ultimately best known for her 15 reigns as 24/7 Champion. She had recently returned to “NXT” and was involved in a storyline with newcomer Kelani Jordan.
Other releases from “WWE NXT” thus far include Quincy Elliot, Dabbo-Kato, Yulisa Leon, and Ikemen Jiro. WWE has also released other developmental prospects whose television exposure prior to their departure was either limited or nonexistent, including Bryson Montana, Daniel McArthur, Kevin Ventura-Cortez, Brooklyn Barlow, and Alexis Gray. Haus of Wrestling’s Nick Hausman is reporting that 18 “NXT” talent have been released, many of whom had yet to appear on TV.
Correction: Mark Henry stated on “Busted Open Radio” Tegan Nox was part of today’s cuts, as originally reported in this piece. Wrestling Inc. is aware he was corrected on the air and Nox, one of the performers brought back when Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over as head of creative, is not believed to be among today’s talent releases.
WWE Raw advertised Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre Cody Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio and Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. WWE Raw will face a tough slate as Week 2 of Monday Night Football boasts a double-header.
Against the return of Monday Night Football, last week’s broadcast of Raw garnered 1.353 million viewers, its second-lowest of all time.
WWE Raw Results on September 18, 2023
Cody Rhodes def. Dominik Mysterio
Kofi Kingston def. Ivar
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Ricochet
Chelsea Green and Piper Nevin vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark ends in a No Contest
Bronson Reed def. Chad Gable
Becky Lynch def. Natalya
Tommaso Ciampa def. Giovanni Vinci
WWE Raw Ratings
September 11, 2023 | 1.353 million
September 4, 2023 | 1.700 million
August 28, 2023 | 1.677 million
August 21, 2023 | 1.591 million
August 14, 2023 | 1.757 million
WWE Raw Winners And Grades
Cody Rhodes Def. Dominik Mysterio
Cody Rhodes compared Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley’s romance to Steve Urkel and Laura Winslow. I think it’s closer to Roseanne and Tom Arnold.
Rhodes made quick work of Dominik Mysterio. The talking segments before and after each may have been longer than this match.
Kevin Owens confronted Cody Rhodes for bringing Jey Uso to Raw. Owens talked about Jey Uso poisoning the Raw locker room like Jey was CM Punk.
Peacemaker Sami Zayn wore a Propagandhi t-shirt (A Manitoban punk rock band) while Kevin Owens wore a “Bad Guys Last Forever” in homage to Scott Hall.
Sami Zayn joined the tense debate to play the role of prosecutor for Jey Uso. This can all only end in a Kevin Owens heel turn.
Kofi Kingston Def. Ivar
While waiting for Ivar, Kofi Kingston was seen on camera saying “I can’t wait to slap this dude, man.”
Fans were really into Kofi Kingston with chants of “let’s go Kofi!”
Even though Kofi was half the size of Ivar, it was Ivar who dazzled with high-flying move. It’s like they booked this match backwards but it worked.
Ivar hit a moonsault on Kofi Kingston that simply had to be seen to be believed. It was as graceful as any big-man (or little man) you’ll see tear through the air.
Kofi Kingston vs. Ivar Grade: B
Shinsuke Nakamura Def. Ricochet Via DQ
Shinsuke Nakamura took a sloppy flying cross body where he fell down too early, and then looked like he was pinned and kicked out late. Upon further review, Nakamura just barely got his arm up.
Kofi Kingston vs. Ivar Grade: B
Shinsuke Nakamura Def. Ricochet Via DQ
Shinsuke Nakamura took a sloppy flying cross body where he fell down too early, and then looked like he was pinned and kicked out late. Upon further review, Nakamura just barely got his arm up.
Shinsuke is doing his best to play a heel, somebody just needs to tell these fans.
The (random) finish came when Ricochet took a steel chair to Nakamura.
Seth Rollins, wearing a Hillary Clinton pantsuit, attacked Ricochet after the match only for Shinsuke to target Rollins’ back yet again.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Ricochet Grade: B-
Green and Niven Vs. Baszler And Stark Battle To A No Contest
This felt like a match designed to get Shayna Baszler And Zoey Stark over. In the end, Nia Jax stood tall as she laid waste to every woman in the ring. I’m convinced WWE forgot the women’s tag team title were a thing.
Michael Cole brought up Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler’s history when he said Shayna broke Nia’s arm. Another sign that Triple H, and long-term memories, remains in charge.
Jax’s Banzai Drop is called The “Annihilator.” Jax declared open season on the women’s roster after her impressive bulldozing through the women’s division.
Nia Jax Segment Grade: B
Bronson Reed Def. Chad Gable
Wade Barrett noted how Chad Gable was finished with his “class clown” act. Gable has had some great matches in recent months, but let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water and make him a full-time serious wrestler.
Bronson Reed kept saying “I’m so big!” which reminded me of that one Vader promo.
Despite an apparent push, Bronson Reed flattened Chad Gable with a Tsunami for the win.
Gable vs. Reed Grade: B+
Becky Lynch Def. Natalya
Becky Lynch said “I can’t think of a better place than now,” and before she could finish her sentence, Natalya’s music hit. Lynch even admitted “I messed that up.”
Natalya answered the NXTXT-0.5% Title open challenge and Becky Lynch, in so many words, said Nattie was too old.
Natalya surprisingly lost, but unsurprisingly, she did not attack Becky Lynch after.
Becky Lynch vs. Natalya Grade: B-
Tommaso Ciampa Vs. Giovanni Vinci
Ludwig Kaiser stole the show with a Calvin Klein-inspired t-shirt.
Ciampa hit a scintillating knee that got a loud reaction from Salt Lake City.
Michael Cole continued to tease that Vinci is on thin ice in IMPERIUM. Kaiser scolded Vinci after the win.
Ciampa def. vs. Grade: A-
Drew McIntyre Vs. Jey Uso
Jey Uso was given until the end of the night to decide whether he was with the Judgment Day.
Cole spent much of McIntyre’s entrance explaining how McIntyre planned to right a lot of wrongs. They even discussed McIntyre’s career tailspin since Clash at the Castle. The’ve done everything to tell you he’ s a heel but actually turn him heel.
Unsurprisingly, Jey Uso did not join the Bloodline.
Jey Uso seemed to join the Judgment Day until he went on a one-man superkick party. He promptly ate a Claymore Kick for the loss.
Drew McIntyre was given a chance to save Uso, but he declined. Cody Rhodes, on the other hand, came to Jey’s rescue. Sami and Kevin were nowhere to be found.
Seth Rollins has done wonders with his 100+ day reign as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Though his reign has not touched the 1000-day mark, Rollins is one of the biggest stars in the wrestling industry currently.
While the Visionary has numerous accomplishments in his bag, he hasn’t main evented WrestleMania yet. He defeated Logan Paul in a spectacular match on the Showcase of Immortals this year. With numerous incredible performances in his career, the World Heavyweight Champion deserves to be in the main event spot next year. Though he may head into the Grandest Stage of them All as the World Heavyweight Champion, it isn’t necessary he would be able to headline the show.
However, regardless of the main event spot, there are numerous options for Rollins to have a mesmerizing match with, probably ending up being one of the best matches of the year. Let’s take a look at a few stars Rollins could face at WrestleMania XL.
Seth Rollins and Damian Priest tore the house down when both men collided on a Raw taping recently. After their match on the red brand, it seems clear that a collision like this would suit a bigger stage very well.
With the rivalry between Rollins and Judgment Day, a feud with Damian Priest would be a massive way to push the latter into the world championship picture. Though it seems Priest would lose possession over the Money in the Bank contract soon, a rivalry with the Visionary could be a fantastic addition for WrestleMania XL.
9. Jey Uso
Main Event Jey Uso marked the beginning of his singles run on Monday Night Raw. Though the star is a fan favourite currently, it won’t be surprising if the former Bloodline member turns heel soon. A feud with one of the top men in WWE would be a massive way for Jey to mark himself down as a great singles star.
Though it seems WWE would go with Jimmy vs Jey at WrestleMania XL, a rivalry with Seth Rollins could add a lot of excitement and attraction to the Grandest Stage of them All.
8. Edge
Image Credits: WWE
The Rated R superstar’s retirement is a mystery for now. Though Edge had a massive victory over Sheamus on SmackDown a few weeks ago, it is still unknown if it was his last match. If Edge is not done with the wrestling mat yet, he could have his final match at WrestleMania XL. However, the biggest question in everyone’s mind is, who should be the one to retire Edge?
While there are a lot of options out there, Seth Rollins is one of the biggest ones. The Visionary being one of Edge’s best rivalries since his return, running it back in a Title vs Career match could be a massive draw. This would also lead to the Rated R superstar getting the perfect retirement he deserves and add an amazing match to feature on the card.
Real Name
Adam Copeland
Age
49
Height
6ft 5″
Weight
241lbs
Debut
July 1992
7. Sheamus
The Celtic Warrior has not faced Seth Rollins in a singles match for years now. Though both men crossed paths in some star-studded matches, Sheamus vs Seth Rollins is something the WWE Universe has been waiting to witness.
While both men seem to be focused in different directions, a colossal match between them on stage like WrestleMania would be a treat to watch. With the history between both men as tag team competitors, having a singles feud with some gold on the line would be a great idea.
6. Grayson Waller
The Dynamite from Down Under stood out to be amazing in front of legends like John Cena and Edge earlier this year. Being one of the most dynamic stars in the industry currently, having a match with Seth Rollins could add in a lot of meat to the fans’ excitement for WrestleMania XL.
With men being on different brands, WWE isn’t ready to jump on the plan right now. However, if the match is added to the WrestleMania card, the young Aussie could walk out with a huge push waiting for him in WWE.
5. Carmelo Hayes
Seth Rollins and Carmelo Hayes shared TV time on Raw and NXT a few months ago. Both men being faces right now, a rivalry between them doesn’t seem to do wonders. However, with WWE having a few months before the Road to WrestleMania, planting seeds now could turn out to be amazing.
Undoubtedly, Rollins and Hayes have the same wrestling style and incredible mic skills. Being superstars who can be called a complete package for the industry, the Visionary could pass the torch to Hayes on a platform like WrestleMania XL. This could be a massive way for the current NXT Champion to take a top spot in the main roster as well.
4. Gunther
The new longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in history deserves a massive match at WrestleMania XL. Being one of the headliners in being called the modern Mr. WrestleMania, Seth Rollins facing Gunther could be one of the biggest matches of the year.
In addition to that, having the World Heavyweight Championship into the mix would add a lot of meat into their feud. This could eventually lead to Gunther facing the world title glory and cementing his position at the top of the WWE roster.
3. Cody Rhodes
Image Credits: WWE
Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes have a long enough history to run another feud. However, with both men being two of the biggest faces of Raw right now, a battle to be called the ‘Biggest Star’ on the red brand would be enough to raise the stakes.
Rhodes and Rollins are both considered to be the front-runners to defeat Roman Reigns on the top. Given WrestleMania XL is a two night event, WWE could add in a humongous storyline for Grandest Stage of them All. Both Rhodes and Rollins are considered to be the hardest workers in the ring currently.
However, their hard work could be out to test at WrestleMania XL. On Night 1 of the Showcase of the Immortals, Rhodes and Rollins could square off to determine Roman Reigns’ opponent for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on Night 2. This would eventually end up being one of the biggest rivalries of the year and add in two massive matches to the WrestleMania card.
Real Name
Cody Runnels
Age
38
Height
6ft 2″
Weight
220lbs
Debut
2006
2. Randy Orton
The Viper’s return to the ring is still uncertain. However, with no official word yet, it seems like Randy Orton is preparing for a massive return. With a trailblazing career in the past, Randy Orton winning the World Championship once again would be a treat to watch.
The 43-year-old could make a shocking return at Royal Rumble 2024. In addition to that, adding another Men’s Royal Rumble match win to his bag of accomplishments could be the best way to leave the world talking.
If Seth Rollins is able to keep the World Heavyweight Championship close to his chest until WrestleMania XL, Randy Orton could be one of the biggest matches of his reign. Bringing memories from WrestleMania 31, both men could tear each other apart in the main event of the Showcase of Immortals, eventually leading to the Viper ruling as the new World Heavyweight Champion.
1. Roman Reigns
While there seem to be no talks of a match between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins any time soon, WrestleMania XL would be the perfect platform to run it down. With both men being the current World Champions, it is safe to say that Reigns and Rollins are two of the biggest stars in the industry right now.
Survivor Series 2023 is on the horizon. If WWE goes back to their traditional Raw vs Smackdown idea for this year’s premium live event, WrestleMania would come late. However, a match with this caliber should be run on the Grandest Stage of them All.
Since the Tribal Chief held the Universal Championship high, Seth Rollins has been believed to be the one to dethrone him. However, with some massive character work from Cody Rhodes, the Visionary seems to be off the charts.
However, Rollins vs. Reigns could be the best match to run as the main event of WrestleMania XL, eventually leading to Rollins standing tall as the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
John Cena joined The Grayson Waller Effect Friday night on SmackDown, sharing the screen with the young, Aussie heel for the second time this year in the most hyped segment of the show.
It headlined a broadcast that also featured a hotly anticipated rematch between LA Knight and The Miz.
What went down in that promo segment, as well as the Payback rematch?
Find out with this recap of the latest Fox broadcast.
Announced in advance for the September 15 broadcast were:
The Grayson Waller Effect featuring John Cena
AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor
Asuka vs. Bayley
LA Knight vs. The Miz
Pat McAfee Returns, Austin Theory Interrupts and The Rock Returns!
Pat McAfee made a surprise to return to SmackDown, live from Denver, and popped both the fans and commentator Michael Cole. After a brief, energetic promo, Austin Theory hit the ring, interrupting his former rival.
After an insult-laden response, McAfee told Theory that SmackDown is the people’s show, bringing about the return of The Rock. The roof blew off the arena as The Great One made his way to the ring.
An extended chant that was bleeped out and went on far too long gave way to The Rock laying out the brash, young heel and delivering a big People’s Elbow to an electric response.
McAfee added his own for good measure, capping off a fantastic, surprising opening segment. Pro wrestling is great when it can deliver the unexpected and this was certainly unexpected.
Grade
A+
Top Moments and Takeaways
Surprises rule!
Theory called himself ‘the real Austin” and a “real ass-kicker,” mocking “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and his historic rivalry with Rock.
The Great One bucking broadcast rules and having the entire crowd chant “a-hole” was fun, especially as censors scurried to bleep it out of the broadcast.
AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor
Credit: WWE.com
AJ Styles and Finn Balor are so talented that even a so-so match between them, interrupted by a midmatch commercial break, is still pretty damn good.
Such was the case Friday as the former world champions did battle in a competitive match that saw Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio ejected from ringside after attempting to interfere, only for Jimmy Uso to interject himself in the bout and setup Balor’s victory.
The finish suggests the battles between Styles and Uso are not over and allows Judgment Day to continue building momentum, especially as they appear across all three of WWE’s brands.
A solid use of all involved, this was a great followup to the explosive show open.
Result
Balor defeated Styles
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
Styles and Balor are both former leaders of Bullet Club and among the most influential and important wrestlers of the last 20 years.
Priest attempted to interfere but the official booted him and Dominik Mysterio from ringside.
Jimmy Uso attempted to interfere but Styles caught him with a right hand. Balor took advantage of the distraction to score the tainted victory.
LWO vs. Street Profits
Credit: WWE.com
Backstage, Finn Balor attempted to lure Jimmy Uso into joining The Judgment Day based on the idea that there are no leaders, no one to be beholden to. Uso appeared somewhat interested.
Back in the arena, the LWO’s Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Zelina Vega, Cruz Del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde were in the ring for a special promo.
After Escobar respectfully challenged Mysterio for the United States Championship, the unnamed trio of Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits interrupted the festivities, leading to a tag team match.
Montez Ford and Angel Dawkins defeated Del Toro and Wilde in a quick match, putting the babyfaces away in a bout that was anything but competitive. A post-match attack further solidified the group as heels.
This was fine but Del Toro and Wilde are quickly losing credibility following a squash loss to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn two weeks ago and this quick defeat here. LWO is as strong as the sum of its parts and if two of the five are viewed as glorified enhancement stars, it will ultimately hurt the overall value of the group.
Mysterio vs. Escobar should be fun but after this, it would not be surprising if Lashley is ultimately the one to dethrone the Hall of Famer.
Result
The Street Profits defeated The LWO
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
“You know what that means? There’s no Roman,” Balor told Uso, attempting to convince him to join Judgment Day.
Escobar asked Mysterio for a championship opportunity, to which the United States Champion accepted.
The Street Profits need new theme music if they are supposed to be heels. Their current theme is too upbeat and energetic.
LA Knight vs. The Miz
Credit: WWE.com
LA Knight made it 2-0 against The Miz since Payback, defeating the former WWE champion with Blunt Force Trauma.
The crowd was red-hot for Knight and Miz was great as the antagonistic heel. The match was never more than it needed to be, which was an extended showcase for Knight as he builds momentum toward what appears to be a showdown with Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
At least, that is, based on the teases involving Paul Heyman over the last two weeks.
Result
Knight defeated The Miz
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
The pop for LA Knight remains strong, even on a night when the Denver faithful have already been electrified by Pat McAfee, The Rock, AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio.
“Who proclaims themselves ‘The Megastar?’ It sounds awfully egotistical,” Corey Graves said. “Who calls themselves ‘The Hollywood A-Lister,'” Cole responded. “The A-Listers!” Graves exclaimed, making a good point.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Rey Mysterio. It doesn’t matter if it’s Gunther. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s Seth Rollins. It damn sure doesn’t matter if it’s Roman Reigns,” Knight said, staking his claim to championship gold and his intent to compete for it.
Backstage, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman watched Knight exit the arena, teasing the potential for a showdown with Reigns for the second, consecutive week.
Asuka vs. Bayley
Credit: WWE.com
Like Balor and Styles earlier in the night, Asuka and Bayley are capable of great in-ring work every time they set foot inside the squared circle. Great may not be the word to describe their match on Friday, but it was still very good.
Also like Styles and Balor, it featured a screwy, interference-laden finish that saw Shotzi provide a distraction that allowed The Empress of Tomorrow to score the win.
It was a repetitive finish, especially since it kept the storyline alive for the loser while intending to build up the winner’s momentum. If there is a weakness of Triple H as head of creative, it is not always recognizing when he has booked the same finish more than once on the card.
Clean that up and the idea of intertwining feuds is hardly a bad one.
Result
Asuka defeated Bayley
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
The commentary team put over Iyo Sky’s absence by claiming she was home training for her WWE Women’s Championship defense against Asuka next week.
Did…did Cole just mention Triple Tails? From SMASH and Pro Wrestling Wave? Friggin SWEET! (Yes, it’s not the first time. No, it never stops being awesome that the commentary team acknowledges history in other promotions now.)
Shotzi appeared, startling Bayley and providing a distraction that Asuka capitalized on for the win. It would have been a more effective finish if we had not just see an identical one in the opener between Balor and Styles.
John Cena on The Grayson Waller Effect
Credit: WWE.com
The Grayson Waller Effect featuring John Cena could have used a little more…John Cena.
The Greatest of All Time did not utter a word as the heelish Aussie, then Jey Uso, interrupted and ran him down on the mic. A brawl erupted, Solo Sikoa jumped in, and AJ Styles hit the ring to make the save and end the night with babyfaces standing tall.
This was a messy segment that did not accomplish or further much of anything. It continued Styles and Cena’s respective beefs with Uso, added Sikoa to the mix, and failed to justify Waller’s involvement other than sharing the squared circle with Cena one more time.
Maybe we get a cool tag team match out of it, but this felt like a rather disappointing utilization of Cena on a night that started so electrically with The Rock.
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
Waller played on Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell’s comments about Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, drawing heat from the Denver fans.
Waller claimed Cena doesn’t want to be a wrestler anymore.
Uso, Sikoa, and Styles all hit the ring before the babyfaces stood tall to close out the show.
Overall Grade
The show started with the returns of Pat McAfee and The Rock and there is not much a wrestling show can do to top that. WWE tried, presenting three matches with top-tier talent, the start of Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits’ heel run, and another primetime showcase for LA Knight.
The show felt a bit rushed at times but it focused on the Superstars and segments that were of the most significance, so it was a success.
That main event promo segment, though, felt off, for whatever reason. Hopefully, there is more to it than a predictable tag match because John Cena and the others involved have earned better.
