NXT’s Carmelo Hayes and Kevin Owens advanced in the United States title #1 contender tournament last night on Smackdown after they beat Grayson Waller and Austin Theory respectively.
Hayes and Owens will now meet for the first time on next week’s broadcast in the semi final match. Bobby Lashley vs Santos Escobar is the other semi final.
The winners of the two semi final matches will take on each other in the final tournament match, currently scheduled for the January 5 episode of Smackdown live from the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The winner will receive a United States title match against champion Logan Paul.
It’s bad news for Charlotte Flair as it was revealed on Smackdown last night that the former multi-time champion will be on the sidelines for up to nine months with a knee injury.
Charlotte was injured when she wrestled Asuka on last week’s show and the match went to an abrupt end as she couldn’t put much weight on her leg. She was later seen shouting “my knee” to WWE referee Charles Robinson as trainers attended to her.
She could not walk to the back on her own and had to be assisted.
The nine-month time frame would put Flair out of WrestleMania 40 and perhaps back in time for SummerSlam.
AJ Styles made his return to WWE television last night on Smackdown after being out of action since September.
Styles showed up to help even the odds as Randy Orton and LA Knight were brawling with Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy Uso at the conclusion of the show. Styles delivered a Phenomenal Forearm to the champion but then turned on LA Knight, delivering a clothesline to take him down.
Orton looked a bit impressed at what happened and Styles walked out of the ring and past by The Bloodline as Roman Reigns and the rest looked confused over what happened.
LA Knight took AJ Styles’ place at Fastlane, teaming up with John Cena to take on Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa after Styles was taken out backstage by The Bloodline.
His last match was on the September 15 episode of Smackdown when he was beaten by Finn Balor.
The Villages-News is reporting that former WWE Smackdown Women’s champion Liv Morgan was arrested in Sumter County, Florida yesterday after she was found in possession of marijuana.
The 29-year-old was stopped while driving when a sheriff’s deputy noticed that her car was crossing over yellow and white lines and after approaching the car, the deputy smelled weed.
After a search of the car, a pink bag contained a smaller plastic bag which had marijuana in it. A vape pen containing an oil-like substance was found in the Jeep’s center console and that later also tested positive for marijuana.
She was arrested on charges of possession of synthetic cannabinoid, possession of marijuana and possession of drug equipment. She was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $3,000 bond.
Here are the results from last night’s Final Battle 2023 event which took place from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas.
ZERO HOUR: Taya Valkyrie defeated Jazmin Allure; The Von Erichs defeated Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum; Bryan Keith defeated Jack Cartwheel in a Survival of the Fittest qualifier; Daniel Garcia defeated Blake Christian.
PPV: El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Black Taurus to retain the AAA Mega title; Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona defeated Shane Haste, Kosei Fujita, and Bad Dude Tito in a six-man tag team match to retain the ROH Six-Man Tag Team titles; Ethan Page defeated Tony Nese in an I Quit match; Nyla Rose defeated VertVixen; Kyle Fletcher defeated Dalton Castle, Komander, Lee Johnson, Lee Moriarty, and Bryan Keith in a Survival of the Fittest Finals for the vacant ROH TV title; Wheeler Yuta efeated Tom Lawlor to retain the ROH Pure title; Keith Lee defeated Shane Taylor; FTR and Mark Briscoe defeated Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, and Claudio Castagnoli in the Jay Briscoe Memorial Fight Without Honor; Eddie Kingston defeated Anthony Henry in a Proving Ground match; Athena defeated Billie Starkz to retain the ROH Women’s title.
Smackdown opens tonight with the return of the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion the Tribal Chief Roman Reigns along with Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and the Wiseman Paul Heyman. They stop after the entrance to pose and for fireworks prior to being announced and then they proceed to the ring.
Roman begins telling the crowd to be quiet and then says it’s the holiday season and he is there to celebrate and its promotion season and then goes on to name Solo Sikoa as the next Tribal Chief for sacrificing everything he has and doing a good job.
Randy Orton then interrupts. Randy says he thought for 18 months about what he was going to say to him, and he told Roman he is coming after him and he is challenging him for the championship at the Royal Rumble. Roman tells him he hasn’t even thought about him for 18 months and he hasn’t done anything to earn a title match and go back to the end of the line. Roman then says he is above him and everyone else. Roman tells Randy he will never come back if he challenges him.
Randy then tells him he has changed, and he is now a legend. Then he says he has changed too but one thing he will always be is a legend killer then attempts to RKO Roman and Roman falls and avoids it. Randy tells him maybe he better start thinking about him and the voices in his head say Roman may have just crapped his pants and he will leave you with this “Daddy’s Back”.
Grayson Waller VS. Carmelo Hayes in the 1st Round in the United States Championship Contender tournament.
Hayes hit the leg drop off the top rope and got the pin.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
Randy Orton is shown walking backstage and LA Knight asked him what time he should come out to help him this week. Orton says he doesn’t need his help. Orton says they are good, but he needs to stay out of his way. Knight then tells him he will take everything away from Reigns before he does.
Kevin Owens VS. Austin Theory in the 1st Round Match for the United States Championship Contender Tournament
Theory was working on Kevin’s broken arm and started trying to tear the cast off and Kevin swung and hit Theory with the cast hand and knocked Theory out and Kevin advances.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Roman Reigns is shown shaking his head and said Randy Orton ruined the celebration. Jimmy said he could shut Randy up, but it sounded like the job for the Tribal Heir. Roman says it’s promotion season and if he could shut Randy up it would be a great thing for him.
Karrion Kross in a video says everything is about to be recycled and its going to crumble.
Kevin Owens walking backstage and Cameron Grimes told him he did great, and he wished he could punch Theory like that. He then ran into Kayla Braxton, and she asked him how he is going to prepare for a match against Carmelo Hayes and Hayes comes in and he says he respects him, but he needs this way more than he does.
They announced Charlotte Flair will be out with a knee injury for at least 9 months.
Kabuki Warriors (Kairi Sane & Asuka) VS. Mia Yim & Zelina Vega
Vega & Yim attack the Warriors before the match. Sane hits the elbow off the top rope and gets the win.
Winners: Kabuki Warriors
Jimmy Uso is getting ready for his match with Randy Orton and asked Solo if he thinks this is a set up and asked Solo if he would tell him if something was going to happen to him and Solo said I am your brother.
Santos Escobar is shown talking about the United States championship and his match with Bobby Lashley and says he is going to beat Bobby and take away from Logan what he helped him get.
Bobby Lashley was then shown talking about his match with Escobar. Lashley tells Santos he is just standing in his way.
Randy Orton VS. Jimmy Uso
As Randy sets up for the RKO, Solo’s music comes on and he comes out and LA Knight was quickly behind him to stop him, and Randy then hit the RKO on Jimmy and got the win.
Winner: Randy Orton
Roman Reigns hit Knight from behind as Randy gets ready in the ring waiting on what Reigns is going to do next. Reigns gets in the ring, and they started going to blows but Jimmy Uso from behind and helps Roman. Knight is back up and, in the ring, to help Randy. Solo now in the ring and taking out Knight. As the Bloodline continues to beat down Orton and Knight, AJ Styles music comes on and he is on the apron and hits Reigns with a phenomenal forearm.
As Orton and Styles were yelling at the Bloodline, Knight taps AJ and gets on the ropes to yell at the Bloodline and AJ grabbed Knight and clotheslined him Orton looked at AJ who briefly looked his way and then walks out and goes past the Bloodline and to the back.
It looks like Kenny Omega is back on the shelf as the former AEW champion posted a message on social media saying that he is out indefinitely.
Omega shared a photo from a hospital bed writing, “I can’t really sugar coat this. I’m out indefinitely. I tried to keep pushing past the pain for as long as I could until it became too much.”
He did not specify what kind of injury it is but said that luckily, doctors caught it when they did.
“I’ll be here so in the mean time, please enjoy wrestling,” Omega wrote.
He is supposed to team up with Chris Jericho to take on Big Bill and Ricky Starks at the Worlds End pay-per-view for the AEW Tag Team titles but that seems out of the window now. AEW did not make any announcement regarding the match nor did they address Omega’s injury.
Omega last wrestled Ethan Page on Collision from Montreal on December 5 and the match aired on television on December 9.
The Winter Is Coming themed episode of Dynamite drew 845,000 viewers this week, up 22,000 viewers from the prior week. The show drew a 0.30 rating in 18-49, up 0.05 from the last show and was #1 in the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV)
It’s whacking day here on Day Four. Back-to-back hard hitters.
Moxley’s Jealous
Rush vs Bryan Danielson, Dynamite, 02/08/23
Meltzer: 4.75*
Jealous because by the end of this, Bryan Danielson’s entire upper body was red, chest blistered, face covered in blood. After MJF’s henchman Rush beat the crap out of him in the ring; beat the crap out of him out of the ring, making him pour blood before beating the crap out of him some more.
Until Danielson finally fought back with stiff forearms then the two did battle on the apron with more stiff chops and slaps until Rush flung him off via overhead belly to belly. Right onto his shoulder, injured during the earlier rounds of MJF’s ‘trials’. In fact he barely made it out to the ring to start the match.
But eventually fought back to chants of ‘Si! Si! Si!’ from a raucous El Paso crowd to polish off the Mexican after rolling through a rebound German into a second busaiku knee.
I wrote at the time:
This was as physical as wrestling gets and the crowd were into it unlike anything else so far. Great fight, great atmosphere.
Which about sums it up.
Thwack!
Jamie Hayter vs Emi Sakura, Rampage, 01/27/23
Meltzer: 4*
It speaks for this match that Jim Ross referenced it for months afterward whenever each lady made an appearance. JR doesn’t do hyperbole, it’s one of his biggest strengths. He also doesn’t ‘do’ a lot of modern-day wrestling. Doesn’t like the dives, doesn’t like opponents waiting to catch one-another, doesn’t like anything that kills disbelief.
So it’s a good thing these two had the hardest hitting women’s match all year. About ten minutes of just brutalizing one-another with chops, forearms, lariats and suplexes. Like the above, it started with the heel smashing the babyface for several minutes. And like the above, both were all-but bleeding from bruised chests by the end.
Hayter responded with a series of exploders and lariats so stiff that Jericho on commentary openly acknowledged that a big part of why the fans like her is they can see how hard she hits.
It’s not just a tag line.
As evidenced by a basement lariat that needed a ‘THWACK’ graphic alongside it.
Finally, after a Sakura backdrop driver, Hayter popped up, another big lariat, Hayterade for the win, both so exhausted they remained flat out on the mat after the bell rang and had to be helped to their feet.
While not every women’s match need necessarily be this physical (in fact it’s probably unwise, Jamie didn’t last much longer before her shoulder gave out), this was such a long way from plates up the ass and botched finishes. And anyway, very few of the current roster are capable of sniffing a match this realistic, this believable, this good.
For the first time in a month and a half, the Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns will be back on WWE television tonight on Smackdown live from Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Reigns will be flanked by his cousins Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa along with Paul Heyman as the build towards the Royal Rumble starts and his opponent potentially steps up.
Two matches in the United States title #1 contender tournament will also take place, with Kevin Owens vs Austin Theory and Grayson Waller against former NXT champion Carmelo Hayes.
The December 22 episode of Smackdown will also be taped tonight so it’s going to be a rather long night for those in attendance.
Tickets for the AEW Revolution pay-per-view next March are now available for purchase and fans have responded positively to it, with over 7,000 tickets being moved in the first 24 hours.
The show will feature Sting’s last match and will be held at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina. The arena is currently set up for just over 9,000 seats according to @WrestleTix but it could expand to way more than that if demand is there.
The reasonable prices have definitely helped move a lot of tickets for this show, with tickets starting at $25. Ringside seats are priced at $2,400 and marketed as platinum tickets. Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.com.
AAA Mega champion El Hijo del Vikingo, who tonight defends his title against Black Taurus at ROH’s Final Battle, will be returning to TNA Wrestling next month and will be part of the Hard To Kill pay-per-view and the Snake Eyes television tapings that will take place the following day.
TNA is loading up the television show that weekend with Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay also appearing on the January 14 tapings. No opponent has been named for Vikingo as of yet.
The popular 26-year-old luchador appeared for the company occasionally in 2019 and 2020 and is also a frequent on AEW programming.
Appearing on the Michael Kay Show on the YES Network, WWE’s Cody Rhodes said that he thinks that MJF will one day come to WWE but does not know when that will be.
Rhodes said that he’s seen his friend bulk up in muscle over the past year or so, something which would help if he one day he has to stand in the ring across the likes of Drew McIntyre or Brock Lesnar.
Cody said that MJF was one of his recruits and the most he’s excited about, citing his potential, personality, and professionalism.
“Watching him grow physically it seems like maybe he knows where his future lies,” Cody said.
But asked when that will be, Cody replied, “Your guess is as good as mine. I never bother about him about it because I just want to remain the friends we’ve become today.”
Understanding how to avoid criminal attacks is critical in a world where personal protection is vital. This comprehensive guide provides valuable insights into effective strategies for escaping potential harm and selecting the right self-defense equipment to enhance your security for safety in the night.
Situational Awareness and Avoidance
Being alert to your surroundings is the first line of defense, especially when walking at night. Criminals often target those who appear distracted or vulnerable. Keep your head up, stay aware of your environment, and trust your instincts. Walk with purpose, maintain eye contact, and avoid engaging in distractions like staring at your phone. If a situation feels uneasy, act on it promptly.
Ensuring personal safety requires having the right tools on hand. Consider the following tips for choosing effective safety gear for walking at night:
Opt for safety tools that serve multiple purposes. For example, a tactical flashlight can illuminate dark areas and serve as a disorienting tool against attackers.
Thoroughly research and choose reputable brands for your self-defense tools. Look for brands with a proven track record for reliability and effectiveness, such as Guard Dog Security, which offers safety gear for walking at night.
Select equipment that aligns with your lifestyle and is easy to use. The right tools should seamlessly integrate into your daily activities without causing inconvenience.
Safety in Numbers
There’s strength in numbers, especially when walking in the dark. Whenever possible, walk with a companion. If you must go solo, inform someone of your whereabouts and estimated return time. This precaution not only ensures someone is aware of your whereabouts but also establishes a safety net in case of unexpected delays. Keep your phone easily reachable and charged, ensuring a direct link to help when necessary.
Understanding Your Options: Types of Self-Defense Equipment
Pepper Sprays are a widely recognized and effective self-defense tool. Compact and easy to carry, it provides a non-lethal means of deterring attackers by temporarily incapacitating them, making it suitable for nighttime walking gear.
Stun guns give a temporary electric shock to stop attackers. When picking one, focus on things like voltage, size, and how easy it is to use.
Personal Alarms are devices that emit a loud sound, drawing attention to your situation and potentially deterring criminals. Attach one to your keychain or carry it discreetly for quick access during your solo activities to ensure you have an alarm for walking alone.
Training for Confidence
Empower yourself through self-defense training. Many communities offer classes that teach practical techniques for escaping various situations. Learning basic moves enhances your ability to react effectively when confronted by a potential threat.
In conclusion, the key to escaping criminal attacks lies in a combination of awareness, preparedness, and the right self-defense equipment. Guard Dog Security stands as a reliable partner on your journey towards a safer and more secure lifestyle. Explore their wide range of walking at night safety gear, perfectly tailored to meet your needs, by visiting their website today: https://guarddog-security.com/collections/walking-at-night.
Live from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas, Ring of Honor presents Final Battle 2023 live on the HonorClub streaming service. The full card is as follows:
Athena vs Billie Starkz for the ROH Women’s title; Dalton Castle vs Komander vs Kyle Fletcher vs Lee Johnson vs Lee Moriarty vs mystery entrant in the Survival of the Fittest finals for the vacant ROH TV title; Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona vs Shane Haste, Kosei Fujita, and Bad Dude Tito in a six-man tag team match for the ROH Six-Man Tag Team titles; El Hijo del Vikingo vs Black Taurus for the AAA Mega title; Wheeler Yuta vs Tom Lawlor for the ROH Pure title; Ethan Page vs Tony Nese in an I quit match; Keith Lee vs Shane Taylor; FTR and Mark Briscoe vs Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, and Claudio Castagnoli in a Jay Briscoe Memorial Fight Without Honor; and The Von Erichs vs Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum in the pre-show.
An ROH HonorClub subscription is required to watch the show and that costs $9.99 for a month. The show starts at 7PM ET and will be available at WatchROH.com.
Swerve Strickland vs Orange Cassidy, Dynamite, 06/07/23
Meltzer: 4.25*
On the night Tony Khan announced the first Collision main event and at a time when it seemed Cassidy might lose his International Title every week, many fans figured this might be it. The uber-talented Strickland needed a boost and if the belt was going to change hands it needed a champion who could have good defences every Wednesday.
All of which was only reinforced by the announcers highlighting the champ’s myriad injuries and busy schedule. And Strickland beginning the contest by outfoxing him at every turn: countering all of his shenanigans and even using his own pockets to bait the usually docile Cassidy outside before twice smashing his Punch hand against the ringpost.
A clash which’d started well enough really picking up after the break – pace shifting as they traded moves back-and-forth, highlighted by DVD’s onto – and tornado DDTs off – the apron.
The crowd into every well-crafted near fall: brainbusters outside into Stomps in, a hurracanrana coming short when the champ’s injured hand failed him on the cover, ditto an Orange Punch, until finally the weakened champion had to fight fire with fire, countering a JML Driver by hooking the tights after Swerve had tried the same.
Good action, good story which played into the finish and the crowd were rabid by the end.
And Strickland, thankfully, is currently positioned better than ever and emerging as a star.
Title Matches > Friendship
Adam Cole & MJF talk All In, Dynamite, 08/16/23
Meltzer: N/A
In between a Crocodile Dundee skit, MJF taking a dump and Aussie Open coming out to talk kangaroo kicks, was an excellent segment highlighting what the AEW title meant to each man. A pretty good snapshot of the act as a whole.
Cole was good in talking about going from crying while not knowing if he’d ever wrestle again to headlining the ‘biggest show in history’ and how he’d been a champion everywhere he went.
But MJF was the star of the show.
Much like the clash with FTR was the ideal blueprint for their tag act, if Max wants to truly ‘find’ his best babyface self, he need look no further. There was no pandering, no corny jokes, no veering into heel territory.
Instead he talked about how at the outset of his career he wrote two names on a piece of paper, two ‘dream’ opponents: the first being Cody Rhodes. And Cody had helped him become part of the original All In after working his ass off, putting 90,000 miles on his car in a year.
The second was Adam Cole. And now at the second All In he was facing his best friend in front of the biggest audience in company history. He didn’t shout or talk trends, just told an honest story about his journey, tying everything together beautifully across both All Ins and both dream opponents.
Before each let the other know that they were serious about taking the title. Though without lurching violently from best friends to assholes.
Adam Copeland attended the New York premiere of Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday.
Copeland has a recurring role in this Disney+ series as Ares, the arrogant and daring god of war. It is scheduled to drop on the streaming service on December 20.
The Rated-R Superstar looked pretty dapper in a red suit and black shirt and you can see photos from the premiere below.
All three events will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Hall of Fame is on the same ticket as Smackdown.
Not much tickets remain for Smackdown and Raw, with floor seats being the bulk of available seats for both shows. Those floor seats cost $350 plus fees and the cheapest tickets available are $85 plus fees in the 200 section. As expected, NXT has more tickets available and those start from $20 for the 200 section. Floor seats for NXT start from $75.
It remains unclear how much extra tickets are being held for tomorrow’s general public on-sale but considering that thousands of tickets were sold as a combo, it’s likely not much will be left for tomorrow.
All shows will have no set and just an entrance way, the first time for WrestleMania weekend events. This allowed the full use of the Wells Fargo Center.
WWE Women’s World champion Rhea Ripley and former NXT North American champion Dominic Mysterio are currently in Perth, Australia doing several media rounds for WWE ahead of Elimination Chamber Perth.
The WWE duo are on hand to continue to try and push tickets for the Elimination Chamber premium live event from Optus Stadium on February 24. Over 35,000 tickets have already been sold for the show but this is a massive stadium that holds way more than that.
After selling thousands of tickets at exuberant prices, WWE has lowered most of the remaining seats hoping for a faster sell. Tickets now start at AU $71.30 each plus fees for the bleacher section in to 500 level. The majority of tickets remaining are on the floor which carry a much higher price.
Elimination Chamber will be the first of three – so far – premium live events taking place overseas, with Backlash in France following in May and Bash in Berlin in August.
Ross and Marshall Von Erich, the two sons of Kevin Von Erich, will be wrestling on tomorrow’s Rampage.
All three appeared last night on Dynamite live from Arlington, Texas in a backstage segment when Orange Cassidy, the AEW International champion, barged in and asked if Ross and Marshall would be up to tag team for a six-man tag match on Rampage.
Cassidy and The Von Erichs will be taking on Jake Hager, Matt Menard, and Angelo Parker in the match which was taped later in the evening.
This is the first time that Ross and Marshall will step inside an AEW ring. Their last match was last month at River City Wrestling’s The Iron Claw event in San Antonio.
