Tag: WarGames

Paul Heyman Returns On WWE SmackDown, Introduces CM Punk As OG Bloodlines 5th War Games Team Member

Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown delivered one of the most electrifying moments of the year as CM Punk made his much-anticipated return. Joining the original Bloodline team for War Games, Punk’s comeback was orchestrated by none other than Paul Heyman, who also made a dramatic return to the fold.

Punk had been absent from WWE television, selling injuries sustained during his brutal Hell in a Cell victory over Drew McIntyre at Bad Blood. Fans were left guessing who would fill the fifth spot for the babyface War Games team, and the answer came in epic fashion when Heyman interrupted a tense in-ring confrontation between the two teams.

Solo Sikoa’s Power Play Backfires

Earlier in the night, Solo Sikoa took center stage, attempting to gain control of the narrative. With the opposing team seemingly unable to secure a fifth member, Sikoa called out Roman Reigns and the OG Bloodline faction for what he labeled “terms of surrender.”

Sikoa delivered an emotional plea laced with threats, telling Reigns and his crew that they could dominate WWE for decades if they joined forces. He wasn’t shy about pointing out Roman’s lack of a “Wise Man” or a fifth ally, raising the stakes with the ominous ultimatum: surrender and align with him, or face destruction.

The tension in the ring was palpable as Sikoa handed Reigns the microphone. But before Reigns could respond, Paul Heyman made his presence known.

Heyman’s Surprise and Punk’s Explosive Entrance

In classic Heyman style, the legendary advocate interrupted with a dramatic apology for his absence, referencing the brutal table spot at Madison Square Garden that took him out of action. Heyman then dropped the bombshell—War Games would indeed be five-on-five, revealing CM Punk as the final member of the OG Bloodline team.

As the unmistakable sound of Cult of Personality (Punk’s entrance music) hit, the crowd erupted. Punk sprinted down the ramp, wasting no time in igniting a brawl. The chaotic clash saw Punk and Roman Reigns dominate, with Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga each falling victim to a spear and Punk’s signature Go to Sleep (GTS).

The night ended on a powerful visual, as Paul Heyman stood on the ring apron, smiling broadly at the alliance between Punk and Reigns.

What’s Next for War Games?

With CM Punk’s return and his alignment with the original Bloodline, the War Games match has gone from must-see to absolutely unmissable. The dynamic between Punk, Reigns, and Heyman adds a layer of intrigue, as does the question of how Solo Sikoa will respond after his failed coup attempt.

SmackDown has officially raised the stakes for Survivor Series, and fans are eager to see what chaos unfolds when War Games hits the cage. Will Punk and Reigns be able to coexist, or is this alliance destined for implosion?

BONUS: CM Punk and The OG Bloodline stand tall: SmackDown exclusive, Nov. 22, 2024

Original Bloodline Reunites On WWE SmackDown, Will Enter WarGames At Survivor Series

The Original Bloodline has fully reunited with Sami Zayn on last night’s WWE SmackDown.

After an opening segment that saw Reigns reject a reconciliation with his former “Honorary Uce” and subsequently appear to lose the trust of The Usos, Reigns came to the ring on his own during the main event segment to confront Solo Sikoa. Reigns challenged his cousin to a singles match, but Sikoa laughed in his face, challenging him instead to find four more others backstage ready to support him in a war. Reigns asked Sikoa if his intention was WarGames, saying Sikoa only had three men beside him; Sikoa then claimed Zayn had joined his side in the battle, prompting Zayn to emerge at the top of the ramp. Zayn stood and watched as Reigns was attacked by The Bloodline, with The Usos coming down to save their cousin. 

Sikoa called for Zayn to deliver the Helluva Kick to Reigns, but Zayn instead kicked Sikoa’s head, allowing for Reigns to hit a spear, and then The Original Bloodline fought the rest of the mutineers to clear the ring. Zayn and Reigns stared one another down as The Usos threw up the ones, the former raising his own finger and visibly asking Reigns “Are you in, or are you out?” Reigns finally raised a finger with the other three, signaling that at least for now, the band is back together.

As the segment closed, commentary stated clearly that Reigns, Zayn and The Usos would meet Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and the one-time Guerrillas of Destiny at Survivor Series in a WarGames match. It remains unclear whether a fifth man will be added to each side, but the reiteration of the five-on-five format WWE has used in main roster WarGames matches thus far suggests there are more participants to come.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Roman Reigns Upset With Kevin Owens After Survivor Series WarGames

Roman Reigns was reportedly not happy following the Survivor Series WarGames main event. 

According to a report from Fightful Select, Reigns was said to be visibly upset backstage regarding what he perceived as an “unplanned spot” involving him and Kevin Owens. Reigns was overheard saying he may have a ruptured ear drum, and it was clear to those who witnessed the scene that he was not happy with what happened. 

Reigns did not take part in the post-event press conference as he was originally scheduled to. 

Talent spoken with by Fightful indicated they did not believe there would be any extended heat from what happened and that Reigns’ reaction was likely due to the heat of the moment. 

It is not clear what spot was the catalyst for Reigns becoming upset. The only spots Owens and Reigns worked with each other during the match came close to the end. Owens slapped Reigns, and then they exchanged strikes for a period. Roman hit a Superman Punch, and Owens hit a superkick, a pop-up powerbomb, and a stunner. Sami Zayn then broke up the pin leading to the finish, where Zayn hit a low blow and Helluva Kick on Owens. 

Sources: WrestleView and Fightful

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 11/26/2022 (Results)

5-on-5 Women’s War Games Match
Team Bianca (RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Mia Yim, Becky Lynch) def. Team Damage CTRL (Bayley, Nikki Cross, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Dakota Kai and IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley)
Numbers Advantage: Team Damage CTRL.

AJ Styles def. Finn Balor

SmackDown Women’s Title Match
Ronda Rousey (c) w/Shayna Baszler def. Shotzi

Triple Threat for the WWE United States Title
Austin Theory def. Seth Rollins (c) and Bobby Lashley to become the new United States Champion

5-on-5 Men’s War Games Match
Team Bloodline (Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn) def. Team Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Butch, Ridge Holland, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens)
Numbers Advantage: Team Brawling Brutes

The finish of the match came when Sami Zayn chose to side with The Bloodline, hitting Kevin Owens with a “Helluva Kick.” Jey Uso then hit a Big Splash on Owens to pick up the 1, 2, 3.

As the show came to a close, Zayn hugged Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, and even Jey Uso

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1596718957083467780
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1596719168706920448
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1596719446344597504

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 11/26/2022 (Card)

The 2022 WWE “Survivor Series: War Games” Premium Live Event from the TD Garden in Boston, MA on Saturday, November 26.

CARD

5-on-5 Men’s War Games Match
Team Bloodline (Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn) vs. Team Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Butch, Ridge Holland, Drew McIntyre, Kevin Owens)
Numbers Advantage: Team Brawling Brutes

5-on-5 Women’s War Games Match
Team Bianca (RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Mia Yim, Becky Lynch) vs. Team Damage CTRL (Bayley, Nikki Cross, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Dakota Kai and IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley)
Numbers Advantage: Team Damage CTRL.

SmackDown Women’s Title Match
Shotzi vs. Ronda Rousey (c)

Triple Threat for the WWE United States Title
Austin Theory vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Seth Rollins (c)

AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor

Kevin Owens Expected to Be at Friday’s WWE SmackDown, Latest on His Status

Kevin Owens appears to be in good shape for War Games at WWE Survivor Series.

As PWMania.com previously reported, Owens suffered a sprained MCL during Sunday’s WWE live event in Madison, WI, while defeating Austin Theory. This threw his Survivor Series status into doubt.

In an update, PWInsider reports that Owens will be at Friday’s SmackDown in Hartford, as well as all TV tapings leading up to the Survivor Series Premium Live Event on Saturday, November 26. This would imply that he’s also working the November 25 go-home SmackDown in Providence, unless he’s also scheduled for RAW tapings.

We also noted that the Wrestling Observer Radio reported this week that Owens was rehabbing his injury at the WWE Performance Center. He was scheduled to have the injury checked on Monday morning, so this PWInsider update indicates he was medically cleared to compete at the pay-per-view.

According to reports, Owens will compete inside War Games alongside Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Butch, and Ridge Holland against Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos, Solo Sikoa, and Samy Zayn.

Source: PWMania

WWE Pulls Surprise Plans for Kevin Owens Due to Injury

The Men’s WarGames match for Survivor Series was set up last week on WWE SmackDown, with The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, the Usos, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn) taking on the Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Butch, and Ridge Holland), Drew McIntyre, and a fifth partner.

Kevin Owens is out due to a sprained MCL suffered in a single match against Austin Theory at Sunday’s live event.

According to The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, Owens suffered a MCL sprain in his right knee after coming down awkwardly on his leg during a matchup against Austin Theory. The untelevised match took place during a live house show at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Meltzer reported that “the way it was worded was that hopefully that is all the injury is with the idea it could be more than that,” noting that Owens and Theory finished up the match, with the former WWE Universal Champion landing a pinfall on Theory after hitting him with a stunner. However, as Meltzer reported, Owens “needed help from the referee to get to the back” afterwards.

Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE had surprise plans for Owens, who has been off television for some time. Although not confirmed, his unexpected return would almost certainly have resulted in his inclusion in the WarGames match.

“I only heard he has a sprained MCL, but he was going to get it examined…..I believe he was going to be in the WarGames match. That’s not 100% confirmed, but it is certainly the talk, and he was supposed to be in something as a surprise. So it all adds up that it would be the WarGames match…If that was the case, this could cost him that.”

Sources: PWMania and Wrestling Inc.

Triple H Reveals Survivor Series Will Include Two WarGames Matches

WarGames is finally coming to the main roster.

Triple H has quickly made a number of changes to WWE’s on-air product since being appointed head of creative. From bringing in released stars to giving some who never lost their jobs their names back. Some fans would argue the overall quality of what we see each week on Raw and SmackDown has already been upped considerably too.

The Game is clearly keen to make his mark on what WWE is with him in charge of its creative instead of Vince McMahon as swiftly as possible, and the next way he plans on doing that is via Survivor Series. As first reported by The Ringer, Triple H has revealed there will be two WarGames matches at Survivor Series. One with male Superstars, and another for female Superstars.

https://twitter.com/ringer/status/1571866744599216128

“The tradition of the Survivor Series has ebbed and flowed and changed slightly over time, but this will be similar to that,” Triple H explained. “This will not be Raw versus SmackDown. It will be much more story-line driven. I still look at it as a traditional component to Survivor Series in there because it’s large teams of people competing .”

WarGames lends itself to the Raw vs. SmackDown format, so it’s somewhat surprising WWE won’t be keeping it as simple as a battle for brand supremacy when it brings the two-ring cage to the main roster for the first time. It could be a sign that the battle of the brands at Survivor Series is scrapped entirely despite previous rumors it would remain in place.

Getting rid of the concept altogether would certainly make a lot of sense. Not only does a battle of the brands feel a little redundant when Superstars appear to be able to show up wherever they like, but The Bloodline currently has a lot of the main roster titles. Roman Reigns doesn’t have a World Champion to face on an opposing brand, nor do The Usos have another set of Tag Champions to face. As for WarGames, it’s unclear whether the original format from WCW will return or if Triple H plans on using the tweaked cage without a roof that has been used in NXT.

Source: TheSportster

Johnny Gargano Addresses Fans After NXT WarGames Amidst Rumors Of WWE Exit

It appears fans will have to wait until Tuesday’s NXT to know if Sunday’s WarGames event was Johnny Gargano’s final outing in WWE.

After Sunday’s show went off the air, fans at the Performance Center in Orlando, FL chanted “Thank You, Johnny” and “Please Don’t Go” to show their appreciation for Johnny Wrestling.

As seen in the video below, Gargano addressed fans after Team Black & Gold (NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, Gargano, Pete Dunne, LA Knight) lost to Team 2.0 (Bron Breakker, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller) in the main event.

“Candice [LeRare] is going to be really upset that I just blew our undefeated streak,” Gargano began. “Our WarGames record in our house, so I mean that’s… I’m in trouble when I get home. Trust me, guys.”

An emotional Gargano proceeded to thank fans for their overwhelming support.

“You guys are saying ‘thank you’ to me when, really, I want to say ‘thank you’ to all of you,” Gargano said. “Without all you, there wouldn’t be a Johnny Wrestling, and that’s true. You guys know I love you right back. But, with that love, I am an open book to you guys, and I’m always 100% honest and 100% authentic with you. Because I feel like you guys aren’t just fans, we’ve know each other for such a long time, you guys are like my family. This is like my family.”

In conclusion, Gargano stated that he would address his WWE future on Tuesday.

“And, right now, I’m beat up, I’m sore, I’m tired, I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Gargano admitted. “But, I want to tell you guys everything and will tell you guys everything this Tuesday night. OK? Thank you. And we’ll come right back here Tuesday night and I’m gonna tell you guys everything, OK?”

Gargano’s WWE contract was previously set to expire on Friday, Dec. 3. However, he would sign a one-week extension to participate in the WarGames match. His contract expires on Friday, Dec. 10.

Johnny Gargano also tweeted a “thank you” message to his peers after Sunday’s event. You can watch a video of him addressing fans below.

https://twitter.com/theangleradio/status/1467709383488458757
https://twitter.com/JohnnyGargano/status/1467726092702294018

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT WarGames Results 12/5/2021

WOMEN’S WARGAMES MATCH
Team Gonzalez (Raquel Gonzalez, Io Shirai, Cora Jade, Kay Lee Ray) defeated Team Kai (Dakota Kai, NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose, NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne)

NXT TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH
Imperium (c) defeated Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner

– After the match, fans are chanting “thank you Kyle!” He bows to the crowd and thanks them. Wagner is seething behind him. Wagner attacks but it backfires and O’Reilly takes Wagner down. O’Reilly stands over Wagner and yells at him. Fans chant his name as O’Reilly exits, yelling some more at Wagner.

HAIR VS. HAIR MATCH
Cameron Grimes defeated Duke Hudson

– After the match, Grimes is immediately all smiles as the music hits. Hudson is shocked and disappointed as the referee orders him to the other ring where the barber’s chair is set up. Hudson tries to retreat but Grimes rolls him back in. Hudson drops Grimes with a clothesline. Hudson places Grimes in the chair as fans boo. Hudson grabs the clippers and turns back around but Grimes kicks him in the face. Grimes nails the Cave-In for a pop. Grimes shows off the clippers as fans cheer him on. Grimes puts Hudson in the chair and shaves some hair off, most but not all, and Hudson quickly retreats. Grimes takes a seat in the chair as his music starts up. Hudson retreats as Grimes gets one last “to the moon!” pop from the crowd.

NXT CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
Roderick Strong (c) defeated Joe Gacy

– McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Kyle O’Reilly, asking what happened after their loss to Imperium when Von Wagner tried to attack him. O’Reilly says he’s been in the business for a long time and if Wagner thinks he didn’t smell that turn coming from a mile away, Wagner is as dumb as he looks. Kyle says this is the first time he hasn’t been in WarGames and he’s hungry for some steel, so he challenges Wagner to a Steel Cage match on Tuesday’s NXT. O’Reilly storms off.

MEN’S WARGAMES MATCH
Team New School (Bron Breakker, NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller) defeated Team Old School (NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, LA Knight)