Latest news with #FridayNightSmackDown
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
WWE SmackDown takeaways: Bianca Belair returns; Andrade, Naomi qualify for MITB
WWE SmackDown takeaways: Bianca Belair returns; Andrade, Naomi qualify for MITB WWE Friday Night SmackDown on May 30 took place at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., and featured a face-to-face with Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, John Cena and Logan Paul. This week's episode was packed with solid segments and very good matches. There were two more Money in the Bank qualifiers and Bianca Belair returned. JC Mateo pinned R-Truth, the entire tag team division had a melee including the Wyatt Sicks, and we heard Damian Priest call out Jacob Fatu. Check out the top takeaways from this episode: Bianca Belair gets hometown welcome, warns Naomi Kicking off this week's show was Knoxville's own Bianca Belair, who returned to WWE programming after a few weeks away to heal up, but is still sporting tape and a splint on her left hand. Belair took the mic and started the University of Tennessee's unofficial fight song, "Rocky Top," which went over well with the crowd. After Belair talked about her recovery and eventual return, Naomi joined her in the ring. Naomi begged for Belair's forgiveness for her betrayal. She said she even went to Belair's parents' house and let herself in when nobody was home. Belair said if she ever came around her family again that putting Jade through the roof of a car would pale in comparison to what she would do to her. Naomi dropped the forgiving vibe and then let through a sinister laugh as she said she'd hate for Bianca to join her mother in a wheelchair (Belair's mother was sitting front row in a wheelchair). Jade Cargill's music hit, and she quickly cleared Naomi from the ring. Cargill and Belair stared at each other, but their friendship remains unclear. This was an intense promo between Belair and Naomi. Bringing in the real-life family just adds a whole different layer to the story. It's unfortunate that Belair is injured, which has paused the story's progression, but this was a great way to keep it fresh. Naomi qualifies for Money in the Bank The first match of the show was a triple threat Money in the Bank qualifier. Two of the competitors were already near the ring, Naomi and Jade Cargill. The third woman was Nia Jax. The big spots in this match kept the crowd invested, most of which were from Jax. We saw a second-rope leg drop, a double cross body, and a second-rope Samoan drop from the former champ. Cargill had her displays of power throughout the match as well. But the finishing sequence was another big moment from Jax - a superplex powerbomb followed by an Annihilator to Cargill. Jax had them both stacked initially, but Naomi moved at the last moment, and secured a three count by rolling up Jax. A win here was big for Naomi, as her heel persona continues to look very strong. The match was solid and Jax's big moments looked legitimately damaging. But what does this mean for Cargill and Jax? Will they find their way into the MITB match? Je'Von Evans, Rey Fenix shine in tag match vs. Los Garza The bouncy one from NXT, Je'Von Evans made his SmackDown debut in a tag match alongside Rey Fenix against Berto and Angel, as Santos Escobar and Ethan Page watched from ringside. Seeing Evans and Fenix on the same team felt like something straight out of WWE 2K as they flew around the ring, inside and out, wowing the Tennessee audience. Unfortunately for the high-flying team, Page got involved, attacking Fenix and Evans from behind while the referee was distracted. Los Garza hit their double-team finisher to score the pin. Page, the NXT North American Champion, will put his title on the line at Worlds Collide next weekend against Evans, Fenix and Laredo Kid. This match was obviously a primer for that match, while also getting Los Garza a much needed win. Everyone looked great here, and it was a fun match that the crowd enjoyed. Zelina Vega disrespected, defends title against Alba Fyre Zelina Vega continues to be the most disrespected current titleholder. For her match against Alba Fyre, Vega's entrance wasn't televised. No, instead, it was "Sign of the Night" time, and then we return to the ring to see Vega holding her Women's United States Championship high while sitting on the ropes. Meanwhile, Fyre, along with Chelsea Green and Piper Niven got a full entrance. Maybe that was payback for Vega breaking Green's nose at Saturday Night's Main Event. Green covered her injury with a colorful, bedazzled facemask, which we first saw in a backstage segment earlier when she demanded Vega be stripped for causing the injury, which led to the match between Vega and Fyre. The match was moving along nicely, until Green decided to get involved when things spilled to the outside. Green removed the facemask, revealing her severely bruised face. She attempted to hit Vega with the mask as Niven held her up, but the champ ducked. A moment later, Vega hit a Code Red to pin Fyre. When was the last time a champion didn't get an entrance on television? I can't recall. WWE seems to treat Vega as if she's a jobber even while holding gold, and this was just the latest example. Yes, the accident at SNME sucked, but those things can happen to anyone at anytime. Her reign might not be long since Giulia has set her sights on belt, but until that happens, do right by Vega, WWE. Andrade qualifies for MITB The second MITB qualifier was between United States Champion Jacob Fatu, Carmelo Hayes and Andrade. Unsurprisingly, Fatu dominated early, and even took out The Miz after he tried to prevent him from attacking Hayes. But as the match wore on, Hayes and Andrade had their moments, which was fun to watch because they always work so well together. "This is awesome" chants poured in after Andrade hit his top-rope moonsault into a backflip on Fatu. "Holy sh*t" chants soon followed when Fatu attempted to send both opponents through the barrier, but they moved at the last moment. The match continued to cook until Solo Sikoa and JC Mateo arrived ringside to cause distractions. Fatu was putting the finishing touches on the match. He hit his signature top-rope moonsault, but before he could go for the pin, Sikoa hopped on the apron telling him to do it again. Mateo hopped up too, demanding a second. Jimmy Uso appeared to attack Mateo. Meanwhile, Andrade and Hayes went at it in a wild back-and-forth sequence. Andrade hit his finisher to get the three count. Fatu was rightfully ticked off. On paper, this was one of the best qualifiers for MITB, and it certainly delivered. Andrade winning was somewhat of a surprise. Between him and Hayes, two wrestlers who deserve much more, one of them had to eat the pin here. Fatu didn't need the MITB, but Andrade and Hayes can greatly benefit from the briefcase. We'll see what happens with Andrade advancing to the big match. Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso get their hands on John Cena, Logan Paul The final segment of the show featured Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, John Cena and Logan Paul. Rhodes entered first and delivered a short promo before welcoming Uso to the ring. Cena came in next. After Cena called Rhodes and Uso "John Cena wannabes," Paul joined the group in the ring. With Paul and Cena set to tag against Rhodes and Uso, the hard sell was on for the heel team. Cena put over Paul, while Paul focused on belittling the crowd. He then likened the matchup to two "nepo babies" against two self-made men. Uso challenged Cena and Paul to throw down right now instead of at MITB. Cena wanted to leave, Paul wanted to fight. Rhodes delivered a sharp one liner, and the brawl was on until the show concluded. Paul did well on the mic here, but there was no back and forth, which left more to be desired. In fact, Rhodes and Uso only delivered one line each after Paul was done talking. The melee was expected, but it did show that Rhodes and Uso know how to work together, foreshadowing what could happen at MITB. Considering Cena showed up, the segment gets points on that alone, but it could have been better with more banter on the mic.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'WWE SmackDown' Live Results: Cody Rhodes Addresses John Cena Before MITB, Major Hometown Return
'WWE SmackDown' Live Results: Cody Rhodes Addresses John Cena Before MITB, Major Hometown Return originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the clock winds down to "Money in the Bank 2025," WWE is set to air the penultimate episode of "SmackDown." Advertisement Friday's live episode will feature two qualifiers for the MITB ladder match set for June 7. WWE's biggest star of the present will once again confront the company's top ace of the past. "Friday Night SmackDown" will also feature the return of one prominent talent, who has been out of action since "WrestleMania 41." Following Cody Rhodes' shocking appearance at the conclusion of "Saturday Night's Main Event," the former Undisputed WWE Champion is back on the blue brand. He is set to address John Cena ahead of MITB, where the two will collide in tag team action. In a men's triple threat MITB qualifier, WWE United States Champion Jacob Fatu will look to add another distinction to his resume. He'll share the ring with Carmelo Hayes and Andrade. Three superstars will also be vying for a spot in the women's MITB match. Fierce rivals Jade Cargill and Naomi will collide with Nia Jax in triple threat action. Who will punch their ticket to WWE's most important ladder match of the year? That's not all, as a former multi-time world champion is set to make her return. After suffering a hand injury in her heavily praised triple threat match against Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley at "WrestleMania," Bianca Belair makes her way back to a WWE ring in her hometown. "WWE SmackDown" will air live on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET. Athlon Sports will be bringing you live coverage throughout the show. 'WWE SmackDown' Results Bianca Belair opened the show in her first appearance since April. Belair led the crowd in singing "Rocky Top." She said she needed to return to Knoxville to heal. Belair admitted she isn't 100 percent. She called herself the "EST" of Tennessee, which drew a big ovation from the crowd. Naomi then interrupted Belair. Belair was not receptive to Naomi's arrival. Naomi said she just wants Belair's forgiveness. She then admitted that she went into Belair's house uninvited and went through her photobook. Advertisement Belair told Naomi that if she ever goes near her parents again, then she'll hurt her worse than what she did to Jade Cargill. Naomi said it would be a shame if Belair and her mother were in a wheelchair. Things nearly broke down between the two, but Cargill stormed the ring and tossed Naomi through the middle rope. Nia Jax then made her way out for the women's MITB qualifier. Women's MITB Qualifier: Jade Cargill vs. Naomi vs. Nia Jax Naomi had Cargill seated in the corner. She then delivered a running dropkick. Naomi scored with the split-legged drop. Jax charged in, but Naomi moved, and Jax landed a hip attack on Cargill. Naomi went for a crossbody, but Cargill caught her and landed a fallaway slow. Jax broke up the pin before landing a Samoan drop on Cargill. Jax went high-risk and landed a leg drop on Naomi for a near fall. Jax and Naomi agreed to team up against Naomi. That agreement was short-lived, as Jax pulled Naomi off Cargill during a pin attempt. Advertisement Cargill hit a spinebuster on Jax. She then nailed Naomi with Jaded, but Jax broke up the pin. Cargill and Naomi were brawling, but Jax took both of them out with a crossbody. Cargill hit a splash on Jax and Naomi for a near fall. Cargill went for a superplex, but Jax wiped out both of her opponents with a Tower of Doom. Jax stacked Cargill and Naomi, but she only hit Cargill. Naomi then scored a crucifix pin on Jax. Winner: Naomi R-Truth Meets JC Mateo Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, and JC Mateo ran into R-Truth backstage. Sikoa poked fun at R-Truth for talking to himself. R-Truth touched Sikoa's arm and asked him if he had a problem. Advertisement Mateo was going to attack R-Truth, but Sikoa prevented him. R-Truth then told Mateo he's seen him in a day in his life. He then asked Sikoa if Mateo is his son. R-Truth then called Mateo "husky" and asked Sikoa if he could teach his "husky son" a lesson in the ring. Sikoa obliged. Fatu then told Sikoa and Mateo that they could have fun on their own. He said he has business to handle on his own. Related: WWE Expected to Sign Former AEW World Champion Imminently This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pat McAfee identifies himself as the 'somebody' who 'embarrassed' John Mellencamp at Pacers-Knicks game
ESPN personality Pat McAfee, left, appears to have annoyed singer John Mellencamp with his antics at the New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers game Tuesday in Indianapolis. (Sean Gardner; Timothy Norris / Getty Images) Legendary rocker and Indiana native John Mellencamp apologized Thursday "on behalf of most Hoosiers" for the "poor, poor sportsmanship" displayed during the Pacers' home win over the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals two days earlier. Although the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. did not call out any specific Indiana sports fan in the statement he posted to X hours before Game 5, Mellencamp seemed to have a particular person in mind — popular ESPN personality Pat McAfee. Advertisement "I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team," the "Hurts So Good" singer wrote. "The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship." Read more: Teddi Mellencamp and dad John get real about burial plans as she battles Stage 4 cancer Hours after Mellencamp posted his statement, McAfee reposted it on X and identified himself as the one who instigated Pacers fans to behave in such a manner. "I am 'somebody,'" McAfee wrote. Advertisement Mellencamp and McAfee were both on hand Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the Pacers defeated the Knicks 130-121 to take a 3-1 series lead. Addressing the crowd during a fourth-quarter timeout, McAfee called out celebrity Knicks fans Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet — all of whom were in attendance that night — and encouraged Pacers fans to "send these sons of b— back to New York with their ears ringing!" Stiller addressed the matter later that night on X, saying he assumed that McAfee was "playing around" and that all the fans he met at the arena were "awesome and incredibly cool." Mellencamp, however, was not happy with the shenanigans. Read more: Pat McAfee says ESPN didn't tell him to stop talking about Caitlin Clark. 'God' did Advertisement "I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life," the singer once known as Johnny Cougar wrote. "On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown." Mellencamp's use of the "smackdown" appears to be a thinly veiled reference to McAfee, who is a color commentator and occasional wrestler for WWE. "Friday Night SmackDown" is one of the organization's signature TV shows. It is unclear why Mellencamp opted to voice his displeasure so long after the incident occurred. Perhaps he plans to be in attendance Thursday night at Madison Square Garden as his Pacers attempt to seal their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000. One person who won't be there is McAfee, despite a friendly invite from Stiller. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Pat McAfee identifies himself as the ‘somebody' who ‘embarrassed' John Mellencamp at Pacers-Knicks game
Legendary rocker and Indiana native John Mellencamp apologized Thursday 'on behalf of most Hoosiers' for the 'poor, poor sportsmanship' displayed during the Pacers' home win over the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals two days earlier. Although the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. did not call out any specific Indiana sports fan in the statement he posted to X hours before Game 5, Mellencamp seemed to have a particular person in mind — popular ESPN personality Pat McAfee. 'I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team,' the 'Hurts So Good' singer wrote. 'The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship.' Hours after Mellencamp posted his statement, McAfee reposted it on X and identified himself as the one who instigated Pacers fans to behave in such a manner. 'I am 'somebody,'' McAfee wrote. Mellencamp and McAfee were both on hand Tuesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the Pacers defeated the Knicks 130-121 to take a 3-1 series lead. Addressing the crowd during a fourth-quarter timeout, McAfee called out celebrity Knicks fans Spike Lee, Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet — all of whom were in attendance that night — and encouraged Pacers fans to 'send these sons of b— back to New York with their ears ringing!' Stiller addressed the matter later that night on X, saying he assumed that McAfee was 'playing around' and that all the fans he met at the arena were 'awesome and incredibly cool.' Mellencamp, however, was not happy with the shenanigans. 'I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life,' the singer once known as Johnny Cougar wrote. 'On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.' Mellencamp's use of the 'smackdown' appears to be a thinly veiled reference to McAfee, who is a color commentator and occasional wrestler for WWE. 'Friday Night SmackDown' is one of the organization's signature TV shows. It is unclear why Mellencamp opted to voice his displeasure so long after the incident occurred. Perhaps he plans to be in attendance Thursday night at Madison Square Garden as his Pacers attempt to seal their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2000. One person who won't be there is McAfee, despite a friendly invite from Stiller.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Goldberg Gives Major Health Update Ahead of WWE Retirement Match
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Bill Goldberg remains one of the biggest spectacles in the history of professional wrestling. Boasting incredible strength, athleticism, and charisma, Goldberg quickly became one of the most dominant wrestlers in WCW and one of the most popular figures in the business, who is still seen as a major draw today. More Pro Wrestling: Former WWE Talent Comes Out Of Retirement For One Night Sadly, it appears that his career is coming to an end with the legendary superstar announcing that he will have a WWE retirement match back in November 2024. "Here's the deal," Goldberg said on during an appearance on the SEC Network. "The news of the day is that, per three executives -- Nick Khan, Chris Legentil, and Paul Levesque -- in 2025, Goldberg is having his retirement match!" 🚨 BREAKING: @Goldberg just announced that his retirement match will take place NEXT YEAR! 👀 🎥: @SECNetwork — WWE (@WWE) November 2, 2024 "I think we know who the subject or the victim, probably the frontrunner right now, we know who it is. In 2025, Goldberg makes his return in a retirement match." Despite promising it would be in a few months, there have been very few updates regarding said match. That is, until now. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Bill Goldberg attends WWE 20th Anniversary Celebration Marking Premiere of WWE Friday Night SmackDown on FOX at Staples Center on October 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Bill Goldberg attends WWE 20th Anniversary Celebration Marking Premiere of WWE Friday Night SmackDown on FOX at Staples Center on October 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, a recent episode of the Carcast podcast, Goldberg provided an update regarding his training process for the upcoming match, which is now believed to take place during the summer. .@Goldberg said on his CarCast podcast that his WWE retirement match will be this summer. — Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) February 20, 2025 "I feel a little bit better, I've gained a little bit of weight man," Goldberg said, per Skylar Russell of Fightful. "Done a little kickboxing on the weekends. I'm getting there man, I've got a little bit of time left. Slowly but surely, Rome wasn't built in a day." More Pro Wrestling: WWE WrestleMania 42 Relocation Confirmed: Report Additionally, Goldberg revealed that he was injury-free, specifically how he was taking care of his shoulder "like rebuilding a car, "Believe me, it's been really tough to control myself but I think I'm on a good schedule. I'm injury free as of right now." "I can do things with [my shoulder] — I couldn't do anything with it in December. It's one of those things — it's like rebuilding a car. You've got to strip it down to the bare minimum and sequentially build it in a logical form. It applies with a vehicle, it applies with your body. "I can't get overzealous and put shit on before it's time. It's a very slow process but I think the way I'm going about it is hopefully gonna work." More Pro Wrestling: Absent WWE Stars Could Return Sooner Than Expected: Report Former WWE Champion Cody Rhodes Wants to Join Video Game Adaptation For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
