Latest news with #Sikoa
USA Today
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
WWE SmackDown takeaways: Tiffany Stratton retains; Alexa Bliss, Solo Sikoa win MITB spots
WWE SmackDown takeaways: Tiffany Stratton retains; Alexa Bliss, Solo Sikoa win MITB spots WWE Friday Night SmackDown on May 16 took place at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., and featured a women's title match between Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax. This week, we saw Fraxiom continue their hot streak by defeating DIY to earn a title shot against the Street Profits, R-Truth land a match against John Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event, Drew McIntyre accept a challenge from Damian Priest, and the first round of Money in the Bank qualifiers. Check out the top takeaways from this episode: Tension rises between Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu Kicking off the show was a promo segment featuring Solo Sikoa, United States champion Jacob Fatu, and newcomer Jeff Cobb, who was dubbed "JC" by Sikoa (officially named JC Mateo). Despite Sikoa leading the way to the ring and standing front and center on the mic, the crowd chanted for Fatu. Sikoa introduced JC as the man who helped keep the US title in the Bloodline. Then the mic got yanked away when Sikoa started to recite Fatu's taglines. The champ can speak for himself, after all. But when Fatu got to his "yadada mean" line, Sikoa hilariously joined in with him. Sikoa then wanted to hear something from Fatu he hasn't heard in a while. Fatu said, "I love you, Solo," but it wasn't in the enthusiastic manner he used to say it. Sikoa playfully asked him to do it the old way, but quickly ramped up to a sterner tone, along with a push. Fatu removed his sunglasses and appeared to bed fed up with Sikoa, but then LA Knight's music hit. Knight dragged JC out of the ring, got a few licks in, and then escaped before the numbers game could catch up. Eventually, Fatu is going to snap on Sikoa, and the pop for that will be insane. This was a solid opening segment because Sikoa is great on the mic when he starts acting silly, and we saw a lot of that here. When that snap eventually happens, expect to see Fatu vs. JC first, which will be an incredible match. Alexa Bliss wins Money in the Bank qualifier The first match of the night was a women's Money in the Bank qualifier between Alexa Bliss, Chelsea Green and Michin. These triple-threat matches provide an opportunity for creativity, and the crowd appreciated what these ladies offered with "this is awesome" chants. We saw a double Long Back Attack from Michin, but that wasn't enough to get the job done. Bliss became the first to qualify for MITB by hitting the Sister Abigail DDT on Green for the pin. This one wasn't a surprise. Even Joe Tessitore commented on Bliss' two big returns this year during her entrance. Despite the great work Green has recently done with the women's US title and Michin improving as well, fans would probably riot if Bliss didn't get the win here. The Miz ruins another Carmelo Hayes vs. Aleister Black match It appears we're getting what I hoped for in recent weeks: a series of matches between Carmelo Hayes and Aleister Black. Hayes even directly addressed it (not my previous takeaway column, unfortunately), as he said he and Black were in the playoffs. With two of the roster's most talented wrestlers repeatedly going at it, who could get upset? Well, fans could if these matches keep getting ruined by outside interference from The Miz. For the second time in a row, The Miz directly led to a premature ending to a Hayes vs. Black match. The match was cooking. The fans were chanting. But then, The Miz happened. I get it, though. It prolongs the series and helps form a story. Hopefully, wherever the story takes us, it will lead to a clean match between Hayes and Black, which will be sure to tear the house down. Solo Sikoa qualifies for Money in the Bank The second MITB qualifier of the night was for the men's side of things, between Rey Fenix, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. This one wasn't as predictable as the women's match earlier. Fenix and Uso worked together to take Sikoa out early, but quickly broke that alliance after he was down outside of the ring. Sikoa returned to regain control a few moments later. As the back-and-forth ramped up, the referee missed a rollup pin attempt by Fenix on Sikoa. Everyone, including Wade Barrett on commentary, wondered why the ref fell asleep at the wheel. A few moments after Jacob Fatu caused interference, Sikoa hit Fenix with a Samoan Spike out of nowhere for the pin to qualify for MITB. Immediately after the match, LA Knight appeared again to attack JC, which led to Nick Aldis creating a match to take place on the spot. While it would have been nice to see Fenix enter the MITB fray as a high-flying thriller, it's also nice to see things make sense. Sikoa had support from Fatu and JC outside of the ring, so naturally, the numbers game should help him find the victory, and it did. To be clear, it would have been better if JC and Fatu were banned from ringside, but since that wasn't the case, heel tactics prevailed. Jeff Cobb, aka JC Mateo, wins impromptu debut JC Mateo, formerly known as Jeff Cobb, had his debut match on SmackDown take place against LA Knight immediately after the men's MITB qualifier. This was a grueling match in which JC showed off his power and durability while dealing with Knight's explosiveness. He also broke out a standing moonsault, which drew a shocked reaction. Knight was hunting for a finish, but of course, he was distracted by Sikoa and Fatu, and decided to launch himself onto both with a springboard crossbody. The distraction left an opening for JC to recover, and he was able to catch Knight with a Tour of the Islands, his twisting powerslam finish. It was good to see JC Mateo (I'm not feeling this new name at all, for what it's worth), get plenty of time to work against a well-established name for his debut. He looked great, and the win helps solidify the trio of him, Sikoa, and Fatu as a real force – even if it's short-lived, as the Fatu fracture is very apparent. Tiffany Stratton retains title Once again, Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax met with the Women's Championship on the line. The match served as the main event of this week's episode. Despite the frustration from some online ahead of this, Stratton and Jax turned in probably their best match together yet. This match also featured something that hasn't happened before: a kick out of The Prettiest Moonsault Ever. Naomi attempted to interfere in the match. Her music hit, and she marched to the ring with a chair in hand, but was promptly chased away by Jade Cargill. The chair was left behind, though. After Jax failed to get a pin after hitting an Annihilator, she went for the chair while the referee was distracted, but Stratton countered by kicking the chair into her face, and then hit another moonsault finisher, this time for the pin. You have to give it up to Stratton and Jax here. It wasn't a perfect match, to be clear. There were a few timing issues, but it was still good, and the crowd stayed invested. The Annihilator connecting was a legit false finish that popped the crowd, and Jax's reaction to the rope break was great. Some may be over the idea of seeing Stratton and Jax go at it, but they can put on solid matches together. To the IWC's point, though, let's keep them separated for a while now.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tiffany Stratton shines bright on WWE SmackDown as Solo Sikoa, Alexa Bliss punch Money in the Bank tickets
Tiffany Stratton left no doubt about her reign as WWE Women's Champion in a SmackDown main event that had everything from brutality, defiance, and redemption. In a high-stakes battle, she overcame Nia Jax, a crumbling announce table, interference from Naomi and Jade Cargill, and two monstrous kick-outs before landing her second Prettiest Moonsault Ever to retain her title. While Stratton celebrated, chaos brewed elsewhere across the blue brand. From fierce qualifying matches to debut shockers, WWE SmackDown lit the fuse for Money in the Bank and pushed several rivalries to the brink. Also read: Everything you need to know about WWE Backlash 2025 as Cena retains his title 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Money in the Bank takes shape with Bliss and Sikoa Alexa Bliss showed why she remains one of the most cunning women in WWE. In a Triple Threat Qualifier against Michin and Chelsea Green, Bliss showcased her trademark opportunism. After Green nearly stole the win from a dazed Michin, Bliss yanked Michin from the ring and landed a devastating Sister Abigail on Green to earn her spot in the Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match. In the men's division, Solo Sikoa emerged victorious in a Triple Threat Match against Jimmy Uso and Rey Fenix, thanks to timely distractions from Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo. Sikoa capitalized with a crushing Samoan Spike to punch his ticket to the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Live Events JC Mateo stuns in SmackDown debut After LA Knight blindsided Mateo earlier in the night, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis booked an impromptu main roster debut for the powerhouse newcomer. Knight seemed to have the edge after neutralizing interference from Sikoa and Fatu, but one misstep was all it took. Mateo delivered a brutal Tour of the Islands to score a massive victory in his first WWE match. Also read: WWE Raw Monday results, highlights: CM Punk vs Seth Rollins, Jey Uso vs Gunther, check all winners ahead of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event Adding to the drama, Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa had a tense faceoff post-match as JC Mateo assisted in a successful title defense at WWE Backlash. LA Knight later retaliated, promising this war is far from over. Factions collide, legends return, and battles heat up On the tag team front, Axiom and Nathan Frazer stunned #DIY with a surprise pinfall, only to be ambushed after the bell. But before the damage could escalate, Motor City Machine Guns hit the ring to even the odds and tease a future collision. Aleister Black's match with Carmelo Hayes ended in disqualification after The Miz interfered, derailing what had been a clinic of precision strikes and near falls. Meanwhile, R-Truth was announced to face WWE Undisputed Champion John Cena on Saturday Night's Main Event, and Drew McIntyre accepted Damian Priest's steel cage challenge for the same night. With rivalries burning hot and stakes rising for Money in the Bank on June 7, SmackDown continues to serve up must-see moments every week.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE SmackDown Results & Highlights (5/16/25): Tiffany Stratton retains her title, Money in the Bank qualifiers begin, and more
Image via WWE WWE SmackDown this week saw the buildup to Money in the Bank kick-off, stellar matches and a huge main event Women's title match. WWE SmackDown after Backlash emanated from the NC First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. It saw the beginning of Money in the Bank qualifying matches, some more exciting in-ring showdowns capped by a title match main event between Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax that was a marquee showdown. Opening segment with The Bloodline Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Jeff Cobb make their way to the ring. Sikoa introduces him as his new team member and vows to win his Money in the Bank qualifier match later on. Jacob Fatu addresses the crowd, but in the end, LA Knight appears and pulls Jeff Cobb out of the ring to launch a sneak attack and escape. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch Bitcoin và Ethereum - Không cần ví! IC Markets BẮT ĐẦU NGAY Undo Chelsea Green vs Alexa Bliss vs Michin This was the first Women's Money in the Bank qualifying match. Alexa Bliss and Michin tried to team up against Chelsea Green at first, but she managed to fight back. It was an exciting yet high-stakes affair that ended when Green pulled Alexa Bliss out of the ring after she hit the Twisted Bliss on Michin. But she quickly came back and hit Sister Abigail DDT on Green to win and qualify for the ladder match. DIY vs Fraxiom This was a tag team match. It was an excellent display of classic tag team wrestling between the two sides. Moreover, Fraxiom members showed a valiant effort despite this being only their second match on the main roster. They got the win with a timely rollup that led to DIY attacking them, but Motor City Machine Guns ran to the ring to make the save. R-Truth's sit-down interview with Wade Barrett Wade Barrett asked him about his reaction to John Cena dropping him with an AA at the Backlash post-show conference. Truth claimed that man was not his child hero and promised to deal with him at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event, with their match becoming official. Aleister Black vs Carmelo Hayes This was a rematch from last week's SmackDown. Both superstars went toe-to-toe against each other, getting loud cheers from the audience. In the end, the Miz tried to interfere multiple times and was taken out. But he came back and attacked Aleister Black, ending the match in disqualification. He took out The Miz with a Black Mass, but Carmelo Hayes left Black lying on the mat with a top-rope move. Solo Sikoa vs Jimmy Uso vs Rey Fenix This was the first Money in the Bank ladder match qualifier for the Men's side. The action was jam-packed as three different in-ring styles collided at the same time with a huge opportunity on the line. In the final moments, Solo Sikoa took out Jimmy Uso with a Samoan Spike, but was caught with an Adios Amigo move by Rey Fenix. However, a distraction by Jeff Cobb (J.C.) gave Sikoa time to recover, and he delivered a spike to him to pick up the win and qualify for the MITB ladder bout. LA Knight vs J.C. Mateo (Jeff Cobb) LA Knight came out at the end of the previous match to attack J.C. Nick Aldis came out and set an impromptu match between the duo. The duo put up a good match; however, LA Knight took his eyes off him to take out Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa. That led to J.C. taking him down with his finisher and picking up the win in his debut match. Tiffany Stratton vs Nia Jax The main event match was for the WWE Women's Championship. Both women fought valiantly against each other in an evenly matched showdown that captivated the audience. The ending saw Naomi come out with a chair, only to be stopped by her rival, Jade Cargill. Nia Jax took control of the match and almost had Tiffany Stratton defeated. However, Tiffy Time dropkicked Nia's face in the chair Naomi brought and delivered the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to retain her championship. Also read: Former WWE announcer Samantha Irvin's return to wrestling confirmed Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
WWE SmackDown takeaways: Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill coexist
WWE SmackDown takeaways: Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill coexist – for now Check out the top takeaways from WWE SmackDown on May 2, which took place at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. WWE Friday Night SmackDown on May 2 took place at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, and featured a tag team match between Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton against Naomi and Nia Jax. This week's show continued to build towards Backlash, and you guessed it, John Cena was not present. He'll be there next week, though. In the ring, Fraxiom picked up a win over Pretty Deadly, and Rey Fenix pinned Santos Escobar. Keeping it real as always, this week's show didn't quite hit on all cylinders. Maybe it was the vibe of watching after hearing about all of the surprising talent releases. Perhaps it was too midcard-heavy. Maybe last week's TLC banger was just a tough act to follow. Either way, something was off. Check out the top takeaways from this episode: Jacob Fatu to defend US title in fatal 4-way vs. Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre, LA Knight Solo Sikoa just can't help but make things harder on Jacob Fatu. The opening match of the show was between Damian Priest and LA Knight. Naturally, Sikoa decided to get involved to cause a disqualification. It was the second time in as many weeks that Sikoa ruined the end of a match in the US title picture. Later in the show, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis decided that since Fatu's potential opponents haven't been given a fair shake thanks to Sikoa, Fatu would face Priest and Knight in a triple threat at Backlash. Sikoa interjected to remind Aldis that McIntyre already won a No. 1 contender match (by DQ), and that it should just be McIntyre vs. Fatu instead. Aldis thanked Sikoa for the reminder and decided to insert McInytre into the triple threat, making it a fatal 4-way instead. Fatu clearly didn't appreciate Sikoa's actions making things even harder for him, but said he's still "all gas, no brakes with it" and took it in stride. Randy Orton sends an intense message to John Cena Randy Orton took the mic to cut a damn good promo on John Cena, building toward their title match in the main event of Backlash. Orton said Cena took full advantage of the "PG era" by embracing the role of a babyface "cartoon character." He picked at some of the lines Cena said last week, including about raising the WWE Universe's kids. After getting a few jokes out of the way, Orton took a more serious tone when he addressed Cena's comments about erasing Orton's entire family legacy from wrestling. Orton addressed Cena dubbing himself "The Last Real Champion" and flipped it nicely. "Nah, nah, nah – John, you are the latest legend I have to put down." Much like Cody Rhodes had to do in the build to WrestleMania, Cena's opponents are carrying the load on solo missions when Cena isn't present. While on the surface, that can easily be interpreted as a bad thing, it has also allowed room for a few fantastic promos without interruption. Maybe some of the Superstars in the back and on NXT can take notes from these so they don't end up on the chopping block like many did earlier on Friday. Aleister Black picks up his first win since return After attacking The Miz last week, Aleister Black was placed in a match against the "A-lister." The Miz, with his tag team partner Carmelo Hayes watching from ringside, worked a longer-than-expected match against Black. Naturally, Black carried the match with his flashy, martial arts-style approach. He also hit a slick reversal out of The Miz's finisher. Hayes jumped on the apron for a temporary distraction to stop Black from landing his finisher a moment later. It didn't matter, though, because Black still connected with a Black Mass to end it. After the match, Black and Hayes stared each other down. Black was always winning this match, unless Hayes got involved. I'm glad he didn't because now it seems like we'll get a match between Black and Hayes. However, once that one happens, don't be surprised if The Miz gets more involved, causing a DQ, forcing Black and Hayes to run it back more than once. Remember when Hayes and Andrade went to a Game 7? It's the NBA playoffs. Run that same play with Black and Hayes, WWE. Zelina Vega retains women's US title Zelina Vega put her newly acquired women's US title on the line against one of Chelsea Green's Secret Hervice members, Piper Niven. The match was decent, with the obvious story being told of Vega having to overcome the size of Niven. The back-and-forth affair led to Vega getting Niven in position for a 619, which was interrupted when Green jumped onto the apron. Niven's attempt to hit Vega from behind failed as she ducked, knocking Green to the floor. Vega hit a rollup to secure a victory. There's not much to say about this one other than it was a title match on a weekly show. Green's team is in shambles after the leader lost the US title, and her biggest bodyguard couldn't get it back. Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton work together, for now Last week, Naomi, Jade Cargill, Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton got in a brawl, which led everyone to believe there was going to be a tag match set up that night. Nope. Instead, they ran the same play back this week, starting with a promo by Jax. Eventually all four parties were in the ring together again, and this time, Nick Aldis made the tag match between Cargill and Stratton against Jax and Naomi. Before the match took place, Cargill let Stratton know that she wants her title. She said she has a No. 1 contender match against Jax next week, but tonight she would handle business alongside Stratton. Fast forward to the main event of the show, and sure enough, Cargill was able to co-exist with Stratton, despite their tensions over the title. Jax and Naomi put up a good fight, but the match would come to a screeching halt when Cargill stopped Jax on the middle rope, countering into a powerbomb. After the match, Cargill yanked Stratton's title from the referee to give it a very close look. She handed it to Stratton, but didn't let go, keeping the tease going. Naomi had enough of it and attacked Cargill from behind, knocking Stratton out of the ring in the process. Naomi then grabbed the title and stood tall with it as the show came to an end. It seems this road will eventually lead to Stratton vs. Cargill for the title; it's just a matter of figuring out how we get there with two other parties also wanting their shot.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Damian Priest And Braun Strowman Beat Solo Sikoa And Jacob Fatu On WWE SmackDown
Damian Priest scored a big win on the February 21st episode of WWE SmackDown. In the main event, Priest and Braun Strowman faced Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. The bout was initially set to be a six-man tag team match where Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes would team with Priest and Strowman to face Sikoa, Fatu, and Tama Tonga. However, The Rock pulled Rhodes out of the match, so it was changed to a two-on-two bout. The two teams battled back and forth. In the closing moments. Fatu accidentally superkicked Sikoa. Strowman took out Fatu, and Priest pinned Sikoa with the South of Heaven. The win gave Priest more momentum ahead of WWE Elimination Chamber, where he will compete in the Men's Elimination Chamber. Meanwhile, the loss marked the latest setback for Solo and his stable. RELATED: The post Damian Priest And Braun Strowman Beat Solo Sikoa And Jacob Fatu On WWE SmackDown appeared first on Wrestlezone.
