Pipers Pit

And Still….. Last week at New Years Revolution, the Tribal Chief defended his Undisputed Universal WWE Championship against Keith Lee before the entire Bloodline put him through the announcer’s table. The Bloodline will open this week’s show and it’s being said Roman Reigns has an important announcement. What’s on the mind of the Head of the Table? Last week we saw the Brawling Brutes cost Pete Dunne and Ilja Dragunov the WWE Tag Team Championship. After months of tension, it explodes this week when the four meet in tag action. Given how hard each of these men hit, will there be anything, or anyone, left? Bianca Belair, Solo Sikoa, and LA Knight will all be in action as well! All this and more, this Friday night, LIVE on FOX!

The Bloodline is shown arriving ‘earlier today’. Everyone looks tense as they enter the building. January Week 1 Ball Arena Denver, CO ILJA DRAGUNOV AND PETE DUNNE VS THE USOS The show begins with the WWE Tag Team Championship match already under way and the Usos are getting the better of it as they seamlessly move in and out of the ring, isolating Dunne in their corner. Dunn fights back, hitting a series of forearm smashes on both Jimmy and Jey before making the tag to Dragunov. Ilja is a ball of non stop energy, attacking both Usos before focusing in Jey who is legal. When Jimmy tries to get involved, Dunne returns to the ring and clotheslines him over the top, before following with a springboard catapult leap. As this is happening, Dragunov is setting up for Torpedo Moscow but at the last second, Jey pulls the referee in front. With an opening presented, two more men join the action. Sheamus and Ridge Holland come down to ringside and immediately attack Dunne, running him fast first into the post. This allows Jimmy to help his brother. Together they overwhelm Dragunov, knocking him flat with a double superkick then hitting a double splash off the top. Jimmy wakes the ref who makes the count. RESULT: THE USOS WIN THE WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP BY PINFALL The Usos grab their titles and embrace as more than a few people in the crowd hold up their fingers in celebration. The Usos have brought more gold to the Bloodline! Iyo Sky is backstage. She says when she wins the Royal Rumble and goes to WrestleMania she will show everyone why they call her the Genius of the Sky. The WWE Women’s Champion walks out and slowly spins to show off her robe. She gives the crowd a big WOOOOOOOOO when…. Cora Jade flies out from the back with a chair and smashes it across Charlotte’s back. Cora begins wearing out the chair, slamming it down on Charlotte again and again. Barrett mentions this is completely legal and on top of that the match hasn’t even begun yet. Officials force Cora away and she goes to the ring, taunting Charlotte and waiting for her to get up. SUBMISSION MATCH CORA JADE VS CHARLOTTE FLAIR © Charlotte is already hurt and Cora wastes no time in continuing her attacks. She reaches under the ring and pulls out a kendo stick. Rolling back in, she uses it across Charlotte’s back until it frays and cracks. Cora puts Charlotte in a STF but Charlotte reaches the ropes. Cora berates her, continuing to focus on attacks on the champion’s back. She turns her attention to the crowd and that opening is a disaster for her. When she turns back to Charlotte she’s met with a heavy chop across the chest, then several more. Charlotte is up and with anger in her eyes. She begins to show her younger challenger why they call her the Queen. Cora is overwhelmed by Flair, and Charlotte then begins to focus on Jade’s left knee. Charlotte puts Jade in the Figure eight but Cora reaches the rope. When the referee tells Charlotte to break it, she screams at him that it’s anything goes. He can’t argue that, and Cora realizes that not only did she not have to break the STF earlier but she’s dead to rights. She tries to hang on, but has to submit. RESULT: CHARLOTTE FLAIR RETAINS THE WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP BY SUBMISSION The camera sees Rey Mysterio walking backstage. He stops in front of Adam Pearce’s office before knocking and walking in. We go to the Bloodline Lounge where the victorious Usos walk in with their new WWE Tag Team Championship titles. Roman stands, and motions for them to approach. They do and he hugs them both. Some of the earlier tension is gone and he tells them how proud he is of them. Heyman stands in the back, beaming next to a stoic Solo. AJ STYLES VS CARMELO HAYES Before the match we see a quick pre-recorded video where Styles tells Gallows and Anderson to stay in the back, he wants to deal with Hayes himself. AJ cheap shots Carmelo just before the bell rings and holds the advantage for several minutes. Carmelo stuns Styles with a standing enziguri and then begins to show off his own skills, hitting AJ with a flurry of offense from several angles. With AJ stunned, Carmelo goes to the top and hits Nothing but Net, but Styles rolls out of the ring. Hayes goes to the outside to throw him back in but AJ reverses it into the stairs. He pushes Carmelo back in, but only gets a two count. AJ goes to the apron and readies for the Phenomenal Forearm. When he soars, Carmelo ducks and rolls. AJ lands on his feet and runs at his opponent but Hayes stops him with a side kick to the stomach. He then grabs AJ and hits the HIMplex for the win. RESULT: CARMELO HAYES WINS BY PINFALL Bobby Lashley is pacing backstage when he turns to the camera. He says that 2024 will be the year the Almighty gets back on track and it starts with Logan Paul. He’s been waltzing around with the United States Championship….Lashley’s United States Championship. That ends next week and Lashley says he can’t wait to hear Paul begging for mercy when he puts him in the Hurt Lock! A video recap of all the attacks and mind games that Asuka has perpetrated on Bianca Belair over the last months. Bianca finally gets her chance at ending this nightmare….next! ASUKA W/ JAKE THE SNAKE ROBERTS VS BIANCA BELAIR Asuka tries to ambush Bianca before the bell but the EST is ready and blocks it. She begins taking the fight to Asuka, showing off her power advantage. Roberts on the outside, watches carefully as his Empress of Darkness is thrown around the ring. But Asuka has been playing possum and when Bianca lets her guard down for a moment, Asuka jabs her in the throat. Bianca is sidelined whole Asukla begins to pick her apart with strikes and kicks, at one point ripping at her eyes. Asuka tries to apply the Asuka Lock but Bianca fights her off, swinging around behind her and nailing a big german suplex. Asuka and Bianca are both somewhat dazed, and at this point, Roberts reaches under the ring and pulls out a writhing green sack, shoving it into the ring. Bianca crawls forward, her vision finally clearing as she nears it. She recoils in fear, right into the Asuka Lock. Bianca is fading but the crowd wakes her up and she rolls, slowly standing with Asuka on her back. She runs backwards, smashing Asuka into the corner three times before Asuka releases her. Bianca swirls around and clotheslines her into the corner before turning Asuka around and delivering the KOD for the win. RESULT: BIANCA BELAIR WINS BY PINFALL Bianca climbs the corner and swings her ponytail around as the crowd cheers. She has vanquished Asuka after months of torment! Kayla Braxton catches Paul Heyman outside the Bloodline Lounge. She asks him how Roman Reigns is preparing for Keith Lee tonight and Heyman plays it off, saying that the Tribal Chief doesn’t prepare for anyone, everyone prepares for him and thus far they’ve all failed. Frankly, Keith Lee should be furious at the incompetent Managing Director Adam Pearce for forcing him into a guaranteed loss with millions of eyes on him. Heyman begins to walk away but stops, turning back to Kayla before telling her that tonight the Bloodline will leave no doubt. KEITH LEE VS ROMAN REIGNS © W/ PAUL HEYMAN Lee and Reigns approach each other face to face before they begin trading punches. Lee gets the better and whips Reigns over the ropes to the outside. Heyman looks concerned as Roman gets up partly shocked and partly angry. Roman reenters the ring and suckers Lee into a kick to the stomach, another drops him to a knee, and then Reigns begins to hammer down right hand. The champion is in control as he measures Keith for several elbows to the back of the head. Now the Tribal Chief begins to talk down to Lee but he gets cut off when Lee grabs him by the throat and delivers a choke slam. 1 2 Roman kicks out. Jey and Jimmy come down to ringside and begin distracting Lee. He finally has enough of this and rolls to the outside. They try a double superkick but he catches each of their feet in his hands.before lifting their legs onto his shoulders and delivering a double power bomb. The crowd pops big for it, but when he turns around right into a Superman Punch. Roman gets Lee back into the ring and goes for a pin but Lee kicks out. Roman readies for a spear but when he hits Lee, Keith catches him in a front facelock which is turned into a standing sleeper. Roman is flailing and accidentally strikes the ref who’s kneeling to check on him. Roman slowly begins to stop fighting as Heyman screams encouragement. Solo Sikoa jumps the barrier and slides into the ring behind Lee, jabbing him with three straight Samoan Spikes to get him to release the hold on Reigns, who drops like a rock. Lee turns and begins trading right hands with Solo who is eventually clotheslined over the top. Lee shakes his head several times, clearing his mind from the spikes. Roman is up and Lee turns right into a Superman Punch, then another, then another, and finally a spear which puts him down for the three count. RESULT: ROMAN REIGNS RETAINS THE UNDISPUTED WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY PINFALL The Bloodline isn’t done yet. As the Usos and Solo hit the ring and continue their attacks on Lee, with Roman directing traffic. They roll Lee to the outside and clear the announcer’s table. Jimmy, Jey, and Solo help lift him onto Roman’s Shoulders as they deliver a Shield bomb through the table. As the show ends, the Bloodline stands tall and more united than ever.

NEW YEAR--SAME ACTION To kickoff 2024, Smackdown is proud to present New Years Revolution, LIVE on Fox! In action: Bianca Belair vs Asuka AJ Styles vs Carmelo Hayes WWE Women’s Championship [Submission Match] Cora Jade vs Charlotte Flair © WWE Tag Team Championship Pete Dunne and Ilja Dragunov vs The Usos Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Keith Lee vs Roman Reigns © All this and more, this Friday Night* *Show will be posted on Wednesday!

January Week 1 Desert Diamond Arena Glendale, AZ The show begins with Zelina Vega, Iyo Sky, and Michin in the midst of a loud argument with Bayley, Naomi, and Tamina. Just as it looks like it will turn physical Sonya DeVille shows up and stands between them. She says she will not allow them to waste a fight backstage because they can do it in the ring tonight! THEA HAIL VS SHAYNA BASZLER Thea Hail is a ball of energy and it takes Baszler a few minutes to counter her attacks. When Shayna does figure it out, Thea’s in trouble and it shows as Baszler stretches and grinds her down, before slapping on the Kirifuda Clutch for the win. RESULT: SHAYNA BASZLER WINS BY SUBMISSION Kelly Kinkaid is standing by with Piper Niven. Niven says that she is entering the Royal Rumble and make no mistake, she will win it. Kinkaid asks about what happens if she runs into one of her friends during the match and Niven responds with a scoff, ‘what friends?’ LIV MORGAN VS VALHALLA Valhalla beats the hell out of Liv for several minutes, taking great pride in the punishment, but Liv keeps kicking out of pinfalls. Valhalla goes to the top but Liv intercepts her and launches her down to the mat. Valhalla begins to get up and is met with Liv who nails ObLIVion for the win. RESULT: LIV MORGAN WINS BY PINFALL A vignette is shown to hype Smackdown’s New Years Revolution and the Submission Match we’ll see between Charlotte Flair and Cora Jade for the WWE Women’s Championship. BAYLEY, NAOMI AND TAMINA VS MICHIN, IYO SKY AND ZELINA VEGA Quick pacing in this match that sees all six women get in by the end. The Tribal Trio, as Bayley tells Michael Cole to call them, dominate the beginning but the faces make a comeback and Naomi looks to be in trouble as Iyo goes to the top for her moonsault but Bayley had made a blind tag and when Iyo soars, Bayley pulls Naomi out of the way. Bayley quickly hits the Rose Plant for the win. RESULT: BAYLEY, NAOMI AND TAMINA WIN BY PINFALL Mami is alone backstage as she smiles into the camera. She says that at long last we know who she will beat for the Women’s World Championship at the Royal Rumble and she could not be happier that it’s Becky Lynch. Becky took something from her, she stole a part of Rhea’s soul and she will take it back at the Royal Rumble by any means necessary. The show ends with Ripley’s smile fading and her intense stare.

Thanks for catching that, should have been Matt Bailey. Graphic is fixed.

FREE AGENTS JANUARY 2023 ROSTER ALBA FYRE ALEXA BLISS APOLLO CREWS BRAUN STROWMAN CARMELLA DAKOTA KAI ISLA DAWN ROXANNE PEREZ

JANUARY 2024 ROSTER UNIVERSAL WWE CHAMPION ROMAN REIGNS WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPION CHARLOTTE FLAIR UNITED STATES CHAMPION LOGAN PAUL ADAM PEARCE AJ STYLES AKAM ANGELO DAWKINS ASUKA AUSTIN THEORY BAYLEY BIANCA BELAIR BOBBY LASHLEY AMERON GRIMES CARMELLO HAYES CEDRIC ALEXANDER CHARLOTTE FLAIR CORA JADE CRUZ DEL TORO ELTON PRINCE GIGI DOLIN GRAYSON WALLER ILJA DRAGUNOV IYO SKY JAKE ROBERTS JAMES STORM JEY USO JIMMY USO JOAQUIN WILDE KARL ANDERSON KARRION KROSS KAYLA BRAXTON KEITH LEE KIT WILSON LA KNIGHT LACEY EVANS LOGAN PAUL LUKE GALLOWS MICHAEL COLE MICHIN MONTEZ FORD MVP NAOMI OMOS PAT MCAFEE PAUL HEYMAN PETE DUNNE REZAR REY MYSTERIO RIDGE HOLLAND ROMAN REIGNS R-TRUTH SANTOS ESCOBAR SCARLETT SHEAMUS SOLO SIKOA TAMINA WADE BARRETT WILLIAM REGAL ZELINA VEGA

Don't forget our survey, closes in about 12 hours!!! 2k23 (allcounted.com) JANUARY 2024 ROSTER WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION JOHN CENA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION BECKY LYNCH INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION BIG E UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS KEVIN OWENS AND SAMI ZAYN BECKY LYNCH BIG E BRONSON REED BYRON SAXTON CANDICE LARAE CARLITO CHAD GABLE CHELSEA GREEN CODY RHODES COREY GRAVES DAMIAN PRIEST DOLPH ZIGGLER DOMINIK MYSTERIO DREW GULAK DREW MCINTYRE EMMA ERIK FINN BALOR GIOVANNI VINCI GUNTHER IVAR JD MCDONAGH JOHN CENA JOHNNY GARGANO KATANA CHANCE KAYDEN CARTER KEVIN OWENS KOFI KINGSTON LITA LIV MORGAN LUDWIG KAISER LYRA VALKYRIA MARIA KANELLIS MARYSE MATT RIDDLE NATALYA NIKKI CROSS OTIS PIPER NIVEN RANDY ORTON RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ REX STEINER RHEA RIPLEY RICOCHET RONDA ROUSEY SAMI ZAYN SETH ROLLINS SHAYNA BASZLER SHELTON BENJAMIN SHINSUKE NAKAMURA STEPHANIE MCMAHON THE MIZ TOMMOSO CIAMPA TRISH STRATUS VALHALLA VIC JOSEPH WES LEE XAVIER WOODS ZOEY STARK

Don't forget our survey!!! 2k23 (allcounted.com) A video recap of last week is shown with Adam Pearce announcing his plan for the new WWE Tag Team Championship culminating at New Years Revolution. It ends with Pearce informing Paul Heyman that at NYR Roman Reigns will defend his title against Keith Lee. DECEMBER WEEK 4 COW PALACE SAN FRANCISCO, CA The Brand opens the show, coming down to the ring. McAfee brags on United States Champion Logan Paul, who he claims John Cena is afraid to face, as heard on the world renowned Pat McAfee Show. He then turns his attention to Austin Theory and Grayson Waller who in just 2 weeks will be the new WWE Tag Team Champions. Tonight they have all respect for Pretty Deadly, they’re a hell of a team, but the Brand….is the Brand. As for the other bums, well, they’re lucky to be in the match. DREW GULAK VS SOLO SIKOA Solo is in a bad mood and poor Gulak pays the price. Drew tries to actually wrestle Sikoa but that doesn’t last long as Solo makes him pay with numerous power moves. Working like a smaller Umaga, Solo flies around the ring, even hitting a diving headbutt off the second rope. Match comes to an end after a Samoan Spike. RESULT: SOLO SIKOA WINS BY PINFALL Adam Pearce is in his office when Keith Lee enters. They shake hands and Lee just wanted to thank Pearce for the opportunity next week. Pearce says he can’t wait for the match but he tells Lee that he doesn’t want the Bloodline ruining it, so Lee ought to leave the arena. Lee smiles but shakes his head. He says that if they want to find him, he’s hard to miss, before leaving the room. In their dressing room, Elton Prince and Kit Wilson are psyching themselves up for their match tonight. They’re extremely confident that they will win because really, who is more beautiful than them? R-TRUTH VS KARRION KROSS W/SCARLETT Truth is a very entertaining person. That does him zero good against a maniacal Kross who brutalizes him for several minutes, hitting his trifecta of the elbow smash, Saito suplex, and finally locks on the Kross Jacket for the win. RESULT: KARRION KROSS WINS BY SUBMISSION Kross and Scarlett are about to walk out of the ring when…. LA Knight walks out from the back, mic in hand. He runs them down as the Addams Family on Wish. Knight says he isn’t in the mood to play cards. He doesn’t like Go Fish, he doesn’t like Old Maid, he doesn’t like blackjack, though he may make an exception for strip poker if Scarlett is in the mood. Kross is incensed as Knight continues. He says it’s good that Kross looks pissed off because Knight is pissed off and maybe if Kross plays his…cards right….they’ll come face to face in the Royal Rumble and then everyone will let Karrion know who’s game it is….L…A….Knight, YEAH! Charlotte Flair is backstage and when the camera pans a little to the right she’s standing face to face with Cora Jade. Jade asks Charlotte if she’s a fighting champion or if she’s afraid, which Charlotte laughs off. She says in many ways she respects Cora for the challenge because not many people would do that after they were utterly embarrassed at Survivor Series. Cora is not in a mood to be lectured and raises her voice asking if it’s a yes or a no. Charlotte leans in, with a grin and says it’s a yes. Cora returns the grin, thanking the champ before he headbutts her in the face. Charlotte is stunned and Cora takes advantage going on the attack, hitting Charlotte with everything she can get her hands on. Charlotte looks dazed as Cora locks on a crossface on the floor. Charlotte is locked in and as officials rush in, Cora won’t give it up until Charlotte taps. As Cora gets up and backs off with her hands up she tells Charlotte next week is the beginning of the Generation of Jade! Bayley is in a great mood as she runs up to Naomi and Tamina who were talking quietly. They look a little annoyed at her arrival but she doesn’t recognize it. She tells them it will be her pleasure to end what they began on Superstars when she finishes what’s left of Zelina Vega. Naomi tells her that’s good and they wish her well. Bayley holds up a finger and after glancing at each other, Naomi and Tamina do the same. When Bayley leaves Naomi can only say, “What. The. …....” before we go to commercial. BAYLEY VS ZELINA VEGA Bayley picks the bones of a still hurt Zelina but her overconfidence is her undoing. When Bayley misses a running elbow drop, Zelina fires back and puts Bayley on her heels. Bayley tries to hit a Rose Plant but Zelina reverses it into a belly to back suplex, followed by a springboard moonsault for the win. RESULT: ZELINA VEGA WINS BY PINFALL Zelina can’t even take a moment to celebrate before Naomi and Tamina hit the ring. Soon, Bayley is joining in, but the crowd pops a moment later….. Iyo Sky and Michin run down to the ring and now it’s three on three. Naomi and the Bloodline are sent from the ring and this looks far from finished. Ilja Dragunov and Pete Dunne are in their locker room. There isn’t any talking or boasting. They’re silent, but exchange a few glances. They look ready to go. THE STREET PROFITS VS AOP W/WILLIAM REGAL The Street Profits look like they have something to prove after being left out of the qualifiers and early on it works as they use quick tags to keep Rezar on the defense, something he’s not used to. That works until Rezar ducks a double team and floors both Ford and Dawkins with a double clothesline. Akam gets the tag and that is when the wheels come off. With Regal giving commands from the outside, AOP begin to decimate the Profits. When they hit the Last Chapter on Dawkins, Regal orders them to do it again. After the second, he allows them to end the match. RESULT: AOP WIN BY PINFALL Michael Cole and Wade Barrett explain how we go to this new WWE Tag Team Championship and how these teams made it through the qualifiers. The main event is next! PRETTY DEADLY VS PETE DUNNE AND ILJA DRAGUNOV VS AUSTIN THEORY AND GRAYSON WALLER The match has one man of each team legal and there is an early alliance between Pretty Deadly and the Brand. Dunne and Dragunov pay the price for that but eventually the Brand are the ones to turn on their newfound friends. Their backstabbing does nothing but allow Dunne and Dragunov to recover. When they hit the ring they begin beating the hell out of all four opponents. As Ilja hits a series of snap suplexes, Dunny has Prince in the corner, virtually tearing his fingers apart with joint manipulation. Waller goes to the top but Dragunov crotches him and hits a big superplex. Dunne tags in and hits a package driver but Theory breaks it up. Meanwhile, Pretty Deadly have climbed to opposite corners and hit a double fist drop on Waller. Prince makes the cover, but Dunne kicks him squarely in the head, then throws him into the corner. Dunne tags his partner in and whips Prince to the ropes right into a Torpedo Moscow that gets the win. RESULT: PETE DUNNE AND ILJA DRAGUNOV WIN BY PINFALL Dragunov and Dunne have done it! The Usos come out from the back and the show ends with both teams in a staredown. Next week…New Years Revolution. We’ll have new tag champions….but who will it be?