BY SACNILK

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has shared a bizarre story about his relationship with Vince McMahon, revealing that he once had the former WWE Chairman's phone number without even realizing it was him. Mahal told the story during an interview with Denise Salcedo while reflecting on his relationship with McMahon during his WWE career. According to Mahal, McMahon would occasionally send him messages, including birthday wishes and messages while Mahal was recovering from injuries. However, Mahal did not have the number saved and had no idea who was behind the messages. Mahal recalled receiving one of the messages and simply responding to the unknown sender as if it were someone he knew from WWE. “I would get a message on my birthday, or I would get a message when I was injured. I was like, ‘Thanks, brother.’ I didn’t know who it was.” The situation continued for some time, with Mahal apparently assuming the messages were coming from someone else within WWE. Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to ask the person directly who they were. “I was like, ‘Who is this?’ And he just sent me back, ‘VKM.’” That was the moment Mahal realized he had been casually texting Vince McMahon. Mahal explained that he had been unaware of McMahon's number and did not initially recognize it as belonging to the WWE Chairman. The incident also highlighted how Mahal's relationship with McMahon eventually changed. Mahal said that early in his WWE career, he was extremely intimidated by McMahon and went years without approaching him. “I was scared of him,” Mahal said when discussing his first WWE run. Mahal initially worked for WWE from 2011 until his release in 2014. He later returned to the company in 2016 and eventually became WWE Champion in 2017. During his second WWE run, Mahal said he became much more comfortable around McMahon. The accidental text-message exchange was one of the moments that helped show a different side of their relationship. Mahal recalled that McMahon could be surprisingly approachable in certain situations, particularly when they had common interests. The former WWE Champion also said that McMahon would sometimes discuss subjects such as working out and dieting with him.

BY SACNILK

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has opened up about the current life of his former WWE colleague Veer Mahaan, revealing that the wrestler has stepped away from professional wrestling and the pursuit of fame. Mahal discussed Veer's decision during an interview with Denise Salcedo, where he was asked about several Indian wrestlers and their journeys in professional wrestling. Veer Mahaan, who previously competed in WWE alongside Shanky and Mahal, was known for his imposing appearance and athletic background. However, according to Mahal, Veer has taken a completely different path since leaving WWE. Mahal revealed that Veer has largely distanced himself from wrestling and the fame that came with being a WWE Superstar. “He kind of just walked away from it. He’s just living a very spiritual lifestyle now. He’s got a guru, he’s very detached from all the material things.” Mahal explained that Veer's current lifestyle is dramatically different from the world of professional wrestling, where wrestlers spend much of their careers chasing championships, recognition and financial success. “He's very detached from all the material things,” Mahal said, describing Veer's decision to pursue a more spiritual life. Despite Veer's decision to walk away, Mahal believes the former WWE Superstar had plenty of potential left to explore in wrestling. Mahal spoke positively about Veer's athletic ability and the unusual path that eventually brought him to WWE. “He was very athletic, very talented. His story was very interesting too. He grew up in India, then he went to the United States and played baseball.” Mahal pointed out that Veer's journey was already unusual before he entered professional wrestling. His transition from India to the United States, followed by his baseball career and eventual move into wrestling, gave him a unique background that WWE could have used to tell his story. However, Mahal suggested that Veer's priorities have changed considerably. Rather than continuing to chase success in wrestling, Veer has chosen to focus on spirituality and a life away from the spotlight. The decision is particularly notable because Veer was once positioned as a significant part of WWE's attempt to feature more Indian talent. His WWE presentation emphasized his size, strength and athletic background, but his run with the company ultimately did not develop into the major singles career that some expected.

BY SACNILK

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has revealed that his memorable confrontation with The Rock on WWE Raw generated more messages and phone calls than the night he won the WWE Championship. Mahal discussed the moment during an interview with Denise Salcedo, reflecting on the January 1, 2024 episode of Raw, where he unexpectedly found himself sharing the ring with one of the biggest stars in WWE history. The segment began with Mahal delivering a heated promo in which he complained about being disrespected and criticized the United States. He was then interrupted by The Rock, who returned to WWE and quickly turned the segment into a memorable verbal exchange before taking down Mahal. Looking back at the reaction to the segment, Mahal revealed that the response was surprisingly bigger than what he experienced after becoming WWE Champion. “More people messaged me after that promo with The Rock than when I won the WWE Championship. Yes. Yes. Yes. I guess it was a bigger moment. More people saw it. You’re in the ring with The Rock, like the most recognizable name in all of entertainment—or in anything—in the whole entire world.” Mahal explained that his perspective was somewhat different because, as a professional wrestler, he was simply doing his job. Even though becoming WWE Champion was obviously a major achievement, the reaction to the Rock segment showed him how much mainstream attention can come from sharing a moment with a superstar of The Rock's stature. Mahal also revealed that he did not have much time to prepare for the segment. He said he learned only a couple of days beforehand that The Rock would be involved. “I was just told, ‘Hey, you’re going to go out there and then Rock’s going to crash.’ That’s it. That’s all I was told.” The promo itself was written by former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz. Mahal recalled receiving the material on the morning of the show and initially questioning whether some of the lines could actually be delivered on WWE television. “It was kind of talking trash about the United States and the way things are here. And I thought, ‘We can’t do this on WWE TV.’ I asked him, like, ‘Brian, are you sure?’ He’s like, ‘Yes, I’m sure. This is what we’re doing.’ I was like, ‘Okay, let’s go.’” The segment would ultimately become one of the most talked-about moments of the show, with Mahal playing an important role in The Rock's return. Mahal also recalled meeting The Rock before the segment and being impressed by how prepared the Hollywood star was. According to Mahal, The Rock had already memorized his material while Mahal was still going through his lines with a piece of paper. “At that time, Rock already had the promo memorized. I was still going to talk to Brian about it, but Rock wanted to rehearse. He’s hitting his lines. I’m still reading from a piece of paper.” Despite the pressure of working with The Rock, Mahal believes he delivered one of the strongest promos of his career and showed fans a side of himself that they had not seen before. “I really felt like I held my own and I showed the WWE Universe and WWE management a different side of me, a different promo style.” Mahal admitted that WWE ultimately did not capitalize on the momentum from the segment, but he has no regrets about being part of it. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalize on it, but all good. It was a great moment.” The former WWE Champion also revealed that The Rock later sent him a voice message thanking him for his contribution to the segment.

BY SACNILK

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has opened up about Roman Reigns' early days in WWE developmental, revealing that the two men actually started at Florida Championship Wrestling on the exact same day. While speaking with Denise Salcedo, Mahal recalled that Reigns was a very different person when he first arrived in developmental compared to the global superstar he eventually became. “Me and Roman started in FCW in developmental the exact same day,” Mahal revealed. The former WWE Champion said the future Tribal Chief was still finding his direction at the time after his football career had ended. “At first, like at that time, Roman, he was a little bit out of shape,” Mahal recalled. “He basically after football had gotten a job. I believe even moving furniture or something. And I think he was drinking and just unmotivated and unfocused.” However, Mahal said Reigns quickly began showing signs that he could become something special. He specifically remembered watching Reigns' first match against Joe Hennig, who later became known as Curtis Axel. “I also remember his very first match. It was against Joe Henning, Curtis Axel. And like his first match was really, really good for a first match. Like unbelievable.” Mahal said the wrestlers backstage immediately noticed something different about Reigns. “I remember watching it as it's happening. We had the little viewing area backstage and with a monitor where all the wrestlers watch it. I remember like everybody watching it like, ‘Wow, like this is his first match.’” According to Mahal, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes was also among the first people to recognize Reigns' potential. Mahal recalled a promo class where Rhodes singled out Reigns, who was performing under the name Leakee at the time. “Actually Dusty Rhodes was the first person to call it,” Mahal said. “I remember it was promo class just on a random Wednesday and he said, ‘Out of this whole group, the guy here is Roman Reigns.’” Mahal said Rhodes specifically told the group that Reigns was the standout. “At that time his name was Leakee. He said, ‘Leakee is the guy.’” However, Mahal believes Reigns truly began to transform after suffering an ACL injury. “But that, like Roman or Leakee didn't come really into somewhat of a full form until he came back from that ACL surgery.” Mahal explained that fans can see a major difference when looking back at Reigns' early NXT footage. “If you go on YouTube and you see Leakee in early days of NXT, that's when he came with the black and gold, with the trunks, and he's in good shape and product in his hair and he's polished.” Mahal described it as a major transformation. “So it was a nice glow-up.” From there, Mahal watched Reigns evolve into one of WWE's biggest stars, first through The Shield and eventually into the Tribal Chief character. “And then just to see the evolution then onto Shield,” Mahal said. “Same time Shield started, 3MB started like one or two weeks apart.” Mahal pointed out that their respective groups represented completely different sides of WWE at the time. “We were the counterposition of the Shield. We're the complete opposite of the Shield.” Looking back at Reigns' journey from developmental to becoming WWE's dominant Tribal Chief, Mahal believes the transformation has been remarkable. “And then the next evolution into the Tribal Chief and then what he is today is incredible.”

BY SACNILK

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has revealed that Vince McMahon personally approved an unexpected television opportunity he received while working for WWE. Mahal discussed the story during an interview with Denise Salcedo, explaining that he was offered a role on ABC's Big Sky around 2020. Rather than waiting for the usual process to play out, Mahal decided to go directly to McMahon. “I got offered to go on a TV show. It was probably around maybe 2020,” Mahal recalled. “I got offered to go on a TV show and I just went straight to Vince.” The former WWE Champion revealed that the show was Big Sky, which aired on ABC. “It was on ABC. It was a show called Big Sky. And I just went to Vince directly and just asked him in his office and he said, ‘Yeah.’” Mahal then informed WWE talent relations that he already had McMahon's approval. “So then I went to [talent relations] after that and I told him Vince already said yes. And there was still a little bit of a hold up, but nonetheless, we got it pushed through.” Despite receiving permission from McMahon, Mahal revealed that WWE did not use the opportunity to promote him. “I just did it and WWE didn't advertise it or push it or anything, but I got to do a TV show.” Mahal believes the situation was particularly notable because outside opportunities for WWE wrestlers were viewed differently during McMahon's era. “At that time it was a little bit of a taboo thing to do,” Mahal explained. “Just Vince was in a good mood that day. He could have easily have said no.” The former WWE Champion also offered his perspective on why McMahon was sometimes protective of WWE talent pursuing opportunities outside wrestling. “I've always felt that WWE and Vince, he was protective,” Mahal said. “He didn't want someone to maybe leave the wrestling business or get too big, too famous, and then you all of a sudden have to pay them more and give them less dates.” According to Mahal, that dynamic has changed considerably in WWE today. He believes wrestlers now have significantly more opportunities outside the company and more control over their careers. “But right now I feel that wrestlers really do have a lot of power,” Mahal stated. “There's other leagues that have started that are around, other viable options for wrestlers to pursue careers in.” Mahal also pointed to mainstream exposure as something that can benefit both wrestlers and wrestling companies. “Overall, it's all good for wrestlers. Again, exposure, mainstream exposure is both good for the wrestler and the wrestling promotion.” His comments provide an interesting look back at how outside entertainment opportunities were handled during his WWE career—and how much the landscape has changed since then.

BY SACNILK

The Undertaker has revealed that Vince McMahon once admitted he was wrong about a major creative decision involving the first-ever Punjabi Prison Match. The Punjabi Prison Match made its WWE debut at The Great American Bash 2006, where The Undertaker was originally scheduled to face The Great Khali. However, Big Show replaced Khali in the match after an angle involving the two giants led to WWE changing the bout. Undertaker ultimately defeated Big Show after escaping the massive bamboo structure. Twenty years after the match, The Undertaker recalled the creative disagreement he had with McMahon while discussing the bout on his Six Feet Under podcast. According to the WWE Hall of Famer, McMahon had a specific idea for how Undertaker would escape the structure, while he believed there was a much better option. “It was originally supposed to be with Khali. Khali had something going on and they had to put Big Show in the match,” Undertaker explained. He then detailed the disagreement over the finish. “Vince had this idea about, he wanted us to go through the gate or something while we were fighting, and that's how I would get out of the cage,” Undertaker said. The Deadman had another idea in mind. Rather than escaping through one of the doors, he wanted to create a spectacular visual by jumping from the inner structure to the outer cage. “I had the idea that I wanted to jump from the inner cage to the outer cage and get out that way. I thought, man, that'll be such a cool visual. I said, ‘They won't expect it. It'll look amazing.’” However, McMahon ultimately rejected Undertaker's idea and insisted that the match be performed according to his original plan. Undertaker admitted that he eventually stopped arguing with McMahon, although he made his feelings about the decision very clear. “I don't want to hear anything else about it. This is the way we're gonna do it,” McMahon told him, according to Undertaker. “Fine. It's gonna suck, and when it sucks, it's gonna be on you,” Undertaker recalled telling McMahon. After the match took place, Undertaker felt the finish had failed to deliver the impact he had envisioned. He said the moment was essentially “whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp,” describing how flat he believed the spot had come across. But Undertaker didn't need to remind McMahon that he had disagreed with the decision. According to Undertaker, McMahon eventually acknowledged it himself. “I go back and I just looked at him. I didn't have to say a word,” Undertaker recalled. “He knew and he goes, almost under his breath, he goes, ‘Eh, yeah, I think you were right on that cage spot.’” Undertaker said McMahon immediately walked away after making the admission. For the WWE legend, the moment was particularly significant because of how rarely McMahon acknowledged being wrong. “But that was such a victory for me to actually have him admit that he was wrong on something. Didn't happen very often,” Undertaker said. The Undertaker also explained that the story was not an isolated example of creative disagreements between the two. Despite working together for roughly three decades, he said their visions for WWE's product and business were sometimes “polar opposites.” The Punjabi Prison Match itself became one of WWE's most unusual match concepts. The original structure featured two bamboo enclosures, with competitors required to escape both structures to win. The Undertaker ultimately became the first winner of the stipulation at The Great American Bash 2006. The match was later used twice more in WWE, with Batista facing The Great Khali in 2007 and Randy Orton facing Jinder Mahal in 2017. However, for Undertaker, the lasting memory of the original Punjabi Prison Match appears to be less about the unusual stipulation itself and more about the rare occasion when he finally heard Vince McMahon admit that his creative idea had been the better one.

BY SACNILK

Drew McIntyre has reflected on one of the most difficult chapters of his WWE career: his release from the company in 2014. During his appearance on The Broken Skull Sessions with Stone Cold Steve Austin, McIntyre discussed the period leading up to his departure and acknowledged that there were deeper reasons behind his struggles than what fans saw on television. McIntyre had spent eight years with WWE before being released on June 12, 2014. At the time, he was part of 3MB alongside Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal. While McIntyre felt the group was accomplishing what it was intended to do, he admitted that he was frustrated because he believed he was capable of much more. “We were on everything. Every TV, every tour, everything you can imagine. 3MB were booked solid,” McIntyre explained. However, the Scottish star also recognized that his personal situation at the time prevented WWE from placing him in a major position. “I could not have been trusted at that time, at that level,” McIntyre admitted. The realization is particularly significant given what happened later in his career. McIntyre eventually rebuilt himself outside WWE, returned to the company in 2017 and went on to become one of WWE's top stars and a multiple-time world champion. His journey from being released to eventually becoming WWE Champion has become one of the defining comeback stories of his career. McIntyre's return also marked the beginning of a completely different chapter. When he came back, there was no lengthy conversation with Vince McMahon beforehand explaining exactly what was expected of him. Instead, McIntyre simply walked out and immediately began rebuilding his reputation. Today, McIntyre's career looks dramatically different from the one that ended in 2014. The former “Chosen One” eventually fulfilled the world championship potential Vince McMahon had identified years earlier.

BY SACNILK

Seth Rollins, one of WWE's top stars, will be taking time off to heal an injured knee, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. ## The exact timeline for Rollins' return is unknown, but Meltzer did report that the injury is related to his previously reported torn MCL and partially torn meniscus, which he suffered in a match against Jinder Mahal in January. ## While Rollins was able to return for the WrestleMania season after pushing through the initial injury, it appears further rest is now necessary.## This news comes after Rollins competed in two high-profile matches at WrestleMania 40. He teamed with Cody Rhodes on the first night and then defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre on the second night. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Here are the full results for this Friday's SmackDown which is scheduled to air live on April 5, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. ## Friday Night SmackDown currently airs live every Friday on Fox from 8:00 ET–10:00 PM ET in the United States. WWE SmackDown starts live at 1 am in the UK on BT Sport 1 on Saturday mornings. ## WWE SmackDown Time In Australia: It airs live on at 10 am (AEST) on Fox8 ## WWE SmackDown Time In Canada: It airs live every Friday at 8 Am on Sportsnet 360 ## WWE SmackDown Time In South Africa: The show also airs live on Supersport in South Africa on Saturday at 02:00 am CAT ## SmackDown Time In Italy: In Italy, SmackDown airs on DMAX at 2:00 pm with the international version of one-hour shows airing on Cielo in Italian ## SmackDown airs live on Sony Ten 1 HD and Sony Ten 1 in India at 5:30 am. While SmackDown airs live on Fox Sports in Mexico and across Central and South America since 2014. ## WWE Friday Night SmackDown, April 5, 2024 Play-By-Play Results ## WWE Raw opens with Meek Mill narrating the intro for the show and Wrestlemania.## Kevin Owens hosts a special edition of Kevin Owens Show on Wrestlemania weekend. His guest is Randy Orton. They discuss their upcoming triple threat match against Logan Paul at Wrestlemania. Owens rates his and Randy's dislike for Logan Paul on a scale of 1 to 10, with Randy giving it an 11.## Logan Paul interrupts the show, bragging about his success. Owens and Randy confront Logan, but Austin Theory and Grayson Waller ambush them. After a commercial break, Owens and Randy struggle to open their car door. Owens gets in a golf cart to chase after Logan Paul. A video package for Andre the Giant plays. ## Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal ## The Royal Rumble was a night of chaos. Omos dominated the early goings-on, eliminating multiple wrestlers including himself through sheer size and power. The Miz and Morrison were some of the first to fall victim to his dominance. Other tag teams weren't much luckier, with Angel and Humberto falling to a combined effort, and Crews succumbing to Jinder Mahal's team. The Street Profits managed to eliminate Veer and Sanga, but Ricochet wasn't as fortunate, being tossed out after a well-placed kick from Ivar followed by a push from JD.## The final stretch saw Tozawa eliminate JD but then get taken out by a combined attack from Ivar and the eventual winner, Dominik Reed. Otis put up a valiant fight, showcasing his strength with a caterpillar and elbow drop, but Ivar outsmarted him for the elimination. In a heart-stopping finale, Ivar went for a moonsault but missed, leaving himself open for a clothesline from Reed. Reed capitalized on the opportunity, throwing Ivar over the top rope and securing his victory in the Royal Rumble. ## WINNER: Bronson Reed ## Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso are seen walking in the parking lot earlier today. Logan Paul is shown walking through the hallway of the arena.## Karrion Kross says he targeted Bobby to send a message and they will light it up at Wrestlemania.## Logan Paul complains about spending a week in Philadelphia and insults the crowd and Randy Orton and Kevin Owens. He says his associates Grayson Waller and Austin Theory are about to ambush them.## We see Theory and Waller looking for Owens and Orton but Owens and Orton surprise them with an attack. Owens stuns Logan Paul with an RKO.## Dragon Lee is down with an injury. Carlito calls for help. The rest of LWO, a doctor, and Nick Aldis join Rey and Zelina. ## Zelina Vega (with Rey Mysterio) vs Elektra Lopez (with Santos Escobar, Dominik Mysterio, and Andrade) ## Zelina Vega and Elektra Lopez battle it out in a fast-paced match. Vega lands a jawbreaker and forearm followed by kicks and a running knee to the head. Lopez fights back with a forearm, uranage, and attempt at a move from the turnbuckles.## Vega counters with a Tiger Feint Kick and a DDT but gets distracted by Dominik interfering. Lopez capitalizes on the distraction with a sit-out powerbomb for the win. ## WINNER: Elektra Lopez ## Dominik attacks Rey Mysterio after his loss to Elektra Lopez. Santos joins in the assault but is stopped by Andrade. Andrade sides with Rey and they embrace.## Bianca Belair and Naomi cut a promo in the ring. They announce Bianca's WrestleMania partner, Jade Cargill. Cargill vows to show Damage CTRL what they're made of.## Jey Uso promises to defeat Jimmy Uso tonight and Roman Reigns tomorrow at WrestleMania.## Backstage, Rey Mysterio learns that Dragon Lee is unable to compete at WrestleMania. Zelina Vega is worried about Rey facing Santos and Dominik alone. Andrade volunteers to be Rey's partner. Carlito appears and approves of the new tag team. ## Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne vs Austin Theory and Grayson Waller ## Pete Dunne and Trent Seven team up to take on Austin Theory and Grayson Waller in an exciting tag team match. The match starts with Dunne and Theory locking up. Theory goes for a wrist lock, but Dunne quickly reverses it into an arm bar. Theory uses the ropes to break the hold and delivers a forearm strike. ## Dunne blocks Theory's kick and counters with a dragon screw, stomping on Theory's leg. He then tags in Bate, who hits a senton off Dunne's shoulders. Bate follows up with a dropkick and tags out to Waller. Bate applies a Greco Roman knuckle lock and a walking head scissors on Waller before taking him down near the turnbuckles. He attempts an airplane spin, but Theory interferes from the apron. ## Dunne goes for a pescado (diving attack) but Theory counters with a forearm. Outside the ring, Bate hits a suicide dive on Theory. Waller responds with a punch and a tornado DDT on Bate on the apron. After a commercial break, the action resumes with Bate being sent into the turnbuckles. Waller tags in and punches Bate repeatedly. Theory enters the ring and delivers a rolling blockbuster for Waller, nearly securing the pinfall. ## Bate blocks a suplex attempt from Theory and counters with a dead lift suplex of his own. Waller tries to prevent Bate from tagging Dunne, but Bate manages to make the hot tag. Dunne enters the ring on fire, kicking both Waller and Theory. He hits a German suplex on Theory followed by a snap German suplex on Waller. Dunne stomps on Waller's hand and connects with a dropkick. ## He goes for Waller's fingers, but Theory breaks the hold with a slingshot rolling dropkick. Bate lands a punch on Theory, but Waller takes him down with a jumping knee. Waller charges at Bate for another attack, but Dunne stops him with a forearm. In the end, Bate tags back in and they team up to hit their signature double Burning Hammer on Waller for the three count, winning the match. ## WINNER: Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate ## Following their exciting tag team match, Pete Dunne and Trent Seven are brutally attacked by The Judgment Day. Damian Priest hits both Dunne and Bate with choke slams. Finn Balor teams up with Priest for a Razor's Edge on Dunne. The Judgment Day continues their assault with Dominik delivering a frog splash on Dunne and Priest hitting Theory with another choke slam. Balor finishes Theory off with a Coup de Grace.## In a backstage interview, Bayley reflects on her role in Damage CTRL's formation. She highlights her accomplishments as the first women's tag team champion and the first grand slam champion. Bayley claims she wanted to create something groundbreaking with Damage CTRL. They shared a vision of domination and achieved it, but things went south when Iyo Sky brought in Asuka and Kairi Sane. Bayley feels ostracized by her former teammates. Despite a record-breaking Royal Rumble win, Bayley says Sky doesn't believe in her.## Iyo Sky refutes Bayley's claims. She states that Bayley created Damage CTRL out of insecurity and a desire for personal glory. Sky believes they surpassed Bayley and that their initial friendship was a sham. She vows to make Bayley regret their past bond.## Bayley questions the authenticity of their friendship. She claims to have created Damage CTRL and will destroy it. Bayley declares she is stronger than ever and promises to make Iyo Sky regret betraying her.## Solo Sikoa prepares for his upcoming match, visibly injured. The show goes to commercial.## After the break, LA Knight returns to the ring. He addresses his Wrestlemania encounter with AJ Styles. Knight boasts about feeling refreshed after two nights and criticizes Styles for not showing up for their scheduled match. Knight promises to dominate Styles and silence him. He claims Styles should be grateful for the attention Knight brings him. Knight vows to brutally attack Styles and establish himself as the superior star.## B Fab and Bobby Lashley respond to their rivals' challenge. B Fab acknowledges the ongoing attacks and promises to settle the score in their upcoming Philadelphia Street Fight. Lashley declares they are ready to face the darkness and emerge victorious. ## Jey Uso vs Solo Sikoa ## Jey throws punches at Solo, but Solo shoves him away. Jey counters with an uppercut as Solo charges. Jey gets sent to the ring apron and retaliates with a kick at Solo. Jey pulls down the ropes, sending Solo crashing over the top rope to the floor. Solo retaliates with a punch as Jey attempts a suicide dive. Solo slams Jey onto the apron with a powerful uranage.## Jey fights back with punches, but Solo overpowers him with a belly-to-belly suplex, nearly pinning him. Solo dominates the corner, punching and head-butting Jey. He attempts a running hip attack, but Jey dodges. Jey unleashes a flurry of punches, then connects with a dragon whip. He gains momentum with a running hip attack into the corner, nearly pinning Solo again.## Jey charges, but Solo counters with a Samoan drop. Solo attempts a Samoan Spike, but Jey blasts him with two superkicks. Despite the impact, Solo refuses to go down. Jey finishes the sequence with a spear and climbs the top turnbuckle. He launches himself with a frog splash, connecting perfectly. Jimmy breaks up the pin just in time, saving Solo from defeat. ## WINNER: Jey Uso (by disqualification) ## Following a hard-fought match, Jimmy punches Jey and restrains him for Solo's Samoan Spike. Just as Solo prepares the move, Cody Rhodes' music hits. Cody and Seth storm the ring, forcing Jimmy and Solo to watch. The unexpected duo attacks – Cody superkicks Jimmy, Seth superkicks Solo, and Cody finishes Solo with a Cody Cutter.## Cody grabs his weight belt and whips both Jimmy and Solo with it, mirroring the attack The Rock and Roman Reigns inflicted earlier. Jey chases Jimmy back into the ring and hits a CrossRhodes with assistance from Seth's whip. Jey finishes Jimmy off with a frog splash.## Cody addresses the crowd, highlighting the significance of 40 years of WrestleMania. He and Seth plan to humble "The Final Boss" tomorrow night, reminding him of his time as the People's Champion. They vow to dismantle the Bloodline and for Cody to dethrone Roman Reigns on Sunday. Cody declares he fights for everyone who believes in him. He concludes by stating that when one story ends on Sunday, an even greater one will begin. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Here is the live coverage for this week's Monday Night Raw which is scheduled to air on March 18, 2024, at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. ## Monday Night Raw currently airs live on Monday evenings on the USA Network from 8:00 ET–11:00 PM ET in the United States. WWE Raw starts live at 1 am in the UK on BT Sport 1 on Tuesday mornings. ## WWE Raw Time In Australia: It airs live on Tuesdays at 10 am (AEST) on Fox8 ## WWE Raw Time In Canada: It airs live every Monday at 8 Am on Sportsnet 360 ## WWE Raw Time In South Africa: The show also airs live on Supersport in South Africa on Tuesdays at 02:00 am CAT ## Raw Time In Italy: In Italy, Raw airs live on Dplay 2:00 pm ## WWE Raw Time In India: Raw airs live on Sony Ten 1 HD and Sony Ten 1 in India at 5:30 am ## WWE Monday Night Raw, March 18, 2024: Live Coverage ## Jey throws out a welcome to the Raw crowd, knowing his twin Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa are lurking in the PNC Arena. He calls them out for a face-off.## Jimmy and Sikoa weave through the crowd, arriving at ringside. Jimmy steps into the ring. Jey, despite past tensions, admits he misses him. He pleads with Jimmy to rejoin his side. Jimmy fires back, claiming he never left. He insists he protected Jey, and leaving The Bloodline was his plan all along. Jimmy argues he helped Jey purely out of brotherly love, but on Raw, he skyrocketed – top merch seller and an Undisputed Tag Team Champion, all without Jey. Jimmy accuses Jey of forgetting him, claiming his career peak is thanks to him.## Jey counters, stating his dream match at WrestleMania will be his defining moment, achieved by beating Jimmy down. He lunges at Jimmy, even clocking Sikoa on the apron. But Jimmy lands a swift superkick on Jey. Sikoa restrains Jey while Jimmy lays into him verbally. Suddenly, Cody Rhodes sprints to the ring, evening the odds. He blasts Jimmy on the ramp and flattens Sikoa with a Cody Cutter before checking on Jey.## #DIY then joins the fray.## After a commercial break, Paul Heyman intercepts Adam Pearce backstage. He assures Pearce that Jimmy and Sikoa's actions were a rogue move, not sanctioned by Roman Reigns or The Rock. He guarantees Pearce that Jimmy and Sikoa have vanished from the arena, and Heyman himself will be gone after some official business.## Back at ringside, The Creed Brothers hit the scene. ## WrestleMania Six-Pack Challenge Ladder Match Qualifier Match: The Creed Brothers vs. #DIY ## They trade submission holds and pin attempts before Ciampa blasts Julius with a chop. Julius retaliates with a brutal Ankle Lock, but Ciampa scrambles to the ropes to break free. Brutus and Gargano take their turns. Gargano nails Brutus with a slick Sliced Bread. The Creeds tumble outside, and DIY soar over the top rope with crossbody attacks.## After the break, Ciampa smashes Julius with a back elbow. Brutus tags in and splashes both Ciampa and Gargano in the corner. He pins them both, but DIY kick out. Julius enters, and with Brutus' help, overpowers Ciampa. Julius hoists Ciampa for a delayed vertical suplex, but Gargano disrupts the move. Brutus hoists Gargano for a suplex too, and The Creeds slam DIY. They launch simultaneous moonsaults on the downed team, then Julius locks Ciampa in an Electric Chair for a potential Brutus splash. Gargano yanks Ciampa free. Brutus hoists Gargano, Julius knees him, and Brutus slams him. Outside, Brutus pounces Ciampa over the announce desk.## Back again, Ciampa counters with a reverse DDT on Julius. Gargano tags in, blasts Brutus who interferes, then knees and slams both Creeds. He dives off the apron with a Spear through the ropes on Julius, then positions him on the top turnbuckle and tags Ciampa. Ciampa chops Julius then nails him with an Air Raid Crash.## Julius cinches in another Ankle Lock on Ciampa, but Gargano tries to break it. Julius releases the hold for a powerbomb on Gargano, then reapplies it on Ciampa. Brutus mirrors the hold on Gargano. They escape and lock in their Gargano-No Escape, but The Creeds break free and send DIY crashing. Julius moonsaults Ciampa, followed by Brutus. Julius sets Ciampa in an Electric Chair for the Brutus Ball, but Ciampa escapes. Julius rolls Ciampa up, but with Gargano shoving Brutus out, Ciampa reverses for the win. ## WINNER: #DIY ## Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae vs. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance ## Carter and LeRae kick things off. Bell rings, Carter lands a dropkick. LeRae counters with a back elbow, tags Hartwell. Hartwell boots Carter, tags LeRae back in. LeRae pummels Carter, attempts a step-up senton but Carter dodges. Tags Chance. Hartwell tags in, eats a dropkick from Chance. Chance stomps Hartwell, smashes her face first. Targets her knee, ref checks on her. LeRae tags in, dropkicks Carter outside, slams Chance's knee into the ring post. LeRae throws Chance in a submission, Chance taps instantly. Hartwell watches in shock. ## WINNER: Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell ## A video recaps The Rock's comments and song from SmackDown.## After the break, Cody Rhodes enters the ring.## He confirms facing Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania again. He adds there will be a "talk" with Reigns this Friday. He mentions "complications" involving The Rock. He explains referring to himself as a "heel" on social media. He acknowledges past heels, but doesn't consider The Rock a villain – he calls him something stronger.## He apologizes if The Rock or his production team took offense to his comments about crying in an interview. He throws a jab, claiming The Rock has been "crying backstage" the whole time, manipulating the TKO board for good PR. He calls them "yes men" who won't challenge The Rock. He steps up, calling The Rock a terrible salesman despite his wrestling fame. He accuses The Rock of being delusional about not being whiny.## Rhodes escalates, bringing their mothers into the fight. He respects The Rock's mom, but claims The Rock doesn't know his own mother and she isn't afraid of him.## He expresses uncertainty about facing Reigns under Bloodline Rules or finishing their story. He points out The Rock's long absence from the ring. He questions if The Rock will live up to his nickname "The Great One" when the fight starts. He mocks The Rock's self-proclaimed title of "The Final Boss," predicting it won't hold at WrestleMania. He delivers a final insult, calling The Rock "Reigns' side chick" at WrestleMania.## Paul Heyman enters, introducing himself. He downplays their conflict, emphasizing shared ideals. He apologizes for involving the police a few weeks ago, admitting it was a mistake.## Rhodes invites Heyman into the ring, but Heyman refuses. He relays a message from Roman Reigns: their meeting on Friday will be one-on-one, no Bloodline backup. Rhodes agrees and shakes Heyman's hand.## Ricochet and Dominik Mysterio are next. ## Dominik Mysterio (w/ JD McDonagh) vs. Ricochet ## Ricochet grabs Dominik in a waist lock to start. Dominik elbows free, but Ricochet blasts him with punches. He follows up with a springboard elbow, then dives over the top rope to target Dominik outside. However, McDonagh shoves Dominik aside. Ricochet flies over the top anyway, landing on Dominik. He tries to climb back in, but McDonagh yanks him back by the ankle. Dominik capitalizes with a dropkick that sends Ricochet ringside.## After the break, Ricochet leaps from the apron, but Dominik trips him. Facebuster connects for Dominik. He attempts The Three Amigos, but Ricochet counters with a Brainbuster. He hoists Dominik on his shoulders and slams him with double knees. Dominik tries a kick to Ricochet's gut, but Ricochet catches it and retaliates with a head kick. He goes for a 450 Splash, but Dominik dodges. McDonagh jumps on the apron, eats a Ricochet kick for his trouble. Dominik tries to capitalize with a kick to the ropes, then sets up for a 619. Ricochet ducks and blasts him with the Recoil for the victory. ## WINNER: Ricochet ## McDonagh tries to jump Ricochet after the bell, but Ricochet dodges.## We cut backstage to Chad Gable and Sami Zayn arguing. Gable tells Zayn he has no chance against Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania.## Back from commercial, Adam Pearce waits in the ring.## Pearce introduces Zayn and Gunther, who enter the ring.## Pearce attempts to start the contract signing, but Gunther cuts him off. He questions Zayn's t-shirt for such a big event. Zayn complains about Gunther's smug grin and acknowledges Gunther's dominance. He says Gunther doubts him, but doubters have fueled Zayn's success before. He mentions dethroning the Usos with Kevin Owens last year and promises to make WrestleMania history again by ending Gunther's record reign. Zayn signs the contract.## GUNTHER responds that nobody, including Zayn, truly believes in his victory. He calls Zayn's challenge pathetic and tells him to keep dreaming of an impossible WrestleMania upset. He signs the contract.## GUNTHER grabs his title and heads to leave, but Zayn stops him. Zayn demands confirmation that Gunther doesn't believe in him. He tells Gunther to look again, because he's staring into the eyes of the future Intercontinental Champion.## Then Truth and Montez Ford arrive. ## WrestleMania Six-Pack Challenge Ladder Match Qualifier Match: Indus Sher (w/ Jinder Mahal) vs. Awesome Truth ## What an AWESOME night on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/hXb75IioNS— WWE (@WWE) March 19, 2024 ## WINNER: Awesome Truth ## We see up next is Drew McIntyre making his way to the ring, meanwhile, Seth Rollins' entrance cuts Drew's music and he heads to the ring. ## Seth Rollins: "Sorry Drew, I didn't even see you there. I was too busy. You know soaking it up the spotlight."## Drew McIntyre, Drew says he is waiting for Seth to finish because after Wrestlemania, the spotlight is his. ## Seth Rollins: "Hey look, I came out here with an honest cause Drew. I don't like you. I think he's stupid. I think you're a hypocrite. I think you said a lot of dumb things in the last few weeks. But I came out here to admit one thing you said is absolutely correct. And I wanted to admit it to your face. I wanted to do it right here in Raleigh, in front of all these fine folks.## They always say the first step on the road to recovery is the hardest. So if you'll bear with me, please, I've been working on this. It's gonna be difficult for me but my name is Seth freaking Rollins. And I'm I'm a spotlight junkie." ## Drew McIntyre: "Everything is just the joke to you as you become an authority of yourself at this point, but honestly, I just don't care but the BS anymore says I'm trying to reason what you have gave the answers at this point. I literally only care about our match and the world title you want to know the punch line funny man. Well, you guys you do every time you say what it means you're happier to coach CM Punk. Thanks for remembering the punch line funny mountains when I beat you for that title of WrestleMania ## Don't be ridiculous, CM Punk will be here next week. He would never show up in somewhere like Raleigh you hear that? pomp? They're booing you, but it's true. You're gonna leave your couch in Chicago to justify a seat it got your attention."## Seth Rollins: "Yeah, you got my attention. All right, you know, because this isn't a joke to me. When I said I was an addict when I said I was a spotlight junkie. It wasn't a joke to me. You see, I've been doing this for 20 years. 20 years, just like you and every single time I come out of that curtain. That's my fixed fan. And it gets better and better and better every single time. When I come out here, I lay it on the line in this way. It gets better and better every single time when I hear these people sing my song so loud I can barely speak. ## That's the spotlight I crave. And you know what? I want the spotlight as bright as it can possibly be. So look, I know you're getting busy online, trying to entertain the people on Twitter making memes. You're really gonna listen to what I'm telling you. Shall we get this through your thick skull? They didn't want to WrestleMania I take the biggest star in Hollywood and his side chick and I'm making my pitches and that night to the biggest spotlight possible will be shining down on you and me in the World Heavyweight Championship."## Drew says all hail our savior, thank you very much. He had me that's what I want. I want that passion. I don't want to the stupid outfits. I don't want to laugh and I don't want to dance and I want the passion. You had me all the way to the finish. You've done this for 20 years just to go I've done this for 20 years we've gave our life to this industry. And that's your beat this title. All about the wrestlers title, the real wrestlers title, the workhorse championship until you mentioned the bid spotlight. And the reason we're gonna get it is because you could have been one of the biggest stars in the world. Why can't it just be because of all your hard work to make that title and all of my hard work to get to this point? Why can't that be the reason we're getting the biggest spotlight the priorities are all wrong man. You got it backwards. I'm gonna give you the answers. Honestly, I don't care all the BS and now all I care about is you make it to the ring at night to a WrestleMania and if you can't walk will you doubt the count will you don't I will carry you down because at WrestleMania I'm not gonna get the moment I am gonna get the moment I have bloody earned it. ## Seth Rollins: "That's right. You want to call me a spotlight junkie. But you want the spotlight just as bad as I do, don't you? You're an addict just like I am. And you've been begging for spotlight for the past four years because you won the WrestleMania main event you did back in 2020 in an empty warehouse. And all we've been hearing from Drew McIntyre for the past four years was how that wasn't good enough. You've been whining and complaining and bitching and moaning that you deserve better than you deserve more. The problem is true. When everybody came back around, and the lights got bright again. What happened? You fumble the ball. And that's the difference between you and me. When the lights are the brightest. I shine then I shine bright. ## At WrestleMania 40, lights are going to be as bright as they have ever been. You are going to find out you're not as good as you." ## The camera shifts to backstage where we see Becky Lynch cutting a promo. ## Becky Lynch: "We're less than three weeks away from Wrestlemania. So why whatever is going on. All I know is taking risks All I know is fighting, to be the last woman standing. "## Wrestlemania Tag Title Match Qualifying Match: Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods vs Akira Tozawa and Otis ## Woods and Otis kick things off. Woods throws a kick and grabs a side headlock. Otis plows through him with a shoulder tackle then follows up with a pec splash. He charges in with a running knee lift. Tozawa tags in and blasts Woods with kicks. Woods retaliates with a back heel kick. Kofi tags in and trades kicks with Tozawa before Tozawa floors him with a forearm. Tozawa dropkicks Woods out of the ring, but Kofi catches him with a kick. Tozawa tries to take Kofi down with a headscissors but ends up diving over the top rope onto both Woods and Kofi.## We cut to commercial.## Back from the break, Woods applies a side headlock on Tozawa who lands on his feet after a belly-to- belly suplex attempt. Fresh tags for Otis and Kofi. Otis throws clotheslines and connects with a back elbow. Another clothesline finds its mark on Woods. Otis catches Kofi leaping off the turnbuckles and flattens him with a World's Strongest Slam. He rips off his shirt and starts the Caterpillar dance, then connects with the elbow drop for a near fall. Otis misses a Vader Bomb, and Tozawa gets the hot tag. He nails Otis with a missile dropkick. Woods follows up with a tornado DDT for another near fall. He climbs the turnbuckles, but Tozawa punches him down. Tozawa attempts a superplex, but Woods blocks it. Woods tries to counter, but Tozawa reverses and hits a Frankensteiner. Tozawa scales the turnbuckles again and splashes Kofi for another close two count.## Kofi dodges the steps and blasts Otis with a tornado DDT on the outside. Tozawa spins and lands a heel kick on Kofi, knocking him off the apron. Woods blocks a hurricanrana attempt and counters with a spinning sit-out powerbomb. Woods climbs the turnbuckles again, launches himself with a springboard elbow drop, and pins Tozawa for the win. ## WINNER: Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods ## Becky Lynch vs Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing Match ## The bell rings, and the match starts off with Becky delivering a dropkick. Nia sends Becky to the apron. Becky leaps from the top and dashes down onto Nia. They continue to fight outside the ring. Nia gets Becky up on her shoulder and plants her back through the apron and ringside barrier. Becky beats the count and unloads punches on Nia to fight back. Meanwhile, Nia lands a massive right hand.## Back from the break, tables, chairs, and kendo sticks are involved in the match. Nia lands a few punches and sends Becky back into the ring. She sets up the table and throws chairs inside. Nia gets back into the ring, but Becky hits her with a chair shot to the ribs. Nia takes over and executes a Samoan drop through the table. The crowd chants for more tables. Becky applies a sleeper hold and attempts a Bulldog, but Nia breaks the count. Becky tries a top rope move, but Nia counters with the table. Nia then hits Becky with a slam followed by a leg drop onto the chairs.## Nia continues with more chair shots. Becky grabs a kendo stick and unleashes on Nia. Nia rolls out, and Becky follows but eats a massive right hand. Nia grabs steel steps to hit Becky. She sets Becky up on the apron and goes for a leg drop, but Becky moves, causing Nia to hit the steel steps. Becky then sets up tables in the ring as the action heads into the break. ## Back from the break, and this match has been an all-out war. Nia sets Becky on the table and climbs the ladder, but she quickly gets down when she realizes Becky isn't on the table. Meanwhile, Becky grabs a fire extinguisher. Both women return to the ring, and Nia executes a Samoan drop through the table onto the ring post. She follows up with an Annihilator, but Becky rolls out of the ring to beat the count. Nia is visibly frustrated and follows her out. She gets Becky up on her shoulder on the apron, attempting a Samoan drop, but Becky fights back with punches and hits a Manhandle slam through the table. Nia barely beats the count.## Meanwhile, Becky climbs the ladder, leaving Nia unsure of her whereabouts. Nia nears the announce table, and suddenly Becky strikes with a leg through the announce desk to secure the victory. ## WINNER: Becky Lynch ## Following the match, the Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley heads to the ring. She steps inside, finding Becky still in the ring. They come face-to-face as the camera cuts to the end of the show. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

The WWE Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event saw several Australian stars take the spotlight, with Grayson Waller hosting his show, Indi Hartwell challenging for Tag Team gold, and Rhea Ripley successfully defending her Women's World Championship. However, one rising star was noticeably absent: Bronson Reed. ## While Reed had been building momentum in recent weeks, he revealed on social media that his wife's early birth prevented him from attending the Perth event. But his absence wasn't just about missing a homecoming; he was originally slated for a major championship opportunity. ## According to Fightful Select, Reed was set to challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the event. This potential clash had been teased earlier when Reed targeted an unnamed champion. However, plans changed due to unforeseen circumstances. ## First, Rollins suffered a knee injury in his title defense against Jinder Mahal, rendering him unfit for Elimination Chamber. His upcoming match against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 40 is now in question. ## Second, Reed, despite his willingness to travel despite the impending birth, ultimately stayed with his wife. As Fightful Select notes, "everything ended up working out for the best." ## While Reed missed out on a potentially career-defining match, his dedication to his family is admirable. It remains to be seen how WWE will handle his character upon his return, but his talent and potential ensure his future remains bright. ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...

BY SACNILK

Braun Strowman flexed his comeback muscles at the WWE Experience, the brand new indoor theme park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This grand unveiling adds fuel to WWE's already fiery bond with its passionate Saudi fanbase. ## Since its launch on February 16th, the Experience has gripped visitors with mind-bending challenges like The Undertaker's Graveyard Escape. It even lets you craft your own epic entrance, making you feel like a true wrestling superstar.## Strowman, sidelined since May after a neck fusion surgery, made a surprise appearance, much to the delight of the crowd. He's been keeping fans in the loop about his recovery through social media, and his presence at the event sent a positive message about his progress. ## Natalya, Jinder Mahal, and Chelsea Green were among those who featured in the post. Sharing his excitement, Strowman expressed his deep appreciation for being part of this momentous event, calling it a true honor. ## Absolute honor!!!! Great time amazing #WWEExperience https://t.co/kL143yu20n— The Monster of all Monsters (@Adamscherr99) February 18, 2024 ## Stay Tuned To Sacnilk...