Browsing: Finish

Few WWE Superstars have been as dirty as Dominik Mysterio, but then again, there has never been anyone to proclaim themselves as “dirty†like him. He proved that, yet again, this week as Rey Mysterioâ€s son retained his title on RAW.

WWE Raw went down on October 20, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The night included a couple of title matches as well.

Rusev has been trying his best to get his footing in WWE since his return. During RAW this week, the Bulgarian Brute had a chance to get his hands on Dominik Mysterio and the IC Title.

This was an interesting title match to watch, especially considering the fact that WWE is toying with the idea of giving John Cena a run with that belt.

This match went down right after Dominik Mysterioâ€s Judgment Day brothers lost their Tag Team Titles to AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. As many would expect, Rusev took an early advantage as he beat Dom around the ring.

This match stretched through a commercial break, and then Penta showed up at ringside to distract Dominik Mysterio. That prevented Dom from escaping. Then Penta got in Rusevâ€s face, and the Bulgarian Brute knocked him out. They returned to the ring and Rusev stopped Dom from hitting a 6-1-9 and using the timekeeperâ€s hammer. The referee was distracted by the hammer and Dom nailed a lowblow, a 6-1-9 and a frog splash to retain the title once again.

Whatâ€s your take on how the IC Title has been booked with Dominik Mysterio? Do you think that Mysterio makes a good champion? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

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Itâ€s been quite some time since both the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens had strong teams at the same time. The Leafs have been the better squad in the regular season over the last few years, but Montreal got the best of them with an epic comeback series win when the two met in the 2021 playoffs.

Montreal has grown by leaps and bounds since then, though. The Canadiens have been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season and have already won a couple of thrilling games. But do they have enough to surpass their archrivals this season? Letâ€s dive into that and other potential overreactions from this week.

Canadiens poised to finish with more points than Leafs

An early glance at the Atlantic standings reveals Montreal in an unfamiliar spot, tied atop the division with the Maple Leafs one point behind. Thereâ€s a lot of hockey to be played and Toronto has beaten the Canadiens this year, but there is reason to believe the gap between the two teams has narrowed considerably. Montreal looks like one of the fastest teams in the league, playing an up-tempo style that the opposition is having a tough time dealing with. Cole Caufield looks to be developing into a great goal scorer and Nick Suzuki is tremendous at both ends of the ice. The Canadiens had to scratch and claw to get into the postseason a year ago, though this group looks ready to take a forward and potentially overtake a team like the Maple Leafs.

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Overreaction? – No

First off, the Leafs have lost a superstar and 100-point player in Mitch Marner, making them less potent offensively and putting the forward depth between the two teams more on par. Toronto has added the likes of Nic Roy, Matias Maccelli and Dakota Joshua, who havenâ€t really clicked yet in any meaningful offensive way. Itâ€s fair to question how Toronto will replace Marnerâ€s offence.

Then thereâ€s the blue line, where the Leafs have a solid group but itâ€s much older than Montrealâ€s, and the Canadiens have better puck movers. Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson will all be able to drive offence from the back end to help the forward group generate more scoring.

When it comes to the goaltending, this is the area Iâ€d be most concerned about if I were the Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll has been away from the team and thereâ€s no word on when he might return, leaving the bulk of the work to Anthony Stolarz, who has never played more than 34 games in a season. Expecting Stolarz to replicate the incredible numbers he posted last season is a big ask under the circumstances. Toronto is playing 13 non-playoff teams from 2024-25 in its first 15 games this year, with 10 of those games coming at home, and so far, they are off to a mediocre start. If the Maple Leafs donâ€t pick it up soon, it could be an opportunity for Montreal to take advantage of.

I donâ€t think the Canadiens are going to completely leave the Leafs in their dust or anything like that, but the two teams feel closer than they have in a while. Toronto had 108 points last year and Montreal had 91, so could I see a scenario where Montreal ups its total by nine or 10 points? Sure. And would it shock me if the Leafs regress by eight points or so? Absolutely not. Either way, I still think both teams make the playoffs and maybe weâ€ll even be treated to another first-round matchup between the two.

Matvei Michkov is headed for a sophomore slump

Itâ€s been a very quiet start for Matvei Michkov. After dazzling with 26 goals and 63 points as a rookie, Michkov has just a single point this season and heâ€s only managed a total of seven shots on goal in five games. Whatâ€s more troubling? It seems Rick Tocchet isnâ€t leaning on Michkov too heavily just yet. The Philadelphia Flyers forward has played less than 15 minutes in four of his five games so far this year after averaging almost 17 minutes a night a year ago. He also played a season low 12:07 on Saturday night. If Michkov is getting less playing time under Tocchet than John Tortorella, you can understand why Flyers fans may be concerned about a sophomore slump.

Overreaction? – Yes

I wouldnâ€t be overly concerned about Michkov just yet. Letâ€s not discount the adjustment it takes to acclimate yourself to a new head coach and playing style, especially for a young player like Michkov. Heâ€s still on the top line and Iâ€d expect his minutes to increase as the season goes on and he earns more of Tocchetâ€s trust. If he managed 63 points under Tortorella, thereâ€s surely a path to eventually bettering that under a coach that wonâ€t have the offensive shackles on so tightly.

That isnâ€t to say Tocchet will have the Flyers playing pond hockey out there; far from it. But his Vancouver Canucks finished sixth overall in goals just two years ago, so I think Tocchet will allow Philly to be a little more creative offensively than Tortorella did. Thatâ€s not to say Michkov will finish near the top of the league in scoring or anything, but I donâ€t see his numbers plummeting drastically in year two either.

Jack Eichel making early MVP case

Donâ€t look now, but Jack Eichel is leading the league in scoring. Eichel has at least two points in every game but one and already has five goals. Heâ€s not going to score 80 times but it seems very realistic that Eichel could easily surpass his career high of 36 playing with Marner on a regular basis. Thereâ€s a long way to go in the season but if you were handing out the Hart Trophy today, it would probably go to Eichel.

Overreaction? – No

I donâ€t see any signs of Eichel slowing down. He had 94 points in 77 games a year ago, and as long as heâ€s healthy, Eichel seems destined to cross the century mark with ease in 2025-26. There are also a couple of things working in Eichelâ€s favour right now, like a healthy Mark Stone who has 11 assists and obviously Marner, who also has tremendous vision and an incredible skillset. Eichel has never skated with a playmaker as talented as Marner, so a career high in points could very well be in order. Marner is also very good defensively, meaning he can help take some of the pressure off Eichel in that department so he can focus a little more on offence.

There will obviously be others that are going to be in the Hart conversation, like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Kirill Kaprizov, to name a few, but it very much feels like Eichel is going to be in the mix all season long with the way things are going.

Matt Boldy will hit 50 goals

He hasnâ€t even scored 30 goals since the 2022-23 season, but this year feels different for Matt Boldy. The Minnesota Wild forward is off to the races with a goal in the first four games he played to go along with five assists. Boldy has the luxury of playing on a stacked top line with Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi and thatâ€s helping him find the scoresheet with regularity. The 24-year-old is starting to establish himself as an elite talent and it does seem like he has the ability to score 50 goals if all the stars align.

Overreaction? – No

Boldy managed just 27 goals last season, but that was with Kaprizov missing half the 2024-25 campaign. If Kaprizov can stay healthy this year and the duo are paired up as wingers for the majority of the season, thereâ€s no reason to believe Boldy canâ€t add another 20 goals or so to his total. Plus, Rossi is proving to be a real offensive threat as well, coming off a 60-point campaign himself. That trio could become one of the most formidable lines in all of hockey. Even if the Wild flip-flop Rossi and Joel Eriksson Ek at times as the top line centre, it still gives Boldy a solid pivot to play with.

There also seems to be an increased emphasis on Boldy shooting the puck more, as last season he set a career high in that department with 271 shots. This year, he is on pace to beat that mark, and thereâ€s a good chance that playing next to Kaprizov will give him more quality looks. Kaprizov is going to attract the majority of the attention in the offensive zone, which should free up more time and space for Boldy. It would not shock me, as long as everyone stays healthy, if Boldy doubles his goal total from a year ago.

Cam Talbot has overtaken John Gibson as the Red Wings’ number one goalie

John Gibson finally gets a change of scenery and lands in Detroit, only to watch Cam Talbot start three of the first four games of the season. Talbot has been excellent thus far, going 3-0-0 with a .932 save percentage, as the Red Wings are making some early noise in the Atlantic. His starts have also come against tough competition, as Talbot has beaten the Maple Leafs twice as well as the Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, Gibson had a rough first game, allowing five goals on 13 shots. He bounced back Friday with a quality start against the Tampa Bay Lightning but the Wings are desperate for results and Talbot could easily get the majority of the starts going forward if he keeps this up.

Overreaction? – Yes

Keep in mind, Talbot is 38 years old and heâ€s had hot starts in recent years but struggled to sustain them. Last season was a great example, as Talbot started with a .913 in October and a .919 in November, only to fade in December with a mark of .869. Then, from February onward, Talbot had a save percentage well below .900. At his age, heâ€ll have a tough time sustaining this level of play if heâ€s asked to take on a heavy workload. Talbotâ€s numbers are going to come back down to earth at some point.

Plus, Detroit gave up a pair of draft picks and Petr Mrazek to get Gibson, so they have a lot invested to make it work. Theyâ€re going to give him every chance to succeed because he has a higher ceiling than Talbot. If Gibsonâ€s injury woes continue, thatâ€s another matter altogether, but Iâ€d expect Gibson to end up with more playing time than Talbot as long as heâ€s healthy. The Red Wings have been looking for stability in goal for years, and Gibson ultimately gives them the best chance to make that happen if he can find consistency with his game.

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The Hurricanes will finally get over the hump this season

Only one undefeated team remains, and itâ€s the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes have looked great over the first two weeks, outscoring their opponents 23-11 in five victories with goals from 13 different players. Seth Jarvis has looked to have found another gear, already finding the back of the net six times, which included an overtime winner Saturday night. Carolina also has the benefit of playing in the Metropolitan Division, which is arguably the weakest in the league. It already looks like the Hurricanes are well set up for another deep playoff run.

Overreaction? – Yes

Letâ€s not get too ahead of ourselves here. Carolina has only beaten New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles, not exactly a gauntlet of teams to run through there. Plus, there are already questions in goal again, as Pyotr Kochetkov is injured and you can only rely on Frederik Andersen for so long. Andersen played three of the first four games and that pace isn’t a recipe for success for keeping him healthy. What matters most for the Canes in the post-season, as they’ve had a hard time getting past the Florida Panthers (who haven’t?) in the Conference Finals. They can’t prove they’re more prepared to battle Florida after a handful of wins over mediocre teams in October. The jury is still out on whether things will be different for Carolina this spring.

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WWE had a huge role to play during TNA Bound for Glory’s controversial finish.

On October 12th, TNA Wrestling held one of its biggest shows ever in Bound for Glory 2025. While The Hardy Boyz retained their dual titles and Mike Santana won the World Championship, the X-Division Championship match between Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans ended in a no-contest after The Dark State interfered.

Initially, the match finished in a time-limit draw, following which TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella announced that the match would instead continue until a finish occurred. However, soon, NXT’s Dark State interfered and caused a no-contest finish. The controversial finish was called out by both fans and critics, and the creative decision to not provide a clear winner in one of the most hyped matches of the night was heavily criticized.

Soon enough, sources close to Sports Illustrated (The Takedown on SI) noted that WWE had a significant say in the match’s creative and booking direction. WWE and TNA are currently working together on booking decisions and the use of talent as part of their working partnership.

Sports Illustrated was further notified that even before the positive reaction for the Bound for Glory match arrived, Evans and Slater were already planned to have another singles match soon. Currently, Halloween Havoc is being discussed as the potential next stage for them to collide.

Former WWE Star Believes TNA Can Overtake AEW To Become The Official Number Two

Last month, in an interview with Lucha Libre Online, Santino Marella openedup about TNA’s recent growth and how the promotion could soon overtake AEW.

Yeah, itâ€s incredible. People from TNA in the past are happy for us, and the current locker room is ecstatic about the growth. When I came here, it was not like this. Sometimes we were in Nashville or even in Toronto with 350 to 500 people, but we believed in ourselves.

Now we have the audience size that feels right, and we deliver every time. Every time weâ€ve had a sold-out crowd, weâ€ve never had a bad show. Weâ€ve never wasted an opportunity, and Lowell, Massachusetts, Bound for Glory is going to be another one. Weâ€re going to capitalize on that audience. Weâ€re going to send the message out to the wrestling world: weâ€re here, weâ€re knocking on the door, and you better look out. Once we get that TV deal, weâ€re number two.

I know Tony Khan has lots of money, I get it. But the fans speak. The fans dictate whoâ€s number one, number two, or number three. not your bank account. Of course, WWE is number one. Theyâ€re so far ahead weâ€ll never catch them in my lifetime.

But number two is attainable. Number two is really something we can do, and if we accomplish that, itâ€s humongous.â€

In other news: Controversial former champion wants Ridge Holland to join TNA after WWE exit.

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TNA Wrestlingâ€s Bound For Glory pay-per-view on October 12, 2025 featured an X-Division Championship match between Leon Slater and Jeâ€Von Evans. The contest was part of the ongoing crossover between TNA and WWEâ€s NXT brand. However, fans didnâ€t like how it ended in a time-limit draw.

After fans protested the inconclusive finish with chants of “Bullsh*t,†TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella restarted the match for five more minutes. The restart created new energy, and Evans appeared close to victory before the arena lights suddenly went out.

The interruption led to the arrival of NXTâ€s DarkState faction. They attacked both wrestlers and ended the match without a decisive winner. Now we know that WWE had a hand in that.

Jon Alba reports on SI that WWE played a major role in determining the controversial ending of the Leon Slater vs. Jeâ€Von Evans match at Bound For Glory. Obviously, they wanted to see the result that we got on the pay-per-view.

We will have to see how things pan out in this situation. Fans really want to see Jeâ€Von Evans and Leon Slater go at each other again. They had a fantastic match, but the conclusion left a lot on the table.

Only time will tell if WWE plans on continuing this storyline with Leon Slater and Jeâ€Von Evans. The fact is that WWE didnâ€t want Evans looking bad, and that run-in from DarkState certainly gave them a reason to make an additional pay-per-view appearance.

What’s your take on how the X-Division Title match ended at TNA Bound For Glory this year? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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As India fell to their second successive defeat at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup with a three-wicket loss against Australia on Sunday, coach Amol Muzumdar stressed on the importance of finishing well.

Muzumdar pointed out how his wards failed to close out the match against South Africa with the ball and then again fell at least 20 runs short with the bat against Australia after getting off to a good start.

“I always say in the dressing room that we need a good start but we need to have an even better finish,” Muzumdar said in the post-match press conference.

“The finish that we had against South Africa, we ended up losing the game in the last five overs with the ball. Even today [against Australia] if we had gotten another 20 runs, maybe things could have been different.

“At the same time, it has been a gradual progress for us and there have been a lot of learnings. I keep talking about positives and learnings and one of the things to learn is how to finish well,” the coach added.

Having been asked to bat first against Australia, India got off to a stellar start as openers Smriti Mandhana (80) and Pratika Rawal (75) added 155 runs for the opening partnership. The hosts were later bowled out for 330 with more than an over to spare.

Australia, in response, chased down the target with an over left, thanks to a stunning century by captain and opener Alyssa Healy (142). It marked the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history.

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A second-half equalizer from Folarin Balogun earned the U.S. men’s national team a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in Austin, Texas on Friday night.

Despite the home side finding themselves down 1-0 at Q2 Stadium after a 24th-minute goal from Enner Valencia, the U.S. impressed with its attacking momentum in the early stages of the exhibition. Eager to alter the scoreline, the USMNT finished the first half with 66% possession and six shots, but remained scoreless by the midway break after some clever saves from Ecuador goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez.

In the second half, the Americans continued their pressure in the final third.

Coupled with the introductions of some attack-minded names such as Diego Luna and Alex Freeman, the U.S. ramped up its efforts, eventually leading to Balogun’s equalizer in the 71st minute. Seeking a win, manager Mauricio Pochettino then brought on Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright.

Nonetheless, Ecuador impressed with their defensive poise and held onto the 1-1 scoreline by the final whistle.

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Looking ahead in their ongoing FIFA World Cup preparation, Pochettino and his U.S. roster will close out this month’s international break with another friendly on Tuesday against Australia.

Manager rating out of 10

Mauricio Pochettino, 7 — It’s not a win and it’s not ideal to be down 1-0 so early on, but Pochettino did well to create a dynamic approach with plenty of quick buildups in his 3-4-2-1 formation. Were it not for some highlight-worthy stops from Galíndez, the USMNT could have arguably been the ones that took the initial lead in the friendly. It’s the little details that Pochettino will need to work on with his roster, which will need to be more efficient with their lengthy list of dead-ball situations and possession, but against a dangerous opponent, Friday was a satisfactory performance.

Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)

GK Matt Freese, 6 — There shouldn’t be too much criticism for Valencia’s goal, but in a match where small details were the difference, Freese was unable to tighten up in one of the most crucial moments of the friendly. That said, he provided a good high claim and save in the second half.

DF Tim Ream, 7 — Reliable with his duels on the ground and in the air, the 38-year-old captain worked well in the altered defensive setup. At the moment, a starting spot is his to lose.

DF Chris Richards, 5 — How do you rate a defender who was a step behind Valencia for the goal, but also nearly scored off a corner minutes later? An up-and-down game for the member of the backline that was shown a yellow but was also a threat off corners.

DF Miles Robinson, 7 — Robinson looked comfortable in the back three, and regardless of an unlucky yellow that he earned, that did little to halt his aggressiveness and occasional movement forward.

Folarin Balogun’s 71st-minute goal earned the USMNT a 1-1 draw against Ecuador on Friday night. Aric Becker/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

MF Max Arfsten, 6 — Defensively average, but creative going forward, Arfsten should continue to get minutes in the 3-4-2-1 formation. However, he should be surpassed by Antonee Robinson, once healthy.

MF Tanner Tessmann, 6 — An important midfield connector, but also someone who won’t be stealing any headlines after occasionally looking quiet in the heart of the XI. Still has more to prove, even with his hockey assist.

MF Aidan Morris, 8 — Earning his first start in almost a full year, Morris was highly involved and was constantly buzzing around the midfield with his ability to progress the ball. A step forward for the 23-year-old, who also showcased some vital tackles.

MF Tim Weah, 7 — Playing as a “fake wing back” (as he put it pre-game to TNT), Weah made exciting runs on the right flank and also stepped up with a couple of shots of his own. Versatile with his positioning, the Marseille player didn’t seem to mind being in a deeper spot.

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AM Weston McKennie, 7 — The Juventus man should have had an assist late in first half, and as the game progressed, he became even more involved in the buildup of clever plays. In one of the most high-pressing roles, McKennie looked effective.

AM Malik Tillman, 8 — Connected well with Balogun, made rapid connections in the frontline and midfield, and eventually provided a well-earned assist by the second half.

FW Folarin Balogun, 9 — Balogun worked exceedingly hard in physical battles against Ecuador. Regardless of this, he still made decisive runs in the final third, provided threatening shots, and slotted in the equalizer for the USMNT in the second half.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

AM Diego Luna, 6 — Looked eager to be involved in the attack and provided a shot on target.

DF Alex Freeman, 7 — Able to win the ball back in crucial spots and made pacy sprints down the right flank.

DF Mark McKenzie, NR — Provided two clearances and blocked a shot.

FW Christian Pulisic, NR —Pochettino noted pre-game that the AC Milan player had an ankle issue, which limited his time on Friday.

MF Cristian Roldan, NR — Rapidly connected 10 of 12 passes in the final stages of the game.

FW Haji Wright, NR — Quickly provided a couple of shots in his cameo appearance.

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After being outscored 12–1 over their previous two preseason games, the Ottawa Senators closed out their exhibition schedule on a high note on Saturday night, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 3–1 at the Bell Centre.

It was exactly the kind of performance Ottawa needed heading into the regular season – far more structured and disciplined than the past two games. Finishing their chances, however, remains troublesome as the Sens scored just 12 goals on their 187 shots in preseason.

Goaltender Linus Ullmark wasnâ€t heavily tested in the early going, but the Canadiens pressed more as the game went on, forcing the veteran to come up with several key saves. Ullmark finished with 20 stops on 21 shots and was calm throughout.

Unlike Tuesdayâ€s nasty affair in Quebec City — where the teams combined for over 150 penalty minutes — Saturdayâ€s game was a much cleaner contest, featuring just 14 total minutes in penalties as both sides focused on hockey and getting ready for the new season.

Ottawa opened the scoring midway through the first period on a perfectly executed 2-on-1. Jake Sanderson carried the puck into the Montreal zone, waited for Shane Pinto to drive the net, and fed him a perfect centring pass that Pinto tapped into an open cage for a 1–0 lead.

The Senators doubled their advantage at 11:38 of the second when Nick Jensenâ€s point shot was redirected by David Perron, giving Ottawa a 2–0 edge. Dylan Cozens had a great chance to make it 3-0 on a shorthanded breakaway, but he was denied by Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault.

Montreal pushed harder after that, generating several quality chances. Adam Engstrom nearly capitalized on a solo rush, easily dancing past Thomas Chabot, and Kaiden Guhle was turned aside twice — once on a 2-on-1 and again from the slot — but Ullmark stood tall.

The Canadiens finally broke through in the third when Lars Eller mishandled a puck in front of his own net. Attempting to settle it instead of clearing, that allowed Caufield to swat home the puck for Montreal’s only goal.

Eller redeemed himself later, sealing the win with an empty-netter to make it 3–1.

Neither team could convert on the power play — Ottawa went 0-for-2, while Montreal was 0-for-3. The Senators outshot the Canadiens 28–21.

Pinto earned first-star honours on the game sheet after an excellent performance, while Montembeault (26 saves) was named the second star. Arthur Kaliyev, who assisted on the opening goal, took third-star honours.

The victory capped off the preseason for the Sens (3-3), who now turn their attention to final roster cuts ahead of Mondayâ€s 5 pm deadline. The regular season opens on Thursday night in Tampa Bay against the Lightning.

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Senators Land A True NHL Heavyweight In A Deal With The Devils
More Senators Broadcast Changes: Marc Methot Out At TSN
Reviewing Four Of The Nastiest Moments From Senators–Canadiens Game On Tuesday
Brady Tkachuk On Starring In Prime Video Show: ‘I’m An Open Book To Begin With’
Broadcast Frustrations Resurface For Senators Fans
Sens Goalie Linus Ullmark Says He Enjoys The Struggle

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The Rock fought through injury to finish his WrestleMania 29 main event against John Cena for the WWE Championship.

Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson and John Cena had a storied rivalry in the early 2010s. The Great One made his in-ring return at Survivor Series 2011, his first since 2004, teaming with Cena against The Miz and R-Truth.

Despite working together and picking up the win, Rock ended the show by delivering a Rock Bottom to John Cena. The two later headlined WrestleMania XXVIII in a match billed as “Once in a Lifetime,†only to main-event WWEâ€s biggest show again the following year.

The Rock on his WrestleMania 29 injury

The Rock put his WWE Championship on the line against John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 29. Unfortunately, The Peopleâ€s Champion suffered a serious injury in the early stages of the match, but he refused to let the setback affect the outcome.

During a recent appearance on NPRâ€s Fresh Air to promote his latest movie, The Smashing Machine, Johnson explained why he chose to finish the match despite tearing his abdominal, adductor, and quadriceps tendons off his pelvis.

“In this WrestleMania match, if he would have asked me, ‘Hey, are you okay?†And I say, ‘No, there is something wrong,†and he says, ‘Okay, letâ€s go home,†we would know where to pick up,†he said. “Itâ€s almost like you go right to the third act of the script, and we would go home. That would be the end of the match. I didnâ€t want to tell John that because I knew the match would end, and I didnâ€t want the match to end in that way.

“Not only was it important to me to go out on my shield, I knew this was my very last match of my entire career. My career was going to end on this night. No one knew, but I knew. The other reason, and maybe more important than my career ending, I was doing the honors.

“That means youâ€re passing the torch to someone who is going to carry it from here on out. That was to John, and that was the finish to our match; me doing the honors for him and him beating me in the middle of the ring to become champion. Thatâ€s why I didnâ€t want the match to end right away. I wanted him to have his moment. Thatâ€s important.†[H/T: Fightful]

READ MORE: The Rock Got A Concussion While Filming The Smashing Machine

What do you make of The Rockâ€s comments? Do you think he shouldâ€ve told the referee to stop the match in the aftermath of the injury? Share your thoughts with us by sounding off in the comments section below!

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The Sixers are halfway done their preseason schedule and ready to head home.

The team wrapped up its Abu Dhabi action against the Knicks on Saturday with a second straight loss, falling to a 112-104 defeat.

Tyrese Maxey scored 16 first-half points and sat out the second.

The Sixers†third of four preseason games is scheduled for next Friday, Oct. 10 vs. the Magic. Here are observations on their loss Saturday:

Edgecombe jumps out

The Sixers rolled out the same starting lineup as in their preseason opener: Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona. They remained without Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George (left knee), Jared McCain (right thumb) and Trendon Watford (right hamstring).Â

Edgecombe was the star of the first few minutes Saturday, scoring or assisting on all of the Sixers†first 10 points.

On the gameâ€s first possession, Edgecombe got fouled on a three-point attempt by Jalen Brunson and made all of his free throws. He recorded the Sixers†next two points in eye-popping style with a swift drive from the wing followed by a rim-shaking slam. The rookie showed zero concern about OG Anunobyâ€s presence in the paint.

Edgecombe assisted a Barlow corner three and an Oubre long two in the early going. He had a confident, attacking approach without being reckless in his decision-making.Â

The Baylor product also knocked down a catch-and-shoot triple later in the first quarter. He hasnâ€t been hesitant to put up jumpers, but that was a relatively weak area of his game in Abu Dhabi. Edgecombe air balled a couple of three-point tries Saturday.

Offense needs to sharpen ahead of openerÂ

For the Sixers’ regulars, shooting was not a bright spot in either of their first two contests.

For the most part, the Sixers†offensive issues can be chalked up to collective preseason rustiness as jump shooters (and the absences of Embiid, George, McCain and Watford). Installing new aspects of their offense is another notable factor, although the Sixers seemed to keep things simple in Abu Dhabi, leaning on basic drive-and-kick principles in the half court.Â

The Sixers†Maxey-led offense did begin to look crisper, faster and better overall around the midpoint of the second quarter. Theyâ€ll expect continued improvement over the weeks leading into the regular-season opener on Oct. 22 against the Celtics.

A chance for Chandler to show his game

The Sixers†second unit had a decent day.

Jabari Walker started the second half in Barlowâ€s place and Kennedy Chandler took over for Maxey at point guard.

Chandler faces clear challenges at under 6 feet tall, but heâ€s a speedy, aggressive player and had plenty of nice moments Saturday. He created a defensive highlight in the first quarter when he swiped a scrappy backcourt steal against Miles McBride. Chandler found a scoring groove in the second half, too.

Two-way contract player Hunter Sallis and veteran guards Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry did not play Saturday. Chandler, Walker, Andre Drummond, Justin Edwards, Johni Broome, Malcolm Hill and Saint Thomas appeared off of the Sixers’ bench.

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Tiffany Stratton defeated challengers Nia Jax and Jade Cargill to extent her WWE Women’s Championship reign on “WWE SmackDown, but that match didn’t end without controversy, as it ended on a major botch that saw the referee fail to make the three count despite Jax failing to kick out of a Stratton pinfall. Following the controversy, Bully Ray explained who he believes is at fault.

“In wrestling it’s better to be early than to be late,” Bully said during an episode of “Busted Open Radio,” noting that the botched sequence began when Stratton was late breaking up a Cargill pinfall on Jax with a dropkick. This led to Jax kicking out, but Stratton hit the dropkick anyway and covered, with Jax then failing to kick out of Stratton’s pin. The ref, however, swiped her hand away on the third count rather than count the three and end the match.

“The ref swiped on three because she clearly does not think that this is the finish,” Bully said. “What I think was supposed to happen was that Tiffany Stratton was supposed to steal the victory from Jade Cargill. Jade hits the Black Hole Slam, one, two — Tiffany hits the [dropkick], and then covers and gets the 1-2-3 … You can’t be a 100% positive of who makes the mistake; whether it’s the ref or Nia not kicking out … If Tiffany is supposed to steal the win, why did the ref swipe on three?”

After co-host Dave LaGreca expressed that he believed the mistake lies with the referee and not with Jax, Bully agreed — for the most part.

‘There’s obviously miscommunication there’

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“Nia didn’t kick,” Bully continued. “In that situation, the referee’s responsibility is to count to three. Now, we go past that. This is what the most puzzling part of the match is. I can deal with mistakes … it’s gonna happen, it can happen to anybody. What I don’t understand is why Nia decides to have a conversation with the referee.”

Bully was referring to what happened after the ref swiped her hand, when Jax could be seen raising her head to communicate with the ref before performing an exaggerated kick-out long after it made any sense.

“There’s obviously miscommunication there,” Bully said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen blatant [mis]communication like I saw there … You have to be a little bit more aware, especially in 2025 with high definition-cameras and cameras all over the place, that that conversation is being picked up.”

Bully reiterated his belief that “the planned finish was for Tiffany Stratton to steal the victory from Jade, because that would be good heat. If it’s just the moonsault, what’s the big deal?” He then suggested that he would have made the spot simpler, having Stratton toss Cargill out of the ring before making the cover, rather than relying on someone with Stratton’s relative lack of experience to get the timing exactly right on the dropkick.

“I don’t know if I would rely on Tiffany to have that split-second timing to hit that [dropkick] just as the three-count is starting,” he said.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Busted Open Radio” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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