Browsing: Jacob

The Montreal Canadiens are 10th in goals per game and have the league’s fourth-best power play. And yet, 29 games into the season, they sit outside a playoff spot and have a minus-12 goal differential that is second-worst in the Eastern Conference (ahead of only Buffalo).

The Habs allow 27.2 shots against per game, which is 12th in the league and, according to Natural Stat Trick, they are 19th in expected goals against per 60 minutes of play in all situations.

At the centre of the team’s struggle to consistently string wins together and create some separation in a tight Atlantic Division has been the goaltending.

Samuel Montembeault, Team Canada’s third-stringer at last season’s 4 Nations Face-Off, has all but played himself off the Olympic team. Out of 80 NHL goalies this season, the 29-year-old ranks 77th in goals saved above expected. And Jakub Dobes, a 24-year-old who played 30 games split between the AHL and NHL last season, started red-hot in October, when he posted a .930 save percentage in his first six starts, but has allowed 38 goals in 11 appearances since.

In an effort to shake things up, to give those two a break and try something different, Montreal called up 21-year-old Jacob Fowler from AHL Laval soon after Tuesday night’s 6-1 loss to Tampa Bay. One of the best goalie prospects in all of hockey, Fowler is among the AHL leaders in every major goalie stat and has led the Rocket to first place in their division.

While the original plan might have been for Fowler to spend all season developing with Laval, this situation called for Plan B. Fowler will make his NHL debut Thursday night in Pittsburgh.

So what should Habs fans expect? How prepared is Fowler for the spotlight? Will this be a short-term chance for him to get NHL experience, or is there a chance he could play well enough to hang on to a full-time roster spot?

For that analysis, we turn to our scout Jason Bukala, who has been tracking Fowler’s development for years.

Montreal hasnâ€t been getting consistent goaltending or timely saves from either Montembeault (5-6-1 / 3.65 GAA / .857 SV%) or Jakub Dobes (10-5-2 / 3.15 GAA / .887 SV%) at all this season, so it was only a matter of time until they recalled Fowler.

Fowler won the Mike Richter Award last season, given to the top goalie in all of NCAA hockey, after he finished his sophomore year with a 25-7-2 record, 1.63 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

That success has continued in his first season of pro hockey, too. His 10-5 record, combined with a 2.09 GAA and .919 save percentage indicate he has transitioned nicely after an outstanding two seasons playing for Boston College.

Here’s my game report on Fowler after his last NCAA game in the spring versus Denver:

“Fowler looks poised to sign his entry-level contract with Montreal after completing his sophomore season at BC. Heâ€s a finalist for the Mike Richter award (top goalie in the NCAA) and a proven winner at every level heâ€s competed. Now listed at six-foot-two, 214 pounds. Tracks play very well. Fluid moving side to side. Rarely outside his posts. Excellent overall crease composure. Low panic threshold. Reads, reacts, and finds puck in traffic. Big in the butterfly. Sits tall. Absorbs pucks. Athletic. Quick. Great feet. Potential No. 1 NHL goalie.â€

Fast forward to my takeaways after viewing Fowler at the prospects challenge in September, before the start of Montreal’s main training camp:

“Fowler is entering his first full season of pro hockey after a decorated career at Boston College and a small sample size of games with Laval last spring. Heâ€s one of the top goaltending prospects in all of hockey and Montrealâ€s future No. 1 goaltender. He appears to be in good shape. Not much has changed with his game. Big in the net. Agile. Quick. Outstanding feet. Tracks plays on time. Uses his size to his advantage. Sits tall in his butterfly, taking away the top of the net in the process. Battles. Only a matter of time before heâ€s in the NHL. Looks ready now.â€

Iâ€m a fan of Fowlerâ€s game. Heâ€s won at every level. Before he arrived at Boston College, he was coming off two seasons playing for Youngstown in the USHL and posting 2.18 and 2.28 goals-against averages along with .927 and .921 save percentages. He was named the USHL’s goalie of the year in 2022-23 and won the Clark Cup MVP as his team was crowned champions.

And, of course, he won world junior gold in 2024.

But I have to admit there was a time I was concerned about his fitness and commitment off the ice. Heâ€s an elite athlete who has carried some extra weight in the past, but is now in the best shape of his career and on the cusp of his first NHL start with the Canadiens.

Montreal has done a terrific job drafting and developing prospects. Getting a goaltender like Fowler in the third round (69th overall in 2023) has potential to become one of the steals of that draft class. Boston-based Canadiens scout Billy Ryan tracked Fowler for years and battled for him to be drafted by the Habs. Itâ€s not too often a scout is recognized by media, but Ryan certainly deserves it for getting Fowler selected.

Fowler might not win Montreal’s net for the rest of the season, and it’s important to remember he’s still just 21, so he’s a prospect. Then again, given his track record and ability, it wouldn’t surprise me if he plays well enough to win over the coach and management.

Heâ€s definitely up for the challenge.

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DENVER — From 3,000 kilometers away, not even I could shake the funny feeling that, despite having to overcome a three-goal deficit with 20 minutes to play, the Montreal Canadiens would be just fine against the Tampa Bay Lightning if they could somehow manage not to allow one more shot on net.

I somehow doubt Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes were laughing as they watched the very next one come from a terrible angle to cleanly beat Samuel Montembeault just 1:22 into the third period.

If it wasnâ€t right then and there that they decided to call up Jacob Fowler to the Canadiens, Iâ€d be shocked.

The president of hockey operations and the general manager were probably thinking about it after Jakub Dobes was beat for a third time on Tampaâ€s first 14 shots. And if they werenâ€t sure before Montembeault gave up that terrible one to Darren Raddysh at the start of the third period, they had to have been dead certain after Raddysh beat him with another one from 60 feet out to cement this 6-1 embarrassment on home ice.

Enter Fowler, whoâ€s joining the Canadiens ahead of games in Pittsburgh and New York, along with Owen Beck and Adam Engstrom.

The 21-year-old has a 10-5-0 record with the Laval Rocket this season, and heâ€s sporting the fourth-best save percentage (.919) of any American Hockey League goaltender to have appeared in at least 10 games.

There are no expectations for Fowler to be the saviour, just some that he can provide a parachute for Dobes, who doesnâ€t even have a ripcord to pull right now.

Donâ€t get me wrong. Dobes has been relatively solid, if not great compared to Montembeault, whose confidence has been stripped completely bare since suffering a groin tear in last season’s playoffs.

But asking the Czech netminder to be both 1A and B for the Canadiens, at 23 years old, with just 36 games of NHL experience under his belt, is simply asking too much of him. And it stands to reason Gorton and Hughes arenâ€t asking anything else of Fowler than to make his NHL debut at some point over this short trip through Pennsylvania and New York and lend some support to Dobes.

They might have done it weeks earlier had the Canadiens†defensive game not been even more fallible than it was on Tuesday.

Of course, that performance — and some of the poor ones that preceded very strong efforts against Winnipeg, Toronto, and even St. Louis — was influenced by the all-too-familiar deflation of feeling like any and every shot against could go in.

The Canadiens had five great ones to the Lightningâ€s one on Tuesday before Dobes got beat by Brayden Point.

Itâ€s not like it was his fault after Jayden Struble abandoned the main principle of defending — playing the man instead of the puck — to allow Point a free path to the net. Nor was Dobes to blame for the breakaway goal Pontus Holmberg potted just under four minutes later.

But he was visibly shaken after that, and the Canadiens were clearly rattled because this has happened too often to them so far this season.

“I feel (the deflation),†coach Martin St. Louis told reporters at the Bell Centre after the game. “I physically, myself, feel it.â€

He talked about shaking it off and getting back to the game, which the Canadiens didnâ€t do before they left Dobes flailing to try to stop a Nikita Kucherov shot that made it 3-0 Lightning with just under three minutes to play in the first period.

A lapse in concentration from Brendan Gallagher, a breakdown in attempted recovery from Mike Mathson and Alex Carrier, and Montembeaultâ€s inability to clean that up left the Canadiens down 4-0 and playing the rest of the game with no margin for error.

They had started the second period with three shots on goal and given up none before Charle-Edouard Dâ€Astous took advantage of that situation for that 4-0 goal, and they finished it with a goal and a 10-3 shot advantage before the first shot Montembeault faced in the third period broke their will.

It only cratered Montembeaultâ€s confidence further, and thereâ€s no way Gorton and Hughes could watch that — and the second goal given to Raddysh moments later — and come away thinking his best path to redeeming it is over the next couple of games the Canadiens have to play this week.

Montembeaultâ€s had a break of late to work on his game. It was a longer break than anticipated due to illness that made him unavailable to start against St. Louis.

But now he needs another one.

Recalling Kaapo Kahkonen to offer it, only to later expose Kahkonen to waivers to return him to Laval, would be too risky given the goaltending needs of several other teams in the league. Potentially losing Kahkonen for nothing would leave Fowler much more exposed in the AHL than he will be over whatâ€s more than likely to be a short stint in the NHL.

The upside is there for the goaltender to extend his stay with a great run of play, to provide Dobes some support and gain some critical NHL experience. The risk that Fowlerâ€s confidence would be cratered by a bad NHL debut canâ€t be as great as some would make it out to be.

If thatâ€s all it would take to seriously set Fowler back, then heâ€s already been severely overestimated by the Canadiens as their future starter.

If Gorton and Hughes were so concerned about it, Fowler wouldnâ€t have been recalled.

At least one person beneath them wouldâ€ve told them not to lose a half second of sleep over it.

Remember Boston-based amateur scout Billy Ryan pounding the table for Gorton and Hughes to take Fowler in the 2023 draft?

The Canadiens had other priorities with their first three picks — taking David Reinbacher fifth overall before trading the 31st and 37th that year for Alex Newhook — but if they didnâ€t hesitate to snag Fowler at 69th with their first opportunity to take a goaltender, it had as much to do with his ability as it did his character and mental resilience.

Itâ€s time to put it to the test and incentivize the Canadiens to immediately redeem the defensive alertness with which they played in the three games prior to Tuesdayâ€s game against Tampa.

With an unrelenting schedule and ground to be held in an insanely tight Eastern Conference playoff race, itâ€s what this team needs right now.

It needs Engstrom keeping Struble on his toes, Beck bringing the level of detail that still makes him an appealing prospect, and a goaltender with swagger.

Fowler built his up at every other level and isnâ€t going to lose it overnight.

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Jacob Fatu mightâ€ve been left bloodied and toothless on WWE SmackDown, but it looks like the Samoan powerhouse is nearly ready to return.

According to a new update from PWInsider, there was talk backstage at WWE Survivor Series that Fatu is expected to be back in WWE storylines soon. After being written off TV on the October 17th episode of SmackDown, Fatu has been recovering from extensive dental surgery.

“There was talk backstage at WWE Survivor Series that Jacob Fatu is close to returning to WWE storylines after taking time off to recover from a dental procedure.â€

One source noted that the Samoan Werewolf could be back on the road within the next few weeks, though no exact date has been confirmed yet.

“One source believed Jacob could be back on the road within the next few weeks but an exact date hasnâ€t been confirmed.â€

Fatuâ€s exit from TV wasnâ€t your standard injury angle. He was taken out in shocking fashion during a savage segment with Drew McIntyre that left him laying in a pool of blood, with teeth scattered across the ring. As Bryan Alvarez reported on Wrestling Observer Live at the time:

“He was laying in a pool of his own blood and teeth — there were teeth all over the place… He needs some sort of surgery, something involving his teeth. He will be back by Survivor Series weekend.â€

At the time, sources confirmed the dental work wasnâ€t cosmetic—it was medically necessary and serious enough to require time off. Fatuâ€s absence was used to protect his health while also fueling storyline drama.

Now, just days removed from Survivor Series, fans may not have to wait much longer to see the enforcer return to TV.

Are you ready to see Jacob Fatu return—and who do you want to see him feud with first when heâ€s back? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and drop your dream matchups for his WWE comeback!

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Despite the upcoming second Test also being a pink-ball match, it’s debatable whether England’s Test batters would have benefited significantly from being here.

The match was low key, played in gentle surroundings and with none of the feverish intensity expected at the Gabba.

The PM XI’s attack was willing but inexperienced, apart from 41-year-old former Australian seamer Peter Siddle. The other four pace bowlers on show had six first-class wickets between them.

The weather conditions will be completely different in Brisbane too. It was 12 degrees centigrade when the game finished – Tim Paine, the coach of the home team, was wrapped in a blanket as he watched on.

Tongue had a solid workout on the first day. He bowled with control and good pace in his 16 overs and although he went wicketless, he had two catches dropped.

Bethell, however, missed the chance to make the most of a good batting pitch. He fell to a tame dismissal against a bowler who is yet to make his first-class debut.

Bethell made an untroubled start against the off-spin of Nathan McSweeney, and Siddle. He took two boundaries off Siddle through the offside, one cut through backward point, the other guided to deep third.

He then pushed at a ball in the channel outside off-stump against the tall left-arm pace bowler Campbell Thompson and feathered a low catch through to wicketkeeper Joel Curtis.

Bethell has only passed fifty once in the nine white, red and pink-ball innings he has played since leaving the UK in early November.

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Jacob Fatu’s dominance grew over the WWE Universe, as he went from a full-fledged heel character to an incredibly popular babyface. However, according to his cousin Solo Sikoa, Fatu was merely “dead weight” that he had to get rid of.

Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu split after The Samoan Werewolf became the United States Champion at WrestleMania 41. While he was still associating himself with Solo, Jacob quickly realized his cousin’s jealousy of him. Sikoa ultimately stole the title from Fatu at Night of Champions and retained it at SummerSlam in a Steel Cage match. The two put their feud to rest afterwards, with the former champion evidently moving on to bigger and better things.

Meanwhile, Sikoa currently leads the MFT, with the Tongan clan on his side. At this time last year, Solo led his rendition of The Bloodline against Roman Reigns and The Usos and Jacob was on his team.

Solo Sikoa Reflects On Having Jacob Fatu In His Faction, Calls The Samoan Werewolf “Dead Weight”

While watching last year’s Men’s WarGames match with Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, Solo Sikoa admitted that having Jacob Fatu and Bronson Reed proved to be beneficial. The former United States Champion also confessed that he misses his cousin.

He understands that the group would have been more dominant with Fatu’s involvement, but at the end of the day, Sikoa feels The Samoan Werewolf was not worth the trouble and called him “dead weight,” clearly staying in character.

I’ll be lying if I say that I don’t miss Jacob [Fatu] in the group, man. I did, you know? He and Bronson [Reed], it was cool having those two in the group with us. I wonder if they were still here, with the family now, how much dominant we would be,” Solo Sikoa said.

“But you know, sometimes we’ve got to get rid of the dead weight,” he added.

Check out his comments in the video below:

Unfortunately, Jacob Fatu got sidelined with a non-wrestling-related injury. He is not expected to be back for the remainder of the year. The injury could also keep him out of action well into 2026.

If you use the quotes from this article, please credit WWE and give an H/T to ITR Wrestling for the transcription.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a change to their bottom six ahead of a key divisional rivalry showdown.

Left-winger Sammy Blais is set to slot back into the Maple Leafs’ lineup in place of Jacob Quillan as the team gets set for a game against the Montreal Canadiens (Sportsnet, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT), head coach Craig Berube said ahead of puck drop.

It’s the lone lineup move Berube is making, meaning Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies — who were both deemed doubtful on Friday — will remain sidelined alongside goalie Anthony Stolarz, defencemen Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, and forward Nicolas Roy.

Blais last suited up for the Maple Leafs on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues, picking up an assist in the 3-2 overtime win.

The 29-year-old has one goal and two assists in seven games with the Maple Leafs this season.

Blais joined the team just before the regular-season puck drop after being waived by the Canadiens and being promptly claimed by the Leafs, reuniting him with former St. Louis Blues head coach Berube.

Quillan, 23, has skated in two NHL games this season — Tuesday against the Blues and Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets — but has yet to register a point while playing an average of 7:33 of ice time.

The Dartmouth, N.S., native has two goals and 12 assists in 14 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.

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The New Jersey Devils agreed to a two-year extension with goalie Jacob Markstrom on Friday, with an average annual value of $6 million.

Markstrom, 35, was entering the final year of his contract, which had the same cap hit. This move helps the Devils lock in a three-year window in which they believe their group can contend.

The Swedish-born goaltender was a massive acquisition for the Devils in June 2024 as New Jersey traded defenseman Kevin Bahl and a first-round pick to the Calgary Flames to secure its new franchise backstop and stabilize the team.

The Devils’ brain trust, including general manager Tom Fitzgerald and executive vice president of hockey operations Martin Brodeur, has loved having Markstrom in the organization. Markstrom, a big but agile goaltender at 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, has also formed a strong bond with goaltending partner Jake Allen.

The Devils are 8-3-0 before Saturday’s road game against the Los Angeles Kings. Markstrom hasn’t been his strongest, going 2-2-0 with a 5.13 goals-against average and an .830 save percentage in four appearances. He has also been sidelined briefly by injury.

However, the Devils are banking on his body of work, including his spectacular play in last year’s first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Markstrom posted a .911 save percentage, but New Jersey, which was severely hobbled by injuries, lost to Carolina in five games.

Markstrom has finished top five in Vezina Trophy voting twice in his career and has gone 28-18-6 in the past year-plus with the Devils, including a 2.67 GAA and four shutouts in 53 games. A 2008 second-round pick of Florida, Markstrom has appeared in 538 games with the Panthers, Canucks, Flames and Devils. He has a .908 career save percentage.

The Devils sought a shorter-term deal but also wanted to capitalize on a thin goaltending market. Allen, also 35, is signed through 2030.

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Jacob Lombard (Freek Bouw/Four Seam Images)

Florida high school shortstop Jacob Lombard announced his decision to commit to Miami on Monday, ending his status as the highest-ranked uncommitted player left on the 2026 MLB Draft board.

Lombard ranks as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2026 class and the third-overall high school player, behind fellow shortstops Grady Emerson and Tyler Spangler.Â

A product of Gulliver Prep in Miami, Lombard wonâ€t have to go far for his college commitment if he gets there, but itâ€s unlikely the toolsy righthanded hitter ever makes it to campus in any official capacity. Thereâ€s an easy case to be made that Lombard has the most upside in the class, with the exception of UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky.Â

Lombard is a tremendous athlete with plus tools across the scouting card, including plus-plus run times, great bat speed, plus raw power, excellent defensive actions and a big arm. He also comes from an athletic family. His father, George Lombard, had a six-year big league career and is currently a bench coach for the Tigers. His older brother, George Lombard Jr., is the top-rated prospect in the Yankees’ system and was the teamâ€s first-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Lombardâ€s commitment gives Miami a second player in the 2026 class with first-round potential alongside lefthander Gio Rojas, who is the top-ranked prep pitcher in the class.Â

While Lombardâ€s combination of athleticism, tools and upside make him a potential top 10 pick and unlikely college player, itâ€s not impossible for him to make it to campus. Even if Lombard doesnâ€t get to campus, itâ€s a good sign for a Miami program to retain a local talent in their immediate backyard.

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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Stone Cold Reportedly Not in Talks for WrestleMania 42

There reportedly isn’t any indication yet that WWE and Hall of Fame Superstar “Stone Cold” Steve Austin have had talks regarding a match at WrestleMania 42 next year.

According to Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), WWE sources haven’t provided any information on potential pitches for a WrestleMania match involving Austin.

Fightful noted that while Austin reportedly told people during WrestleMania 41 weekend that he might “have one left in him,” the comment has not led to anything being in the works for this coming WrestleMania in April.

Earlier this year, Austin made an appearance at WrestleMania 41, which took place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Austin rode to the ring on an ATV, read the official attendance for the night and celebrated with a beer bash.

WrestleMania 42 is back at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas, sparking speculation that The Texas Rattlesnake might appear again and even have a match.

After WrestleMania 19, Austin retired from in-ring competition due to neck injuries, and it seemed as though he was done with wrestling for good.

However, he shocked the wrestling world at WrestleMania 38 when he had a match against Kevin Owens that served as the main event of Night 1. An appearance on The KO Show turned into a match, and Stone Cold impressed during the No Holds Barred bout, as he came out on top.

Now, Austin is 60 years old, and he will be 61 by the time WrestleMania 42 rolls around, so it is fair to wonder if his in-ring days are behind him.

Even if Austin does not have a match at WrestleMania 42, though, it likely won’t stop speculation from running rampant again regarding a match at WrestleMania 43.

That particular WrestleMania will take place in Saudi Arabia, and since legends have been utilized many times at WWE events in Saudi Arabia over the years, there will almost certainly be plenty of talk about Austin and other legends being part of the event.

WWE Reportedly Changed Rollins Title Stripping Segment

Seth Rollins was forced to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship on Monday night’s episode of Raw, but the segment reportedly played out differently than originally intended.

According to TC of WrestleVotes, there were several “late changes” to the segment, and the final product was a departure from initial plans.

On last week’s episode of Raw, Bron Breakker shocked the wrestling world by hitting Rollins with a spear and breaking up the Rollins-led version of The Vision. Bronson Reed followed up by hitting Rollins with a Tsunami, and Paul Heyman raised the arms of Breakker and Reed.

This week on Raw, general manager Adam Pearce opened the show by announcing that Rollins had been stripped of the world title due to the fact that he is injured and not medically cleared to compete.

Breakker, Reed and Heyman interrupted Pearce’s announcement, and Breakker had the World Heavyweight Championship belt in tow.

Pearce announced a battle royal to determine CM Punk’s opponent for the vacant world title at Saturday Night’s Main Event, and he also asked Breakker to hand over the title.

Breakker resisted and forced Pearce to say please. After some further intimidation, Breakker eventually gave Pearce the belt.

The attack on Rollins was reportedly done due to Rollins dealing with a legitimate injury suffered during his match against Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestlePurists) reported that Rollins required surgery, although the exact severity of the injury would not be known until the surgery was done.

Meltzer added that WWE decision-makers “hope” Rollins will be back in time for WrestleMania 42 in April, but regardless, he is in line to miss months of action.

Expected Return Timeline for Jacob Fatu

Jacob Fatu reportedly may be back in time for WWE’s next premium live event despite requiring surgery.

According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News), Fatu needs surgery “involving his teeth,” and the expectation is he will be back in time for Survivor Series weekend in late November.

It was previously reported by PWInsider Elite’s Mike Johnson (h/t WrestlePurists) that Fatu was recovering from a dental procedure and would be back “very soon.”

The dental procedure reports make sense given the angle that played out involving Fatu on last week’s episode of SmackDown.

Fatu was supposed to face Drew McIntyre in the main event with the winner earning an opportunity to face Rhodes for the WWE Championship.

However, before the match started, Fatu was shown backstage, trapped under a steel truss. A pool of blood and teeth were on the floor next to Fatu as well.

With Fatu laid out, Rhodes made his way to the ring, accused McIntyre of being responsible for the attack and challenged Drew to a title match on the spot.

The bout ended in a disqualification, likely leading to a rematch between Rhodes and McIntyre in the near future.

While the timeline laid out by Alvarez suggests Fatu will be out of action for the next month, the idea that he should be back for Survivor Series and subsequently Royal Rumble is a positive for WWE.

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Ilja Dragunov

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Smackdown delivered Friday night in nearly every way possible. A new champion, a new no. 1 Contender, and storybeats that will pay off for months to come. There were rumors of new writers behind the scenes, and the quality of this episode suggests that things werenâ€t business as usual, and that is a great thing for viewers!

Some caution remains regarding WWEâ€s ability to creatively stick the landings of their decisions tonight, but the fact remains that we were shaken up tonight – and shaken up in a good way.

As always, Iâ€m Chris Adams, and you can reach me at cadamsowj@gmail.com if you think Iâ€ve missed.

CODYâ€S OPENING PROMO: HIT

What makes Cody Rhodes so successful on the microphone is his ability to overcome a speech impediment while using an expansive and effusive vocabulary. Some might criticize him for word choices that may seem archaic or out of touch, but I see his vocabulary as an invitation to engage with the substance of his promos. That’s what makes a successful public speaker: You may not necessarily understand everything they say, but you’re drawn in and want to hear more nevertheless. An expert. A master. For my money, on the mic, heâ€s the real best in the world!

ALEXA BLISS & CHARLOTTE FLAIR VS. ZARIA & SOL RUCA: HIT

The worst match of the night, but that isnâ€t nearly as bad as it sounds. On a night with very few creative hiccups and fumbles, something has to be the “worst.” And here it is, but itâ€s not a death knell.

Zaria and Sol Ruca just donâ€t seem ready yet for the main roster. The evidence? The match felt like it never got into fifth gear, and the blame cannot be laid at the feet of Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, the reigning and defending WWE Tag Team Champions. It was a fun showing with highspots of daring energy, but it was also a rather one-sided victory.

Charlotte Flair did most of the work, and I can’t help but wonder if Alexa Bliss got knocked around enough that she needed to hang outside the ring out of a sense of safety. When the time is right, Zaria and Sol Ruca will find their footing on the main roster and should not get lost among those at the top. They have distinct looks, setting them apart from anyone else. They both need to work on their finishers, especially Sol Ruca. For her career to have longevity, she will need a move that does not require such precise placement and visible staging.

I was not surprised by the results, but I had a great time getting there. All in all, a hit.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

HAYES BLINDSIDES THE MIZ: HIT

The dissolution of Melo Don’t Miz has been a gift, for it means we will see an unshackled Carmelo Hayes, free from the dungeon of tag team mid-card stardom. However, there’s no guarantee he won’t just be relegated to another mid-card dungeon, which would be a pitiful shame.

I’m not sure why Hayes hasn’t been given more opportunities to shine, but I am glad they’re giving him something more to sink his teeth into. It was also deeply satisfying to watch him punch The Miz in the back of the head with the full force of a hurricane.

ILJA DRAGUNOV VS. SAMI ZAYN: HIT

The Dragon has awoken! With a roar, Ilja Dragunov answered the call. Dragunov: pure power. Dragunov: pure viciousness. He burst through the entrance to the stage with a hunger in his face. Ilja Dragunov answering the call for the U.S. Title is, for me, like Christmas morning. A gift that fills me with bliss! It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for since his injury, as he is one of my favorites.

There’s something about his performance that is pure and absolute, even compared to Gunther or Bron Breakker. Pure wrestling- thatâ€s Dragunov. The match was a back-and-forth, just like Sami Zaynâ€s Open Challenges have been.

Lest it go unsaid, which would be criminal, Samiâ€s Open Challenge has radically elevated the title. It had languished during the strangely booked title reigns of L.A. Knight and Shinsuke Nakamura. Its shine was dulled when it hung around the waist of Logan Paul. But when Sami got it, he made it feel like an actual prize again. It feels like something people would fight for, would sweat and bleed for. It feels like this because Sami has already made that true. He poured himself into these last two months, and his performance art has taken something just fine and made it something spectacular!

And now, with the belt being passed to Dragunov, it has been re-legitimized as a true wrestling championship. Not just a piece of jewelry, but evidence that one can go toe-to-toe with the best and come out on top. Also, we canâ€t forget to acknowledge that Dragunov leveled up his physique. He has come to kill, to destroy. And he has conquered, receiving the gilded title he deserves. Let the reign of the Mad Dragon be long and just!

THE WYATT SICKS FACE OFF WITH THE MFTS: MISS

There is absolutely nothing that excites me about a feud between the MFTs and the Wyatt 6. We can talk about all of the fumbles of the Triple H era, but one of the most disappointing has been the decline of the Wyatt 6. They have been creatively mishandled, neglected, and forgotten. While they were emerging on Raw, they had substance, life, character, and meaning. They had personality and pain. Now, they just come off as caricatures. They seem to be mere spectral heavies brought out for quick, nostalgic pops. Both the MFTs and the Wyatt 6 are not spectacular wrestling powerhouses, so a tag team match between them will be lackluster and uninspiring. I’ll call this a miss.

MCMG VS. LOS GARZA: HIT

It’s the one-year anniversary of the Motor City Machine Guns’ debut in WWE. And here they are in a sit-down interview, a retrospective on their time. But even this feels strangely false because they’ve been absent for the past several weeks. This episode seems to be reinvigorating the tag division and bringing it back to life after it had been put on hold. I appreciate the attention being paid to all the teams, with the appearances of Fraxiom and the showdown between the MFTs and the Wyatt Sicks.

Returning to the contest at hand, the match was better than fine, but not exceptional, which is a tragedy because we know they could give us so much more. They could move in and out of the ring with a fluidity that would be levels above other tag teams on the roster. Even Fraxiom, with their fluidity, still doesn’t have the synchronicity of the Guns or Los Garza. They could make the ringâ€s canvas a tapesty upon which to pain beautiful violence with aplomb!

Even still, both teams gave it their all tonight, and we saw another rousing performance as the Guns shot their silver bullets into the heart of Los Garza. They slayed the beast. Now let them go hunting like this every week!

CODY RHODES VS. DREW MCINTYRE: HIT

This main event bristled with a chaotic energy that I both love and fear. First, let’s talk about why I loved it.

It felt unpredictable, with Cody coming out and offering a match to Drew McIntyre right then and there, offering him a title match while he was wearing a three-piece suit! Offering him a title match while he was wearing Italian leather loafers. Cody will fight anytime and anywhere. But why was he fighting? He was fighting because he believed that Drew was responsible for Jacob Fatu’s unfortunate dental injury. The teeth on the ground and the pool of blood were a nice touch, a detail that showed this was much more serious than just a piece of metal scaffolding that got tipped over onto someone.

Jacob is gone, and Cody came full of fire to get revenge on Drew. The match was gripping to watch. I was engaged at every twist, every hit, every punch. For a moment, I thought we were going to see Cody lose his championship before he even took off his loafers. But no. Cody went for the belt, itself smashing Drew in the face, losing by disqualification. Did John Cena’s heel run affect Cody like a virus? Or was Cody just caught up in the moment, full of piss and vinegar that made him do something stupid?

All I know is, as fun as the match was, there are two things I’m worried about. First, what happens to Cody Rhodes? His booking has been strange. It’s as if the company wants to support him as the quarterback but also not let him make the winning pass. I don’t want a heel turn driven by reckless creativity because they haven’t clearly focused on how he can succeed as a fighting champion in the vein of the territory champions he loves so much.

I’m also concerned about Drew . Whatever his next match with Cody is, he needs to win it. Otherwise, he will perpetually be the challenger who can never succeed. The issue with that is, once you’ve exhausted that option too many times, Drew will no longer be seen as a threat. So if you face him, you know you’re going to win. More importantly, and more consequentially, we know he will lose. By repeatedly placing him in this position, it takes away our ability to feel suspense, to be captivated by the tension, to worry about the possibility that our beloved Cody might lose his championship in a moment of anger. They need to make bold, creative decisions at the right times; otherwise, the story will become stale and predictable.

We are approaching a crossroads, it feels like, with all of the injuries affecting major storylines. My hope is that Codyâ€s reign is not overlooked in the attempt to manage the deviations elsewhere, but Iâ€m not convinced my hope will be satisfied.

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