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Sami Zayn finally turns on Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble

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Early in the evening at tonight’s (Sat., Jan. 28, 2023) Royal Rumble Premium Live Event at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Roman Reigns made it clear he wanted Sami Zayn by his side for the entire night, all the way up to and through his WWE Universal title defense against Kevin Owens. Despite proving himself time and time again, Reigns refused to trust Zayn and wanted to keep him close.

It was here that he would go through what Reigns called his “final test.”

WWE promoted it with a slick video package just before the match by calling it “the final chapter.”

How the hell would all this shake out?

A referee bump, and Reigns demanding Zayn hand him a chair and Sami seeming conflicted before eventually doing so. Owens recovered in time to hit a Stunner for an incredibly close near fall.

A short time later, Zayn pleading with Owens to just stay down. “Just end it,” he said multiple times over.

Reigns repeatedly sending KO’s head into the steps, making Sami watch him as he did it.

Finally, mercifully, a Spear in the middle of the ring and a three count, with Reigns defeating Owens to retain the WWE Universal championship.

But that wasn’t the end.

The entirety of The Bloodline hit the scene, and before allowing anything, Reigns made Zayn watch The Usos put the boots to an already finished Owens. And then they set him up in the corner with a chair on his neck and Solo Sikoa had his go at him too. Then, the handcuffs came out and Owens was bound to the top rope by both wrists.

He ate superkick after superkick after superkick. “I can’t even look, this is disgusting,” Michael Cole plainly stated.

And still Sami watched.

Reigns grabbed a chair and just as he was about to bring it crashing down on Owens’ head, Zayn got in his way.

“This is beneath you! You don’t need to do this. You’re better than that. You are.”

So Reigns handed him the chair.

“I shouldn’t do it,” Reigns said.

“You should do it.”

Zayn didn’t want to. Reigns goaded him on. “He don’t care about you! He’s dragged you down since day one! He’s an anchor. I care about you! I love you!”

Zayn took the chair and lifted it.

“Pull the trigger,” Reigns shouted.

When he didn’t, Reigns pushed him in his face.

“You think this is a game?!? This is my life!”

And then Reigns turned to yell at Owens once again.

So Sami did it.

He hit Reigns in the back with the chair.

Jey Uso was devastated.

Jimmy Uso responded with a Superkick, and a barrage of punches.

Solo Sikoa threw Jimmy off to get at Sami himself. The beating continued. Jimmy, and Solo, and Reigns were there now, going at Zayn.

But Jey wasn’t there.

He stood in the corner, his head down, unsure. When his family asked what he was doing, Jey slid down, and left the ring, slowly making his way up the long entrance aisle, his hands covering his mouth. He appeared to be in tears, or near it.

The rest of The Bloodline continued its assault on Zayn.

The Alamodome let Reigns know how they felt about it all with a loud chant.

“Fuck you, Roman.”

And then they left.

Zayn laid out in the ring, helpless. Owens still handcuffed to the ropes, equally defeated.

The Bloodline stopped to take one last look into the ring.

Fade to black.

Get complete Royal Rumble results and coverage of every match on the card right here.

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WWE SmackDown Results (12/30) – Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn Vs. John Cena & Kevin Owens, New Women’s Champion Crowned, Drew McIntyre Returns

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Wyatt introduces himself, then says he doesn’t think of himself as a good person even though he tries to be one. He says he doesn’t regret most of the horrible things he’s done to get to where he is now, but he regrets attacking the cameraperson last week.

LA Knight’s music hits and he cuts Wyatt off. He says Wyatt is “the master of the mind games”, but he’s getting gamed by him. He says he’s most concerned with Wyatt “paying off one of his dudes” to come to the ring in the Uncle Howdy outfit, then says he used to be a force. He says he used to be something, but all he’s proven as of late is that he’s a fraud. He says he has the medicine, then says that as the “Royal Rumble” approaches, he will celebrate his inaugural one by beating Wyatt’s ass.

Wyatt asks Knight who he thinks he is, then says it’s time to remind the world of how cruel he can be when he feels like it. He then accepts Knight’s challenge.

Uncle Howdy appears on the Titan Tron, then says to “revel in what you are” and “embrace the dark”. He heads out to the ring in an all-white ensemble and slowly makes his way to the ring. He leaves his hat on the apron, then gets inside and stares down both Knight and Wyatt. He then clocks Wyatt as Knight rolls to the outside. He grabs his hat and heads to the back.

We then head backstage and see Sami Zayn knocking on The Bloodline’s dressing room. Paul Heyman emerges and the pair embraces. Heyman asks what he can do for him and Zayn says he wants to talk strategy with Reigns. Heyman says he was just talking to Reigns and hypes him up on behalf of Reigns. He imparts some wisdom on Zayn and Heyman says the world will be admiring Reigns as the crowd chants him on. He adds that life on the Island of Relevancy requires one to stay three steps ahead at all times.

Back from the break, The Brawling Brutes head to the ring followed by Solo Sikoa and The Usos. 

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John Cena joins Kevin Owens to battle Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn: WWE Now, Dec. 30, 2022 – WWE

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  1. John Cena joins Kevin Owens to battle Roman Reigns & Sami Zayn: WWE Now, Dec. 30, 2022 WWE
  2. 5 Ways WWE can ensure SmackDown is the biggest show of the year: The Bloodline makes a heartbreaking decision, new champions Sportskeeda
  3. Kevin Owens On Upcoming Match With John Cena: ‘It’s All Full Circle’ Wrestling Inc.
  4. Kevin Owens on How Surreal It Is to Team With John Cena 411mania.com
  5. WWE SmackDown Preview: John Cena returns to haunt Roman Reigns, former Universal Champion kickstarts the end of fan-favorite bromance Sportskeeda
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Sami Zayn is MVP of The Bloodline as Drama Continues with Roman Reigns | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

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WWE Survivor Series WarGames on Saturday night from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts felt like one of the better pro wrestling events of the year.

A huge chunk of that credit goes to Sami Zayn’s storyline in the Bloodline drama and the way he has totally revitalized a Roman Reigns unified-title storyline that was stuck in purgatory.

The Honorary Uce was by far the centerpiece to the night’s main event as The Bloodline (Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Zayn and The Usos) went against the hodgepodge of The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch), Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens.

This was, without exaggeration, one of the best modern bits of storytelling in wrestling to date.

The biggest takeaway from the match? It is going to hurt if and when The Bloodline turns on Zayn.

WWE @WWE

Did @SamiZayn do the right thing?#SurvivorSeries #WarGames pic.twitter.com/UfgBNT6uFf

Saturday night’s events will play a huge part in that. And that’s probably the point. If WWE wants to capture the lighting in a bottle that was Daniel Bryan’s “Yes Movement” all those years ago, it’s blatantly right here with Zayn.

But even as a standalone thing, the WarGames match was a gluttony of great storytelling. Zayn had his tension-filled dustups with Jey Uso. After close chats with Reigns throughout the night, the unified champ always had a close eye on things.

And there was a long, long callback to the friendship between Zayn and Owens that was strong enough to make even the smartest of fans second-guess whether the adopted Uso might just betray his new family.

And while fans understand that big takeaway, there’s something to be said for the sheer entertainment value of the match.

There’s now the question of where things go from here and at what pace. Zayn will eventually figure out The Bloodline might not intend keeping him around for the long term. While they did appear to patch things up, the Jey-Sami relationship continues to be volatile.

There’s a real chance, too, that Saturday night’s event could ultimately lead to Zayn playing a role in the outright main event of WrestleMania 39. Things are so good on this front that he could be a dark horse to shove the likes of Cody Rhodes and perhaps even The Rock out of the limelight come ‘Mania season.

It’s worth pointing out that the WarGames match itself played a pivotal role here, as just any other Survivor Series showdown wouldn’t have carried the same weight. It meant no silly “wrestlers laying around” stuff so other story beats could happen. Some guys just weren’t permitted in the ring yet, as one prominent example.

The new man in charge of creative as of roughly six months ago, Triple H, has given new prominence to the WarGames stipulation amid a host of other changes to the direction of WWE.

The first WarGames match of the night benefited from the match type, too. First up was Team Belair (Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim, and Becky Lynch) clashing with Team Bayley (Damage CTRL’s Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky, plus Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley).

The match was a thriller with outstanding storytelling. Sure, the big thing was Lynch’s return as the fifth member of the team and her working with, not against, Belair. But little things in that match, like planting the seeds for Lynch vs. Bayley and only Asuka’s mist being able to slow Ripley really showed a respect for the wrestlers and viewers alike.

Was the match an all-time classic that moved the needle dramatically? Absolutely not, but it was an entertaining affair that made more sense than the usual cobbled-together Survivor Series matches. This had meaning and the fallout will, too.

It’s one step in WWE revamping the pay-per-view schedule in refreshing ways. None of it works without a talent like Zayn in a prominent role, but the creative match type also really let his tale spread its wings in refreshing ways.

Maybe that’s underselling the 38-year-old, the outright MVP of WWE’s main event scene right now (one can almost see that acknowledgment on Reigns’ face, too). Few Superstars can step in and do what he’s doing right now. He is the guy, after all, who ruined (the good kind of ruined) a super-serious segment recently by making Reigns and The Usos crack up during a live segment.

Paul Heyman himself, also slightly corpsing in that segment thanks to Zayn, actually hit on these notes about the adopted Uso in the post-event press conference.

“Sami brings a dynamic none of us were prepared for, and we’re prepared for everything,” he told reporters. “What Sami also brings is a connection with the audience that none of us can have because we have been too busy being the top act in the entire industry for over two years.”

That character and storytelling range—from goofy to the serious happenings of the WarGames match—makes Zayn must-see television, and he’s carrying Reigns and Co. right along with him. He’s invested, fans are invested, and Survivor Series 2022 will be remembered mostly for his moments.

It’s unfathomable momentum for a fresh-feeling WWE that hasn’t seemed this great in a long time. Saturday night, Zayn simply proved once more he’s the one controlling the ship, even if the guy next to him is the supposed gold-wearing captain.



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Sami Zayn Addresses The Bloodline’s Pecking Order After WWE Survivor Series

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Sami Zayn is the toast of the wrestling world, and arguably the most popular Superstar in all of WWE right now, but The Honorary Uce views himself as nothing more than a team player and a cog in the wheel of The Bloodline.

Speaking to reporters after helping The Bloodline secure victory in the Men’s War Games Match at Survivor Series, Zayn was asked if he’s become “the most important member of the Bloodline not named Roman Reigns.” In response, a modest Zayn shrugged off the idea of a hierarchy within The Bloodline.

“I don’t look at it in terms of a ranking system,” Zayn responded. “I actually kind of resent it, to be honest. Not saying I resent you or the question, I’m just saying … I kind of reject the notion that — outside of Roman, who’s the Tribal Chief, Head of the Table, that’s extremely hierarchical — I don’t particularly care for the rank system. ‘Oh, he’s a step below him, and he’s more important than him.'”

Zayn continued, “It’s a unit, it’s an act, whatever you want to call it. And everybody is so important, in their role, to the totality of it. Like [Paul Heyman] was saying about the dynamic with how it’s been with Jay and I. Or Jimmy and I. And Solo and I. And — we haven’t done a ton — but Paul and I. And Roman and I. And those are all individual stories, so I don’t think one is more important than the other — outside obviously of Roman for obvious reasons – but I don’t like even looking at it through that lens of a ranking order or whatever. It’s all part of something that really comes together beautifully when you put it all together. Its part of a totality is how I see it.”

Also during the press conference, “The Special Counsel” Paul Heyman lavished praise on Zayn for his performance at Survivor Series, claiming that he never had an ounce of doubt about Zayn’s loyalty going into WarGames. The entire post-Survivor Series presser can be viewed here.



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2022 WWE Survivor Series WarGames results, recap, grades: Sami Zayn turns on Kevin Owens, aids The Bloodline

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Sami Zayn may not be blood, but he is very much part of The Bloodline. Zayn chose family over friendship at WWE Survivor Series WarGames, playing a pivotal role in his team’s victory over Kevin Owens and company at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on Saturday night.

A heated WarGames match between Team Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and Zayn) and Team Brawling Brutes (Owens, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Butch and Ridge Holland) emphatically closed out Survivor Series. Zayn’s allegiance to The Bloodline was in question, particularly due to his long-standing friendship with Owens. Zayn ultimately saved the match for The Bloodline by turning his back on Owens. The act earned Reigns’ approval and the respect of his biggest detractor, Jey Uso.

Survivor Series also featured another WarGames match. Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair led a team comprised of Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Becky Lynch and Mia YIm against Team Damage CTRL: Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley. 

CBS Sports was with you live throughout Survivor Series WarGames with match results, grades and highlights as the action went down.

2022 WWE Survivor Series WarGames results, grades

Team Belair (Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Asuka and Mia Yim) vs. Team Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley) (WarGames match): The match kicked off with Belair taking on Kai before Sky joined the fray after Team Damage CTRL won an advantage on Raw to have one of its competitors begin the cycle of participants entering the match. Sky showed off incredible acrobatics with backflips, a springboard drop kick and top rope head scissors, but had awkward slips while trying to land double knees in the corner. Asuka was the second member of Team Belair to enter the match and she immediately found herself exchanging strikes and holds with Sky, a longtime friend and rival from their days in Japan. Belair exhibited her absurd strength, carrying Kai across the ring with a military press and tossing her into the fence. 

The anarchist Cross was the third member of Team Damage CTRL to exit the holding cell. Cross immediately hit the ring apron, retrieving several kendo sticks and trash can lids and bringing them into the ring. She hit Belair with a Tornado DDT and planted Asuka with a Cradle Shock. Alexa Bliss evened the playing field once the clock struck. Belair snatched a kendo stick from Cross and twisted it like a pretzel. Bayley entered as the fourth member of Damage CTRL. She tossed a ladder and table into the ring. The trio of Damage CTRL slid a table between the two rings and rammed it into Belair, trapping the Raw women’s champion between the fence, table and two sets of ring ropes. 

Powerful bruiser Ripley was the last member of Team Damage CTRL to enter the match. A calculated beatdown of Team Belair was briefly halted when Yim took out Ripley, but Sky made Yim pay with repeated trash lid shots to the head. The arrival of Lynch earned a loud ovation from the live crowd. Lynch fought off all five members of the rival team before facing off with Bayley. Asuka spat poison mist in Ripley’s face, allowing Lynch to capitalize with a DDT. The participants teased a Tower of Doom spot, but Cross killed the crowd’s enthusiasm with a kendo stick to Belair’s ribs. Sky landed a stunning moonsault off the top of the cage, eliciting loud chants from the Boston crowd. Cross attempted to handcuff Bliss to the cage but ended up getting handcuffed to Bliss and driven through a chair. Rivals Yim and Ripley exchanged a series of holds ending with Ripley driving both women through a ladder propped in the corner. 

In the closing moment of the match, Belair and Lynch struck game-winning chemistry. Belair laid out Bayley with a KOD into the fence while Lynch climbed it. Lynch lept off the top of the cage and drove Kai and Sky through a table with a massive leg drop. Lynch covered Kai for the three-count. 

The match had a lot of great highlights and some interesting combinations of superstars. The participants tried to accomplish a lot with the time they were given and while much of it worked, there were a handful of jarring moments and downtime that dragged it. Team Belair def. Team Damage CTRL via pinfall – Grade: A-

AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor: Styles took the early advantage, isolating Balor’s leg with a variety of strikes. Balor tried to reason with Styles that they are friends, but The O.C. boss wasn’t having it. Momentum swung back and forth, but Styles generally had more success as Balor continued to struggle with his compromised leg. Styles remained in control until being distracted by Dominik Mysterio and Damian Priest sparking a melee ringside between them and The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows). The familiarity between Styles and Balor shined through as they continued to counter one another. 

Balor rolled through a Calf Crusher and landed a double stop on Styles. Another series of counters was punctuated with dueling Pele kicks that laid out both men. Balor missed a Coup de Grace near the final stretch, landing awkwardly on his injured leg. Styles capitalized with a Calf Crusher, but Balor escaped by slamming Styles’ head against the mat. A final series of counters by the ring apron allowed Styles to launch off the ropes with a Phenomenal Forearm for the victory. A good show of crisp wrestling from two premier performers. The finish felt a touch anticlimactic but props to both gentlemen for the welts they wore. Styles def. Balor via pinfall – Grade: B+

SmackDown women’s championship – Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Shotzi: The underdog Shotzi tried to take the fight to the champion early but almost immediately found herself in trouble. The challenger whiffed on an enziguri and found herself in an ankle lock. Shotzi managed to trip Rousey in the corner, landed a cannonball and then took out Shayna Bazler ringside with a dive. She tossed Rousey into the corner steps and then tried for a top rope splash that Rousey awkwardly countered. The champion regained control for the majority of the match, taunting Shotzi and the crowd while applying submission holds. 

Shotzi took a big risk with a variation of a springboard DDT on the apron, but the application was clunky. What followed was a splash by the ring barricade that took out Rousey, Bazler and planted fans in the front row. Rousey landed a top rope judo throw, Piper’s Pit and an armbar to retain her title. That was a touch rough. Shotzi got way too much offense in considering her recent booking and both superstars had disjointed moments. The crowd even broke into chants of “We Want Sasha [Banks]” at one point. Rousey def. Shotzi via submission to retain the title. Grade: D

United States championship – Seth Rollins (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory (Triple Threat match): Lashley showed his strength advantage early. He chucked Theory and Rollins around the ring, delivered corner spears to both men and used Theory as a battering ram on Rollins. Rollins finally neutralized Lashley with a running knee off the apron. Theory interjected in the battle, using steel steps to lay out both opponents. Theory was firmly in control but allowed his ego to get the better of him. Theory’s taunting and shouting revved up Rollins, allowing the champ to take over with strikes and a sling blade. 

Rollins took flight, landing multiple dives on his opponents and a springboard flip. Rollins looked to close the match by lining up Theory for a Curb Stomp. Lashley yanked Theory out of the way and snatched the Hurt Lock on Rollins. Theory intervened, hopping on Lashley’s back and applying a sleeper hold. Lashley recovered from a rolling blockbuster by Theory and snatched another Hurt Lock. Theory nearly stole the title by rolling up Lashley mid-submission, but the pin was interrupted by Rollins’ frog splash. An amusing spot saw the gargantuan Lashely snatch a Hurt Lock on both opponents simultaneously. In the final stretch, Rollins launched off Theory’s back to hit a Curb Stomp. Lashley nailed Rollins with a spear while Rollins was in the middle of planting Theory with a Falcon Arrow. A limp Theory fell on top of Rollins and scored the three-count. 

Fantastic stuff all around. All three men were given the opportunity to showcase their particular skills: Lashley’s strength, Theory’s athleticism and Rollins’ speed. The spots were creative and well-executed. The finish subverted expectations and renewed WWE’s commitment to Theory without undermining Rollins. Theory def. Rollins and Lashley to win the title – Grade: A

Team Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa) vs. Team Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Butch, Ridge Holland, Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens) (WarGames match): Butch started the match for Team Brawling Brutes opposite Jey Uso. Butch targeted Jey Uso’s previously injured arm early with various finger and wrist contortions. Jey Uso found himself at a disadvantage as Holland entered the cage to assist his Brawling Brutes collaborator. Jimmy Uso was ready to join the match, but Reigns held him back. Reigns instead directed Zayn to rescue Jey Uso amid the continued in-fighting between the pair. Jey Uso immediately bickered with Zayn, allowing Butch to knock down both men. The contentious alliance between Zayn and Jey Uso was temporarily mended after Zayn pulled Jey Uso away from danger.

McIntyre entered the ring and bullied Jey Uso and Zayn despite their newfound cohesion. Zayn rescued Jey Uso from a superplex if only momentarily. Jimmy Uso joined the chaos next and introduced three tables into the match. A shoving match broke out between Jey Uso and Sami Zayn as Jimmy Uso played peacekeeper. Reigns watched on in disgust. The trio managed to reorganize and put a whooping on their opponents. Owens was the penultimate member of his team to enter the match. He tossed three steel chairs into the ring and proceeded to beat down The Usos with furniture. What followed was a staredown between Owens and Zayn, two close friends on opposite teams. Holland snatched Zayn and beat him down before a conflict could break out between the friends. Owens ate a chair shot from Jey Uso but bounced back and tossed Jimmy Uso through a table. The Bloodline’s enforcer Sikoa was sent out fourth and cleared the field. Owens put up an admirable fight but was also laid out by Sikoa.

Sheamus entered as the final member of his team. The brawling specialist put a beating on The Bloodline. Sheamus carried Sikoa’s heavy frame to the middle rope and hit White Noise. Undisputed world champion Reigns emerged as the bout’s final entrant. The warring teams stared down each other from opposite rings. A melee ensued before Reigns laid out each opponent with a heavy strike. Team Brawling Brutes bound all five opponents between the ropes and delivered Sheamus’ trademark chest blows in unison. Jey Uso accidentally hit Zayn with a superkick but showed little concern for his teammate. A quick succession of big moves ensued: The Usos hit a 1-D off the top rope on Butch, Reigns speared Holland through a table, Sikoa planted McIntyre through a separate table and Owens nearly wrapped with a stunner on Sikoa.

Owens and Reigns slugged it out in the match’s climax. Owens struck Reigns with a stunner that would have secured the win had Zayn not stopped the referee’s hand from counting three. Zayn proved his allegiance to The Bloodline by hitting Owens below the belt, landing the Helluva Kick and setting up Jey Uso for a match-ending splash. Reigns and Jey Uso hugged Zayn post-match. 

Nothing beats good storytelling. These matches often fall into a trap of overemphasizing weapons and spots. Questions about Zayn’s loyalty, Jey’s temperament and the friendship between Zayn and Owens permeated through the match. A conflicted Zayn proved himself worthy by turning on Owens and allowing Jey to pick up the win. Sheamus and Kevin Owens also looked strong ahead of future world title matches against Reigns. Great action paired with an even better story. Team Bloodline def. Team Brawling Brutes via pinfall. Grade: A+

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Sami Zayn made Logan Paul & Roman Reigns break character on SmackDown

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Everyone acknowledges (pun totally intended) that Sami Zayn’s having an amazing year. Between the Johnny Knoxville feud that culminated in WrestleMania 38’s amazing Jackass match, to the next level work he’s done since with Roman Reigns & The Bloodline, the world is getting to watch a pro wrestling master at work in 2022.

Like most performers who’ve thrived in the WWE system, Zayn’s genius lies in his versatility. The Knoxville program was almost entirely comedic. Sami’s current story is ultimately about his character’s longing to be part of a family and a top act, but it’s still provided him with lots of opportunities to make people laugh.

And sometimes, those people aren’t supposed to be laughing. We saw a lot of that on Oct. 7’s season premiere of SmackDown, where in the opening segment neither the Undisputed WWE Universal champion or the man who’s challenging him at Crown Jewel could keep a straight face during Zayn’s “number two” rant at Logan Paul…

This is the first time I can recall Sami getting The Bloodline to corpse in the ring, but it’s not a new phenomena. He did it to the (almost) always stoic Solo Sikoa a few weeks ago backstage…

And who can forget when Zayn got both the Big Dog and his Bloodline nemesis Jey Uso with a little dance this summer?

No wonder everyone is singing his praises! He’s so good at his job that other people almost can’t do theirs!

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6/24 WWE Friday Night Smackdown results: Powell’s review of Gunther vs. Ricochet for the Intercontinental Title, Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Shotzi vs. Tamina in Money in the Bank ladder match qualifiers, The Viking Raiders return

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By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

WWE Friday Night Smackdown (Episode 1,192)
Live from Austin, Texas at Moody Center
Aired June 24, 2022 on Fox

[Hour One] Smackdown opened with a recap of Roman Reigns beating Riddle to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in last week’s main event followed by the return of Brock Lesnar…

Michael Cole and Pat McAfee checked in on commentary and hyped Reigns vs. Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship as the SummerSlam main event. Samantha Irvin was the ring announcer…

Drew McIntyre made his entrance and welcomed viewers to the show. He said that no matter how many wins he gets, Reigns keeps ducking him. He said he would have to take matters into his own hands by winning Money in the Bank.

McIntyre acknowledged Brock Lesnar getting a title shot at SummerSlam. McIntyre said that’s okay and Lesnar does things his way, whereas he does things the hard way. McIntyre was interrupted by entrance music.

Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch made their entrance. Sheamus spoke as they walked to the ring and said SummerSlam would be the perfect time to cash in the MITB contract once Reigns and Lesnar are finished beating the hell out of each other. Sheamus and his crew entered the ring. Sheamus said McIntyre’s experience with MITB is having someone win it and cash in on him.

Paul Heyman interrupted with a “ladies and gentlemen” line from backstage. Heyman and birthday boy Adam Pearce walked onto the stage together. Heyman said Reigns would retain his championship at SummerSlam, but he said they have a problem.

Heyman said Reigns would be left vulnerable to a cash-in by someone such as McIntyre or Sheamus. He said it’s not a knock on Reigns. He said Lesnar would also be vulnerable, and then he quickly said he wasn’t saying Lesnar would win. Heyman said he was there to make sure that didn’t happen.

Pearce recalled his previous ruling that McIntyre and Sheamus would both be in the MITB ladder match despite competing to a double disqualification in a qualifying match. Pearce said that after some influence by Heyman, WWE management chose to overrule his decision. Pearce said McIntyre and Sheamus would not be part of the MITB ladder match.

Pearce said there was a path forward for both of them to qualify. He said they would need to put their issues aside and defeat the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso later in the night. The Usos made their entrance and joined Heyman on the stage. Cole hyped an MITB qualifier for after the break… [C]

Powell’s POV: Stephanie McMahon made her first good decision as the interim CEO! Okay, not really, but it was a ridiculous storyline decision that McIntyre and Sheamus both qualified for the MITB match despite fighting to a double DQ. I’m fine with this new approach and the segment was fine aside from McIntyre claiming that Reigns is ducking him when it’s already been announced that McIntyre has a title match at the Cardiff Stadium show over Labor Day weekend.

Cole announced that the Usos would not be defending the tag titles nor attempting to qualify for the MITB ladder match when they face McIntyre and Sheamus…

Shinsuke Nakamura was already in the ring. Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviewed Sami Zayn, who said it would be a great night for The Bloodline. Zayn said “we” will always do what’s right for Reigns. Zayn dedicated his match to Reigns. He said he would win the MITB match. Braxton asked if he would cash in on Reigns or Lesnar. Zayn said he was doing this to protect Reigns. Zayn’s music played and he made his entrance…

1. Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a Money in the Bank ladder match qualifier. Cole expressed skepticism regarding Zayn’s claim that he wouldn’t attempt to cash in the MITB contract if he wins it. Zayn performed an exploder suplex that sent Nakamura crashing into the ringside barricade. Zayn hoped to win via count-out, but Nakamura beat the referee’s count. A short time later, Zayn caught Nakamura seated on the top rope and dumped him to ringside. [C]

Zayn put Nakamura down with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Zayn went up top and was cut off by Nakamura, who eventually crotched him. Nakamura went for a Kinshasa that Zayn avoided. Zayn rolled up Nakamura, but the referee Jason Ayers, who was mentioned by name by Cole and McAfee, caught him using the ropes for leverage.

A short time later, Nakamura went for his finisher, but Zayn rolled to ringside. Nakamura followed and blasted him with a flying knee to the head. Nakamura threw Zayn back in the ring. When Nakamura followed, Zayn blasted him with a Helluva Kick in the corner and pinned him…

Sami Zayn defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in 9:55 to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match.

Powell’s POV: A good match and the usual opportunistic fun from Zayn. He wouldn’t be the sexy pick to win the MITB contract, but there’s definitely a lot of fun to be had with him and The Bloodline if they choose to go in that direction.

Cole and McAfee listed Seth Rollins, Omos, and Sami Zayn as the three entrants. A graphic showed four open slots. Cole reminded viewers that McIntyre and Sheamus could fill two spots if they beat the Usos later in the show…

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods made their entrance. Cole said they would face Jinder Mahal and Shanky in a rematch from last week… [C]

Mahal and Shanky made their entrance. Before the match would start, Kingston and Woods took the mic and said no one wants to see a rematch and they don’t engage in rematch after rematch after rematch.

Kingston and Woods played to the crowd and asked if they wanted to see Shanky dance. Mahal objected, but Woods played his trombone and Shanky did his dance until Mahal stopped him. Shanky shoved Mahal, who left the ring. Kingston had the New Day music play and then he and Woods danced with Shanky.

A Gjallarhorn sound played. The Viking Raiders entered the ring from the broadcast table side and attacked Kingston and Woods. Erik and Ivar had new black face paint. They performed a double powerslam on Kingston, and then Ivar power slammed Woods from the middle rope…

Powell’s POV: Finally, something fresh for the Viking Raiders. Sure, they are still cosplayers, but at least they are heel cosplayers. By the way, I guess we’re supposed to forget New Day’s series of matches with The Brawling Brutes (and all of the other teams) they had rematch after rematch with. If nothing else, I’m looking forward to the inevitable endless series of matches that New Day will now have with The Viking Raiders.

Backstage, Sonya Deville approached Adam Pearce and said people were saying he’s in over his head and out of touch with reality when it comes to the way he’s handled the women’s division. She complained about not having a match on Smackdown in weeks. She pointed to Raquel Rodriguez and Lacey Evans getting MITB qualifiers. She told him not to take it out on her because his in-ring career was a failure. Pearce told her she would be in a handicap match after the break…

Powell’s POV: Failure? That man is a former Steel Domain Wrestling Northern States Television Champion! Oh, and he won the NWA Championship five times.

Lacey Evans and Raquel Rodriguez were in the ring coming out of the break. Sonya Deville made her entrance and was accompanied by Xia Li and Shayna Baszler…

2. Sonya Deville (Xia Li, Shayna Baszler) vs. Lacey Evans and Raquel Rodriguez in a handicap match. Evans and Rodriguez did not have televised entrances. Rodriguez set up for her finisher at one point, but Baszler stood on the apron and distracted her. Evans made a blind tag a short time later and then hit the Woman’s Right on Deville and pinned her.

Lacey Evans and Raquel Rodriguez beat Sonya Deville in a handicap match in 3:05.

Li and Baszler ran in afterward, but Evans and Rodriguez cleared the heels from the ring…

Powell’s POV: Are they trying to establish a friendship between Evans and Rodriguez to eventually set up one of them turning on the other?

“The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins were shown backstage. They came across Los Lotharios kissing a woman on her cheeks. They also found Drew Gulak working out on a pair of ladders. They ran into Madcap Moss. Dawkins told Moss a terrible joke that Moss and Ford no-sold…

Ronda Rousey’s entrance music played. Natalya ran out dressed like Rousey and pushing a baby stroller… [C]

[Hour Two] Natalya stood in the ring and said her name is Ronda Rousey and fans probably know her as the Baddest Woman on the Planet. She said that’s because she doesn’t shut up about it and just like her mommy she never taps. She said she had footage that showed her almost tapping out. Footage aired of Natalya putting the actual Rousey in a Sharpshooter.

Natalya knelt down and tapped out while still playing Rousey. She said the best thing to do is retire, push her stroller, and leave while she can. “As a competitor, I’m probably the saddest woman on the planet,” Natalya said.

Smackdown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey made her entrance and said she almost didn’t recognize Natalya “without your rack out.” Rousey said she and Natalya couldn’t be more different. She said she wouldn’t pass up having kids to not miss a day wrestling in ten years

Rousey said she also wouldn’t mutilate her body while chasing impossible beauty standards like Natalya does. Wow. Rousey said she wouldn’t just hand over her title because Natalya thinks she’s earned it. Rousey climbed onto the apron and said Natalya thinks she deserves the title.

Rousey entered the ring and told Natalya is so lacking in natural talent and absent of charisma that the closest she’ll get to being a main eventer in WWE is dressing up like her. “Nice jacket,” Rousey said. She ripped Natalya’s leather jacket off. Natalya picked up the stroller and hit Rousey with it. Natalya left the ring while Rousey stood tall…

Powell’s POV: Natalya needled Rousey, who really went for the jugular with her rebuttal. If the goal was to make this feel personal in a one-sided manner, then mission accomplished. I hope Natalya gets to hit back hard next week.

Backstage, Megan Morant interviewed Drew McIntyre and Sheamus. They bickered. McIntyre told Sheamus he could take the night off and he would face The Usos in a handicap match. Sheamus wasn’t having it and told McIntyre to bring his A game. Butch entered the picture and was held back by Ridge Holland…

Ludwig Kaiser introduced Gunther for the Intercontinental Title match… [C] Cole plugged Undertaker’s one-man show for Nashville during SummerSlam weekend… Ricochet made his entrance…

3. Gunther (w/Ludwig Kaiser) vs. Ricochet for the Intercontinental Championship. Ricochet started the match with a dropkick. Gunther came back and applied a half crab. Kaiser taunted Ricochet from the floor and then Gunther countered into another hold before Ricochet reached the ropes. Ricochet got some offense until Gunther cut him off with a dropkick. Gunther powerbombed and pinned Ricochet…

Gunther defeated Ricochet in 3:10 to retain the Intercontinental Championship.

Powell’s POV: A dominant win for the new IC Champion, just as it should have been.

Backstage, Paul Heyman was interviewed by Kayla Braxton, who said he could be doing Brock Lesnar a big favor by potentially removing Drew McIntyre and Sheamus from the MITB ladder match. Sami Zayn showed up and said Heyman didn’t have to answer her questions. He took issue with Braxton saying he would cash in on Reigns. Zayn said he would never cash in on Reigns. Heyman put his arm around Zayn. However, Heyman removed his arm after Zayn said he would cash in on Lesnar. Heyman stared at Zayn, who wasn’t sure what to do so he just walked away…

Tamina stood in the ring for her MITB qualifying match with Shotzi, which Cole said was coming up next… [C]

Powell’s POV: I think they idea was that Heyman took offense at Zayn implying that Lesnar could actually win the match. I could be reading it wrong, but I don’t think they’re going back to playing up the question of where Heyman’s allegiances lie.

Shotzi made her entrance. McAfee acknowledged that it was scheduled to be Shotzi vs. Aliyah, but he said Aliyah got hurt and was replaced by Tamina…

4. Shotzi vs. Tamina in a Money in the Bank ladder match qualifier. Tamina performed an early power slam for a two count. Shotzi came back until Tamina cut her off with a kick as she was leaping from the ropes. Tamina had the pin, but Shotzi put her foot under the ropes. Shotzi came back and hit her Never Wake Up DDT and scored the pin…

Shotzi defeated Tamina in 2:40 to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match.

The updated graphic showed Asuka, Lacey Evans, Raquel Rodriguez, Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, and Shotzi as MITB qualifiers. Cole said there is only one spot remaining…

Powell’s POV: They got it right by having Shotzi go over. Now let’s just hope that they save her from herself by not letting her do anything too crazy in the ladder match.

Backstage, Erik spoke about how they have been pushed aside and forgotten for too long. Ivar said no one will stand in their way…

Max Dupri was shown talking to someone who was blocked by a door. A graphic listed that Dupri would present his first Maximum Male Model… [C]

A spotlight was over the center of the ring and music played. They cut backstage where Max Dupri scolded Adam Pearce. He said last week it was the lighting, and this week their dressing room wasn’t up to the specified standards. Dupri said his models would not debut due to the circumstances and said they would be ready next week…

Powell’s POV: I wish the former LA Knight and Eli Drake was wrestling on the main roster, but I am getting a kick out of the Dupri gimmick thus far. I hope Pretty Deadly end up being two of his models. They are a good tag team and would be perfect for this.

McAfee stood on the broadcast table and set up a recap of Happy Corbin scolding him last week. McAfee played to the crowd while talking about how much he enjoys his job. McAfee challenged Happy Corbin to match at SummerSlam. McAfee said he would feel more alive than he’s ever felt in his life when he kicks Corbin’s teeth down his throat. McAfee had the crowd chant Bum Ass Corbin. “Don’t be a coward, you punk,” McAfee said.

Cole asked McAfee if he was sure he wanted to do this. McAfee said he had lightning in his hands and feet. He called Corbin an insufferable douchebag. Cole said we would find out what Corbin has to say in return next week…

Sheamus made his entrance along with Ridge Holland and Butch. Drew McIntyre made his entrance with his giant f’n sword… A video hyped John Cena’s return for his 20-year celebration on Monday’s Raw… [C]

Cole hyped all of the men’s and women’s MITB ladder match participants appearing on next week’s Smackdown in Phoenix… The Uso made their entrance for the main event…

5. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus (w/Ridge Holland, Butch) vs. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso in a non-title match to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match. The Street Profits made their entrance before the opening bell and sat in on commentary. McIntyre and Sheamus ended up bickering and were pushing and shoving each other heading into a break. [C]

Holland and Butch had been ejected during the break. Sheamus was isolated. The Usos got caught up in jawing with the Profits. Jimmy ran into a knee from Sheamus and then both men tagged out. A short time later, Butch ran out with Holland trying to stop him. The referee got rid of them.

Meanwhile, Sami Zayn appeared and tried to help the Usos, but the Profits took him out. The Usos bickered with the Profits until McIntyre did a flip dive onto them. McIntyre counted down for his finisher, but Jimmy stuffed it with a superkick. McIntyre followed up with the Claymore Kick and scored the pin…

Drew McIntyre and Sheamus defeated Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso in a non-title match to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match in 11:20.

Sheamus jawed at McIntyre afterward. The updated MITB entrants list was shown. Cole hyped that all of the MITB qualifiers would appear on Smackdown next week just one night before MITB…

Powell’s POV: A good main event that saw McIntyre and Sheamus qualify for MITB the right way as opposed to getting in via their double disqualification match. Overall, this was a good episode. I have to keep it brief tonight because I’m doing back to back coverage with Smackdown followed by AEW Rampage. I will be back after Rampage with audio reviews of both shows for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of Smackdown by grading the show below.

Listen to “11/18 Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast With Jason Powell (Episode 136): Court Bauer on the MLW restart, pandemic precautions, and more” on Spreaker.



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Johnny Knoxville defeats Sami Zayn

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Editor’s note: Full recaps of Night 1 of WrestleMania 38 can be found here.

After the return of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, a signature win for Bianca Belair and another memorable WrestleMania victory for Charlotte Flair, WrestleMania 38 continues on Sunday night with plenty of big matches.

Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar will take center stage in the main event in a match to determine the undisputed WWE champion. Both the WWE championship and the Universal championship will be on the line in the “Winner Take All” match, and after months of an intense buildup with Paul Heyman in the center of it, the two will finally get their match on Sunday night.

Two tag team titles will be on the line as Raw’s tag team champions RK-Bro aim to retain against the Street Profits and Alpha Academy, while Carmella and Queen Zelina will battle Naomi and Sasha Banks, Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley and Natalya and Shayna Baszler in a Fatal 4-way match for the women’s gold.

There are also a number of unique participants on Sunday night, with Pat McAfee stepping away from the broadcast booth to face Austin Theory, Johnny Knoxville trying to get the best of Sami Zayn in an “Anything Goes” match and Bobby Lashley faces Omos in what could be a first big test for the tallest man in WWE.

Get caught up with how we got here with our Lapsed Fan’s guide, and follow along as we recap every match as it happens.

Match in progress: Edge vs. AJ Styles

Results:

Women’s tag team championship: Naomi & Sasha Banks def. Carmella & Queen Zelina (c), Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley and Natalya & Shayna Baszler

Sasha Banks pinned Carmella and her glittery mask to give The Boss and Naomi the women’s tag team titles. The finisher was unique as Naomi held Carmella aloft as Banks came off the ropes, did a somersault and landed a Codebreaker on Carmella. This is the third time Banks has held the tag titles.

This was what we typically see in a four-way tag match. There wasn’t really a through line to the finish, but there were some fun spots along the way. Of note: Morgan and Ripley delivering power bombs from opposite corners as the six other competitors were on the turnbuckles.

Also a shout out to Rhea Ripley’s eye makeup, which made her look like she was possessed by Dormammu of the Dark Dimension.

What’s next: The Queen and Carmella will get a return match for the belts, but this could be the start of a productive reign for Naomi and Sasha.

Anything Goes Match — Johnny Knoxville def. Sami Zayn

If you’re going to have the star of “Jackass Forever” perform at WrestleMania, it is best to make it as absolutely absurd as possible. Mission accomplished, as Knoxville defeated Zayn in a match whose preposterousness piled up as fast as Knoxville’s career injuries.

Knoxville, aka “The South Knoxville Strong Guy,” arrived in a red and white superhero costume complete with protective goggles — which we immediately realized were to protect him from the fire extinguisher blast that happened in the first two minutes of the match.

There was a stop sign, garbage can, garbage can lids, a crutch, a cookie sheet, a table broken by an Exploder suplex by Zayn, an air horn used by Knoxville to stop a Helluva Kick, Chris “Party Boy” Pontius in a thong, Wee Man appearing from under the ring before body slamming Zayn and then taking a kick straight to the face, a bowling ball delivered to Zayn’s groin followed by a prosthetic leg with a boot arriving at the same place, a taser and a giant slapping hand that was, as Pat McAfee said, “the size of Wee Man.”

For better or worse, this match had everything.

Knoxville got the win, and the finish was like a “Jackass Forever” deleted scene. Early in the match, Zayn found a table under the ring that had a few dozen mouse traps glued to it. This became “Chekhov’s table full of mousetraps,” as it factored into his eventual demise. Zayn tentatively climbed to the top rope, as Knoxville had previously triggered ring post pyro to spook him. Knoxville arrived with a pair of BBQ tongs to Sami’s most sensitive of areas, and hurled Sami onto the aforementioned mouse trap table.

With the help of the Jackass crew, Knoxville brought a giant mouse trap into the ring. He tasered Zayn, who dropped down “where the cheese goes,” according to McAfee. Knoxville had some difficulty triggering the gimmick trap, but eventually sprung it across Sami’s chest for the utterly hilarious pin.

What’s next: Hopefully Knoxville as champion of a revitalized and comedy-centric WWE hardcore division, but probably not. As for Zayn, it’ll be hard to top these comedic heights — how about something a little more serious and a challenge to regain the intercontinental title?

Bobby Lashley def. Omos

This match had the weakest build of anything on the two-night card and delivered as such, perhaps in an even more confusing manner than anticipated.

Lashley played the underdog in the match, as Omos was put over as the physically superior competitor. Which, again, would make for a compelling story if it wasn’t for the fact that the sentient bicep standing across from him nicknamed “The Almighty” is anything but a physical underdog.

After a plodding few minutes, Lashley recovered from a bear hug to deliver a no-margin-for-error suplex on the 7-foot-3 Omos, and then delivered a spear and eventually the pin.

What’s next: Bobby Lashley leaves the match looking really strong and powerful, which we already knew about Bobby Lashley. Omos gets absolutely no benefit from this loss, which makes the result even more curious. Why not let Lashley get some power spots in to keep his reputation intact but get Omos the win to build his momentum? Unless there’s no momentum to build, that is?

Raw tag-team championships: RK-Bro (Matt Riddle & Randy Orton) (c) def. The Street Profits and Alpha Academy

The opening match on Night 2 whipped the Dallas crowd into a “This is awesome!” chanting frenzy, as a wild no-DQ, no-countout match reached an incredible crescendo.

With Orton down and the ring cleared, Montez Ford prepared for a top-rope finisher. Riddle returned from the outside, jumped up the turnbuckle and delivered a top-rope RKO on Ford, who bounced out of the ring after impact. With Riddle down after the maneuver, Chad Gable of Alpha Academy climbed the ropes to finish Riddle off only to get caught midflight by Orton for an RKO. Orton pinned Gable to end the match and keep the titles with RK-Bro.

This was just a really fun, wild, spot-fest between three teams with unique chemistry. Riddle and Orton pulled off a synchronized ropes-assisted DDT. The Profits pulled off a sky-high Blockbuster on Gable. But my favorite “wrestling logic” spot in the match was when Dawkins had Riddle pinned and Otis broke up the pin by body splashing onto Dawkins’ back. Angelo, my dude: You just had 330 pounds added to your pin! Just stay there!

After the match, The Profits returned to the ring for a red solo cup celebration with RK-Bro, inviting 21-year-old WWE rookie Gable Steveson to the ring to join them. However …

What’s next: … Chad Gable returned to the ring and slapped the cup out of Steveson’s hand. Chad told him to “Shoosh!” Steveson suplexed him. And now we have a first feud, between two former Olympians. As for RK-Bro, they could use a fresh feud after this three-way dance.

Triple H Opens The Show

Former WWE star Triple H opened the show with the traditional “Welcome … to WrestleMania!” growling holler, but his surprise appearance to open Night 2 was more poignant than that. After soaking in the cheers from an appreciative crowd — chanting “Thank you, Hunter” — the man known as “The Game” placed his boots in the middle of the ring, signifying the end of his in-ring career.

Triple H first made the announcement to Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take. The 52-year-old, 14-time world champion previously made an appearance on WrestleMania weekend at NXT Stand & Deliver on Saturday, joining Tommaso Ciampa on stage after his loss to Tony D’Angelo, which is expected to be Ciampa’s final NXT match.

Still to come:

Winner take all unification match: Universal champion Roman Reigns vs. WWE champion Brock Lesnar

Austin Theory vs. Pat McAfee

New Day (King Woods and Kofi Kingston) vs. Sheamus and Ridge Holland



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Entertainment

Zayn Malik confronted Yolanda Hadid after she ‘barged’ into hiss family home without any notice

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Zayn Malik’s explosive argument with Yolanda Hadid reportedly occurred after she ‘barged’ into his and ex Gigi’s farmhouse in Pennsylvania. 

In a bombshell revelation, the pair’s confrontation resulted after the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum came to visit her granddaughter Khai, one, ‘without calling beforehand or even knocking at the door.’ 

The Pillowtalk singer, 28, who allegedly pushed Yolanda into a dresser and called her ‘a slut’ last month, was upset she ‘was acting like the house was hers and ignoring his position’ as Gigi’s boyfriend and a father. 

Tension brewing: Zayn Malik argument with Yolanda Hadid reportedly occurred after she ‘barged’ into his and ex Gigi’s family home

A source told TMZ that ‘Yolanda regularly disrupted his life by coming over as if she owned the place’ since he tends to ‘works nights on his music and sleeps for part of the day.’ 

Additionally, the insider noted that conversations about his baby girl’s privacy were an ‘ongoing source of conflict’. 

The update comes less than 24 hours after Us Weekly revealed ‘Gigi met with her lawyers last week’ to figure out custody issues.  

Tensions: This comes days after a report that Malik has vowed to do everything he can to avoid a custody battle over his daughter with Hadid, the former couple are seen in May 2016 

The source adds that Zayn, 28, ‘will always be a part of her life’ but that she finds the alleged altercation between him and her mother Yolanda ‘distressing.’ 

Gigi, 26, is reportedly doing her best to co-parent with the former boy band singer despite reportedly calling it quits in the wake of claims that the singer ‘struck’ reality star Yolanda during an altercation.

The parents are focusing on their only child as a source close to Gigi told People on Wednesday: ‘Yolanda is very upset with Zayn, but Gigi has made it clear that her daughter needs her dad.

‘Gigi will do everything she can to make sure they co-parent in a civil way.’

Parenting: The One Direction singer, 28, is said to be ‘deeply concerned’ about his family’s future after the dispute while he reportedly plans to ‘fight’ to avoid a custody battle over Khai

This comes days after it was said that the One Direction singer  was ‘deeply concerned’ about his family’s future after the dispute while he reportedly plans to ‘fight’ to avoid a custody battle over Khai.

An LA business associate of Zayn’s told The Mirror: ‘Gigi and he co-parent Khai, but any suggestion he has aggression issues or cannot be trusted to care for her, is something he will fight against with every ounce of his body.’ 

The source said that even if Gigi wants Zayn to co-parent their infant daughter, Yolanda could potentially make ‘legal moves’ surrounding custody. 

Making memories: Yolanda pictured with one-year-old granddaughter Khai Hadid Malik

A source previously said that the rift between the couple centres only on the drama between Zayn and Yolanda, and has nothing to do with his abilities as a parent. 

They added: ‘Gigi stands by Zayn’s ability to co-parent well.’ 

The notoriously private singer is said to have clashed with reality star Yolanda in January this year after she shared an Instagram post which showed the 13-month-old tot’s face. 

It follows reports that the duo had broken up after the model’s mother alleged the musician ‘struck’ her during a recent argument, which Zayn has denied.

Difficulties: The source said that even if Gigi, 26, wants Zayn to co-parent their infant daughter, Yolanda could potentially make ‘legal moves’ surrounding custody

‘They are not together right now. They are both good parents though,’ a source revealed to People last Thursday.

According to Us Weekly, things had been tense between the couple for a long time during their six-year relationship, with difficulties arising long before the said incident with Yolanda.

A source told the publication: ‘Gigi and Zayn had a very destructive relationship when they were together romantically.’ 

Yikes: According to TMZ , Yolanda alleges she was ‘struck’ by Zayn during an altercation that occurred ‘some point last week,’ whereas Zayn claims the incident involved nothing more than an exchange of ‘harsh words’ and had taken place ‘several weeks ago’ at Gigi’s home

According to TMZ, Yolanda alleges she was ‘struck’ by Zayn during an altercation that occurred ‘some point last week,’ whereas Zayn claims the incident involved nothing more than an exchange of ‘harsh words’ and had taken place ‘several weeks ago’ at Gigi’s home. 

It was revealed that Malik had pleaded no contest to four counts of harassment after allegedly pushing Yolanda, into a dresser and calling her a ‘f*****g Dutch sl*t’ last month in a fight at the home he shares with Gigi in Pennsylvania.

The details emerged in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com on Friday. They reveal that he was charged with four counts of harassment, that he pleaded no contest and that he must now complete 360 days probation in addition to completing an anger management class.  

The British singer must also have no contact with Yolanda, his daughter’s grandmother, or with John McMahon, a security guard for the Hadid family who witnessed the incident and who he also allegedly harassed.

Troubling: On September 29, Yolanda went to the couple’s property while Gigi was modeling in Paris

The documents confirm previous source claims that there was a fight in the couple’s home near New Hope, Pennsylvania, which emerged on Thursday alongside the news that Zayn and supermodel Gigi had split. It remains unclear if they broke up before the fight, or as a result of it.

The couple share a one-year-old daughter, Khai, and lived in a farmhouse in Pennsylvania, near Yolanda’s home. 

On September 29, Yolanda went to the couple’s property while Gigi was modeling in Paris. Zayn was there, though it’s unclear if Khai was. What transpired next is unclear but the pair started arguing and it is claimed Zayn ‘grabbed Yolanda’ and ‘shoved’ her into a dresser.

Very private: The couple share a one-year-old daughter, Khai, and lived in a farmhouse in Pennsylvania, near Yolanda’s home (pictured in 2018)

He is also said to have also verbally berated her, screaming: ‘Stay away from [my] f*****g daughter and calling her a ‘f*****g Dutch s**t’.

He is said to have called Gigi in Paris and yelled down the phone to her: ‘Strap on some f***ing balls and defend your partner against your f***ing mother in my house.’

A security guard was present for the exchange, according to the court documents, and Zayn screamed at him: ‘Get the f*** out of my f***ing house copper.’

‘Gigi is solely focused on the best for Khai. She asks for privacy during this time,’ her rep said; the couple seen in 2016

At another point he is said to have referred to fathering Khai with the ‘f*****g sperm that came out of my f*****g c**k’.

Gigi has refused to comment in detail on the matter but released a statement on Thursday night.

‘Gigi is solely focused on the best for Khai. She asks for privacy during this time,’ her rep said. Yolanda is yet to comment.

Private: Zayn is said to have clashed with reality star Yolanda, 57, in January this year after she shared an Instagram post which showed the 13-month-old tot’s face

Zayn seemingly hinted about his and Gigi’s apparent split when he took to Twitter on Thursday to address the serious claims made against him by Yolanda.

In his statement, Zayn said that the ‘private matter’ being made public has jeopardised the ‘safe space’ in which he and the catwalk star ‘co-parent’ their infant – seemingly suggesting they are no longer together. 

Zayn reportedly fell out with Yolanda in January this year after she shared an Instagram post which showed his 13-month-old daughter’s face.

The Sun reports that Yolanda shared a sweet tribute to her granddaughter to social media in January, but the snap is said to have showed Khai’s face in a reflection in the mirror. 

She quickly deleted the snap and replaced it with a different image after realising her error, but the damage was already done as fans had seen the tot’s face. 

Zayn, who along with Gigi never shows their daughter’s face publicly, was said to have been furious with Yolanda, with tensions remaining between the pair ever since.

Difficulties: A source said the rift between the couple (pictured in October 2016) centres only on the drama between Zayn and Yolanda, and has nothing to do with his abilities as a parent 

A source told the publication: ‘Back in January, Yolanda accidentally posted a photo of Khai where you could see her face and Zayn went crazy – he’s so protective of his daughter’s privacy, he was so mad.

‘Yolanda deleted it immediately but things were tense.

‘Yolanda doesn’t see what the issue is, but Zayn – and Gigi – are very against their child being photographed and it’s been a huge cause of tension between them.’

Zayn and Gigi welcomed Khai in September 2020 and have kept the little one’s face hidden from social media.

While Yolanda is quite open with her life and introduced Gigi and sister Bella to the spotlight from an early age, with the models having appeared on her reality show Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

And Zayn was quick to highlight his values over his daughter in the statement he shared in the wake of the allegations against him.

He wrote: ‘As you all know I am a private person and I very much want to create a safe and private place for my daughter to grow up in. 

Oh no: According to Us Weekly, things had been tense between the couple for a long time during their six-year relationship, with difficulties arising before the said incident with Yolanda 

‘A place where private family matters aren’t thrown on the world stage for all to poke and pick apart.

‘In an effort to protect that space for her, I agreed to not contest claims arising from an argument I had with a family member of my partner’s who entered our home while my partner was away several weeks ago. 

‘This was and still should be a private matter but it seems for now there is a divisiveness and despite my efforts to restore us to a peaceful family environment that will allow for me to co-parent my daughter in a manner in which she deserves, this has been ‘leaked’ to the press.

No trust: The tension between he and Yolanda allegedly began when he suspected her of leaking news of Gigi’s pregnancy to the media, according to an unnamed source cited by The Sun

‘I am hopeful though for healing for all involved with the harsh words shared and more importantly I remain vigilant to protect Khai and give her the privacy she deserves.’ 

He denied striking Yolanda, as had been reported by TMZ, citing an unnamed source.

The tension between he and Yolanda allegedly began when he suspected her of leaking news of Gigi’s pregnancy to the media, according to an unnamed source cited by The Sun.

It compounded what the source described as an already tense relationship between the pair, who are ‘like chalk and cheese’.

The ex files: The couple (pictured in April 2017) have had a tumultuous romance since first getting together in November 2015, having split several times over the six years

‘They’ve never seen eye to eye. Zayn lives an almost hermit like existence, he likes quiet, solitude, a slow pace, working on music – the farm/rural life suits him and they’ve been living at the ranch for a while.

‘Gigi loves it too – she cooks for him every single day and even took up knitting, she also does crafts around the home and painted rooms herself.

‘But she also wants to go back to work – which means parties, events, red carpets, ad campaigns, Instagram – all the things that Zayn wants to avoid.

Zayn and Gigi, who have dated on/off since 2015, welcomed their only child in September 2020. Hadid had confirmed her pregnancy in the spring of that year; seen last month

‘Yolanda has always been very supportive of and involved in Gigi’s career and is always saying Zayn should do more to support her – walk red carpets with her, post about her on IG, at one point she even suggested a reality show and he was horrified.’

Zayn and Gigi, who have dated on/off since 2015, welcomed their only child in September 2020. Hadid had confirmed her pregnancy in the spring of that year.  

The couple have had a tumultuous romance since first getting together in November 2015, having split several times over the six years.

They rekindled their relationship in January 2020 and just three-months later it was revealed that Gigi was pregnant, before the pair welcomed Khai in September of that year. 

Denied: ‘I adamantly deny striking Yolanda Hadid and for the sake of my daughter I decline to give any further details and I hope that Yolanda will reconsider her false allegations and move towards healing these family issues in private’

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