Look out: Bray Wyatt has returned. Following weeks of anticipation with mysterious teasers for the arrival of a “White Rabbit,” Wyatt is again within the realm he as soon as dominated over by making his first look in additional than a 12 months within the closing moments of the 2022 WWE Excessive Guidelines premium stay occasion on Saturday night time in Philadelphia.
Wyatt, a former WWE and two-time common champion, made his return to WWE about 19 months after being launched on July 31, 2021. WWE closed out Excessive Guidelines with Wyatt’s ominous and theatrical comeback, which elicited an enormous response from these in attendance on the Wells Fargo Heart. His return got here straight after a nasty blood Battle Pit match between Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins that notably featured UFC Corridor of Famer Daniel Cormier because the particular visitor referee.
Excessive Guidelines additionally featured the crowning of Ronda Rousey as SmackDown girls’s champion, quite a few hard-hitting matches and a visceral conclusion to the “I Give up” match between Finn Balor and Edge that ought to have followers speaking over the weekend till Monday Evening Uncooked in a pair days.
CBS Sports activities was with stay all through Excessive Guidelines with match outcomes, grades and highlights because the motion went down.
2022 WWE Excessive Guidelines outcomes, grades
Dexter Lumis offered The Miz with an unsolicited birthday current: Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty repeatedly tried to bury the hatchet with Miz all through the present by making an attempt to offer him a T-shirt. The Miz rejected the providing over a number of segments. Exterior of Triple H’s workplace earlier than the tip of the present, Miz put a beating on Gritty. Lumis, who has stalked Miz for weeks on Uncooked, emerged behind the trendsetter. Lumis choked Miz unconscious with Silence and helped Gritty to his toes because the mascot received a kick in for good measure.
The Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium (Good Ol’ Original Donnybrook): Ridge Holland confirmed off his absurd power, carrying Ludwig Kaiser and Vinci on one shoulder every and delivering a again physique drop. Holland’s success was short-lived as Kaiser and Vinci delivered the Imperial Bomb ringside. Sheamus earned his group some momentum by saving Butch from an prolonged beatdown. Sheamus dropped Kaiser and Vinci ringside earlier than going toe-to-toe with GUNTHER. The Brutes put a enjoyable twist on Sheamus’ trademark clubbing blows as all three members beat GUNTHER like a drum. Sheamus practically scored the victory following a Brogue Kick on GUNTHER; nonetheless, Vinci executed a wonderfully timed springboard splash to interrupt the pinfall.
Sheamus locked in a follow-up Cloverleaf submission on GUNTHER, however Kaiser saved the day by snapping a shillelagh throughout Sheamus’ again. The six superstars’ efforts earned chants of “That is superior!” from the group. Butch landed a surprising moonsault off a set of barrels ringside on Kaiser and Vinci. GUNTHER utilized Sheamus’ trademark shillelagh, the identical weapon he used to beat Sheamus on SmackDown, to attain a close to fall. It was a cathartic second when Sheamus lastly received his revenge on GUNTHER by smacking him throughout the neck with the shillelagh. An impressed Butch and Holland laid into Kaiser and Vinci with the identical weapons. The match’s closing moments noticed Sheamus crash GUNTHER via the announcer’s desk with a Celtic Cross. A Brogue Kick to Vinci locked in a much-needed win for the Brutes.
Incredible opening match. The motion was intense, high-quality and various in its strategy. It was nice to see Sheamus get a much-needed win to increase a program that has a number of life in it. The one factor holding the match again from “A” or “A+” territory is an absence of big-time stakes. There have been no titles on the road, it wasn’t fairly a “Match of the Yr” contender and there was no main plot growth past extending the feud. Brutes def. Imperium through pinfall — Grade: A-
SmackDown Girls’s Championship — Liv Morgan (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (Excessive Guidelines): A very intense Rousey didn’t take her eyes off Morgan from the second the champion made her entrance. The opening moments revolved round the concept that Morgan wanted an equalizer, a.ok.a the Excessive Guidelines stipulation, to stage the taking part in discipline towards a superior wrestler. Morgan tried (and failed) to misdirect Rousey within the opening change and seize the baseball bat she introduced along with her. Rousey snatched the bat and regarded utilizing it earlier than sliding it exterior of the ring. Morgan launched a hearth extinguisher into the match and all hell broke unfastened. Rousey left a deep, baseball bat-shaped welt on Morgan’s abdomen. Morgan cracked Rousey with a chair extra occasions than I might depend.
The match hit a interval of disjointedness because the superstars struggled via a pair of spots. Morgan drove Rousey via a desk with a crashing senton bomb. Rousey expertly turned the next close to fall right into a triangle armbar that had the champion in agony. The ending sequence was considerably deflating. Rousey switched methods into some form of chokehold that even commentator Michael Cole failed to select up on. Morgan handed out because the referee known as for the bell. In an obvious heel flip, Rousey then trash-talked Morgan and the followers as she stepped on her abdomen and walked out to boos.
It was a step up from their SummerSlam match however not by a lot. Issues began nicely with their dedication to telling a narrative about Morgan’s equalizer. Sadly, the match disintegrated right into a brawl method too quickly. A pair of messy spots and a complicated conclusion damage a match that was shaping as much as be the very best of their collection. Rousey def. Morgan (c) through knockout to win the title – Grade: C
Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Strap Match): The brawl kicked off earlier than the bell. Kross performed thoughts video games with McIntyre and repeatedly refused to put on the strap. The 2 fought all over the place from the ring to the group with McIntyre promoting a dislocated shoulder earlier than lastly strapping in Kross. After months of being blindsided by Kross, McIntyre lastly had his foe inside attain. McIntyre whipped Kross mercilessly till Scarlett’s intervention gave Kross the opening to take over. Kross drove McIntyre into the announcer’s desk which held up higher than it did within the opening six-man tag. Boos erupted from the viewers as Kross viciously beat McIntyre with the strap as Scarlett commanded.
McIntyre lastly had sufficient abuse and roared to life. He chucked Kross throughout the ring and landed a pleasant strap-assisted neck breaker. The tethered foes tormented one another with lashes. McIntyre received the higher of the change and landed a Future Shock DDT. McIntyre tried to shut out the match with a Claymore, however Scarlett as soon as once more intervened. She blinded McIntyre by spraying his eyes with pepper spray. A compromised McIntyre was helpless as Kross clocked him with a fight-ending Kross Hammer forearm to the again of the pinnacle.
Your mileage might differ primarily based in your expectations. I believe very extremely of each males and was anticipating a bodily gruelling, emotionally heavy contest. Kross’ makes an attempt to keep away from the stipulation made sense contemplating his ways within the lead-up to the match and his basic penchant for thoughts video games. The whipping was splendidly horrific. Past that, it felt just like the match was lacking about two gears of depth. Nonetheless, a robust exhibiting for Kross in his largest important roster match to this point and an excellent signal of issues to return. Kross def. McIntyre through pinfall — Grade: B
Uncooked Girls’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley (Ladder Match): Belair and Bayley received off to a fast begin. Duelling crossbodies despatched each girls exterior to retrieve ladders. Bayley took a second to be delightfully evil and berate a younger fan for shouting, “You suck!” The superstars made the many of the stipulation. Belair ran up a ladder propped towards the ring apron. The champion laid out the challenger on a flat ladder and creamed her with a standing springboard moonsault. Bayley returned the favor with a modified sundown flip right into a ladder leaning within the nook. One of many bout’s most impactful moments got here when Bayley ran alongside the ring apron and landed an elbow drop to Belair throughout a ladder exterior. Bayley eliminated a chunk of her knee brace to assault Belair with; nonetheless, Belair flattened Bayley with the KOD.
Belair practically captured the title earlier than Bayley’s Harm CTRL cohorts Dakota Kai and IYO SKY intervened. Belair fended them off with a messy double KOD off the ropes, however the distraction was sufficient for Bayley to achieve the higher hand. The strategist Bayley tried to pin Belair underneath a ladder whereas making an attempt to climb to victory. The champion’s famend power was on show as she managed to tilt again the ladder from beneath and ship Bayley crashing into the ropes. The foes jostled for momentum and the match got here to a detailed when Belair landed a formidable KOD on Bayley, who was carrying a chunk of ladder. Belair climbed the ladder and retrieved the title.
This was a strong match with loads of good spots. You’ll be able to forgive Belair for having difficulties with the double KOD, and he or she greater than made up for it with the closing ladder sequence. I used to be a bit of miffed to see Belair so simply fend off all three members of Harm CTRL, but it surely’s nice to see WWE proceed to rally behind the champ. Belair (c) def. Bayley to retain the title — Grade: B+
Edge vs. Finn Balor (I Give up Match): Balor repeatedly focused Edge’s knee early. Edge comically shouted, “Get that factor out of my face” because the referee offered Edge with a microphone to say, “I give up.” Balor walloped on Edge however the Corridor of Famer remained defiant. Edge lastly turned the tide by tackling Balor via the timekeeper’s barricade. The combat subsequently spilled out to the kickoff present set. Edge whipped out a hockey stick, beating Balor with it earlier than utilizing it as a part of a crossface submission maintain on high of the desk. The motion lastly spilled again into the ring, following a detour into the group, with Balor in agency management. Balor had Edge gasping for air with repeated metal chair pictures to the torso. Edge earned himself a much-needed break by driving Balor’s head right into a corner-planted chair. Balor begged for mercy as Edge repeatedly drove the chair into Balor’s leg. Edge locked in his trademark Edge-u-cator and smacked Balor upside the pinnacle.
It appeared as if Balor was at a breaking level earlier than Judgment Day members Damian Priest and Dominick Mysterio interfered. Edge laid out his foes with a spear via the apron that took out all three males. Rhea Ripley appeared out of nowhere and handcuffed Edge to the ropes. Balor laughed menacingly earlier than he, Priest and Dominick swarmed Edge. Balor took pleasure in punishing a defenseless Edge with kendo stick pictures to the again. Rey Mysterio ran to Edge’s support, laying out Priest and Balor. It was Dominik who blindsided his personal father and beat down the elder Mysterio ringside. Beth Phoenix emerged, saving her husband from additional harm. Phoenix received the higher of each Balor and Ripley earlier than releasing Fringe of his handcuffs.
Edge cornered a helpless Dominick and kicked him within the floor as payback from Conflict on the Fortress. Edge appeared primed to defeat Balor by using a chunk of a metal chair for a crossface submission maintain, however Ripley distracted Edge by clocking Phoenix with brass knuckles. Priest and Dominik held down Edge as Balor landed three consecutive Coup de Grâces. Judgment Day finally negotiated an “I give up” out of Edge by threatening to pulverize his spouse Phoenix with a Con-Chair-To. Regardless of their victory, Ripley swung for the fences with a nasty-looking chair shot to Phoenix’s head after the bell had already rung.
What a conclusion! The match was wonderful up till all of the interferences, then they kicked it into one other gear. The sheer variety of interferences might have dissolved into chaos however as a substitute elevated the match. I’ll by no means be a fan of the father-son violence between Dominic and Rey; nonetheless, it did achieve making me really feel uncomfortable. Edge appeared legitimately pained and defeated as he was pressured to utter “I give up.” He actually bought the emotion whereas he and the officers attended to an unconscious Phoenix. WWE managed to show a middling Judgment Day right into a legitimately harmful, provocative and sinister drive. I do not know that it is “match of the 12 months” when it comes to in-ring motion, but it surely stands out sufficient to warrant an ideal grade for the inventive. Balor def. Edge — Grade: A+
Matt Riddle vs. Seth Rollins (Battle Pit): Daniel Cormier, a UFC Corridor of Famer and two-division UFC champion, served as particular visitor referee. The match might solely finish through knockout or submission within the ring. Riddle took a blended martial arts stance to start out the combat. The match stipulation performed in Riddle’s favor as the previous UFC fighter outstruck and outwrestled his bitter rival. A heated Riddle received right into a confrontation with Cormier. The distraction allowed Rollins to take benefit. The tables have been turned shortly after as Cormier threatened Rollins for laying his hand on the visitor official. Rollins laid out Riddle with a pair of superkicks that kicked off Cormier’s fight-ending 10-count. Rollins continued to put on the punishment with a Rob Van Dam-inspired frog splash off the cage wall.
Rollins performed thoughts video games with Riddle, mocking his foe from the second stage of the Battle Pit. Riddle adopted Rollins as a precarious brawl passed off. Riddle hung within the air, making use of a rear-naked choke to Rollins with assist from a chin suspending the Battle Pit. Rollins buckle bombed Riddle into the nook of the elevated platform. Riddle dodged a Stomp and planted Rollins with an RKO. Rollins rolled off the platform and into the ring. Cormier was counting out Rollins earlier than Riddle leapt off the platform, rupturing Rollins with a Broton. Riddle utilized a standing triangle choke. Rollins did all the pieces in his energy to wiggle free however was finally pressured to faucet out weakly with Cormier calling the match.
Nice spots, moments of dread and a dose of revenge that Riddle desperately wanted. The stipulation lent itself to Riddle and gave Rollins a viable excuse for shedding. The ending sequence might have used a splash extra umph, but it surely was nice to see Rollins’ desperation and submission. Riddle def. Rollins through submission — Grade: A
The “White Rabbit” is unveiled: Cormier raised Riddle’s hand in victory whereas strolling up the ramp simply earlier than the world lights lower out. Fireflies crammed the world as followers turned on the flashlights from their telephones. The eerily acquainted tune of, “He is received the entire world in his fingers” rang all through the Wells Fargo Heart. Wyatt’s numerous puppet buddies emerged one after the other in numerous pockets of the world as full-sized people in costumes because the suspense constructed. Commentators Michael Cole and Corey Graves have been greatly surprised when The Fiend’s masks mysteriously appeared on their announce desk. WWE faked out followers by having a stand-in seem sporting The Fiend’s masks simply past the ringside barrier.
A creepy video montage was adopted by a close-up of an ominous door as the Philadelphia crowd shouted, “Holy shit!” The person believed to be Wyatt, sporting a model new masks, walked via the smoke-filled door along with his trademark lantern. Wyatt stripped off the masks, revealing his face and confirming his return. He blew out the lantern and the display screen went black with a brand new brand flashing on the display screen. WWE might have simply pencilled the best return in pro-wrestling historical past strictly when it comes to presentation. The corporate delivered on weeks of a singular construct surrounding numerous “White Rabbit” clues. The ultimate reveal was rife with rigidity and pleasure, well-paced and well-executed. Pure, magical horror.
