2024 NBA picks, Jan. 15 best bets by proven model

Gregg Popovich, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs take on Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on MLK Day. The Spurs are aiming to improve on a 7-31 record, while the Hawks look to bounce back from four losses in the last five games and a 15-23 record overall. Zach Collins and Sidy Cissoko are out for San Antonio, with Doug McDermott listed as questionable. De’Andre Hunter (knee), Mouhamed Gueye (back), Vit Krejci (shoulder) and Wesley Matthews (calf) are out for Atlanta.

SportsLine consensus lists Atlanta as the 8.5-point favorite for this 3:30 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 246.5 in the latest Spurs vs. Hawks odds. Before making any Hawks vs. Spurs picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen HUGE returns!

Now, the model has set its sights on Spurs vs. Hawks and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Hawks vs. Spurs:

Spurs vs. Hawks spread: Hawks -8.5
Spurs vs. Hawks over/under: 246.5 points
Spurs vs. Hawks money line: Hawks -336, Spurs +267
San Antonio: The Spurs are 9-10 against the spread in road games
Atlanta: The Hawks are 3-14 against the spread in home games
Spurs vs. Hawks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Spurs can cover
The Spurs are catching the Hawks at the best possible time. Atlanta has disappointed greatly on the whole this season, but the Hawks have struggled badly in recent days. Atlanta is 3-8 in the last 11 games, with opponents out-scoring the Hawks by 8.6 points per 100 possessions in those contests. The Hawks also suffered back-to-back home losses on Friday and Saturday, losing by 23 points per game. San Antonio’s offense ranks in the top five in the NBA in assists, and the Spurs are facing a porous Hawks defense that is capable of yielding friendly results.

Atlanta is in the bottom five of the NBA in defensive efficiency this season, giving up 120.4 points per 100 possessions. That jumps to 124.2 points per 100 possessions in January, and Atlanta is dead-last in the league in opponent field goal percentage (50.5%). The Hawks are also in the bottom three of the league in 2-point percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, assists allowed, fast break points allowed and second-chance points allowed, with opponents also generating more than 56 points in the paint per game. See which team to pick here.

Why the Hawks can cover
Atlanta has not been dominant at home this season, but the Hawks have the advantage against a Spurs team that has an ugly -11.5 net rating on the road. The Hawks also have the superior offense on paper, scoring almost 1.18 points per possession. Atlanta is in the top six of the NBA in free throw creation (25.3 attempts per game), free throw accuracy (81.3%), and offensive rebound rate (32.1%), with the Hawks also scoring 15.8 second-chance points per game.

The Spurs struggle to score on a consistent basis, putting up only 1.09 points per possession. That places San Antonio in the bottom three of the NBA in offensive efficiency, and the Spurs struggle in both shooting efficiency and offensive rebounding. San Antonio is shooting only 45.8% from the field and 34.8% from 3-point range this season, with the Spurs then grabbing only 25.9% of available offensive rebounds. The Hawks are forcing 14.8 turnovers per game on defense, including 8.2 steals per game to rank in the top five of the NBA. See which team to pick here.

How to make Hawks vs. Spurs picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 242 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread is the better value. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.

2024 NBA picks, Jan. 15 best bets by proven model

The Houston Rockets travel to Wells Fargo Center to meet the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday afternoon. The matchup is the first game of a full slate across the NBA on MLK Day. Houston is 19-19 overall, with Philadelphia entering at 24-13 overall and 14-6 at home. Joel Embiid (knee) is available for Philadelphia after being listed as questionable earlier in the day, with De’Anthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (knee) ruled out and Mo Bamba (knee) listed as doubtful. Tari Eason (lower leg) is out for Houston.

SportsLine consensus lists Philadelphia as the 8.5-point favorite for this 1 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 228 in the latest Rockets vs. 76ers odds. Before making any 76ers vs. Rockets picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Rockets and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Rockets vs. Sixers:

76ers vs. Rockets spread: 76ers -8.5
76ers vs. Rockets over/under: 228 points
76ers vs. Rockets money line: 76ers -346, Rockets +274
HOU: The Rockets are 6-10-1 against the spread in road games
PHI: The 76ers are 14-6 against the spread in home games
76ers vs. Rockets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Rockets can cover
The Rockets have a tremendous offensive fulcrum in Alperen Sengun. The young center is averaging 21.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, and Sengun is shooting 54.1% from the field. In the last 13 games, Sengun has upped his production, averaging 25.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. While Sengun anchors an offense that also ranks in the top 10 of the NBA in turnover prevention, Houston’s defense is top-notch.

The Rockets are allowing only 112.1 points per 100 possessions this season, ranking in the top quartile of the league. Houston leads the NBA in fast break points allowed (10.0 per game), and the Rockets are in the top five in opponent field goal percentage (45.6%) and opponent 3-point percentage (34.0%). The Rockets also rank in the top five in assists allowed (24.3 per game) and points allowed in the paint (46.2 per game), with Houston securing 72.7% of available defensive rebounds in 2023-24. See which team to pick here.

Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia has high-end scorers in Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. Maxey has scored 20 points or more in eight straight games, and he is averaging 26.1 points and 6.6 assists per game. Harris put up 37 points on 14-25 in Philadelphia’s most recent game, and he is averaging 23.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in January. The Sixers also have a meaningful home-court advantage, with Philadelphia entering this game at 14-6 overall with a +10.2 net rating at Wells Fargo Center. Houston is just 4-13 away from home with a -6.9 net rating, swinging things toward Philadelphia.

The 76ers are also elite across the board on offense, including a top-six mark in the NBA in offensive efficiency, scoring 119.1 points per 100 possessions. Philadelphia is in the top tier of the league in turnover avoidance, fast-break points, points in the paint, offensive rebound rate and second-chance points, but the free throw line is the top centerpiece for the 76ers. Nick Nurse’s team leads the NBA in free throw accuracy (84%) and free throw creation (26.9 attempts per game) this season. See which team to pick here.

How to make Rockets vs. 76ers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 222 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.

Chicago to host annual event in November

Survivor Series has officially been added to the WWE calendar for 2023. The Allstate Arena in Chicago will host this year’s event on Saturday, Nov. 25.

WWE announced the date and location for Survivor Series on Friday morning. The event is one of WWE’s classic “big four” shows alongside SummerSlam, Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, more recently dubbed as the “big five” to include Money in the Bank.

Survivor Series traditionally incorporates titular elimination-style matches featuring two teams consisting of four or five superstars each. Last year’s show adopted the “WarGames” branding and incorporated a team-based, time-interval match that took place inside a cage constructed around two adjacent rings. Friday’s announcement was absent any mention of WarGames, but that could change as storylines develop closer to the event.

Last year’s event was headlined by a WarGames match pitting The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn) against the joint forces of Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland and Butch), Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens.

‘Sometimes you just have to dive in and see what happens’

Seth Rollins’ cackling can border into absurdity, but when you’re a superstar of a certain caliber you can afford to push boundaries. Rollins spent the last several years teetering in and out of a main event scene he once dominated. A newfound dramatic flare was the necessary change to stave off stagnation.

Reinvention is the name of the game in sports entertainment. Some of the industry’s most enduring forces have done so through evolution. “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan hit professional wrestling like an earthquake. The “Hollywood” version of The Rock remains the refined fan’s favorite. Chris Jericho has tweaked his character more times in the last two decades than there have been U.S. presidents in the last two centuries. “Redesign. Rebuild. Reclaim.” That was the foundation of Rollins’ recalibration from cocky, black-clad killer to ludicrous Met Gala model.

“I think I learned a lot about how to take chances and have a little bit more confidence in myself,” Rollins told CBS Sports while promoting WWE’s new product collaboration with C4 Ultimate Energy, the official sponsor for WWE SummerSlam. “I think it’s one of those things where I lived in my comfort zone for such a long time that I thought I knew better. I thought I knew what I was. I was comfortable with my identity. And it was hard to look in the mirror and go, ‘OK, this is working but what can we do to go to the next level?’

“Revamping your whole presentation is a difficult choice to make. You think it won’t work. You think it’ll fail, people won’t like it or you won’t be able to do it. All of these types of things. Sometimes you just have to dive in and see what happens and have confidence in your ability to make anything work. If you are experienced and talented and committed and passionate, no matter what is given to you or no matter what you choose to do, you can find a way to make the absolute best of it.”

Check out the full interview with Seth Rollins below.

The outlandish version of Rollins currently presented in WWE is a reimagining of other flamboyant gimmicks used by Gorgeous George, Ric Flair, Rick Martel and Shawn Michaels. It’s more a personification of the cartoonish Joker from “Batman: The Animated Series” than the psychologically complex variants portrayed by Heath Ledge and Joaquin Phoneix. A little much? Perhaps. But it’s become tremendously endearing to the fans who sing along to Rollins’ theme song every week.

Rollins’ swanky threads took their “baby steps” during the global pandemic. WWE built an audience-less arena dubbed the ThunderDome in response to government restrictions. The lack of a crowd necessitated a different approach and permitted superstars to push the creative envelope, but it’s hard to gauge the ceiling of a gimmick without an ear for the crowd.

“When I really started to notice what I was doing was hitting was during my rivalry with Edge because people really started to take notice of the colorful outfits,” Rollins said. “They started to make fun of them. They started to have fun with them. I wore an all-silver, bright aluminum foil-looking suit on television one time and I got ‘Baked potato’ chants. If you can get baked potato chants based on what you’re wearing, I think you’re onto something. It took a while to grasp that moment, hone it and figure it out, but it started to catch on. People started to wonder what kind of outlandish crap I was going to wear the next week and it caught fire.”

This month, WWE and C4 expanded their multi-year partnership with co-branded pre-workout powders and energy drinks. Available exclusively at GNC, the collaboration features unique product designs and five special edition flavors, including Ruthless Rasperry and Berry Powerbomb energy drinks along with Pomegranate PileDriver, Bare Knuckle Blood Orange and Nectarine Guava Knockout powders.

Rollins’ quality as an in-ring performer has never been in doubt. He was trusted over the last few years to welcome Cody Rhodes into the main event scene, provide a suitable challenge for Roman Reigns, elevate United States champion Austin Theory and even lead Logan Paul through a WrestleMania match. The former WWE champion was relegated to bridesmaid status, but his reputation as a workhorse and fan-favorite character was finally rewarded with gold.

Triple H unveiled a new world heavyweight championship exclusive to Raw in response to Roman Reigns’ inactivity as undisputed WWE universal champion on SmackDown. The introduction immediately framed the world heavyweight title as a secondary prize in the eyes of some viewers. For Rollins — an athlete driven by a desire for more — that doubt was exactly the motivation he needed as he prepares for a second title defense against Finn Balor at SummerSlam on Saturday.

Seth Rollins Logan Paul WWE Raw pro wrestling news Aug 1 2023
Seth Rollins and Logan Paul on WWE Raw WWE
“Oh, there’s always a chip on my shoulder. It never goes away. I’m never just coasting. I’m never just being OK with being OK,” Rollins said. “If it’s not wanting to win a world championship or establish a world championship. Now I’ve got people calling my world championship a secondary world championship. So now I’m out here trying to prove everybody wrong on that. I’m not going to be naive and think that we ain’t got a lot of work to do. Establishing a new title is difficult work. It is a hard job. Somebody’s got to do it. And I am very honored to have the responsibility to be the guy to do that.”

Rollins channels motivation in the same way as sports legend Michael Jordan. By finding something, anything to tick him off.

“Anytime we go to any arena in the country and anybody else gets credit for filling a house or being on top or popping a rating or anything like that, I’m always going to feel slighted by it,” Rollins said. “Not in a way that I’m jealous. I’m thrilled. Business is huge. We are the hottest ticket in town anywhere we go. We are sold out left and right. Houses are up. Ratings are up. It’s crazy to be a part of WWE right now.

“But I’m always, always wanting to be the guy. Always wanting to be the marquee. Whatever it is. That’s where I want to be. And if I feel like I’m not there, I’m going to be hustling. I’m like Michael Jordan, man. I’m going to find something. Even if there’s nothing. Even if everything’s cooking and cruising and perfect, I’m gonna go out and I’m going to find something to piss me off. I’m going to find something that I can sink my teeth into. I’m going to make an enemy out of somebody so that I got something to work for because that’s just how I operate. That’s how I flow. I don’t know how to do it any other way.”

2023 WWE SummerSlam card, date, matches, rumors, match card, predictions, start time, location

It’s time to head to the Motor City for the latest WWE PPV event. The promotion invades Detroit on Saturday night for the biggest event of the summer in SummerSlam. After a month of build up following Money in the Bank in London, there’s sure to be fireworks boiling over as stars continue to feud.

Eight matches have been confirmed for the summer spectacle, but none is bigger than the “Tribal Combat” match set between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso as the two battle for control of The Bloodline. Plus, Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar will complete their trilogy, Seth Rollins and Finn Balor run back their world title match from Money in the Bank.

The rest of the card is also sure to deliver high thrills. Look no further than the matchup between social media star Logan Paul and Ricochet. The two delivered an epic moment at WrestleMania when they collided midair and have continued to feud since. Now, Paul faces another freak athlete as he also hopes to finish his match in time to catch his brother, Jake Paul, box against Nate Diaz later in the night from Dallas.

Take a look below at the confirmed matches for SummerSlam and take a glance at the crystal ball of what may come.

2023 WWE SummerSlam matches
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso (Tribal Combat): All signs were pointing to Reigns vs. Uso at SummerSlam even before Uso handed Reigns his first pinfall loss in three-plus years in a tag team match at Money in the Bank. Jimmy Uso was injured by Reigns and Solo Sikoa on SmackDown, forcing Jey Uso to seek vengeance on his own and now they will meet under “Tribal Combat” rules with both the championship and the title of “Tribal Chief” on the line.

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar: Rhodes and Lesnar are one apiece in their series with Rhodes winning their first bout at Backlash and Lesnar finding retribution at Night of Champions. Lesnar returned to programming the night after Money in the Bank to continue his feud with Rhodes. The trilogy was officially set on the July 17 episode of Raw.

World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor: Rollins has bested Balor at every turn and that has only escalated Balor’s desire for vengeance. Balor defeated Rollins to become the first universal champion in 2016 but immediately vacated the title due to an injury suffered during the match. Balor was determined to pay Rollins, the inaugural world heavyweight champion, a long overdue receipt. Rollins defeated Balor in their title match at Money in the Bank, but Balor continues to pursue Rollins and his title.

WWE Women’s Championship — Asuka (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair: Belair and Flair can’t stop getting in each other’s way. Tensions between the challengers over who is most deserving of a title have repeatedly bled into Asuka’s title defenses. Now, all three women will face each other at SummerSlam with Money in the Bank winner Iyo Sky lurking in the shadows.

Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: McIntyre made his big return at Money in the Bank to face off with intercontinental champion Gunther, setting into motion a one-on-one showdown. Their triple threat at WrestleMania, which also featured Sheamus, was received as one of the best matches in WrestleMania history. Their one-on-one contest should be a treat.

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet: Ricochet has been demanding a chance to face Paul in one-on-one action after the two had highlight reel moments at both the Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank.

Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler (“MMA Rules” Match): Baszler turned on her longtime friend Rousey at Money in the Bank, allowing Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez to capture the women’s tag team championships. Baszler was tired of Rousey receiving unearned opportunities off name value. The former friends will collide at SummerSlam. The pair later revealed that their match would be under “MMA rules.”

SummerSlam Battle Royal: WWE announced a special SummerSlam battle royal. LA Knight and Sheamus were the first two superstars to demand and be granted spots in the 20-man competition.

2023 WWE SummerSlam predictions, card, matches, PPV preview, start time, date, location

The biggest show of the summer is just days away when SummerSlam lands in Detroit on Saturday. One of WWE’s traditional “Big Four” pay-per-views, SummerSlam set the table for the fall, and even winter, seasons.

The 2023 edition of SummerSlam features many big matches, though none will have the fans as invested as the “Tribal Combat” match for the undisputed WWE universal championship between champion Roman Reigns and his cousin, Jey Uso. This match has been years in the making, with Uso first feuding with Reigns before joining his cousin in The Bloodline, helping carry Reigns to a historic title reign before the group split up.

At Money in the Bank, Uso became the first man to pin Reigns in more than three years when he and twin brother Jimmy defeated Reigns and Solo Sikoa. Now, Uso looks to fully destroy Reigns by ending a title reign that began more than 1060 days ago.

Elsewhere on the card, Brock Lesnar and Cody Rhodes look to settle their feud as the two have each scored a win over the other in their last two meetings. Plus, Seth Rollins puts his world heavyweight championship on the line in a rematch with Finn Balor from Money in the Bank. On the women’s side, champion Auska puts her title on the line when she takes on both Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair in a triple threat match.

The rest of the card is also sure to deliver high thrills. Look no further than the matchup between social media star Logan Paul and Ricochet. The two delivered an epic moment at WrestleMania when they collided midair and have continued to feud since. Now, Paul faces another freak athlete as he also hopes to finish his match in time to catch his brother, Jake Paul, box against Nate Diaz later in the night from Dallas.

There are four title matches total set for the show, along with many other important clashes.

Let’s take a look at who the CBS Sports experts believe will win every match on the SummerSlam card.

2023 WWE SummerSlam viewing information
Date: Saturday, Aug. 5
Location: Ford Field — Detroit
Start time: 8 p.m. ET (kickoff show starts at 7 p.m.)
Watch live: Peacock

2023 WWE SummerSlam predictions
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso (Tribal Combat)

This is yet another “good spot” for Reigns to drop the title. And, yet, there’s basically no expectation that Uso will go over. To be fair, outside of the epic Bloodline story, there’s never really been a point where either Uso would be seen as a singles star that could carry the world titles. WWE has passed on many other big moments that would have been a fitting end to the title reign and it seems certain they’ll do so again on Saturday. The “Tribal Combat” rules in play give a lot of cheap ways to allow Reigns to retain, which has been the story of his time as champion. Pick: Roman Reigns wins — Brent Brookhouse

They’ve done it. They’ve crushed my spirit. Drew McIntyre at Clash at the Castle. Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber. Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania. No deserving contender has yet dethroned Reigns. One can make the argument that it was all leading to Jey Uso, as it should, but I’d wager that WWE will settle with his tag team win at Money in the Bank as his big moment. There’s still a Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa feud to explore and Rhodes’ redemption story. At this point, I don’t expect anyone to take the undisputed title off Reigns until WrestleMania. Pick: Roman Reigns wins — Shakiel Mahjouri

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar

Rhodes needs the win far more than Lesnar here, and it’s hard to imagine that isn’t going to be what happens. Lesnar can be plugged into whatever match or situation for the rest of his life and it will be accepted by the fans without hesitation. Rhodes was built to his WrestleMania title shot with his tale of redemption and need to “finish the story” by winning the title his father never held and then came up short. If he loses this feud with Lesnar, it sends a really dark message about his future in WWE. Pick: Cody Rhodes wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor

There’s a sense that WWE doesn’t see Balor as a world champion at this stage in his career. That could change, of course, under the right circumstances. Rollins is over with the fans and still fairly early into his run with the title. For Balor, the story seems more about Judgment Day and his simmering jealousy over Damian Priest holding the Money in the Bank contract, not to mention both Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley holding championships. That story moves on just fine — and even better — without Balor holding the title. Pick: Seth Rollins wins — Brookhouse

The SummerSlam outcomes seem mostly predictable, so I’ll take Balor usurping Rollins as my upset pick. Judgement Day has remarkably overcome a long and critically-panned start to become one of the most diverse acts on the roster. Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio are champions and Damian Priest holds the Money in the Bank briefcase. It’s time for Balor to complete the circle, particularly after losing to Rollins at Money in the Bank. Some will complain that Rollins deserves a longer stint as champion. That’s fine, but SmackDown is already contending with a long-reigning and dominant champion. Perhaps Raw’s title scene could benefit from some hot potato-ing. Pick: Finn Balor wins — Mahjouri

WWE Women’s Championship — Asuka (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair

Asuka has been largely a secondary presence in the drama between Belair and Flair, but that suggests she’ll overcome her distracted foes. Asuka’s reign is still very fresh and she should be given the opportunity to run with it. Belair is coming off a very long reign as champion and Flair’s momentum is practically non-existent. Expect the champion to retain. Pick: Asuka wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Ricochet vs. Logan Paul

Ricochet is a perfect opponent for Paul. Paul has put in a lot of great work in his limited time in the ring, but he has lost his biggest matches. A special attraction isn’t much of an attraction when they don’t score wins. Ricochet is a walking highlight reel, making him a good opponent for a spotfest against Paul, but Ricochet also loses nothing if he eats a pin. He will always have his spot as a guy who can come in and deliver a few thrills, but he’s never going to be a major champion on the main roster. Pick: Logan Paul wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre returning and confronting Gunther was exciting because it meant fans were in for another hard-hitting classic during Gunther’s impressive reign as intercontinental champion. That doesn’t mean McIntyre will get the win, however, especially considering how close Gunther is to breaking Honky Tonk Man’s record for longest reign with the intercontinental title. It’s probably as simple as looking at that record to determine the winner. Pick: Gunther wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler (MMA Rules)

Rousey and Baszler are close friends despite their strained storyline relationship. It always feels like Rousey is teetering on a break or exit. This could be a great moment to establish Baszler — the more consistent presence — as a main event player, as Rousey does her friend a favor heading out the door. Pick: Shayna Baszler wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

SummerSlam Battle Royal

WWE really should strike while the iron is hot. Knight is arguably the most over act on the roster and has been defeated at every significant turn. There was enough for him to sink his teeth into despite losing the Money in the Bank ladder match, but falling short in the U.S. Invitational has left him without a clear direction. A win on Saturday is little more than a lateral step, but hopefully, it’s the time creative needs to give him something juicy. Pick: LA Knight wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

2023 WWE SummerSlam live stream, how to watch online, start time, card, matches

One of WWE’s biggest annual events is imminent. SummerSlam has long been considered one of WWE’s “Big Four” events. This year’s spectacle takes place on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit with Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso among the big matches.

Reigns will defend his undisputed WWE universal championship and “Tribal Chief” status against his cousin Jey Uso in a no holds barred match dubbed “Tribal Combat.” The Usos’ split from The Bloodline predicated this highly-anticipated match. It’s the next chapter in a story being labeled as one of the best to be told in the long history of professional wrestling.

This year’s SummerSlam features three other title tilts. Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair challenged Asuka for the latter’s WWE women’s championship in a triple-threat match. Seth Rollins stakes his world heavyweight title in a rematch against Finn Balor. Finally, Gunther and Drew McIntyre collide in a hard-hitting intercontinental title match with high expectations following their acclaimed encounter at WrestleMania 39 with Sheamus.

The rest of the card is also sure to deliver high thrills. Look no further than the matchup between social media star Logan Paul and Ricochet. The two delivered an epic moment at WrestleMania when they collided midair and have continued to feud since. Now, Paul faces another freak athlete as he also hopes to finish his match in time to catch his brother, Jake Paul, box against Nate Diaz later in the night from Dallas.

Below is how you can catch all the action on Saturday night in SummerSlam.

Watch 2023 WWE SummerSlam
Date: Aug. 5
Location: Ford Field — Detroit
Start time: 8 p.m. ET
Watch live: Peacock

2023 WWE SummerSlam match card
WWE Undisputed Universal Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso (“Tribal Combat” match)
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
World Heavyweight Championship — Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor
WWE Women’s Championship — Asuka (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair
Intercontinental Championship — Gunther (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Logan Paul vs. Ricochet
Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler (“MMA Rules” Match)
SummerSlam Battle Royal (featuring LA Knight, Sheamus, Tommaso Ciampa, Shinsuke Nakamura, Otis, Chad Gable and 14 more superstars)

Legendary pro wrestler who had stints with WWE, WCW and ECW passes away

Legendary professional wrestler Terry Funk, whose influence was felt across multiple generations, has died at the age of 79. News broke of Funk’s death on Wednesday afternoon.

During his career, which spanned more than 50 years, there was almost no meaningful wrestling promotion in which Funk did not have an impact. After starting his career in 1965 for Western States Sports, a promotion ran by his father, Dory Funk, Terry Funk often wrestled alongside his brother, Dory Funk Jr.

Terry Funk is gone. I just talked to Terry’s daughter, Brandee, who gave me the awful news. He was my mentor, my idol, one of the closest friends. He was the greatest wrestler I ever saw.

If you get the chance, look up a Terry Funk match or a Terry Funk promo, and give thanks… pic.twitter.com/WwdFLwXqZ0

— Mick Foley (@foleyispod) August 23, 2023
Funk exploded to the top of wrestling in 1975, defeating Jack Brisco to win the NWA world heavyweight championship. He held the title for more than 420 days before dropping the title to Harley Race. Race was also the man who ended Dory Jr.’s title reign in 1973.

Funk earned a reputation as a rough and rugged brawler through various rivalries, including a feud with Jerry Lawler that led to a now-iconic empty-arena match and a lengthy rivalry with Ric Flair that included a shocking moment for the time that saw Funk piledrive Flair onto a ringside table.

After stints in Japan, NWA, WWF and WCW, Funk’s career found a second wind when he joined Eastern Championship Wrestling, later Extreme Championship Wrestling. Funk had appeared in Japan as a “hardcore” wrestler, participating in brutal and violent contests.

In My Entire Life, I’ve Never Met A Guy Who Worked Harder. Terry Funk Was A Great Wrestler, Entertainer, Unbelievably Fearless, And A Great Friend! Rest In Peace My Friend Terry Funk Knowing That No One Will Ever Replace You In The World Of Professional Wrestling! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/EYMAKOzxnx

— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) August 23, 2023
Funk utilized that hardcore style as a cornerstone of ECW, eventually winning the promotion’s top title in the main event of their first-ever pay-per-view event, Barely Legal on April 13, 1997. He would go on to have more stints in WWE, WCW and ECW throughout his career, as well as time in TNA and on the independent circuit.

During that time, Funk would routinely retire, only to return to the ring again and again. He would have his final match in September 2017, finally hanging up his boots for good.

Funk also took on several acting roles, most notably appearing in the 1989 Patrick Swayze film Roadhouse.

Funk was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2009.

Bray Wyatt, an unparalleled WWE superstar, passes away unexpectedly

Windham Rotunda, better known to WWE fans as Bray Wyatt, has died at age 36. WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque shared the devastating news on social media noting that Rotunda’s passing was unexpected.

A three-time champion in WWE, Wyatt re-signed with the promotion last year, returning to significant fanfare at WWE Extreme Rules on Oct. 8, 2022. Wyatt was in the middle of a program involving a mysterious and manipulating force called “Uncle Howdy” but was quietly removed from WWE programming in late February amid injury rumors.

“Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda — also known as Bray Wyatt — unexpectedly passed earlier today,” wrote Levesque, better known to fans as Hall of Famer superstar Triple H. “Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time.”

No further information is available regarding the nature of Rotunda’s death.

WWE is saddened to learn that Windham Rotunda, also known as Bray Wyatt, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 24, at age 36.

WWE extends its condolences to Rotunda’s family, friends and fans. pic.twitter.com/pabVuaKlnP

— WWE (@WWE) August 24, 2023
Windham’s father, Mike Rotunda, previously wrestled in WWE as Irwin R. Schyster (IRS). He was best known his association with Ted DiBiase. Windham’s younger brother, Taylor Michael Rotunda, also wrestled for WWE as Bo Dallas. It is believed that Taylor is signed to the promotion and had been working with his brother under the mask of the “Uncle Howdy” persona.

Windham Rotunda extended wrestling family included grandfather Blackjack Mulligan (Robert Windham) and uncles Barry Windham and Kendall Windham, for whom he was named.

Rotunda pushed the boundaries for modern character portrayals in not just WWE but all of professional wrestling.

He started with WWE in 2009 as a relatively generic superstar named Husky Harris before later being repackaged as Bray Wyatt. His unnerving portrayal as the cult leader of the Wyatt Family captured the imagination of fans worldwide and made him one of the company’s most popular superstars.

A later adaptation of his character, The Fiend, was a masked, sinister entity that became a focal point of programming and earned him two reigns as WWE universal champion.

Wyatt also won the WWE championship and two tag team championships. He famously wrestled legendary superstars Randy Orton and John Cena at two of WWE’s biggest shows, losing the WWE title to Orton at WrestleMania 33 and beating Cena in a one-of-a-kind “Firefly Fun House” match at WrestleMania 36 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

His death comes less than three years after his best friend Jonathan Huber — former Wyatt Family member Luke Harper and AEW wrestler Brodie Lee — died unexpectedly at age 41.

Top five moments of a WWE career filled incredible, awe-inspiring highlights

In the wake of the shocking death of Windham Rotunda — WWE superstar Bray Wyatt — there has been an outpouring of support from fans as well as professional wrestlers from every promotion of note. Along with the memories and support for Wyatt’s family being shared, many have been posting their favorite memories of Wyatt’s unique WWE run.

Those moments run the gamut of Wyatt’s time in NXT, on the main roster as the leader of The Wyatt Family, through his time as The Fiend. Even as Wyatt was released by WWE only to return a year later, he capitvated fans again with one of the most viral comebacks in the history of professional wrestling.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a look back through Wyatt’s incredible run to identify five of our favorite moments from his WWE career.

  1. Every time Wyatt debuted or returned
    Is it cheating to tie all of these together? Maybe. But this is a top-five list and you could take up nearly the entire list with Wyatt’s debuts and returns alone. From his haunting videos prior to debuting in-ring in NXT to the vignettes and debut of The Wyatt Family on the WWE main roster to the debut of The Fiend and the Firefly Fun House to his most recent return at 2022’s edition of Extreme Rules, every time Wyatt arrived on the scene, he did so in a way that changed the scene and reinvigorated his career. At times, the ideas Wyatt was trying to present didn’t translate perfectly as a part of a wrestling show, but the ideas were always fresh and unique and the hits far outnumbered the misses.
  2. Firefly Fun House match (WrestleMania 36)
    As with every business, the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented hurdles for professional wrestling. WWE charged ahead, moving their shows from the usual packed arenas to the empty WWE Performance Center in Orlando — and eventually to the “Thunderdome” complete with virtual fans. WrestleMania 36 is arguably the most striking example of WWE’s approach to the early days of the pandemic.

Holding the biggest show of the year with no fans in attendance, WWE leaned into some unexpected avenues of creativity, including Wyatt facing John Cena in a Firefly Fun House match. Rather than a standard match, what followed was a trippy version of a “cinematic match” with Wyatt’s The Fiend forcing Cena to “face himself” in a series of dream-like sequences before Wyatt ultimately won one of the most creative matches in WWE history.

  1. The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield
    WWE struck gold when they matched The Wyatt Family with The Shield, putting two dominant — and massively over — three-man factions into direct conflict. What followed was a brief series of matches that showed the two groups had a unique chemistry as a collection of big personalities and talented in-ring performers.

The first match between the factions at Elimination Chamber 2014 was a near-perfect example of the WWE’s ideal match structure in the modern era while also featuring six men who were all different but blended to create a wonderful mix of violence and storytelling. The teams would have three more matches, all good but none touched the heights of the Elimination Chamber clash, which may have been WWE’s best match of 2014. The relatively brief rivalry also provided a foundation for the incredible chemistry Wyatt had with Roman Reigns (more on that later).

  1. Finally capturing the WWE championship
    Wyatt was established as a top act in WWE for years, but aside from a 23-day run with the SmackDown tag team titles, had not held championship gold. That finally changed in February 2017 when Wyatt won the Elimination Chamber to capture the WWE championship. Wyatt would only make one successful defense of the belt before losing the belt to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 33. Wyatt would have two more world title reigns, both times holding the universal championship.

None of Wyatt’s runs as world champion were particularly memorable and all ended in odd or unsatisfying ways. Still, as a measure of a wrestler’s legacy, being trusted to hold a world title even briefly is a tremendous resume booster.

  1. Iconic moment with Roman Reigns
    For all of his incredible ideas, character work, matches, video packages and promos, there’s nothing that quite distills how simply cool Wyatt was as a wrestler. Little moments can show just how much a performer really understands how to stand out from the pack and there are few moments as perfect as the end of Wyatt’s match teaming with Reigns on April 11, 2016. As previously mentioned, Wyatt and Reigns had built tremendous chemistry together over the years. On that night, though, they found themselves as unlikely allies against Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus of the League of Nations.

The how and why of it all doesn’t matter. What does matter, however, is the way the match ended. Wyatt hit Del Rio with Sister Abigail, securing the pin while simultaneously pointing at Sheamus as the Irishman entered the ring, directing Reigns to deliver a spear to help secure the win. Not too many wrestlers have had a moment as iconic as that.