What is Omicron Variant BF7

Omicron is a group of 8 Greek letters, and can be shortened to the word 'alpha.' It is also the third letter of the Greek alphabet. Although originally an Arabic term, omicron is now used in English as well. The letters in omicron are similar in structure and personality to the letter beta, gamma and delta. For example, Omicron variants include Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Netanyahu, EnricOmri and Yasser Arafat. Essentially, alpha has many variations.

Due to its name, the omicron is a group of 8 letters. Members of this group are generally calm, quiet and peaceful people. They make good leaders and generally speak with much respect for others. Omicrons tend to be very studious people who prefer working in a quiet environment. They hate being rushed or interrupted while working and will often respond rudely to such actions. Additionally, they hate when people talk nonstop; this will often make them snap at someone out of irritation. They also have a high tolerance for alcohol and will often consume it without issue.

Omicrons tend to have a strong mental connection with numbers. They find it easy to relate to numbers and understand concepts like infinity and uncertainty. This makes them excellent mathematicians, engineers and scientists, regardless of which field they work in. They also have good intuition, which allows them to come up with brilliant ideas. Many omicrons have found success as inventors; they have created countless devices that improve daily life for humans and aliens alike.

Several common personality traits exhibited by omicrons include discipline, thoughtfulness, intuition, tolerance, perceptiveness and creativity. They are also generally kindhearted people who want everyone to get along with one another. As a result of this trait, they're usually peacemakers and mediators, which makes them excellent politicians as well as generals and captains in military organizations. Omicrons also have excellent taste in literature as well as art; they are also highly cultured individuals who love attending classical or contemporary music concerts or operas.

Essentially an alpha with better-developed mental capabilities, the omicron is an exceptional letter with many proven uses throughout human culture. From its name to its number of letters, an omicron has it all! Truly a symbol of excellence on multiple levels, the omicron is a letter that has been studied by philosophers for millennia. It's still an Alpha with many variations!

With just 50% of participants having the traditional three symptoms of fever, cough, or loss of taste or smell, this analysis indicated no discernible difference between the symptom profiles of Omicron and Delta.

 

Top 10 skills which makes you more successful in 2023.

There are many different skills that can contribute to success in any field, and the specific skills that are the most important may vary depending on your goals and the specific industry or context you are working in. However, some skills that may be particularly valuable in the coming years includ

1. Adaptability: The ability to adapt to change and learn new things quickly can be a key factor in success, as the world and the job market are constantly evolving.                                                                         2. Flexibility: Being open to new ideas and approaches, and being able to adapt to changing circumstances or new situations, can be important for success. This skill involves being able to think on your feet and consider a range of options in order to find the best solution to a problem.                                                            3. Problem-solving: The ability to think critically and creatively and to find solutions to complex problems can be a valuable asset in any profession

4. Creativity: The ability to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative ideas can be a valuable asset for success. This skill involves being able to generate and consider a range of different options and perspectives.                                                                                                                                                              5. Planning and organization: Being able to effectively plan and organize your work can help you stay on track and achieve your goals. This includes the ability to set clear objectives, prioritize tasks, and manage your resources effectively.                                                                                                                                              6. Critical thinking: The ability to analyze information and situations carefully and objectively, and to draw logical conclusions, is important for success. This skill involves being able to think deeply about problems and evaluate different options in order to make informed decisions.                                                                             7. Attention to detail: Paying close attention to detail is important for success, as it can help you avoid mistakes and produce high-quality work. This skill involves being able to focus and concentrate on tasks, and to carefully review your work for errors

8. Emotional intelligence: The ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, can be important for success. This includes the ability to recognize and regulate your own emotions, as well as being able to empathize with others and build strong relationships.                                                         9. Strategic thinking: The ability to think ahead and plan for the long-term is important for success. This skill involves being able to consider the big picture and anticipate potential challenges or opportunities.                      10. Emotional control: The ability to regulate your emotions and stay calm under pressure is important for success. This skill involves being able to stay level-headed and maintain a positive attitude even when things are challenging.

 

Ireland Baldwin Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby with Boyfriend RAC

Ireland Baldwin is going to be a mom

On Saturday, Baldwin, 27, posted a photo of a sonogram, writing in the caption, "Happy New Year ❤️." This will be Baldwin's first child, which she is expecting with boyfriend RAC (born André Allen Anjos). He also shared the post to his feed.

Baldwin further confirmed the news with a photo of a pregnancy test she shared to her Instagram Stories, which she captioned "It's not a dog lol" — responding to the many commenters who seemed to think Baldwin was pulling a prank by sharing a photo of a puppy rather than a human baby.

And as to how she's feeling? She also shared a pic of herself appearing to experience morning sickness next to a toilet, saying that if you'd had trouble getting in touch with her recently, "it's because this was me for the past while."

Many celeb friends sent well wishes in the comments, including Sarah Paulson, who wrote, "Omg!!!!! Congratulations!!!" and Rumer Willis (who herself is expecting!) who said "Yay can't wait to meet you little one."

It is unclear when the pair started dating, but over the past year they've celebrated many holidays together,including Halloween, Christmas,and Valentine'sDay,according to the musician's Instagram posts.

Earlier this year, RAC announced he and Baldwin (who is the daughter of Alec Baldwin and his ex wife Kim Basinger) opened a shop on the Oregon coast called "Good Times.It's in the beautiful town of Gearhart, right on the beach," he explained in the Instagram caption. "We're still getting it all ready but we're so excited and can't wait to share.In October, RAC honored Baldwin on her 27th birthday by posting a video montage featuring photos and clips of the pair from a variety of moments in their life together while writing in the caption, "happy birthday @irelandirelandireland 😍 you make me feel alive ✨."

Baldwin created a highlight on her Instagram page from stories documenting her romance with RAC and simply captioned it, "👽❤️👽."

 

Marie Osmond Shares Rare Photo with Husband Steve Craig at Disney World (and Surprise, She's Blonde!)

Marie Osmond is having some Disney fun with her family in style On Friday, the singer and actress, 63, shared a rare photo with her husband Steve Craig at Disney World and sported a new hairstyle in the process.

"After we finished the #CandlightCelebration at Epcot, I've been blessed to spend the week with my family here at Walt Disney World!🥰💕 I hope you have all had a relaxing and wonderful week!" she wrote in the Instagram caption.

Wearing a black long sleeve and black Mickey Mouse-printed pants, Osmond debuted her new shorter blonde hair, which is a departure from her long brunette locks.

All smiles with her husband, Osmond poses for a pic with Craig, who wrapped his arm around his wife. In the second photo, The Talk former co-host snapped an adorable shot of Craig and her grandchildren holding hands as they walked through the theme park.

In 2011, Osmond remarried Craig 26 years after they divorced in 1985, first marrying in 1982.

Before she reconnected with her husband, the Donny & Marie star married actor Brian Blosil in 1986 and divorced after more than 20 years in 2007.

Osmond, now a grandmother of 8, confirmed to PEOPLE in 2019 that her daughter Brianna, 23, and her cinematographer husband Dave Schwep, 44, had welcomed a baby girl.

The longtime entertainer also has three other daughters, Jessica, 31, Rachael, 30, and Abigail, 16, as well as four sons, including Stephen, 38, Brandon, 24, Matthew, 22, and Michael, who died by suicide at 19.

In 2019, Osmond opened up to PEOPLE about remarrying Craig.

"Nothing is an accident," Osmond told PEOPLE at the time. "I am a spiritual person. So [I believe] God has his timing."

After her painful divorce from Blosil, Osmond shared, "I never wanted to be married again. I was like, 'I'm fine, I'm good!'" So when she reconnected with Craig through their son Stephen, it was an unexpected surprise."

"The thing about a second marriage is that you realize things you thought were so important, aren't," Osmond said. "I love being with my husband. He is the sweetest man I know. He lives to serve and really listens to people's needs."

Eventually, "Stephen was getting married and we [realized] we can't go to our son's wedding and not be married," she told PEOPLE. "So we got married a few months before he did. He joked that he never thought it would happen, but it did!"

 

Avatar: The Way of Water’ Dominating New Year’s Weekend Box Office With Projected $87 Million Holiday Haul

“Avatar: The Way of Water” is closing out 2022 on a high note.

James Cameron’s ambitious and mega-expensive return to Pandora dominated the Friday box office, earning $24.4 million to push its domestic total to $382.6 million. The film is on track to gross $66.8 million this weekend or $87.8 million over the four-day holiday (most businesses are giving Monday off because New Year’s falls on Sunday).

By the time the long weekend is over, “Avatar: The Way of Water” may have sailed to more than $44With “Avatar: The Way of Water” looming large, Universal’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is poised to capture runner-up status. The animated sequel earned $6.5 million on Friday and is expected to net $15.9 million over the weekend and $21.2 million over the four-day holiday. That means it will likely enter 2023 with $66.6 million in grosses.

Disney and Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” nabbed third place on Friday, earning $1.8 million to bring its domestic gross to $434.9 million. It will earn $5.2 million this weekend and more than $7 million over the long holiday.5 million, overtaking “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” as the second highest-grossing domestic release of 2022. Disney produced both movies — the company acquired the rights to “Avatar” as part of its purchase of much of 20th Century Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019. “Top Gun: Maverick” is still the top domestic ticket seller with $718.7 million in revenues. Currently, “Avatar: The Way of Water” is the fourth highest-grossing domestic release of 2022, just behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” with its $411.3 million total. But it’s moving up the chart at a rapid clip.

With “Avatar: The Way of Water” looming large, Universal’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is poised to capture runner-up status. The animated sequel earned $6.5 million on Friday and is expected to net $15.9 million over the weekend and $21.2 million over the four-day holiday. That means it will likely enter 2023 with $66.6 million in grosses.

Disney and Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” nabbed third place on Friday, earning $1.8 million to bring its domestic gross to $434.9 million. It will earn $5.2 million this weekend and more than $7 million over the long holiday.

Sony’s “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody” took fourth place with roughly $1.5 million on Friday. That brings the biopic’s domestic gross to just over $11 million. It should gross $5.2 million over the holiday, which would leave it with nearly $16 million.

Paramount’s “Babylon,” a sprawling look at the dawn of Hollywood, continued to sputter. The drama grossed a paltry $935,000 on Friday. It should earn under $4 million over the holiday weekend, which would bring its domestic total to a disastrous $11 million and change. The movie, which features Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt as dysfunctional Silent era stars, cost $80 million to make and could lose more than that figure when marketing costs are taken into account.

Last Sunset of 2022 Photos and Messages Go Viral on NYE, Netizens Gear Up To Welcome Happy New Year 2023

We will rise to a new day of a new year in a matter of few hours. The Sun has set for the last day of 2022 and now everyone looks forward to the new rise of 2023. And how can we not capture the memories of it, so people are sharing pictures of the last sunset of 2022 on Twitter and along with it making hopeful wishes for a Happy New Year 2023. New Year 2023 Fireworks in Australia: 9 PM Lightshow on Sydney Harbour Begins on New Year’s Eve, See Amazing Pics and Videos

 

WATCH: Australia and elsewhere shake off Covid to ring in 2023

SYDNEY:

Australia is gearing up to celebrate its first restriction-free New Year's Eve after two years of Covid disruptions, with more than a million revellers expected to flock to Sydney's harbourfront and watch an elaborate fireworks display.

Sydney is one of the world's first major cities to welcome in the New Year and draws huge TV audiences around the world, with a public countdown and fireworks display over its iconic Opera House.

"This New Year's Eve we are saying Sydney is back as we kick off festivities around the world and bring in the New Year with a bang," said Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney.

Lockdowns at the end of 2020 and a surge in Omicron cases at the end of 2021 led to crowd restrictions and reduced festivities. However, curbs on celebrations have been lifted this year after Australia, like many countries around the world, re-opened its borders and removed social distancing restrictions.

A rainbow of colour will light up Sydney Harbour, with 2,000 fireworks to be launched from the four sails of the Sydney Opera House and 7,000 fireworks from more positions on the Sydney Harbour Bridge than ever before.

For the first time in 12 years, fireworks will be launched from four building rooftops to frame the spectacular show, the organisers said.

Prior to the pandemic, over a million people would join the festivities on the ground in Sydney as a billion spectators tuned in from other parts of the world.

Paris will stage its first New Year fireworks since 2019, after the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to Covid. A 10-minute firework show is set to kick off at midnight, with 500,000 people expected to gather on the famous Champs-Elysees avenue to watch it.

Elsewhere, the mood was not so celebratory.

Malaysia's government cancelled its New Year countdown and fireworks event at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur after flooding across the nation displaced tens of thousands of people and a landslide killed 31 people this month.

The country's famous Petronas Twin Towers said it would pare down its celebration with no performances or fireworks.

In China, many people reflected online that a wave of Covid-19 infections since the country switched to living with the virus from a strict policy aimed at eradicating outbreaks had ruined the chances of a celebratory mood.

"This virus should just go and die, cannot believe this year I cannot even find a healthy friend that can go out with me and celebrate the passage into the New Year", wrote one user based in eastern Shandong province.

Others expressed hope the New Year would herald China's return to pre-pandemic life.

Entertainment articles news

 

Scrutiny turns to George Santos’s campaign funding

As new revelations about the falsehoods Rep.-elect George Santos (R-N.Y.) has told about his background continue to emerge, several peculiarities in the incoming congressman’s fina

nces are facing heavy scrutiny — and could prove to be his greatest liability.

Santos’s finances and financial disclosures are the subject of a federal investigation, reports revealed this week.

Given that much of Santos’s biography has apparently been fabricated, it’s possible the most troubling components of that fabrication — from a campaign finance perspective, anyway — have not yet been fully revealed,” said Saurav Ghosh, the director of federal campaign finance reform for the Campaign Legal Center.

Santos admitted on Monday to making several false claims about his educational and professional background in his campaign for Congress, after a New York Times report called into question the veracity of much of his résumé.

Despite previous claims that he graduated from Baruch College and worked for both Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, Santos told the New York Post that he “didn’t graduate from any institution of higher learning” and “never worked directly” with either firm.

“A lot of people overstate in their résumés, or twist a little bit,” Santos said in an interview with local radio station WABC-AM. “I’m not saying I’m not guilty of that, I’m just saying, I’ve done so much good work in my career. I’m not a criminal who defrauded the entire country.”

However, the discrepancies in what Santos has said about his background go beyond his résumé, according to recent reports.

After previously claiming to be a “proud American Jew” whose maternal grandparents fled anti-Jewish persecution in Europe during World War II, for instance, Santos told the New York Post on Monday that he identifies religiously as Catholic and that he “never claimed to be Jewish.

The Nassau County, N.Y., district attorney on Wednesday announced an investigation into Santos over the false claims.

And as questions continue to emerge about all aspects of Santos’s background, his finances and financial disclosure filings are also reportedly being investigated by the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of New York.

One of most noticeable peculiarities in Santos’s finances is his rapid accumulation of wealth before his run for Congress in 2022, said Jordan Libowitz, the communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.Santos provided his own campaign with a loan of $700,000, apparently from the $750,000 salary that he reported earning from his company, the Devolder Organization, in his most recent financial disclosure. Santos also reported more than $1 million in dividends from Devolder.

However, during his unsuccessful campaign for Congress just two years earlier, Santos reported having no assets and a salary of $55,000.Santos’s financial situation becomes murkier upon closer examination of his company. The incoming congressman created the Devolder Organization in May 2021, just weeks after his prior employer, Harbor City Capitol, was accused of running a Ponzi scheme by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Santos was not implicated in and has denied any knowledge of the scheme.

It remains unclear what exactly Devolder is, as little information exists online about the company and Santos has given several different explanations as to its function. On his campaign website in 2021, Santos described the company as his “family’s firm” and claimed to oversee assets worth $80 million there.

However, in an April interview with the Daily Beast, Santos suggested that he created the Devolder Organization to help former Harbor City employees “who were left adrift.”

On his 2022 financial disclosure form and in a recent interview with Semafor, Santos described Devolder as a capital introduction business that included “deal building” and “specialty consulting” for “high net worth individuals.”

Santos also suggested to Semafor that the Devolder Organization explained his rapid accumulation of wealth, saying he “landed a couple of million-dollar contracts” within the company’s first six months.

The Devolder Organization was dissolved in September of this year for failing to file an annual report. However, after the Times’s Dec. 19 report about Santos, the company was reinstated on Dec. 20, according to the Florida Department of State.

“We don’t know very much about this business that he said he created, made millions off of, then folded,” Libowitz noted. “It doesn’t seem to have had any footprints anywhere.”

Libowitz and Ghosh both suggested there is a possibility the company was not legitimate and was used to get around campaign finance limits.

While corporations and individual donors face strict limitations on how much they can contribute to campaigns, candidates can give an unlimited amount to themselves.

“He went from essentially no money in 2020 to millions in 2022,” Libowitz noted.

“If that income wasn’t bona fide and was actually part of a scheme to funnel money into and bankroll his campaign (which is possible though we do not know for certain just yet), that would constitute a brazen violation of federal campaign finance laws,” Ghosh said.

Despite the backlash over the false claims about his background, several calls for his resignation and the multiple investigations he’s facing, Santos appears unlikely to step aside before he joins the ranks of Congress next week.

“It was an honor to tour the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point today,” Santos said in a tweet on Wednesday. “In Congress, I look forward to working alongside them to fully utilize this amazing resource we have in our own backyard in #NY03.”

 

Suspect arrested in University of Idaho quadruple homicide

The slain students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death at a rental home near campus sometime in the early morning hours of Nov. 13.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) —A 28-year-old criminal justice graduate student was arrested in eastern Pennsylvania on Friday as a suspect in the mysterious stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students last month, authorities said.DNA evidence played a key role in identifying Bryan Christopher Kohberger as a suspect in the killings, and officials were able to match his DNA to genetic material recovered during the investigation, a law enforcement official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation.The students — Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin — were stabbed to death at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho, sometime in the early morning hours of Nov. 13.

Moscow Police Chief James Fry said Kohberger attends Washington State University, which is only a few miles across the state line from Moscow.

Investigators are still looking for a weapon, Fry said at a press conference. He was emotional as he announced the arrest, calling the victims by their first names.

The killings initially confounded law enforcement and shook the small farming community of about 25,000 people, which hadn’t had a murder for five years. But tips began pouring in after law enforcement asked the public for help finding a white Hyundai Elantra sedan seen near the home around the time of the killings.

In addition to the DNA evidence, authorities also learned Kohberger had a white Hyundai Elantra, the official who spoke anonymously said. In recent days, federal investigators had been watching Kohberger and arrested him early Friday morning at a home in Chestnuthill Township, Pennsylvania.

Federal and state investigators are now combing through his background, financial records and electronic communications as they work to identify a motive and build the case, the official said. The investigators are also interviewing people who knew Kohberger, including those at Washington State University, the official said.

During the press conference, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said investigators believe Kohberger broke into the students’ home “with the intent to commit murder.” He is being held without bond in Pennsylvania, and will be held without bond in Idaho once he is returned, Thompson said. The affidavit for four charges of first-degree murder in Idaho will remain sealed until he is returned, as required by state law.

Kohberger is also charged with felony burglary in Idaho, Thompson said. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Kohberger just completed his first semester as a PhD student in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University. He is also a teaching assistant for the university’s criminal justice and criminology program, according to WSU’s online directory. University police assisted Idaho law enforcement in executing search warrants at Kohberger’s campus apartment and office, the university said. WSU officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Kohberger’s work as a teaching assistant.This horrific act has shaken everyone in the Palouse region,” said WSU provost Elizabeth Chilton in a prepared statement, referring to the scenic rolling hills surrounding both universities. “We will long feel the loss of these young people in the Moscow-Pullman community and hope the announcement today will be a step toward healing.”

WSU and UI are partners in several academic programs, and students sometimes attend classes and seminars or work at the neighboring schools. That doesn’t appear to be the case with Kohberger: University of Idaho President Scott Green wrote in a memo to students and employees on Friday evening that the Idaho school had no record of him.

Kohberger graduated from Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania with an associate of arts degree in psychology in 2018, said college spokesperson Mia Rossi-Marino. DeSales University in Pennsylvania said that he received a bachelor’s degree in 2020 and completed graduate studies in June 2022.

Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Mogen, 21, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls, Idaho; and Chapin, 20, of Conway, Washington, were members of the university’s Greek system and close friends. Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle lived in the three-story rental home with two other roommates. Kernodle and Chapin were dating and he was visiting the house that night.

Autopsies showed all four were likely asleep when they were attacked. Some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times. There was no sign of sexual assault, police said.

Police said Thursday the rental home would be cleared of “potential biohazards and other harmful substances” to collect evidence starting Friday morning.

Shanon Gray, an attorney representing Goncalves’s father, Steve Goncalves, said law enforcement officials called the family last night to let them know about the arrest, but gave no additional information about how or why they believe he might be connected to the murders.

Ben Roberts, a graduate student in the criminology and criminal justice department at WSU, described Kohberger as confident and outgoing, but said it seemed like “he was always looking for a way to fit in.”

“I had honestly just pegged him as being super awkward.” Roberts said.

Roberts started the program in August — along with Kohberger, he said — and had several courses with him. He described Kohberger as wanting to appear academic.

“One thing he would always do, almost without fail, was find the most complicated way to explain something,” he said. “He had to make sure you knew that he knew it.”

Ethan Chapin’s family emailed a statement after the press conference. “We are relieved this chapter is over because it provides a form of closure. However, it doesn’t alter the outcome or alleviate the pain,” the family wrote. “We miss Ethan, and our family is forever changed.”

The case enticed online sleuths who speculated about potential suspects and motives. Safety concerns also had the university hiring an additional security firm to escort students across campus and the Idaho State Police sending troopers to help patrol the city’s streets.

Kohberger was arrested in eastern Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains. No lawyer for Kohberger was listed in court documents and phone calls to the county public defender’s office went answered Friday.

Boone reported from Boise, Idaho, and Balsamo reported from Washington. News Researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York, and reporters Mark Scolforo and Brooke Schultz in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Michael Kunzelman in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Martha Bellisle in Seattle also contributed.

Barbara Walters groundbreaking tv,journalist dies at 93 age

Barbara Walters, the iconic TV journalist known for her interviews with presidents, world leaders and Hollywood stars, has died at the age of 93, a representative for Walters confirmed to CBS News Friday night. 

"Barbara Walters passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones. She lived her life with no regrets. She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists, but for all women," representative Cindi Berger said in a statement. 

 
WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from December 30

John Cena kept a 20-year streak intact Friday night, returning to SmackDown for a year-closing main event in which he partnered with Kevin Owens to battle Sami Zayn and Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns.

Cena's first, and only, match of 2022 headlined an episode that also saw a defense of the SmackDown Women's Championship by Ronda Rousey and the latest in the battle for supremacy between The Brawling Brutes and The Bloodline

John Cena and Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn Sheamus vs. Solo SIkoa SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Ronda Rousey .Bray Wyatt Kicked Off SmackDown 

• Bray Wyatt kicked off the night's broadcast and immediately apologized for his actions a week ago, which saw him attack an innocent cameraman. LA Knight interrupted, though,After Knight issued a challenge for a match at Royal Rumble and Wyatt accepted, Uncle Howdy made his way to the ring. He came face-to-face with Wyatt, then stood by his side before dropping the former WWE champion with Sister Abigail and leaving Knight to ask, "what is going on?!"

• This was a noteworthy start to the show. It once again put Howdy in the arena and this time, his actions suggest he might not actually be on the same side as Wyatt. Knight audibly questioning what is going on reflects the audience's sentiment as they try to figure out the pieces of the puzzle Wyatt and the creative forces at play are producing.

  The Rumble match between Wyatt and Knight should be good and, more importantly, prevents the former from having to lose in the actual Royal Rumble.

• Top Moment"Deep down, I don't think of myself as a good person, though I really do try." "You can't even finish a sentence, then you get all embarrassed and take it out on a poor cameraman," Knight said, mocking Wyatt.You pay one of your goons to come down here in a Captain Howdy outfit...""You used to be something. You used to be a force," Knight said, taunting Wyatt. "Week after week, all you've proven yourself to be is a fraud. A broke-down loser." Uncle Howdy entered the arena, stepping through what appeared to be an enflamed doorway, complete with his own theme music. 

• Sheamus vs. Solo Sikoa

An appropriately physical match kicked off the night's in-ring action as The Brawling Brutes' Sheamus battled The Bloodline's Solo Sikoa one-on-one. Butch and Ridge Holland accompanied The Celtic Warrior while The Usos backed up their brother.

Sheamus fought from underneath and surged late but a momentary distraction caused by his attack on Jimmy and Jey allowed Sikoa to drive him into the post and deliver a Samoan Spike for the pinfall victory.

After the match, The Bloodline wiped out Butch and Holland and beat down Sheamus until Drew McIntyre returned for the first time since Survivor Series and made the save.

A bit more seasoning for Sikoa and this would have been a real banger but as it is, this was a fine, competitive match that spotlighted the young star while continuing to put over the grittiness of Sheamus at this point in his Hall of Fame career.

McIntyre making the save makes sense, not only because of his respect for Sheamus but because of the unfinished business he has with Sikoa. It was the NXT export who cost The Scottish Warrior the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship back at Clash At The Castle and the company has done a fantastic job with the slow burn rather than jumping at the first opportunity to book the match.

Sikoa pinned Sheamus

Top MomentsSheamus wiped out The Usos at ringside, allowing Sikoa to grab him by the arm and drive him into the ring post.The McIntyre save drew a big pop, a testament to his continued popularity with the WWE fans.

• SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Ronda Rousey

• Driven by fury following multiple attacks that left her with an injured arm, Raquel Rodriguez wasted little time taking the fight to SmackDown Women's Champion Ronda Rousey in their title bout Friday night.

  Rousey capitalized on an ill-fated blind charge heading into the break and targeted the arm, looking to exploit it to her advantage as she seized control. A big vertical suplex coming out of the break earned Rodriguez a two-count.

  Later, interference from Shayna Baszler went unpunished by the official and moments later, a recovered Rousey applied the armbar and pulled her from the top rope to the mat below, forcing an immediate tapout.

  With zero time to waste, Charlotte Flair returned to WWE, months after losing the same SmackDown Women's Championship to Rousey, and issued a challenge for a match tonight. Rousey accepted and Flair proceeded to escape and score a pin on Rousey to win the title.

• This is some expert Jedi mind trickery here as Triple H and the creative team have the crowd cheering Flair in a way she had not been in quite some time, partly due to the surprise but, also, because they really don't like Rousey that much more.

  Of course, it will be interesting to see if Flair can retain that popularity as it becomes clear that she is in her 14th reign as champion and literally just strolled back in and won the gold. With that said, she is a standard-bearer for women's wrestling and has more than earned her spot.

  A new look, a new theme song, and a different presentation helped pique interest in The Queen once more. Whether Triple H and Co. can help preserve that interest is the real question moving forward.

  As for Rodriguez, she looked very good and was clearly the better of the two wrestlers. It would not be surprising to see her in a high-profile match or position against Flair right around WrestleMania 39.

• Rousey defeated Rodriguez to retain; Flair defeated Rousey to win the title

• Top Moments"Oh, we got a bleeder!" Rousey taunted as she continued her domination of Rodriguez.Rousey grabbed Rodriguez's arm but the challenger powered through it spilled to the floor and powerbombed the champion onto the ring apron.Rodriguez had the title won but Baszler interfered on behalf of the champion as the commentary team called for her dismissal from ringside. It did not come.

• Gunther's Path of Destruction

• Intercontinental champion Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci hit the ring for a promo segment but Braun Strowman interrupted relatively quickly.

  Strowman issued a challenge for an IC title match but Gunther turned to walk away. Strowman insisted and a brawl broke out. The Monster Among Monsters launched himself at The Ring General but crashed through the timekeeper's barricade. Imperium beat him down before Gunther targeted the left arm of his top contender.

  Vinci and Kaiser fended off referees and officials but a chair-toting Ricochet chased the heels off.

  It appears destined to be Strowman who, potentially, ends Gunther's run. At the very least, is his latest and greatest challenger. Either way, it was nice to see the heel get some heat back by punishing Strowman and potentially injuring him after running like a coward the last handful of times he was in the big man's vicinity.

  The inevitable showdown will have heat and, if recent history is any indication, Gunther will probably give Strowman his best match to date.

  Top Moments Backstage, Sami Zayn asked Roman Reigns if he is upset about the crowd chanting his name instead of The Tribal Chief, to which the Undisputed WWE Universal champion laughed it off. Some friendly backstage competition gave way to a heated exchange between Hit Row and Ricochet after the latter referred to Top Dolla as "Flop Dolla," in response to his recent botched dive.Michael Cole officially announced Wyatt vs. Knight for Royal Rumble as the "Mountain Dew Pitch Black" match but did not go into further detail. 

• John Cena and Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn

• John Cena may have returned to the ring for the first time in 2022 as part of Friday's main event tag team match but the story of the first half was Sami Zayn, who sought to impress Roman Reigns as The Bloodline representatives battled The Greatest of All Time and Kevin Owens.

  The heels isolated and beat down Owens through the commercial break, cutting him off from Cena. When it looked like a hot tag might be coming, The Tribal Chief pulled Cena off the apron.

  Cena eventually exploded into the match, wiped out Reigns with an Attitude Adjustment and watched as Owens finished Zayn with a Stunner for the win.

  The match was seriously abbreviated, having only 10 minutes once the entrances and final commercials wrapped up. The action was abrupt and rushed, with a brief heat segment on Owens before the Cena hot tag. By the time he finally hit the ring to spark the comeback, it was over.

  All of the hype and Cena's involvement was limited to a few moves before it went home.

  With that said, the energy he brought to the match and his selflessness when it came to giving Owens the shine was the stuff of a real pro. His involvement may have been short-lived but he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand and really help put over Owens by sharing the spotlight with him and allowing him to get the pin on Zayn.

  How will Reigns react to Zayn failing to end the KO problem and, worse, losing the match for The Bloodline? That will be the story to watch heading into 2023.

  
  

  Cena and Owens defeated Reigns and Zayn B elevated significantly by the fun of it all and the raw energy of Cena, which is majorly missed

  Top Moments

  • Amid the pomp and circumstance of the match, Michael Cole slyly reminded the audience that Zayn is still "honorary" until that title is dropped and he had to impress Reigns and end the KO problem to make that happen. Great setup and a reminder of what's actually at play in this match. "You're embarrassing yourself in front of The Tribal Chief," Owens exclaimed. Owens scored a near-fall off a frog splash on Reigns.The Cena hot tag was special stuff, as was the double Five Knuckle Shuffle to the heels.

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