Game 7 set up as The Joker vs. The Kings of Floppers.

Then, news broke Friday night that Aaron Gordon, as feared, strained his left hamstring and is doubtful to play. The Nuggets, on paper, are royally flushed.

Denver is now an 8.5-point underdog at Oklahoma City. Time to change the postseason slogan from “We Believe” to “We Have Serious Doubts.”

Three indispensable players emerged for the Nuggets this postseason, with Gordon and Jamal Murray toggling between second and third behind MVP candidate Nikola Jokic.

If the Nuggets somehow win their second straight Game 7, unseating the favorites to win the NBA championship, it will draw comparisons to Lake Placid and the Americans vs. the Soviets. Or at least it feels like that.

But a narrow path remains for an upset.

It starts with Jokic. The Nuggets typically lose when he gorges, posting a 5-7 record this season when he scores 40 or more points. They are 1-1 in this series.

Along with LeBron James, Jokic is the only player who averages 25 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in elimination games, per ESPN. Those stats are his sweet spot and why he owns a 10-5 record in knockout contests.

A healthy Gordon set up a storyline where Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander canceled each other out, leaving someone else as the difference. Not now. Jokic has to go off. Think of 40 as a baseline to cover for Gordon’s absence or compromised status.

And in that way, Sunday is delicious. The theory has been floated that Gilgeous-Alexander will receive the MVP award before the game, creating a spicy element as the guard attempts to affirm his worth, while Jokic disputes it with a legacy performance.

That will not happen.

A league source told The Post that there will be no MVP announcement on Sunday. There is nothing nefarious at work, it has just not worked out yet. The trophy is typically presented during the second round, but only one window opened that made sense: the Monday before Game 5, when the series was tied. However, the award must be presented on TNT and the broadcast partner did not have a game that night.

So we wait.

Regardless of the hardware, Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander will figure prominently in the outcome. Jokic has already established himself as the best player in the world. This game is about who moves on.

SGA has received his SAG card for foul-baiting. And Lu Dort should expect a call from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his best actor nomination. Even Jokic has been incentivized to throw his head back and arms in the air enough to get a Daytime Emmy.

Simply put, the Nuggets need a fair whistle. That means no ticky-tack stuff on Gilgeous-Alexander, and no WWE arm bars and atomic knee drops against Jokic. If Jokic outscores SGA from the foul line, Denver has a chance.

The Nuggets also have Murray. There are few players more reliable in do-or-die situations than the Nuggets guard. He averages 27.3 points and, with an extra day of rest for the first time in the series, he should be able to log 40-plus minutes and make a variety of difficult shots.

Frankly, he has no other choice given Gordon’s status, especially given the myriad of defensive issues his absence would create.

Peyton Watson, you got next. Watson must keep Jalen Williams trapped in his slump. Outside of his 32-point explosion in Game 3, Williams has been awful in this series, averaging 13.4 points on 28.3 % shooting and 11.5 % from the 3-point line (3-for-26).

And, as with Game 6, an unlikely contributor must tiptoe out of the shadows. Julian Strawther became the Straw that stirs the drink on Thursday, scoring 15 points with two fourth-quarter 3-pointers.

Between Strawther, Christian Braun and Michael Porter Jr., two of the three have to play in a way that has us talking about this game for years.

What’s the probability of that? Let’s not do the math. It’s depressing.

You know where this is going, right?

In this dissection of Game 7, where MVPs trade haymakers, Murray and Williams go eye for an eye, it will come down to this: Russell Westbrook.

He is the wild card, not The Joker or the Floppers.

Booed for the first time in OKC since the Thunder traded him to the Rockets in July 2019, Westbrook is poised for a breakout after averaging 6.5 points (9-for-35 shooting) and two turnovers over the past four games.

He is a blender of outcomes — from exhilarating to infuriating. But Westbrook is talented enough to put OKC in a vice, reminding them with every evil grin that home teams are only 5-9 in Game 7s since the 2021 playoffs.

When compared to OKC, the Nuggets are not as deep. They are not as healthy. And they are not at home.

But Westbrook, in so many ways, is.

All other things being equal, the only way the Nuggets vanquish the Thunder is with lightning. Westbrook might strike his own bench first or get tossed for two technicals.

But he is the one player in this environment who can assure the Nuggets weather the storm without Gordon. Pass the Tums.

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Every Thunder had a basket Wednesday night, save for the Broncos mascot.

“We got punked,” Nuggets coach David Adelman admitted after the 149-106 drubbing. “We are not going to flush that. We have to be better.”

If the series opener was a referendum on the Thunder’s inexperience, Game 2 was validation of its season. Oklahoma City is equipped with stars and a bench deeper than a Tolstoy novel.

This is a team of spectacular opulence. So why, after demonstrated excellence, do they have such a punchable face?

Racing out to 87 points in the first half – the most ever in a playoff game – the Thunder became increasingly annoying. This was WWE disguised as the NBA. And let’s be clear: Game 3 will look a lot like Wednesday if the Nuggets don’t put in a mouthpiece and lace up their gloves.

This series will be won in a ring, not on a court. The Thunder is not changing. OKC’s players relish this like pigs in mud.

Lu Dort turned the paint into a cagematch. Isaiah Hartenstein yapped at a Nuggets assistant coach – When isn’t he complaining? – leading to a technical. Alex Caruso nipped at Nikola Jokic’s ankles like a chihuahua on a double espresso.

Even Rumble the Mascot looks like Teen Wolf on steroids.

“This is the playoffs,” said Michael Porter Jr, whose mind remains strong, but his ailing left shoulder has made him a liability. “We have to be the enforcer. And we did a bad job at that.”

Listen, the Thunder is (bleeping) good. They had the Nuggets down bad. And they refused to retreat to the farthest neutral corner. Coach Mark Daigneault successfully challenged a foul call, leading 104-69 with 5:17 left in the third.

It fell under the guise of sticking up for his players, but it tilted closer to rubbing noses in the carpet.

It is hard to blame them. But it is also OK to loathe them.

Lots of teams act tough. But OKC is throwing so many limbs in so many directions, it’s a wonder they don’t hit an usher or the PA announcer.

Jokic downplayed the physicality after fouling out in the third quarter for the first time in his career. Aaron Gordon did not.

“They are calling the second foul almost all of the time. They are fouling Joker first. You know Jok is reactionary and they do get the second guy a lot of the time,” Gordon said. “But they are fouling him. point blank. Period.”

There is a sobering truth in any rout. If you don’t like it, stop it. And the Nuggets could not. They were embarrassed, humiliated and throttled. And that was just in the first nine minutes of the first quarter. They trailed 36-13, the game a mess of turnovers, open 3s and too much Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The effort was questionable. The execution was awful.

It was like they knew they had a split. And they could not wait to split to the nearest exit.

The thrashing left lingering questions: Can anyone on the Nuggets besides Jokic and Russell Westbrook match Oklahoma’s brute force moving forward? “Maybe” is the uncomfortable answer.

Will MPJ ever make another meaningful basket?

MPJ is 3 for 18 from the floor in this series and 2 for 11 from 3-point range, numbers that demand he be benched or sit out to heal for Game 4. He is the baseball equivalent of a DH. When he’s not hitting triples, he has no purpose. And nobody is picking up the slack. Christian Braun is 2 for 8 from beyond the arc. Denver’s bench is Westbrook and the holograms, save for sprinkles of Peyton Watson.

And finally, what was Adelman thinking keeping his starters in down 38 points a few possessions after intermission? Jokic fouled out with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter. Adelman smiled, a sarcastic response to questionable officiating, but he should have removed the three-time MVP long before the hip check.

“I felt like those guys wanted to go back out there and play. They needed to find a rhythm,” Adelman said. “… I think they thought we were trying to junk up the game, which we weren’t.”

It was already trash at that point.

So, go ahead and put a Sharpie through the Nuggets if you are absolutely sure that the Thunder has scarred and scared Jokic and crew into the fetal position with their snarl and immense talent.

You can argue that now after Denver impersonated a speed bag.

But it’s not convincing. Not yet. We have a series now. And until the Thunder wins in Denver, the credits will not start rolling.

The Nuggets rebounded after getting clocked in Game 3 in Los Angeles in the opening round. They have earned the benefit of the doubt.

They got dressed down and beat down. They must make adjustments, biting their tongues and returning to basics. No rope-a-dope. At the opening bell, they must be prepared to fight.

Because if they aren’t, they’ll deserve exactly what they get.

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World Wrestling Entertainment‘s biggest show of the year invades Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for a two-night event on April 19-20.

Can John Cena, who’s in the final run of his career, pick up his record-breaking 17th world championship? Who wins the deep feud between Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and CM Punk? Can Iyo Sky fend off both Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair to retain her title? And who is El Grande Americano? (It’s Chad Gable.)

Here’s a look at the card and predictions for the show:

What to know

How to watch

Dates: April 19-20

Time: Kickoff show starts at 3 p.m. MT, main show begins at 6 p.m. MT each night

Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas

TV: Peacock TV

How to watch live in Colorado

• Dave and Buster’s, 2000 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver
• Tom’s Watch Bar, 1601 19th St. Unit 100, Denver

Colorado connections

Chad Gable, who’s totally not El Grande Americano, lived in Colorado Springs when he aspired to make the U.S. Olympic wrestling team. He did, competing in the 84-kg Greco-Roman event at the 2012 London Games. He is facing Rey Mysterio in a singles match on night one.

Otis wrestled collegiately for CSU-Pueblo and began his pro wrestling career in Colorado. While he’s not scheduled for WrestleMania, he may show up at some point.

Saturday night card

Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

Singles match

How we got here: After struggling with luchadores for months, Chad Gable took a step away from the ring. Then a mysterious luchador named El Grande Americano, who looked like and wrestled like Gable (except under a mask), made his debut and began defeating the WWE’s luchadors through nefarious means. Rey Mysterio took offense and wanted to fight him for the honor of lucha libre style wrestling.

Who should win: Mysterio.
It feels like a “bad guy gets his comeuppance” kind of match.

Who will win: Mysterio.

Update: Mysterio suffered an injury during “SmackDown.” Rey Fenix will take his spot. Same predictions with Fenix instead of Mysterio.

Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

Singles match

How we got here: Cargill was attacked by an unknown assailant in a November episode of “Smackdown,” which kept her out of the ring for months. She had been part of the tag-team champions with Bianca Belair at the time, but Naomi would step in to fill her spot in her absence. At Elimination Chamber, Cargill returned and attacked Naomi, who would later reveal that she was the attacker. Now comes the grudge match.

Who should win: Cargill.
She had been one of the most hyped up WWE signings after she had left All Elite Wrestling in 2023. While she has seen success as a tag-team wrestler so far, this will be her biggest moment as a singles wrestler in the company.

Who will win: Cargill.

LA Knight (c) vs. Jacob Fatu

Singles match
WWE United States Championship

How we got here: After Roman Reigns defeated his cousin Solo Sikoa to regain the title of the “Tribal Chief,” Fatu (who’s a real-life cousin to both) had shifted his efforts to the United States championship. He beat Braun Strowman on the April 4 episode of “Smackdown” to earn the title shot.

Who should win: Fatu.
One of the more physically gifted members of wrestling’s Anoa’i family (which includes The Rock, Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso), it was only a matter of time he would get his shot to shine as a singles star. This feels like the springboard.

Who will win: Fatu.

The War Raiders (c) vs. The New Day

Tag-team match
World Tag Team Championship

How we got here: The New Day shed their beloved fan-favorite status after turning on founding member Big E by saying he abandoned them after he suffered a real-life, career-threatening neck injury. Now just Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, they are looking to regain glory by winning the World Tag Team Championship from The War Raiders.

Who should win: The New Day.
What began as a white-hot heel turn by The New Day has gone somewhat lukewarm over the last couple of months. But a win here could reignite their momentum — especially if Big E gets involved in some way.

Who will win: The New Day.

Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Charlotte Flair

Singles match
WWE Women’s Championship

How we got here: Charlotte won this year’s Royal Rumble, which granted her a shot at a world championship. She chose Stratton. Then they got into odd verbal battles that have become pretty personal.

Who should win: Stratton.
The former gymnast has quickly acclimated to the WWE since her promotion from NXT last year. She has the look, she has the moves and with the championship, the future is now.

Who will win: Flair.
I feel like I said the same thing above with Rhea Ripley years ago when she had to take on Flair. Ripley lost. My heart says Stratton, my head says Flair for her 15th world championship reign, just one behind her father, Ric.

Gunther (c) vs. Jey Uso

Singles match
World Heavyweight Championship

How we got here: Jey Uso won this year’s Royal Rumble, granting him a shot at a world championship. He chose Gunther.

Who should win: Uso.
They’ve been coining him “Main Event” Jey Uso for years now. If there’s a time to pull the trigger on putting the title on him, it’s now. If nothing else, the scene of 70,000-plus fans dancing to his song when he wins would be a WrestleMania moment in itself.

Who will win: Uso.

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk (with Paul Heyman) vs. Seth Rollins

Triple-threat match

How we got here: These three have plenty of history dating back well over a decade. But in terms of this match coming about, let’s begin with Rollins turning down an invitation to join Reigns’ team at this past Survivor Series, given that the two have had years of animosity. Instead, Punk joined on the stipulation that Heyman would owe him a favor. Fast forward to the Royal Rumble when Punk eliminated both Reigns and Rollins before being eliminated himself. The three would have a brutal brawl outside the ring. This would lead to more altercations in the coming weeks until the three-way match was announced. Punk called in his favor, which would be to have Heyman in his corner — not Reigns’.

Who should win: Punk.
This one’s a hard one. All three have a legitimate case as to why they should win. But I’m going with WWE’s prodigal son. Having Heyman in his corner can’t be the full extent of the favor, can it?

Who will win: Rollins.
As I said above, this could easily be any of the three of them. But seeing Rollins stand tall could have implications for what happens on Sunday.

Sunday night card

AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul

Singles match

How we got here: Paul — yes, the YouTube star — has been a semi-active wrestler in the WWE over the last few years. Styles returned at the Royal Rumble and was eliminated by Paul. Styles would challenge him to a match and general manager Adam Pearce would finally schedule it.

Who should win: Styles.
I always love a good “bad guy gets his comeuppance” payoff — and there few who are easier to hate than Paul.

Who will win: Paul.
That said, I believe through a menagerie of YouTube stars interfering, Paul will stand tall and get his well-deserved jeers.

Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre

Singles match
Sin City Street Fight

How we got here: Let’s go back to WrestleMania XL when McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He held it for less than six minutes as CM Punk attacked him after the match and Priest used his Money in the Bank to cash in for championship match right there and then. Fast forward to the Royal Rumble and Priest eliminated McIntyre. Priest eliminated McIntyre again at the Elimination Chamber. Now it’s time settle it.

Who should win: McIntyre.
Fourth time’s the charm? McIntyre’s due for a win. But that was said for last year’s Clash at the Castle where McIntyre, who’s Scottish, lost his championship match in Glasgow to — you guessed it — Priest.

Who will win: McIntyre.

Bron Breakker (c) vs. Penta vs. Finn Bálor vs. Dominik Mysterio

Fatal four-way match
WWE Intercontinental Championship

How we got here: Breakker’s been the champion since October. In recent months, The Judgment Day faction — which includes Balor and Mysterio — have been a thorn in Breakker’s side. Penta, who joined the WWE in January after a stint in AEW, has been quickly rising through the ranks. Now the four of them will battle it out for the title.

Who should win: Balor.
Signs of The Judgment Day splintering have been showing for a month. While it’s easy to have Balor and Mysterio simply take each other out, it would be more fascinating in the future if one of them wins the title and that causes a rift.

Who will win: Penta.
He seems like he’s been the new best thing since coming to the WWE. Put a title on him and let him fly.

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria

Tag-team match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

How we got here: Morgan and Rodriguez, also of The Judgment Day, won the titles in February. Valkyria, the current women’s intercontinental champion, and Bayley won a gauntlet match on the April 7 “SmackDown” to earn a match for the title.

Who should win: Morgan and Rodriguez.
There have been subtle hints of Bayley turning on Valkyria to further their feud for the Intercontinental title. Whether or not that’s a red herring, it feels like Morgan and Rodriguez should have a continued run as champions.

Who will win: Morgan and Rodriguez.

Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley

Triple-threat match
Women’s World Championship

How we got here: Belair won this year’s Elimination Chamber to earn a world title match. The champion was Ripley before she lost her title to Sky on the March 3 episode of “Raw.” Ripley came out during Belair and Sky’s contract signing and attacked both women, then signed the contract herself. Ripley would later face Sky in a match with Belair as the guest referee. It ended in a double disqualification allowing Sky to retain. GM Adam Pearce would later make this a triple-threat match.

Who should win: Sky.
In several confrontations involving the three women, Sky has always been positioned as the one ignored. That could play out in this match (which is one that could steal the show).

Who will win: Sky.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. John Cena

Singles match
WWE Championship

How we got here: Cena announced last year that he was preparing to do a retirement tour this year. He won the men’s Elimination Chamber and received a world title shot. Then in March, he turned on Rhodes and turned to the dark side.

Who should win: Cena.
Let’s ignore the fact that a win here would tie him with Ric Flair for the most number of world championship reigns all time at 17. The real fun is seeing how a Cena run as a bad guy champion would be over the coming months. His time is now.

Who will win: Cena.

Results

Saturday night

• Jey Uso d. Gunther (c) to win the World Heavyweight Championship
• The New Day d. War Raiders (c) to win the World Tag Team Championship
• Jade Cargill d. Naomi
• Jacob Fatu d. LA Knight (c) to win the WWE United States Championship
• El Grande Americano d. Rey Fenix
• Tiffany Stratton (c) d. Charlotte Flair to retain the WWE Women’s Championship
• Seth Rollins d. Roman Reigns and CM Punk

Sunday night

• Iyo Sky (c) d. Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley to retain the Women’s World Championship
• Drew McIntyre d. Damian Priest
• Dominik Mysterio d. Bron Breakker (c), Finn Balor and Penta to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship
• Randy Orton d. Joe Hendry
• Logan Paul d. AJ Styles
• Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch d. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez (c) to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
• John Cena d. Cody Rhodes (c) to win the Undisputed WWE Championship

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The Colorado State defensive lineman posted on Instagram that he received an NIL offer from the WWE and was in attendance for the Royal Rumble on Saturday.

The WWE NIL program was launched in 2021 with the intention “to recruit and develop potential future Superstars,” according to the WWE. Other Colorado names in the program include former Pueblo West track and field star Jeremy Cody and four-time Colorado state champion heavyweight wrestler Cohlton Schultz.

“I experienced a level of intensity and thrill that was completely different from football or sumo wrestling — something truly unique to WWE,” Hanada writes.

The 6-foot-1, 290-pound Hanada made headlines in 2023 when he spurned an opportunity to enter professional sumo wrestling to pursue American football at Colorado State. In two seasons, he has appeared in two games and recorded three tackles for the Rams.

He became an amateur yokozuna in 2020 after winning the All-Japan Sumo Championships, which pit the best Japanese collegiate wrestlers against one another. He captured the gold medal in the sumo heavyweight division at the 2022 World Games, defeating Daiki Nakamura in the finals. Nakamura — who would assume the name Onosato once he turned pro — has since climbed up to the rank of ozeki (sumo’s second-highest ranking behind only yokozuna) and has won two championships in the sport’s top division.

“Having had the opportunity to step into a completely new world and witness the pinnacle of sports entertainment, I am truly grateful to be involved with WWE,” Hanada writes.

While football players are quite common in pro wrestling — The Rock (Miami, Fla.), Roman Reigns (Georgia Tech) and Goldberg (Georgia), to name a few — sumo wrestlers are far less common. John Tenta — who wrestled under the monikers Earthquake, Avalanche and Golga — had a short run in sumo, winning all 21 bouts he had in 1986 before leaving the sport. Akebono, the Hawaiian native who became sumo’s first foreign yokozuna, had a short stint in the WWE in 2005 before wrestling mostly in Japan.

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The WWE’s annual Royal Rumble event takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, laying the groundwork for the company’s biggest show of the year on April 19 and 20: WrestleMania.

A fan favorite, the Royal Rumble’s featured match is its namesake: a 30-wrestler battle royale in which participants must eliminate their opponents by throwing them over the top rope and onto the ground outside the ring. It begins with two wrestlers in the ring and every two minutes, a new one joins the fold. The match is often filled with plenty of returns and surprises. The winner earns a shot at a world title match at WrestleMania.

The match begins with two wrestlers in the ring and every two minutes, a new participant comes out to join the match. In past installments, there has been a bevy of surprise entrants, from stars of yesteryears to returns no one expects. Since 2018, the WWE has featured both a men’s and a women’s Royal Rumble match.

Here’s a look at the card and predictions for the show:

What to know

How to watch

Date: Saturday, Feb. 1

Time: Preshow at 5 p.m. MT, main card at 6 p.m. MT

Location: Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis

TV: Peacock

Colorado connections

Otis: A former collegiate wrestler at CSU-Pueblo, he is one half of tag team Alpha Academy with former Olympic wrestler Chad Gable. He doesn’t have a match scheduled but may appear in the Rumble.

Main card

#DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin)

WWE tag team championship
Two out of three falls match

Who should win: #DIY.

These are two of the company’s best tag teams and will surely showcase their talents in this match. With #DIY just winning the title in December, it feels like they should retain their titles. Albeit by nefarious means since they are the baddies after all.

Who will win: Aside from the fans? Let’s go with #DIY.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens

Undisputed WWE Championship
Ladder match

Who should win: Owens.

Kevin Owens heading into ‘Mania as champion is one of the few things missing from his resume. He’s main evented against Steve Austin. He’s main evented with Sami Zayn against The Usos. He’s been tremendously entertaining in this feud against Rhodes. C’mon, WWE, Owens vs. Zayn in the main event.

Who will win: Rhodes.

How can he not win? He’s main evented the last two WrestleManias. He’s one of the faces of the company. Rhodes will take this and await his next challenge.

Men’s Royal Rumble match

The winner of the 30-man Royal Rumble match earns a world championship match at WrestleMania 51 in Las Vegas.

Announced participants: Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, Chad Gable, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Jey Uso, John Cena, LA Knight, Logan Paul, Penta, Rey Mysterio, Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, Seth Rollins, Shinsuke Nakamura.

The favorites:

• John Cena: The 47-year-old is formally on his farewell tour. He is sitting on a record 16 world championships in his career, tied with Ric Flair. If he gets his third Royal Rumble victory, it would give have a shot at breaking the tie.
• CM Punk: Since returning to the company, Punk quickly re-established himself as one of the top stars in the WWE. A title match on the company’s biggest stage seems appropriate.
• Sami Zayn: He climbed up to become one of the company’s top stars during his run with and against The Bloodline.
• Roman Reigns: He’s defeated Solo Sikoa to regain the ula fala necklace to once again become the leader of The Bloodline. Now can he regain his title belt?
• Seth Rollins: A staple in the main-event scene. If he wins, he’d fit like a glove in the title match.
• Drew McIntyre: See: Rollins, Seth.

Who should win: CM Punk.

I chose him last year. Whoever he’s feuding against becomes must-see TV.

Who will win: Cena.

One final main event for Cena? He’s one of the few who have ascended beyond the squared circle to make a splash in popular culture. Cena is world title match will get tons of eyes on the WWE.

Women’s Royal Rumble match

The winner of the 30-man Royal Rumble match earns a world championship match at WrestleMania 51 in Las Vegas.

Announced participants: Bayley, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Ivy Nile, Iyo Sky, Liv Morgan, Lyra Valkyria, Naomi, Nia Jax, Rachel Rodriguez.

The favorites:

• Bianca Belair: Belair has faced off with some of the WWE’s best for a world title at previous WrestleManias, including Asuka, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks. But she hasn’t taken on current women’s world champion Rhea Ripley in a one-on-one match since they were both in NXT in February 2020. Five years is way too long. Win here and that long-awaited rematch comes to Vegas this April.
• Charlotte Flair: Never count out the queen. A two-time Royal Rumble winner, Flair could challenge for her 15th world title at ‘Mania.
• Iyo Sky: She put on an amazing match against Bayley at last year’s WrestleMania to win her first world title. Win here and she is due for a fun performance against either Ripley or SmackDown women’s world champion Tiffany Stratton.
• Becky Lynch: While she hasn’t been announced for the Rumble, she’s been one of the biggest stars in the company since 2018. She’s been away for a while, but a splash this would be.

Who should win: Belair.

I want to see Belair vs. Ripley at ‘Mania. Who’s with me?

Who will win: Flair.

It’s not WrestleMania season without Charlotte Flair in a title match.

According to the suit, the former CEO of WWE and his wife were aware that the organization’s prominent ringside announcer, Mel Phillips, used his “highly visible position” as a ring crew chief to hire boys as young as 12 to assist with errands in preparation for WWE’s wrestling shows.

They also knew that Phillips’ “real motivation” in hiring the boys “was to sexually assault them,” the 82-page complaint alleges.

Those young assistants, who became known as “ring boys,” were “groomed, exploited and sexually abused by Phillips, who targeted children from broken homes,” according to the law firms DiCello Levitt and Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, which are representing five men who claimed they were abused by Phillips.

“Thanks to the bravery of our clients, we finally have a chance to hold accountable those who allowed and enabled the open, rampant sexual abuse of these young boys,” lead attorney Greg Gutzler said in a statement.  “That so many were aware of the sexual abuse of the Ring Boys and did nothing to prevent or stop it is simply unconscionable.”

Phillips, who died in 2012, is accused of sexually abusing the ring boys in wrestling venues, hotel rooms and other locations where the announcer would “shuttle the boys in plain sight.”

“At some venues, defendants even provided Phillips with his own private dressing room where he would use his own expensive video camera (extremely rare at that time) to film his sexual escapades with the children,” the lawsuit alleges, also naming WWE and its parent company TKO Holdings as defendants.

The bombshell suit, filed in Baltimore County on Wednesday, is the latest scandal involving the sports entertainment giant described as “the most important man in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment.”

In January, McMahon resigned from his roles at parent company TKO after a former WWE employee accused him of sexual misconduct.

Janel Grant, who served in WWE’s legal and talent departments, said she was required to maintain a sexual relationship with McMahon and submit to his “sexual demands” — which allegedly involved acts of “extreme cruelty and degradation” — in return for employment.

McMahon has vehemently denied the “baseless accusations” alleged in the complaint, calling them “obscene made-up instances that never occurred.”

A six-part documentary series about WWE’s “record-breaking highs and crushing lows” under McMahon’s leadership premiered on Netflix last month.

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On Seattle’s first offensive play, edge rusher Jonathon Cooper pushed off Seattle offensive tackle George Fant before sacking quarterback Geno Smith for a 7-yard loss. On the next play, defensive tackle D.J. Jones pressured Smith, forcing him to throw an interception to inside linebacker Alex Singleton.

While Denver wasn’t pleased with the outcome of its 26-20 loss in Seattle, there were positives to take away from the experience, starting with the Broncos’ ability to apply pressure on Smith in the first half.

After the Broncos finished 29th in pressure rate (18.2%) in 2023, the pass rush showed signs of life. The next step is making the quarterback’s life miserable for an entire game.

“In the first half, that was some really good defense,” defensive end Zach Allen said. “We just gotta learn how to (play like) that for a full (game).”

The Broncos blitzed on half of Smith’s dropbacks, allowing eight completions on 12 attempts and a touchdown, according to Next Gen Stats. Their 50.0% blitz rate was the highest of any defense in Week 1.

“I felt like everybody was in tune,” Cooper told The Denver Post. “We were all (pressuring) the pocket and making the quarterback feel uncomfortable.”

Cooper and edge rusher Baron Browning’s strong showings in training camp translated early on vs. the Seahawks. Both players had five pressures, tied for 10th in the league, according to Next Gen Stats. Cooper finished with a team-best two sacks and six tackles and was responsible for a safety.

“Coop was hot,” defensive end John Franklin-Myers told The Post. “He had the freedom to do what he needed to do.”

Added defensive coordinator Vance Joseph: “(Cooper has) improved each year I’ve been here. Versus the run and pass, he wins his one-on-one (matchups).”

Still, even the first half had some hiccups. Head coach Sean Payton pointed to a play in the second quarter when the defense lost contain, allowing the 33-year-old Smith to scramble for a 34-yard touchdown.

The pass rush opportunities dried up in the final two quarters when the Broncos’ inability to slow down Seattle’s run game put the defense behind the sticks. As a result, Smith threw for 112 of his 171 yards after the break.

“It was two (different) halves,” Payton said. “There are certain things that we’re going to coach off of, things that we liked, and then other things that we have to improve on.”

With rookie quarterback Bo Nix still learning the ropes on offense, Denver will need its pass rush to replicate its effort in the first half against the Seahawks. Despite falling short down the stretch, Joseph is confident Denver has the talent to do just that.

“The rush is going to be consistent,” Joseph said. “We have enough good players and scheme to rush the passer. That won’t be a concern.”

Browning’s backflip tackle: The Broncos couldn’t believe what they witnessed in the second quarter last Sunday.

After Singleton whiffed on a tackle against Seattle running back Kenneth Walker, Browning stormed in, wrapped his arms around the running back’s waist, and did a backflip to bring him down for a 4-yard loss.

Even after rewatching the play, Browning’s teammates remained in disbelief.

“The Undertaker. That was WWE (stuff) for real,” Cooper said. “I ain’t never seen a football play like that before.”

Safety P.J. Locke didn’t realize Browning held on to Walker until he watched the game film.

“That was crazy,” Locke said.

Added Franklin-Myers, “He is better than me because I would flip right on my neck, and that would be it for me.”

Looking to run: When Payton arrived in Denver, he made it known the Broncos’ offensive identity would revolve around the run game. With Nix as the starter, it’s now more important than ever.

That’s probably why he spent two straight days expressing his displeasure with running backs Javonte Williams, Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin combining for 64 yards rushing against Seattle.

In Year 1, Nix shouldn’t be asked to throw the ball 42 times in a game. Denver’s running backs must take pressure off him. Last week was not a good start.

“Whether it’s a clear picture or not, we gotta make something happen. That’s why we are here,” Broncos running backs coach Lou Ayeni told The Denver Post. “Those guys were elite players at some point in their careers, not because everything was blocked clean.”

One of Payton’s criticisms of the run game was the inability to take advantage of open gaps. He said a couple of runs from Estime and Williams could’ve been bigger plays.

Payton might’ve been referring to Williams’ carry in the first quarter. With 7:02 remaining and Denver positioned at its 33-yard line, Williams cut to the right before running out of bounds for a 3-yard gain. However, Williams could’ve rushed for a few more had he taken advantage of an open hole in the middle of the field.

“These guys have been running the ball their whole life, so you just don’t want to handicap their instincts,” said Ayeni. “The biggest thing you want to do is give them some pre-snap clues on what teams (will) do to them. And then get their eyes in the right spot.”

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This year’s No Mercy event brings World Wrestling Entertainment’s development brand to Ball Arena on Sept. 1 — and all five championships are on the line in the Mile High City.

While episodes of “Raw” and “SmackDown” have broadcast live here over the years, this is the first major WWE show to come to Colorado since July 23, 2003. That’s when the Vengeance pay-per-view took place live from the then-Pepsi Center, capped off by Kurt Angle defeating The Big Show and Brock Lesnar in a no-disqualification triple-threat match.

Here’s a look at what you need to know:

How to watch

Date: Sunday, Sept. 1

Time: 5 p.m.

Place: Ball Arena in Denver

TV: Peacock

Tickets: Available on Ticketmaster.com, starting at $43.30.

Main card

Wes Lee vs. Zachary Wentz
Singles match

How we got here: Lee and Wentz had one of NXT’s longest-running tag team championship reigns — a 202-day reign in 2021. Lee climbed his way up the singles rankings after Wentz (then known as Carter Nash) was let go from the WWE in 2022. With Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling now having a working agreement with NXT, Wentz made his return. After a short reunion, Lee recently turned on him, saying he’s better than Wentz now.

Who should win: Lee.

Lee absolutely blossomed in his singles career, especially his run as North American champion in 2023. However, a major back surgery stymied his rising star. Now a bad guy, Lee defeating his former partner should give him momentum moving forward.

Who will win: Lee.

Oba Femi (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo
NXT North American Championship
Singles match

Who should win: D’Angelo.

Femi has been a star since making his debut, but “The Don of NXT” has been on the cusp of stardom for months. This may be the hardest choice on the card, but we’re picking D’Angelo because he needs a run with a singles title.

Who will win: D’Angelo.

Kelani Jordan (c) vs. Wendy Choo
NXT Women’s North American Championship
Singles match

How we got here: Jordan became the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion after winning a six-women ladder match at “Battleground” in June. Choo had been feuding with Jordan over the last month.

Who should win: Jordan.

Jordan won the title in June. It barely feels like she’s had a run with the belt. She shouldn’t lose it yet.

Who will win: Jordan.

Chase University (Andre Chase and Ridge Holland) (c) vs. Nathan Frazer and Axiom
NXT Tag Team Championship
Tag-team match

Who should win: Chase U.

They just won the tag titles two weeks ago. Surely they can’t drop it this fast, right? Right?

Who will win: Chase U.

Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Jaida Parker
NXT Women’s Championship
Singles match

How we got here: Perez defeated previous champion Lyra Valkyria (who has since been promoted to the Raw roster) in January for the belt, her second reign as champion. Parker earned the title shot after winning a six-women gauntlet on the Aug. 20 episode of NXT.

Who should win: Perez.

Perez is one of just three women who have had two reigns as NXT Women’s Champion, joining WWE stars Charlotte Flair and Shayna Baszler. And while Parker has impressed since her debut, she shouldn’t take down Perez and be the titleholder. Not yet anyways. Especially when rumors are swirling of an international star who may soon be making her debut.

Who will win: Perez.

Ethan Page (c) vs. Joe Hendry
NXT Championship
Singles match
Trick Williams is the guest referee

How we got here: Hendry — who’s quickly become one of the hottest wrestlers in NXT, as well as Total Nonstop Action — earned a title shot after winning a triple-threat match on the Aug. 20 episode of NXT. He challenges Page, who defeated Trick Williams for the belt in a fatal four-way match at Heatwave in July.

Who should win: Hendry.

An active TNA wrestling holding a WWE belt? I believe in Joe Hendry (clap, clap). The crooning TNA wrestler is on fire. Strike while the iron’s hot.

Who will win: Hendry.

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Sidney Raymond Eudy, a professional wrestler known as Sid Vicious who was known for his intense persona and imposing stature, has died, his son announced Monday. He was 63.

Gunnar Eudy, one of the wrestler’s two sons, wrote on Facebook that his father died after “battling cancer for several years.”

“He was a man of strength, kindness, and love, and his presence will be greatly missed,” his son wrote. “We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this loss.”

The 6-foot-9-inch Eudy went by many names in the ring, including Sid Justice and Sycho Sid, and rose to prominence at the height of the WrestleMania craze in the 1990s. He was a two-time champion in the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) and also performed for its ’90s rival World Championship Wrestling and the United States Wrestling Association. He faced off against Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker among other stars.

In a statement, WWE called Eudy “one of the most imposing and terrifying competitors of his generation” who had a “natural charisma that immediately connected with the WWE Universe.”

pic.twitter.com/8dG5KStjMC

— WWE (@WWE) August 27, 2024

“Sid’s reputation as one of the toughest and most thrilling superstars cemented his legacy in WWE, and his influence can still be seen in wrestling rings around the world,” the statement said.

Eudy was born in West Memphis, Arkansas, and lived in Tennessee for many years. Survivors include his wife, Sabrina Estes Eudy, his sons Frank and Gunnar, and his grandchildren.

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The NXT No Mercy premium live event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 1, at Ball Arena, the company announced Monday. This is the first NXT premium live event to come to the Mile High City and it’s the first WWE one since Vengeance on July 27, 2003.

On Sept. 2, WWE Raw will air live from Ball Arena. The company also announced that NXT Halloween Havoc and WWE Raw will take place at GIANT Center in Hershey, Pa., on Oct. 27 and 28, respectively.

“We look forward to returning NXT to the road and delivering an unforgettable night of action to the amazing fan bases of Denver and Hershey, and for those watching at home,” WWE senior vice president of talent development creative Shawn Michaels said in a news release.

Denver’s been host to some memorable moments in WWE history. The Rock made a surprise return to the company last September when he appeared on “SmackDown,” kicking off a run that culminated with a feud involving Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins that finished at WrestleMania 40. Goldberg returned after a 12-year absence from the company on the Oct. 17, 2016, of Raw, which also featured an appearance from then-Gov. John Hickenlooper in the crowd.

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