Mixed Match Challenge – January 23, 2018: Too Cute For Wor….Well For Some Words
Mixed Match Challenge Episode #2
Date: January 23, 2018
Location: Capitol One Arena, Washington DC
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Beth Phoenix
Last week’s show was acceptable but it’s not exactly the kind of show where you can change up a lot of things. It’s pretty much going to be a one off show every week until we get closer to the finals, which is fine, but it’s not something that’s going to blow the doors off from week to week. Let’s get to it.
Before the teams come out for their matches, we see Carmella and New Day plugging their charity.
Miz and Asuka chant WE WILL WIN.
Raw and Smackdown GM’s Kurt Angle and Daniel Bryan thank us for watching last week. They’re not even hiding the fact that they’re trying to fill in time to stretch this out to twenty minutes.
First Round: Carmella/Big E. vs. The Miz/Asuka
Carmella has changed into a different outfit from earlier on Smackdown. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are with Carmella….and wearing the same one piece swimsuit style outfits. Big E. even has a mini Money in the Bank Briefcase. Before the match, Carmella and Big E. have a bite of a pancake and you can feel Carmella wanting to run to the gym from here. We also cut to the announcers at ringside where Corey has a stack of pancakes on his head, much to his annoyance.
The men start things off as Carmella plays cheerleader on the apron. Big E. gyrates his way out of a waistlock and we’re off to an abdominal stretch with Big E. throwing in a spanking (as he did to Miz in last year’s Rumble). Corey isn’t happy with Big E. goofing around but is a fan of Asuka coming in to face a seemingly terrified Carmella. With Carmella staying on the apron, Big E. goes to the floor and grabs a big L, so Carmella can give it to Asuka. You’ll get that one in a second.
Asuka is touched by the gift…and then rips it apart. Carmella bails back to Big E. with no contact being made. Big E. wastes no time in sending Miz to the apron but the spear through the ropes is cut off with a kick to the head. A belly to belly takes Miz down though and let’s look at the announcers who show us how to use social media. The Big Ending is countered into a DDT and everything breaks down on the save. Miz and Asuka drop both opponents and fire off alternating YES Kicks.
Miz’s big one is of course countered into a powerbomb and let’s cut to Rusev and Lana chatting with fans on Facebook. Big E. fights out of a chinlock but gets Reality Checked for two. A front facelock doesn’t work either and it’s off to Carmella, which goes about as well as you would expect with Asuka kicking the heck out of her. The hip attack has Carmella in trouble until she superkicks her way to freedom. The Staten Island Shuffle into the Bronco Buster has Asuka in trouble but for some reason Carmella decides to slap her in the face. A cross armbreaker makes Carmella tap in a hurry at 9:50.
Rating: C. This was more entertaining than good with Carmella being the perfect cheerleader (for all possible reasons) and then getting destroyed by Asuka in short order, as should have been the case. Big E. continues to show crazy levels of charisma and the whole thing was perfectly fun, even if I’m not sure the right team won.
Next week: Braun Strowman/Alexa Bliss vs. Sami Zayn/Becky Lynch. Strowman promises to destroy Sami and Bliss is ready for Lynch, earning herself a pat on the head.
Zayn and Lynch aren’t sure who is going to be in charge but they’ll fight together.
Asuka celebrates in Japanese and Miz translates to Miz has taught her more than anyone ever. Miz promises to win the tournament.
Overall Rating: C-. The time situation is kind of a positive and a negative. They certainly don’t waste a ton of time here and you’re in and out in about twenty minutes. On the downside though, this is definitely a show that doesn’t feel important enough to watch. You really can just look at the results and maybe catch the finals, but until then there’s just nothing worth seeing here.
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