IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: August 28, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the fallout show from Summerslam and the go home show for Payback, meaning that we have a lot to cover in one single night. That could mean for a pretty busy evening, including the three way contract signing between the Fiend, Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman. let’s get to it.

Here is Summerslam if you need a recap.

We open with a look at Roman Reigns returning on Sunday and attacking new Universal Champion the Fiend and old Universal Champion Braun Strowman.

Agent Adam Pearce is in the back and talks to security about how they need to work together tonight because this is going to be tricky. Pearce goes into Vince McMahon’s office and, after being turned down for a handshake, fist bump and elbow bump, is told he has to get all three people to sign the contract. Vince even gives him a special uniform to wear, though we don’t see what it is.

Here’s new Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy but AJ Styles cuts him off in a hurry. AJ calls Jeff out for cheating last week and talks about the doctor clearing Jeff last week. That same doctor won’t let AJ wrestle tonight, which Jeff says is a shame because it was Open Challenge time….to anyone but Styles. AJ goes after him and gets punched down as we take a break.

Intercontinental Title: Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Hardy is defending and Styles is on commentary, still ranting about last week. Nakamura starts on the arm but Jeff starts hammering away on the arm as well. An atomic drop into a Hennig necksnap gets two but Nakamura starts going after the knee. We cut to an inset interview with Cesaro, who says he stepped away for a second and Nakamura ran in to get the title shot. That makes him more impulsive, not more ambitious. Cesaro sounds bitter, as they can’t possibly be already teasing a breakup angle.

Back to full screen with Nakamura staying on the knee, which AJ describes as poetry in motion. Nakamura kicks at the chest, which Cole says could lead to Nakamura’s first Intercontinental Title. Man he was champion earlier THIS YEAR. You called the matches where he won and lost the title, which he held for over six months. Anyway, Hardy gets in a few shots and throws Nakamura outside, plus into Styles, as we take a break.

Back with Jeff hitting the legdrop between the legs and the Whisper in the Wind connects. Hardy comes up favoring his knee though and Nakamura hits the sliding German suplex. Kinshasa is cut off by the Twist of Fate, with Styles ranting about Jeff using the knee brace. The Swanton retains the title at 13:01.

Rating: C. Take two guys who know how to do a lot of things in the ring and give them some time for a perfectly fine match. AJ and the knee deal will be fine enough to set up a rematch and there’s nothing wrong with that. If nothing else, a ranting AJ is always worth a look and listen so this should be fine.

Post match Hardy limps up to the stage….and here’s Sami Zayn for the first time since Wrestlemania, complete with his own Intercontinental Title. Zayn talks about how he’s the real champion and an AJ distraction lets Zayn kick Hardy in the face.

Post break Sami is in the back, where Kayla Braxton asks why he jumped Hardy. Sami talks about how he has been gone for months and has seen Hardy and Styles running around with his title. He is from Montreal and, switching to French, talks about how he is a true intercontinental man.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House with Bray being glad to be back here with all of his friends. Bray thinks something is missing and thinks of a variety of evil things, before holding up the Universal Title. Neither of those nasty monsters can take it away this time either. We get serious for a second, with Bray saying it has been a long time since he has seen Roman. The doorbell rings and it’s Adam Pearce dressed as a mailman. Postman Pearce needs the contract signed for Payback and Bray agrees, knowing that it means signing some death warrants. Bray signs and Pearce leaves, with Bray saying let him in.

Video on Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin.

Here’s Matt Riddle for a chat. He recaps the King’s Ransom idea and thinks Corbin is just hiding from him. Why not come out here and do something about it right now? Post break Riddle is still in the ring and here’s Corbin to answer the challenge. He accepts the challenge….on behalf of Shorty G., who jumps Riddle from behind to start in a hurry.

Matt Riddle vs. Shorty G.

Gable starts fast with a tiger suplex for two but Riddle flips out of Chaos Theory. A knee to the face and the Bro Derek finishes Gable at 1:28.

Post match Corbin jumps Riddle and the brawl is on with Corbin bailing outside in a hurry.

We look at Miz and Big E. arguing about Big E.’s singles run on Talking Smack.

Big E. argued with Miz, John Morrison and Sheamus earlier today backstage but Heavy Machinery came in to set up a six man later.

Heavy Machinery and Big E. now have a Money in the Bank lunchbox with sausage inside. Bayley and Sasha Banks come in to say that looks like some men playing with their meat. Bayley says some people can only handle a Tag Team Title, which doesn’t sit well with Banks.

Adam Pearce (no longer the Postman) can’t get an answer from Roman Reigns.

Corbin says he’s beating Riddle up at Payback.

Here are Sasha Banks and Bayley for a chat. Bayley talks about how rough of a week this has been for them because of all their title defenses….but they’re amazing so it’s not something to worry about. Bayley slips up and mentions that Sasha lost her title on Sunday, which was just a mistake. Banks isn’t happy but Bayley takes responsibility for it, as she shouldn’t have let the whole thing get started. As her best friend, she should have remembered that Banks can never successfully defend a Raw title.

Noting Banks’ cow style pants, Bayley says we have to moooove on, meaning they can’t lose on Sunday. Banks agrees, and says they are still best friends, but here are Nia Jax (great, on this show too) and Shayna Baszler to interrupt. The week is about to get even worse and even though they can’t stand each other, it’s worth putting up with her to beat up Banks and Bayley. The champs are being held down by one loss and they’re leaving as Tag Team Champions on Sunday.

Pearce still can’t find Reigns or Strowman, with Drew Gulak wanting to find Strowman as well. Gulak sees Strowman and hits him in the back with a chair, which Braun doesn’t seem to notice. Gulak throws the chair to Pearce, who has to calm Braun down in a hurry. The only way he’s signing is if Strowman can get Gulak in the ring right now. Sounds like a plan to Pearce.

Cesaro says Nakamura needs to be in his corner tonight when Sami Zayn comes up to sing Reunited And It Feels So Good. Nakamura isn’t pleased with Zayn for not even calling over the last four months and Cesaro points out that they have won the Tag Team Titles with Zayn being gone. Zayn says it was all part of the plan and puts his title next to theirs, but Cesaro says they were in mid-conversation. It was a private conversation and they would like to finish it. Zayn takes the hint and leaves, though he doesn’t seem happy.

Drew Gulak vs. Braun Strowman

Strowman is in street clothes. There’s the beal across the ring and a running splash in the corner, followed by another splash to Gulak’s back. A backsplash sets up some forearms to the chest and the running powerslam finishes at 2:37.

Post match, Strowman signs.

The Lucha House Party isn’t cool with each other as Kalisto asks Lince Dorado to stay back here and watch how it’s done. Kalisto leaves and Cesaro and Nakamura run over Dorado and Gran Metalik.

Cesaro vs. Kalisto

Kalisto is alone while Cesaro has Nakamura with him. An early headscissors staggers Cesaro but he catches a springboard with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for one. Cesaro cuts off a comeback attempt and hits a jumping elbow for two. A dropkick to the knee and a pop up DDT from Cesaro’s shoulders give Kalisto two. Cesaro is sent face first into the bottom buckle but Nakamura gets on the apron. Cue Lucha House Party to take care of him but Cesaro rolls Kalisto up for the pin at 3:18.

Rating: C-. It was fun while it lasted, which isn’t surprising given who was in there. I’ve always liked Kalisto and it’s nice to see him getting something of a story. On top of that, it’s also rather nice to see Cesaro and Nakamura back on the same page, as I really don’t want to see them split up already.

Post match the House Party is ready to come to blows but Kalisto hugs both of them.

Pearce goes in to see Vince, telling him that he has 2/3 signatures. Vince wants the third, and says Pearce needs to knock Reigns’ door down.

Nikki Cross is holding a coffee mug, which was the first gift that Alexa Bliss ever gave her. Tamina tells her it’s ok but here’s Bliss, with her hair up differently. She is ready to change it up even more but Nikki thinks it would look like the Fiend. Bliss freaks out and slams the mug down to smash it to pieces.

Miz, Morrison and Sheamus have a plan for their six man: don’t let the their opponents in the ring. Sheamus doesn’t like it and says just follow his lead.

Pearce goes to see Reigns, who wants to read the contract first.

Heavy Machinery/Big E. vs. John Morrison/The Miz/Sheamus

Otis knocks Morrison out of the corner to start and hits a corner splash to bring in Big E. and Tucker. The triple gyrating sets up a running shoulder to Morrison in the corner to give Tucker two. Everything breaks down and Tucker hits a dropkick to Sheamus on the floor, followed by a big boot to Miz. Back in and Tucker runs Morrison over for two….with Sheamus ringing the bell.

We take a break and come back with Tucker fighting out of a chinlock but getting cut off from a tag attempt. The referee won’t let Sheamus come in as he didn’t see a tag though, meaning Morrison is back in to miss the Moonlight Drive. Tucker sends Morrison into Sheamus to knock him off the apron, sending Sheamus into a big rant. Sheamus walks out and it’s off to Big E. to clean house with the belly to belly suplexes.

There’s the Warrior Splash for two but Miz snaps Big E.’s throat across the top. The Rock Bottom out of the corner hits Miz but Morrison cuts Big E. off. Otis comes back in for the double Caterpillar, which only hits Morrison. Miz grabs the Skull Crushing Finale on Otis, only to walk into the Big Ending to give Big E. the pin at 12:02.

Rating: C-. So the solution to getting rid of Big E.’s reputation as a trios guy is to put him in a six man tag. Or to have him beat Miz and Morrison again, which he has already done since the singles run began. I’m not sure what Big E. is going to be able to do, but it seems like WWE didn’t exactly have an idea for him when this run started.

Reigns won’t sign but promises to be at Payback to win the title back. And that’s a spoiler…..as Paul Heyman is next to him. I don’t say this very often with WWE these days but WAIT WHAT??? That got me and it got me in a big way. As soon as Reigns said it my head popped up and I was actually surprised by what they showed. Nice job. Now follow up on it.

Overall Rating: C. That ending alone is enough to make me like this show as it’s the first time that a story has actually surprised me in a good while. They were teasing a heel turn on Sunday and this is about as guaranteed of one as you can get without actually doing it. The rest of the show was your usual “oh dang we have a show on Sunday” episode, which gets annoying in a hurry but they’re so used to it by now that they can pull it off.

Results

Jeff Hardy b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Swanton

Matt Riddle b. Shorty G. – Bro Derek

Braun Strowman b. Drew Gulak – Running powerslam

Cesaro b. Kalisto – Rollup

Big E./Heavy Machinery b. Sheamus/John Morrison/The Miz – Big Ending to Miz

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

I don’t get to say this very often, but they actually got me with the surprise ending.  Can you blame me when…..Roman Reigns is now a Paul Heyman Guy.  Reigns refused to sign the contract for Payback but promised to win the title anyway.  He said it was a spoiler, and the camera panned out to reveal Heyman.  That’s the first time that WWE has gotten me in a good while and it’s a nice feeling.  Now follow up on it and do it right.

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT UK
Date: August 27, 2020
Host: Andy Shepard

It’s time to crack open the vault again and that’s a very nice thing to hear. Granted it won’t be that way for long as the regular shows are back on September 17 but I’ll take what I can get while it lasts. The previous show was a lot of fun and I’m curious to see what we get here a second time around. Let’s get to it.

Andy reminds us that they are back on September 17. With that out of the way, it’s time to send us to our first match.

William Regal picks the only WWE match of the recently passed away Rollerball Rocco’s career. Now this is the kind of thing that could make this show (or another show) must see. From MSG, December 28, 1984.

Junior Heavyweight Title: The Cobra vs. Black Tiger

The title is vacant coming in and Tiger is Rocco. Cobra works on the arm to start but Tiger snapmares him down for a knee and elbow. Back up and Cobra grabs the arm again and they head to the mat for the exchange of holds. Cobra is out of a chinlock in a hurry so Tiger hits a running clothesline. A backdrop lets Cobra grab his own chinlock, only to miss a middle rope ax handle. Instead it’s a crucifix into a headscissors to keep Tiger down as Gorilla Monsoon talks about the one time he tried to wear a mask.

An airplane spin into a faceplant sets up a Boston crab but Tiger is out in a hurry. The surfboard goes on but Tiger falls into the ropes. Tiger gets up for a kick to the head into a legdrop for two before hitting Cobra in the mask a few times. The chinlock goes on again and it’s off to a leglock, allowing Gorilla to praise the WWF as much as he can. Tiger grabs a headlock on the mat but misses something like a Vader Bomb, allowing Cobra to hit a quick backsplash for two.

Cobra dropkicks him to the floor and slams Tiger off the top. Gene Okerlund rejoins commentary and this could be quite the interesting description. Cobra grabs a figure four necklock as Gene talks about how whoever wins this title could easily go buy a half a million dollar house with a garage full of cars. As I can’t help but smile at Gene trying to hype things up, Tiger gets two off a suplex and plants him with a piledriver.

A middle rope falling elbow misses though and they’re both down. Back up and Cobra gets two off a spinwheel kick and a dropkick sends Tiger to the floor. That means a suicide dive, which was unthinkable around these parts. Tiger hits a suplex and floats over for two before grabbing a Tombstone. The second attempt is reversed into a Tombstone from Cobra, setting up the top rope backsplash for the pin and the title at 12:32.

Rating: B-. The big thing to remember here is the timing. Tombstones, top rope backsplash and a suicide dive three months before Wrestlemania? This was completely out of the norm for this audience and yet these guys looked completely natural. Yes it was done better later on, but dang this was out of nowhere and the kind of hidden gem that I could go for a lot more often.

Toni Storm sends us to Evolution.

Mae Young Classic Finals: Toni Storm vs. Io Shirai

They trade headlocks to start as we hear about Toni being the first Progress Women’s Champion. Toni slips out of a headscissors but Io picks things up with a fast dropkick. A handstand into a double knee drop sets up a Rings of Saturn (which Beth calls a version of a full nelson) to keep Toni grounded. Toni gets a foot on the ropes and snaps off a hard German suplex, only to get dropkicked off the top.

Shirai pops up and scores with a moonsault to the floor but Storm is right back with a German suplex on the apron. Back in and Shirai unloads on her with forearms, only to have Storm pop up with the Storm Zero for a close two. Shirai hits a 619 and a springboard sunset flip for two of her own. The moonsault hits raised knees and Storm Zero is good for the pin at 10:05.

Rating: B-. Well that was sudden. I was expecting this to be nearly twice as long and the match is just over that fast? Storm winning makes more sense as Shirai comes in with all the hype and Storm already lost once late in the tournament last year. The match was good, but I was expecting a lot more.

NXT UK is coming to London.

Next week: a special look at Walter vs. Ilja Dragunov.

Video on the NXT UK tag team division, capped off by the champions, Gallus.

Ilja Dragunov sends us back to a time before Takeover existed. From Arrival.

Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro

Sami is crushed but Cesaro comes back and hugs him.

Overall Rating: A-. Yeah this worked, as you kind of knew it would. At the same time though, it will be nice to get back to original stuff. You can only do greatest hits and the like for so long and having something fresh is going to be a good change. WWE has the resources to do whatever they want, but at some point you have to run shows to function as a promotion. It has been long overdue for NXT UK to do that, but at least we’ve had some awesome stuff like this to get us through. Skip the women’s match, but check out the other two for sure.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dynamite
Date: August 27, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Chris Jericho, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re on another special schedule this week and this time around it’s another stacked show. We have a tag team gauntlet match for the #1 contendership to the Tag Team Titles for All Out, plus all of the other tag matches that this show really likes presenting. Throw in a Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara tables match (though a chairs match would make more sense) and we should be good to go. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

There are fans back too and it already helps a lot.

Tag Team Gauntlet Match

The winners get the title shot against Kenny Omega/Hangman Page at All Out. The Young Bucks and the Natural Nightmares start things off with Nick hiptossing Marshall early on. Dustin comes in to trade armdrags with Matt and Dustin needs a little breather. The powerslams plant the Bucks and a double Russian legsweep gets two on Matt. It’s back to Dustin who teases the Goldust deep breath but just works on the arm instead.

Matt gets away from Dustin though and the Bucks get in a double dropkick to send Marshall outside. Dustin is right back with a Canadian Destroyer to Matt though and it’s back to Marshall. The QT Special is broken up and a double superkick drops Marshall. The BTE Trigger finishers Marshall at 6:23.

It’s the Best Friends in third and they shoulder Nick down to start. Trent is sent to the floor but he avoids the moonsault and hits a spear on Nick. Back in and Nick is sent hard into the corner as Jericho rants about how much he hates Being The Elite. A superkick and a German suplex on the apron allow Nick to get over for the hot tag though and house is cleaned. Something like Diamond Dust sets up the rolling northern lights suplexes but Trent grabs the tornado DDT out of the corner to put both of them down.

It’s back to Nick for more kicks until Chuck spinebusters him down, although he is favoring his knee a bit. Soul Food into the half and half suplex takes Nick down again and there’s the Big Hug. Strong Zero is reversed into a rollup for two on Trent and he’s pulled down to the floor for a Swanton from the apron. Back in and the hanging 450 gets two on Trent. The Meltzer Driver is reversed into a rollup on Matt and here’s Hangman Page to hold Nick back to give Chuck the pin at 16:31.

FTR is in last and has Tully Blanchard in their corner. Back from a break with Chuck in trouble but countering a Figure Four attempt with a quick small package. Wheeler breaks up the hot tag attempt and even pulls Trent to the floor for a suplex to break it up again. That lets Harwood grab a reverse Figure Four…and Chuck taps at 26:20. It’s so sudden that commentary acknowledges that they almost missed it.

Rating: C+. You could pretty much figure out the order of eliminations and the winners here without much effort and that’s not a bad thing. I’m also glad that they didn’t pad the match out with a bunch of teams who didn’t need to be there. Throw in the fact that they had normal tag matches instead of some big eight man insanity and it was downright not bad.

Darby Allin, in a Ricky Starks mask, walks across a really high bridge and says he isn’t afraid of Starks. Then he dives off the bridge.

Lance Archer vs. Sean Maluta

Archer has Jake Roberts with him and runs Maluta over at the bell. Another shot puts him on the floor but Archer lets him come back in for a slugout. That just annoys Archer, who throws him into the corner with a suplex. The chokeslam gets two with Archer pulling him up, much to Jake’s delight. The Blackout into the EBD Claw finishes Maluta at 2:55.

Post break Jake says there will be twenty one men in the Casino Battle Royal and Archer better win it. Archer thinks he can throw out all twenty men, which makes Jake happy because he loves to abuse people. Cue Team Taz (Jake: “IT’S THE FLINTSTONES!”) with Taz saying that one of the members is winning the battle royal. Jake says they should put on some chicken suits because they’re going to get plucked. Violence is teased but here’s Darby Allin, on the skateboard, to go after Starks. The two of them fight to the back so Archer and Cage are ready to go.

MJF manages to get down the hall way and doesn’t like someone sounding like they’re laughing.

Video on Thunder Rosa, including clips from the NWA and comments from Billy Corgan.

We get a quick signing between Thunder Rosa and Hikaru Shida.

It’s time for the contract signing between Jon Moxley and MJF. Jericho rants about Moxley being #1 in the PWI 500 and Tony makes it worse by saying Jericho is #3. Jericho: “WHO IS NUMBER TWO??? MARKO STUNT???” The contract involves banning the Paradigm Shift from their match and MJF signs in a hurry but Moxley hesitates. MJF talks about how contract signings end in violence ten times out of ten but they need to practice social distancing. MJF: “Kind of like your hairline Jon.”

Moxley laughs it off and says MJF will get there one day. MJF says Moxley is as sharp as a marble and that’s not surprising. He knows Moxley is crazy because even Mike Tyson said he wouldn’t want to be in a dark alley with Moxley. On September 5, they’re going to be in a ring though and MJF is a wrestling prodigy. He is going to pick Moxley apart and use every piece of the ring to take him apart like a brain surgeon.

Moxley is going to try to take him outside for the brawling because that’s all he knows. He grew up watching and idolizing people like Sandman, New Jack and Onita. MJF grew up watching Buddy Rogers, Ernie Ladd (those are two rather different influences) and Tully Blanchard and they made him a wrestling machine. When they leave the ring on September 5, he’s wearing platinum because he’s the best in the world.

If Moxley is so sure that he’s a better wrestler though, why does he need the Paradigm Shift? If Moxley isn’t so sure, maybe MJF should call Moxley’s hot little wife and tell him he’s single. Moxley is ready to fight so the lawyer threatens a lawsuit. Sure he wants to use the Paradigm Shift and drop MJF on his head to cause him permanent neck damage. But he doesn’t want to get sued because the only lawyer he knows is his old public defender and he’s in jail. None of this matters anyway because on September 5, MJF is a dead man.

Moxley signs and MJF celebrates, though Moxley says he loved what is on page 17. MJF: “THERE ARE ONLY SIXTEEN PAGES!” Moxley slipped in a deal, saying that he gets to face the lawyer next week and the Paradigm Shift is legal. If the lawyer doesn’t show up, MJF doesn’t get a title shot. Moxley: “I should be a lawyer.”

Santana and Ortiz recap their issues with the Best Friends and sure they’ll apologize. They’re just sorry that Trent’s mom wasn’t in the van when they wrecked it.

Butcher and Blade/Lucha Bros vs. Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss/Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison

Eddie laughs off the idea that he and his friends are a faction. They’re just about titles and nothing more. It’s a brawl to start with the Bros hitting big flip dives out to the floor to take down all four of them. Back in and a running dropkick into a gutwrench suplex drops Garrison as JR and Jericho talk about guitars. Kiss comes in and Matrixes away from Blade’s right hand. It’s off to Janela to forearm Blade in the corner.

Back from a break with Janela punching Fenix down but getting sent to the ramp by Butcher. That earns Butcher a Stunner over the ropes and Janela runs over for the tag off to Kiss. House is cleaned but Janela gets caught on the apron with a package piledriver. Pillman comes in and gets to chop away but walks into the spike Fear Factor for the pin at 9:02.

Rating: D+. This could have been on any given episode of Dark and that’s not the best place to be. What mattered here was getting the new team together for a win and that’s perfectly fine. Just let Kingston talk a lot and the team will be fine. I’m not sure what they’re going to do next, but they had a passable debut as a team here.

Post match Kingston says the five of them are in the Casino Battle Royal and guarantees a winner.

We recap Brodie Lee destroying Cody last week and making it even worse post match.

Here’s the Dark Order, minus Lee, carrying a casket (Jericho: ‘IS CODY IN THERE???”). Evil Uno talks about the team purchasing six lawn mowers for this kind of a celebration. This is a farewell to the man known as Cody and they open the casket, with Ten inside. He even has a Nightmare Family jacket and a fake Cody tattoo. They throw the jacket inside and put the Cody flag onto the casket. Now it’s Brodie coming out and Uno demands that all of them show respect.

The team gets in the ring for an interview with Tony, with Lee saying the Dark Order was laughed at about a year ago because of people like Tony. See, Lee was sitting in prison back then and now they’re here with the gold in his hands. Lee tells the team to shut up for chanting for him and introduces Ann Jay as the Queen Slayer. Cody is never getting the title back and the Open Challenge is over.

One of the members tries to cheer for him so Lee punches him in the face. Cue the Natural Nightmares to go after the Order but the numbers take him down. Scorpio Sky comes in to clear out everyone but Lee, only to have Anna come in from behind for a slap. That lets Lee get in a cheap shot so here’s Matt Cardona to chase everyone else off.

The Young Bucks find Hangman Page at the bar and yell at him for costing them the match. They know he doesn’t want to be part of this because he’s a drunk. He’s also out of the Elite.

Penelope Ford/Reba/Britt Baker vs. Big Swole

Baker is still in her wheelchair but has an offer for Swole: if Swole wins, she can have any match with Baker that she wants. It’s a brawl before the bell and Swole can’t fight off the numbers game. Swole catches Reba on the top though and a super hurricanrana barely works. Kip Sabian distracts the referee so Swole gives him Dirty Dancing. Ford throws Swole back in so Reba can hit a middle rope moonsault for two. Reba tries to bring in the crutch but the referee stops it. The crutch is picked up anyway but Swole ducks and Ford is knocked out to give Swole the pin at 2:48. A little messy but it did what it was supposed to.

Here’s the Dark Order again with a JOIN US folder for Taya Conti. A big hug seems to say yes. JR: “Let’s all go tot he mall.”

All Out rundown.

We look at the Inner Circle destroying Orange Cassidy last week.

Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara

Tables match. Matt wastes no time in sending it outside for a whip over the barricade. The beating stays on near the crowd but Sammy gets in a knee to the face as we take a fast break. Back again with Matt hitting a Side Effect on the apron and loading a bloody Sammy onto the table. The apron elbow misses though and the table is destroyed.

Sammy grabs a chair but Matt gives him a Twist of Fate through it instead. It’s time for a table with DELETED painted on top (Jericho: “OH NO!”) and Matt even knows how to get it untangled from the ropes. Matt puts it on top of an open chair and goes up but his balance gives out. That lets Sammy superplex Matt through the table for the win at 6:28.

Rating: D+. The lack of time destroyed this as they didn’t have a lot of time and then that was cut out because of the commercial. There isn’t much anyone can do under those circumstances, especially with a gimmick match. I’m hoping they get another change at this and with some more time because this was criminal given what they had set up.

Post match Orange Cassidy sprints across the stage (nicely done too as the camera was on Sammy so you just saw a white shirt streaking through the background) to jump Jericho and the big fight is on with Sammy trying to help Jericho to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I wasn’t feeling this one as much as some of the matches felt like they belonged on Dark instead of the big show and the big segments were only ok. I don’t need to see the Dark Order as the featured team, especially against Dustin Rhodes and Matt Cardona. The contract signing worked because MJF can say anything, but Moxley beating up a lawyer isn’t exactly interesting. It’s a good enough show and they moved things along, but not one of their best efforts.

Results

FTR won a gauntlet match last eliminating Best Friends

Lance Archer b. Sean Maluta – EBD Claw

Butcher and Blade/Lucha Bros b. Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison/Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss – Spike Fear Factor to Pillman

Big Swole b. Penelope Ford/Britt Baker/Reba – Crutch shot to Ford

Sammy Guevara b. Matt Hardy – Superplex through a table

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: March 27, 2006
Location: Qwest Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Commentators: Joey Styles, Jerry Lawler, Jonathan Coachman

It’s the go home show for Wrestlemania and I’ve been digging the heck out of the last few shows. Tonight features a match which would be a much bigger deal at a different time but for now it’ll do well enough: John Cena vs. Vince McMahon. Other than that it is time to build things up for Sunday. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

A rather enthusiastic Vince McMahon is in his office to welcome us to the show and hypes up his match with John Cena. Just to be fair though, his Wrestlemania opponent Shawn Michaels will be in action tonight too, against HHH.

Opening sequence.

Here’s Mick Foley, with wet hair and carrying a red box. He is ready to face Edge in a hardcore match on Sunday but it does not give him the right to stick his fingers down Lita’s throat. That is why he has brought an apology gift for Lita: a bouquet of roses from inside the box. There is another box for Edge on the stage, so Foley invites Edge and Lita to join him. Edge and Lita come out but Edge doesn’t want to hear it because the present could be a trap.

Foley says it is something Edge can use at Wrestlemania, so Edge says that Foley could use a win at Wrestlemania. All Foley does anymore is dip into his legacy in the name of a paycheck and one day the account is going to run dry. Foley cuts him off to say that it’s all about the Wrestlemania Moment and he has something in mind. He pictures Edge bleeding all over and begging for mercy but since Foley has lost his ear, he can’t hear any of it.

We see the trailer for Edge vs. Foley and come back to Foley cradling the barbed wire bat as the Cactus Jack theme plays.

Kane vs. Carlito

Carlito jumps him for an early two and that’s about it for his offense at the moment as the left hands have no effect. The sleeper doesn’t work either as Kane uppercuts him down and hammers away in the corner. The running clotheslines set up the side slam to drop Carlito again but he kicks the knee out. A DDT gives Carlito two but Kane is right back up with a hand around Carlito’s throat. Carlito grabs the referee for the fast DQ.

Post break Kane chases Carlito into the back where Chris Masters, Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch all jump him. They throw him in a closet and put a forklift in front of it but Big Show comes in for the save. There is no key though and Kane is trapped.

It’s time for the Masterlock Challenge for Big Show but he is still in the back, trying to shove the forklift. Kane pops up behind him though and Show is stunned. Show: “How did you get out???” Kane: “There’s another door.” That’s one of the funnier things I’ve seen WWE do in this era. So we go to the ring where Kane chases Carlito off. Masters can’t get the hold on so he jumps Show and gets chokeslammed. So much for that.

Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child will be singing America the Beautiful at Wrestlemania.

Long and well done video on John Cena’s training in the gym and road to the top of WWE. None of his friends are betting against him, but Cena knows what it means if he loses. He has made a living out of proving people wrong though.

The final inductee into the Hall of Fame: Tony Atlas.

Shawn Michaels vs. HHH

The slugout is on to start with Shawn hammering away in the corner and doing the same on the mat. HHH gets knocked to the floor and then over the announcers’ table. Shawn posts him and they head into the crowd with a backdrop sending HHH right back to ringside. Back in and HHH grabs the facebuster but the Pedigree attempt is backdropped to the floor. Cue Vince to menacingly point though and we take a break.

Back with HHH hitting a nice spinebuster and a knee to the back of the head for a bonus. Some right hands to the head and an elbow to the jaw put Shawn on the floor, meaning HHH can send him into the steps. Back in and Shawn gets in the forearm into the nipup and the crowd is rather pleased.

Vince grabs the foot and gets on the apron though, only to have Shawn catapult HHH into him. The top rope elbow hits HHH but Vince breaks up Sweet Chin Music. That earns him a right hand but HHH uses the distraction to grab the Pedigree. Vince comes in and holds Shawn so HHH can pull out the sledgehammer. Cue Cena for the save and the ring is cleared for the no contest.

Rating: C+. These two can have a good match with each other in the right circumstances and this one was close enough. They did what they could do here given how much there was going on elsewhere and that worked out well enough. I want to see both Wrestlemania matches and they can only have so many things to help set the two of them up at this point.

Wrestlemania Big Time Moment: the first Money in the Bank match.

During the break, Vince said that Shawn can be in Cena’s corner because HHH will be in his.

Here’s Ric Flair, with a ladder in the ring, to talk about losing the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania VIII. People thought that was it for him but he has won the title again since. He has one more title run in him so he can finish his career with seventeen, and he is starting with that briefcase. Flair starts climbing the ladder but here’s Shelton Benjamin to tell him to shut up.

Shelton thinks he needs to shut up because Wrestlemania is his night. The fight is on and Shelton goes up but here’s Rob Van Dam to pull him down. Rolling Thunder onto Shelton onto the ladder lets Van Dam say Sunday is every man for himself. Flair pokes him in the eye and gets in a ladder shot to leave them both laying.

Spirit Squad vs. Val Venis/Viscera/Eugene

Kenny, Johnny and Mikey for the Squad here and it’s Viscera with a swinging Boss Man Slam to plant Mikey early. Eugene comes in to ride Mikey like a horse so Johnny comes in to send Eugene into the corner. That means some Michael Jackson dancing, allowing Kenny to come in for an elbow. Eugene gets over for the hot tag to Venis so commentary can make some innuendo jokes. Kenny uses the trampoline to jump up and break up the Money Shot though, allowing Johnny to steal the pin.

Rating: D+. You’re only going to get so much out of a team of jobbers who sound like they are the kind of people who would walk into a bar. The Squad needs to actually win some matches for the sake of actually having a point around here other than cheering so this worked as well as anything else. They kept it short too, as they should.

Post match the beatdown stays on, including the quintuple slam to Eugene. The Squad throws in a bonus cheer on the stage. On a minor note, Venis seemed to hurt his shoulder here, which was an excuse for him to go away for three months for elbow surgery. Why WWE felt the need to write off Val Venis isn’t clear but well done on the attention to detail.

We get a video on HHH, talking about how he is the top star in WWE and how no one can do it like him. This includes his Wrestlemania training, with him working to get in the best shape of his career. He even went to Brazil to train with a special trainer. That’s some dedication.

William Perry is going into the Hall of Fame as well. Makes sense for Chicago.

Wrestlemania rundown.

Earlier tonight, Mickie James, surrounded by candles, was sitting in a shrine to Trish Stratus (there are a bunch of magazine clips and a sign saying LIAR). Mickie says her obsession is Trish’s destruction.

Trish is disturbed but Torrie Wilson, and her dog, are here for the tag match.

Trish Stratus/Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle/Victoria

Torrie wants to start with Candice so Victoria knocks her down for suggesting that she can intimidate anyone. Candice comes in to drop Torrie again and hit the Go Daddy dance. Victoria comes in but misses a charge into the corner, where Candice is sitting on the top. The hot tag brings in Trish to clean house, including the spinning anklescissors to Victoria. Candice and Torrie get in the catfight on the floor as Trish escapes the Widow’s Peak and hits Stratusfaction for the pin.

Rating: D. Yeah I’m not sure what else you were expecting as Trish is FINALLY getting on to someone else who can give her a good match other than Victoria. It’s a little strange to see Trish and her serious story mixed with the goofy Playboy stuff but waiting for Trish vs. Mickie was as good as you were going to get at this point.

Video on Mickie’s obsession with Trish.

Vince McMahon vs. John Cena

HHH and Shawn Michaels are the seconds. Actually hang on as Vince insists that Shawn and HHH are handcuffed to the ropes to make sure that it’s one on one. Vince dodges to the side to start because he needs to pull on the ropes a bit. They lock up and go nowhere as the fans are behind Cena (shocking). There’s a head/throat lock from Vince but Cena powers out with a top wristlock. Back up and Vince calls for and receives a test of strength. This goes as you would expect with Vince in some serious pain, so he kicks Cena low for the DQ.

Rating: D. This wasn’t exactly a normal match and that’s a good idea. You don’t want to risk Cena getting hurt six days before Wrestlemania and Vince is only going to be good for a garbage brawl anyway so this was as good as you were going to get. It’s more of an historical curiosity if nothing else and that’s fine enough for the circumstances.

Post match Vince uncuffs HHH, who grabs the sledgehammer. A shot to Cena’s head busts him open and a rib shot to Shawn lets Vince get in a chair shot to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. It’s kind of a weird show as they had me wanting to see Wrestlemania on the way in and while they set things into stone a bit more, I’m not sure if I want to see the show all that much more. The wrestling wasn’t all that great of course, but this was the show designed to keep people safe, with only Shawn and HHH having a match with any substance and that included a lot of brawling. Not terrible, but this show is always a little weird.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: August 26, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix

We’re past Takeover: XXX and that means it’s time to get back to a little more normal around here. Karrion Kross is the new NXT Champion, Keith Lee is gone and Tommaso Ciampa is back so…maybe the normal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. This could be an interesting show, including a Tag Team Title match. Let’s get to it.

Here is Takeover if you need a recap.

Takeover recap.

Here are Scarlett and Karrion Kross, with his arm in a sling, to open things up. Kross told us that he would become NXT Champion and that on the way there, everyone would suffer. That’s what he did at Takeover but when you go to war, you expect casualties. Hence his separated shoulder, which is going to prevent him from defending the NXT Title.

There are obstacles on the path, but to him, the obstacles are the path. Kross lays the title down and Scarlett puts the hourglass next to it. Kross says this changes nothing because everyone pays the toll. Tick tock. Well dang. This could get interesting in a hurry. That’s horrible to hear for Kross though as no one deserves that kind of an injury just after they reach the peak (so far) of their career.

Tag Team Titles: Imperium vs. Breezango

Breezango is challenging and jump the champs during the entrances. We get the opening bell with Breezango cleaning house until Barthel armbars Breeze down. That earns him a dropkick though and we take an early break. Back with Fandango fighting out of a chinlock but getting double teamed back down. That doesn’t last long as Fandango gets over for the hot tag to Breeze as the pace picks up.

A jumping knee rocks Barthel but Breeze has to avoid running into the referee. The delay lets Barthel hit a suplex, only to dive into the Beauty Shot for two. Aichner makes the save and comes in to pound away as he is known to do. Breeze knees him down though and Fandango tags himself in for the guillotine legdrop to Aichner. Barthel pulls him to the floor though, meaning Fandango hits a dive. That earns him a hard suplex on the floor though and we take a break.

Back with Fandango still in trouble as Aichner hits the middle rope moonsault for two. Breeze makes the save but gets uppercutted out to the floor as Barrett mentions wrestling with Breeze all the way back in FCW. Aichner and Barthel’s double team hits each other though and Breeze superkicks them both. Fandango comes in with the double Last Dance for the pin and the titles at 15:17.

Rating: C. They had to do something like this at some point as Breezango have lost and lost over the years. Throw in the fact that Imperium have been pretty worthless champions since they won the belts. It isn’t that they’re bad in the ring or anything close, but they haven’t been interesting and they have been downright forgetful at times. This was a necessary change and they picked a good night to do it.

The new champs dance on the announcers’ desk.

Damian Priest says the after party is still going. Cue Timothy Thatcher who seems to want a title shot.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jake Atlas

Ciampa jumps him at the bell and unloads on him in the corner. Willow’s Bell finishes at 52 seconds.

Post match Ciampa destroys Atlas even more, including sending him knees first into the steps a few times. Ciampa even catapults him throat first into the bottom of the ring, meaning we need a stretcher job as the fans chant for Ciampa anyway. Since he’s extra evil, Ciampa pulls Atlas off the stretcher with another Willow’s Bell on the floor.

Candice LeRae talks about her friendship with Tegan Nox over the years, including going to a castle in Wales. Now Nox doesn’t get her anymore though, as Nox wasn’t there when Candice needed her. LeRae is going down the right path now and LeRae can do things the Gargano Way too. If she doesn’t want to though, just stay out of LeRae’s way. Has LeRae always been able to talk like this?

Bronson Reed thinks he should get the first NXT Title shot since he has beaten Damien Priest. Cue the returning Austin Theory to say Reed is taking some steps in the right direction and maybe he can have a title shot by the time he’s about fifty five. Reed slaps the taste out of his mouth.

Mia Yim vs. Mercedes Martinez

Hang on though as here are Robert Stone and Aliyah to say not so fast. Mercedes isn’t getting in the ring after that powerbomb from Rhea Ripley last week…and here’s Shotzi Blackheart to run Stone over with the tank again. We have a replacement.

Mia Yim vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Shotzi takes her down to start and hits Welcome To The Ball Pit but Yim is right back with a running hurricanrana. Mia rolls her up for two and they both catch kicks to the ribs. They set them down so Yim gets in a cheap shot and hammers away in the corner. A dragon screw legwhip out of the corner has Shotzi in more trouble with the knee banged up. Yim grabs a bow and arrow but Blackheart is back up with a discus forearm. That earns her a quick suplex as Yim throws her down again. Yim goes up but gets pulled down, setting up a backsplash to the back. A top rope backsplash finishes Yim at 4:31.

Rating: C-. The more I see of Shotzi, the more I like her. She has gone from looking like another strange wrestler with weird hair to being one of the more charismatic women in the division. I can’t imagine that she is going to be near the top of the division anytime soon, but there is nothing wrong with having a star in the making. Not the greatest match, but it’s a big win for Blackheart and that’s a good sign.

William Regal has a decision on the NXT Title.

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez say they’re a team but Kai promises to become NXT Women’s Champion. As for tonight, Gonzalez is ready to settle things with Rhea Ripley.

Here’s Regal to announce a solution to the NXT Title. It is a shame that Kross had to vacate the title and Regal wishes him the best on his long recovery. As for the title though, there will be a four way match next week (on Tuesday) to crown a new champion. The four of them can all claim to be the best ever in NXT and they could all claim to be the face of NXT. Those four are Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor and Adam Cole. Oh and for a bonus: it’s a four way, sixty minute Iron Man match.

Barrett is so excited that he will be back next week to call the match.

Cruiserweight Title: Isaiah Scott vs. Santos Escobar

Escobar is defending and is on his own this week. Scott wastes no time in hurricanranaing him out to the floor and we take an early break. Back with Escobar working a headlock but getting reversed into something like a Gory Stretch. That’s broken up so Scott goes for the short armscissors which sends Escobar to the floor. Escobar catches him with a toss from the apron into the Plexiglas though and Scott is in trouble.

A drop onto the steps gives Escobar two back inside and the pace slows down a bit. Scott manages to grab a knuckle lock and they both go to the middle rope. That means an attempt at a jumping hurricanrana from Scott but Escobar reverses into a super sitout powerbomb for another near fall as we take another break. Back with Escobar hammering away against the ropes but Scott reverses and unloads in the corner. A backbreaker sends Escobar outside again and the Fosbury Flop takes him down.

Back in and the rolling Downward Spiral gives Scott two more but here is the rest of Legado for the distraction. A jumping superkick gives Escobar two so here is Breezango to take out Legado. Scott’s jumping knee to the face gets two and a bridging German suplex is good for the same. The House Call gives Scott another two and a flipping slam out of the corner gets yet another near fall. Escobar bails to the floor and puts on a mask, which seems to be loaded. A headbutt knocks Scott silly to retain the title at 16:45.

Rating: B-. They did a nice job here and the false finish off the Legado interference was well done. Escobar cheating on his own to retain gives him another way to keep the title and that’s a good thing for him. You can have the goons if you want but at some point you have to win on your own, which he did here (cheating included). Scott could get a rematch and that’s a good thing, mainly because I’m not sure who else there is to go after the title.

Johnny Gargano is ready to go after the title and remind everyone who he is. He has been the Iron Man for years and next Tuesday, he’ll have the title to prove it.

Finn Balor says he’ll rise to the occasion. Next week the four cornerstones are ready to fight but he’ll prove that he is the centerpiece.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Drake Maverick

Fallout from the Undisputed Era interrupting Maverick’s match and Bobby Fish/Roderick Strong are here too. Maverick unloads on him to start and dropkicks the knee to send O’Reilly outside. The big flip dive from the top takes out the rest of the Era but O’Reilly is back with the strikes inside. Maverick’s comeback is cut off with a whip into the corner and the striking continues. A quick Underdog attempt is countered though and O’Reilly rolls into an Achilles Lock. Maverick hammers away but can’t get out, forcing the tap at 3:27.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t bad while it lasted and that’s a good sign for Maverick. Even when he’s losing (in other words, every time he isn’t on 205 Live), he has a lot of energy going in the ring and that’s something you can always go for. The match was more about O’Reilly than anything else, but Maverick looked good in defeat.

Post match the beatdown is on but O’Reilly tries to call off the troops. Cue Killian Dain (who Maverick was facing when the Era interfered two weeks ago) for the save. Maverick pulls himself up but Dain beats him up as well.

We look back at the Women’s Title match at Takeover.

Rhea Ripley is ready for Raquel Gonzalez.

Adam Cole is glad to be done with Pat McAfee and is ready to get his title back. He is the Iron Man and that is undisputed.

Io Shirai/Rhea Ripley vs. Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez

Ripley throws Kai aside to start and gets the big lockup with Gonzalez. A headbutt rocks Gonzalez so she shoves Ripley into the corner, where Shirai tags herself in. The middle rope hurricanrana sends Gonzalez outside and we take a break. Back with Ripley swinging away at Kai but getting pulled to the floor by Gonzalez. That means a ram into various things and they head back inside to keep up the beating.

Kai grabs a rollup for two and slaps on a seated abdominal stretch. Gonzalez comes back in but gets kicked in the head by Rhea, allowing the hot tag to Shirai. Everything breaks down and Shirai hits the running knees in the corner to Gonzalez, followed by a 619 to Kai. A scorpion kick gets Kai out of trouble but Shirai blocks the Kairopractor. Shirai’s German suplex gets two but Gonzalez takes her back into the corner.

Shirai tries to dive over for the hot tag but the referee doesn’t see it, meaning she is taken back over to keep up the beating. Cue Mercedes Martinez to pull Ripley off the apron and Gonzalez plants Kai with a spinning powerslam for two. Ripley is back up to take the tag but she trips on her way in and gets kicked in the face. Gonzalez’s powerbomb finishes Ripley at 10:03.

Rating: C. Things are getting interesting in this division as they have multiple stories going on but they are starting to tie together at the same time. Gonzalez pinning Ripley, even with some cheating, is going to be a good deal as she and Kai continue the Diesel/Shawn formula. Throw in Kai and the title plus Martinez and you might have some good things going on in a hurry.

Overall Rating: B-. So last week’s show was rather slow paced and didn’t have much going on. This was the polar opposite and that is a great thing, because they hit the ground running coming out of Takeover. Now that being said, it is a shame to see this happen after Kross’ injury because that is never a good thing to see. Almost everything else worked well though with a title match, a return, and the announcement of a huge match for next week. Solid, energized show here and if the in-ring product was better, they could have had a great one.

Results

Breezango b. Imperium – Last Dance to Aichner

Tommaso Ciampa b. Jake Atlas – Willow’s Bell

Shotzi Blackheart b. Mia Yim – Top rope backsplash

Santos Escobar b. Isaiah Scott – Headbutt with a loaded mask

Kyle O’Reilly b. Drake Maverick – Achilles lock

Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez b. Rhea Ripley/Io Shirai – Pumphandle powerbomb to Ripley

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

It’s the new big thing.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/kbs-review-something-witty-thunderdome/

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dark
Date: August 25, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Taz, Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

I’m not sure what to expect from this show as it might be the last show without fans, but at the same time it is a thirteen match card that lasts an hour and fifty eight minutes. Yes I mention the time and the amount of matches every week, but given how this show goes, what else am I supposed to talk about on a show made of squash matches? Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Announcers’ welcome.

Storm Thomas/Demitri Jackson vs. Best Friends

Orange Cassidy is here too. Chuck headlocks Thomas to start and drops him with a sunset flip. It’s off to Jackson, who is chopped in the corner by Trent. A Meteora drops Jackson again and a hanging northern lights suplex makes it worse. Chuck comes back in but gets kicked in the back so Jackson can take him into the corner. A knee out of the corner allows Chuck to get over for the tag to Trent and a tornado DDT drops Jackson. The spear on the floor keeps Jackson in trouble and it’s time for the Big Hug. Back to back piledrivers give Chuck the pin on Jackson at 5:57.

Rating: C-. Not too bad here and that’s as high of a bit of praise as I am usually going to give a Best Friends match. They have a thing that they do and they do it well enough, but at the same time they have done that thing over and over for months now. At least they kept it short enough here and that’s how something like this should be.

Shawn Spears vs. Jessy Sorensen

Tully Blanchard is here with Spears. A headlock takes Sorensen down to start but Jessy fights up with a drive into the corner. There’s a dropkick to put Spears on the floor, meaning it’s time for a meeting with Blanchard. Back in and they trade chops in the corner until Spears hits a dropkick in the back of the head. Spears drops him hard onto the apron but a piledriver is blocked and Sorensen grabs a cutter. The tornado DDT is blocked though and Spears hits the Death Valley Driver for the pin at 5:37.

Rating: C-. Another watchable match and another week with Spears staying on the same show despite commentary telling us how great he is. I haven’t seen him do that on a bigger stage and while that isn’t the worst thing, there are probably better places for him. Like putting people over on the main roster. Maybe that’s coming, but for now it isn’t exactly doing all that much.

Red Velvet vs. Mel

The bigger Mel backs her into the corner but Velvet ducks and slugs away with forearms. Some kicks to the leg stagger Mel but a side slam takes her down in a hurry. Velvet gets in a kick to the head and goes up, where she dives straight into a choke spinebuster to give Mel the pin at 2:35.

D3 vs. Lance Archer

Jake Roberts is here with Archer, who brings out a rather large man and kicks him in the face before the bell. D3 gets kicked in the face at the bell and there are some hard whips into the corner. Archer tells him to throw some punches and then punches D3 much harder. One heck of a chokeslam gets two so Archer rips at his face. D3’s forearm out of the corner doesn’t do much good as the Black Out into the EBD Claw is good for the pin at 2:46. They have Archer and Brodie Lee on the same show and they pick Lee to destroy Cody?

Luther/Serpentico vs. Initiative

Leva Bates is here with the Initiative. The villains (the non-librarians in this case) take Avalon into the corner to start to work on his arm but it’s quickly off to Cutler. The pace picks up with Cutler taking Serpentico down so Avalon can get two. They keep up the fast tags as Cutler comes back in, only to have Luther slam Serpentico onto him a few times for some near falls.

As Taz talks about Luther having breath that smells like a dead possum, Avalon comes in off the hot tag and gets to clean house for what must have been a good fifteen seconds before Serpentico suplexes him down. Leva isn’t happy but the distraction means that Avalon’s quick rollup only gets two on Luther. Everything breaks down and Cutler’s elbow sets up Avalon’s top rope splash for two. Leva slips Avalon the book but he hits Cutler by mistake. Luther powerbombs Avalon onto the barricade and it’s a Doomsday Meteora to finish Cutler at 8:47.

Rating: C. They’re doing a nice job with building up the Initiative to win a match, though I still wonder why they have jobs if wins and losses matter around here (which is the case for a lot of people). The match itself wasn’t half bad and they made you think that the win could finally come, even if the win wasn’t going to mean much over Luther and Serpentico. Not too bad here actually.

Nyla Rose vs. KiLynn King

Vickie Guerrero is here with Rose. King slugs away to start but gets grabbed by the throat for a toss to the floor. A forearm to the face lets Rose bend her around the post but King pulls Rose face first into the post. Back in and Rose’s spinebuster gets two and King’s something close to a Samoan drop is good for the same. Vickie shoves King off the top though and the Beast Bomb finishes at 4:01.

Rating: D+. King is someone who has shown some potential though there is only so much to be gained out of jobbing on Dark. That being said, I’m not sure how much Rose is getting out of needing Vickie to help her beat someone who has never won a match. This wasn’t quite a squash but it also wasn’t all that good either, making it perfect for this show.

Post match Vickie names their pairing the Vicious Vixens. The two of them needed a name?

Gunn Club vs. Baron Black/Frank Stone

Black and Austin start things off with the Gunn being taken down with a headlock. That’s broken up for some shots to Black’s face and Billy comes in for a double Russian legsweep into a legdrop. Stone comes in to block Austin’s armdrag and get two off a tilt-a-whirl slam. A suplex gets the same and a belly to back version gets the third two in a row. Austin kicks him away and makes the hot tag to Billy to clean house but Black is ready for the Fameasser. Everything breaks down and Austin’s hiptoss neckbreaker (the Quick Draw) finishes Black at 6:10.

Rating: D+. Is Billy Gunn really enough of a draw to warrant keeping him around for these matches? I like the Quick Draw a bit but it’s not like Austin has anything that makes him stand out whatsoever. They have been doing the same matches for weeks now and it isn’t like they’re great in the first place. This is the first thing I would cut from each Dark and that’s not a good place to be.

Heather Monroe vs. Penelope Ford

Kip Sabian is here too. They armdrag each other down a bit until Monroe walks the corner to take her down. Sabian busts out a pair of leaf blowers for a distraction though and it’s time to choke on the ropes. That lets Ford get in a quick kiss and the fisherman’s suplex is countered as a result (Maybe?). A second attempt is countered into a small package for two on Ford and Monroe grabs a Backstabber for two. Ford sends her hard into the corner for the handspring elbow and more elbows to the face have Monroe in trouble. Now the fisherman’s suplex can finish Monroe at 4:40.

Rating: D+. Another case where there is no backstory, no action that is overly memorable and nothing that they haven’t done in almost all of their previous matches. Ford is someone who has gotten better in the ring but it isn’t like she is doing anything that is changing anything around here. More of the same, as always.

Santana and Ortiz vs. Metro Brothers

The Brothers have been on NXT before and they’re greasers. Thankfully the Brothers are named (Chris and JC), though we aren’t told which is which so it doesn’t mean much. Ortiz headlocks and knees let’s say JC to start but gets headlocked down for the escape. The slugout annoys Ortiz and it’s a powerslam to take JC down.

Santana comes in for a standing senton into a backsplash. Three Amigos connect as Taz makes sure that Tony is still here. Ortiz’s DDT plants JC and he allows the tag off to Chris, who is suplexed down in a hurry. A middle rope hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb and there’s a Liger Bomb for a bonus. Santana kicks Chris in the face and Ortiz gets the pin at 5:35.

Rating: C-. Some of that was due to it being an actual squash and some if it is due to liking Santana and Ortiz. Or for making me think of Deuce N Domino, who weren’t good but they looked like Fonzie which is an improvement. Again it was nice to see a more proper squash, which doesn’t happen enough around here.

Post match the Best Friends run in to beat down Santana and Ortiz. They brawl out of the arena and into the parking lot with Chuck being suplexed onto a trashcan to get rid of him.

Ricky Starks vs. Shawn Dean

This could be good and Taz is rather excited. A shoulder drops Starks to start and Dean grabs a headlock. Back up and Dean misses a shoulder from the apron and gets kneed in the face. The standing Coffin Drop gives Starks one but a slap to the face just annoys Dean. The slugout goes to Dean and he hits a running knee in the corner. A running boot misses though and Starks hits Roshambo for the pin at 4:07.

Rating: D+. I’m getting tired of saying this but it was just a match and not a memorable one at that. Dean continues to be one of the better jobbers to the stars around here, which isn’t exactly the highest praise. Starks is probably going to face Darby Allin at All Out while Dean is 0-14. Such is life around here.

Jake Hager vs. Marko Stunt

Oh sure this needed to air. Hager lets him grab a headlock and Stunt is stupid enough to do it, earning himself a big toss to the ropes. Stunt avoids a shot and dances before ducking a big boot. Hager drives him into the corner and hits a heck of a toss before driving a knee into Stunt’s chest. Now the big boot connects and the Rock Bottom into the head and arm choke finishes Stunt at 3:35.

Rating: D. So remember all those other times when Stunt has gotten squashed by a monster? This is the latest one as it added nothing to either of them, didn’t showcase anything new, and made me watch Stunt do his stupid dance, which thankfully has finally started to die off in pop culture. This was even higher than the Gunn Club on stuff that didn’t need to be here and just extended an already long show.

Post match Hager goes after him again but the rest of the Jurassic Express makes the save.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford is here again. Sabian takes him down by the arm and gets to pose a bit. That’s broken up so we hit the chain wrestling with Kazarian winding up on top with a headlock. Kazarian’s hammerlock is broken up as commentary talks about how obvious it is that Ford is going to interfere later on. A knee down onto the arm has Sabian in more trouble so he comes up with a poke to the eye.

We hit the headlock on Kazarian as Tony thinks Taz is extra aggressive because of how much he has been yelled at on commentary before. A trip from Ford causes Kazarian to be sent outside and it’s a series of stomps in the corner back inside. Sabian rolls him into a reverse Koji Clutch but Kazarian makes it over to the ropes. As Taz and Veda agree about hanging onto the ropes for 4.9, Kazarian fights up and gets two off a rollup.

They fight to the apron for a slugout until Kazarian head back inside. Sabian is pulled into a slingshot cutter for two with Ford pulling his feet onto the ropes like a good manager should. Kip gets in a knee to the face and a discus punch but something like a fisherman’s suplex doesn’t work. Instead Kazarian grabs a reverse DDT for the pin at 9:39.

Rating: C+. That’s the match of the night by a mile so far and that isn’t surprising. Sabian might not be the highest profile name on the show but he does his thing and looks good doing it, which is all you can ask. Kazarian is beyond a good hand as he can have a solid match with anyone but more importantly he can elevate anyone, which is a heck of a trick.

Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss vs. Hybrid 2

Kiss headscissors Evans down to start and Janela comes in with an ax handle to the arm. A knee to the ribs and a forearm to the back of Janela’s head cuts him off though as we hit the preview for Dynamite instead of talking about the match. Angelico comes in and gets forearmed in the corner as Janela screams a lot.

Janela’s clothesline gives Sonny two but Angelico pulls him face first into the middle buckle. It’s back to Evans for a quick suplex and the stomping is on in the corner. Angelico grabs the inverted Figure Four and Janela’s attempted save lets Evans stomp away. A lot of ranting from Angelico almost allows the tag to Janela but Evans makes the save and chokes a bit.

Kiss flips away from Evans and makes the hot tag to Janela for a suplex. Janela makes Angelico DDT Evans (erg) and a blind tag brings Kiss back in. A front flip double stomp hits Evans on the apron and Janela adds a Death Valley Driver. Sonny moonsaults onto Angelico on the floor but a 450 only gets two. Angelico gets in a cheap shot on Kiss though and it’s the flipping backslide to give Evans the pin at 8:47.

Rating: D+. This was what you would come to expect as the Hybrid 2 continue their build back to mediocrity. Janela and Kiss continue to be fine as a middle of the road team at best, which is about all you can expect from them. The match wasn’t the worst, but it’s exactly what you would expect from these four.

The Dynamite preview wraps us up.

Overall Rating: D+. And that’s Dark for the week with nothing out of the ordinary. There was some watchable stuff in here but when you’re practically at two hours, everything is going to be lost in the shuffle. There was probably a month’s worth of shows in here and maybe two or three of the matches had some drama.

Why not mix us some of the matches so that the jobbers face each other and you can build one of them up? They keep hyping up Dean and he’s 0-14. If he had beaten some of the jobbers and was say 5-9 instead, how much more interest would there be against a lower level guy? It might do some good, but this show seems much more interested in pumping out content, which isn’t the best way to go about things. That’s what we’re getting though, and we’re getting a lot of it.

Results

Best Friends b. Storm Thomas/Demitri Jackson – Piledriver to Jackson

Shawn Spears b. Jessy Sorensen – Death Valley Driver

Mel b. Red Velvet – Choke spinebuster

Lance Archer b. D3 – EBD Claw

Serpentico/Luther b. Initiative – Doomsday Meteora to Cutler

Nyla Rose b. KiLynn King – Beast Bomb

Gunn Club b. Frank Stone/Baron Black – Quick Draw to Black

Penelope Ford b. Heather Monroe – Fisherman’s suplex

Santana and Ortiz b. Metro Brothers – Kick to Chris’ head

Ricky Starks b. Shawn Dean – Roshambo

Jake Hager b. Marko Stunt – Head and arm choke

Frankie Kazarian b. Kip Sabian – Reverse DDT

Hybrid 2 b. Joey Janela/Sonny Kiss – Flipping backslide to Kiss

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: August 21, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Drew Gulak, Vic Joseph

What does it mean when 205 Live comes to the Thunderdome? Probably not all that much as last week’s show was pretty much nothing. That’s what happens when you fall back on the same wrestlers who didn’t work in the first place and still don’t now that more time has passed. Maybe they can go with some of the good stuff this time so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Drake Maverick vs. Tehuti Miles

Well it could be worse. Hold on though as Miles wants to make sure that his shiny fanny pack is placed in the corner before heading outside. After taking his time combing his hair, Miles comes back in for a lockup so he can take Drake down. Maverick goes after him in the corner so Miles hides in the ropes and stops to comb his hair. That earns him a dropkick to the floor and the beating is on, with Gulak suggesting that his former boss get him.

Miles manages to send Maverick back first into the post for two and we hit the chinlock. Maverick reverses and grabs some rollups for two each as the pace picks up. Miles can’t get a Boston crab but he can hit a clothesline. That means the arrogance can start up again and Maverick slugs away. A running forearm into the bulldog drops Miles again and the top rope elbow connects. The Underdog finishes Miles at 7:45.

Rating: C-. I was into Miles more than usual here so at least they might be getting a little somewhere. Maverick has lost a lot of the steam that he had before the contract deal but this is better than going elsewhere (in theory). Not much to the match here, but I’ll take Maverick over some of the other options that we have around here.

Jake Atlas vs. Tony Nese

They lock up to start with Nese grabbing a waistlock. That’s switched into an armbar but Atlas reverses into a headlock on the mat. Nese fights up and takes him into a corner, only to be armdragged out of another corner, setting up a dropkick. We hit the cravate on Nese but he reverses a headlock into a belly to back suplex. Nese goes with the neck crank, followed by a spinning kick to Atlas’ seated face for two.

Back up and Atlas hits a forearm out of the corner and a springboard Blockbuster gives him his own two. Nese kicks him in the head to block a sunset flip and the Lionsault is good for another near fall. They slug it out and Nese is backdropped to the floor, setting up a suicide dive. Back in and Nese hides from the cartwheel DDT but stops to yell at Gulak, allowing Atlas to grab a rollup for the pin at 10:36.

Rating: C. This wasn’t half bad actually and well done on giving someone fresh a rub. Atlas is someone who could go a little somewhere around here and this could be a nice start for him. I can go with building someone up and if Atlas is the person they go with, there are worse ideas out there.

Post match Nese jumps him again and hits the Running Nese (with a bad camera angle showing that it hit Atlas in the arm). With Atlas down, Nese picks up the 205 Live cover on the announcers’ table and says this show is nothing without him to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Not a terrible show here and a big improvement over last week. The show still feels like it just goes from week to week most of the time though and that is one of the biggest problems around. Some things will build, but they are almost always short term and rarely lead anywhere. Even if it’s a standalone show, I’ll take some passable matches with better names than what we got last week.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

IMG Credit: WWE

Main Event
Date: August 20, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton

It’s the final show of any series in the Performance Center despite this being the show that needs to be in the place. I would say that I don’t know is going on here but you can pretty much guarantee what you’re going to be seeing. It helps that this is the go home show for Summerslam so they’re going to have a focus at least. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Bianca Belair vs. Billie Kay

Peyton Royce is here with Kay. Belair drives her into the corner for an early clean break before taking it to the mat with no real effort. Kay can’t get a single leg as Belair blocks her with straight power and the hiptoss connects. Belair bounces around a bit but Peyton’s distraction lets Kay connect with Shades of Kay for two. We hit the seated abdominal stretch but Belair powers up and takes her into the corner. Belair hits a dropkick into a nip up and she heads up top. After kicking Peyton away and having to dive over a charging Kay, it’s the KOD for the pin at 6:20.

Rating: D+. How many times can Belair beat these two up? It feels like something she does when she’s bored, which is rather often as she doesn’t exactly do anything outside of yelling at the Street Profits. I could go for Belair doing something else on a bigger stage, but for now this is about all she’s going to be asked to do.

From Smackdown.

Post break Strowman says Fiend knows what he’s getting at Summerslam so get out here and face your fears. Strowman is going to eviscerate him and consume his entrails…but here’s Alexa Bliss instead. She says they need to talk but Strowman says she used him. He’s like a pawn that she used to get him to sing songs in her stupid car. Bliss wants to know what is going on, so Strowman explains that the Fiend changes everyone, including her. So get out of here, because he wants the Fiend.

Bliss tells him to be careful what he wishes for and offers to slap some sense into him. She demands he look at her and hits a heck of a slap before doing it over and over. Strowman picks her up in a gorilla press…and there go the lights. Strowman shouts for the Fiend and slams Bliss down as the lights go completely out. They come back in red with Fiend having replaced Strowman. Strowman appears on the screen and laughs, with Fiend doing the same, to end the show.

The Bliss stuff is a little more interesting but when you have Strowman reading what sounds like the results you get from looking up your promo in a thesaurus, you can only take it so seriously. Strowman still can’t talk and since his entire character is built around being really strong, he doesn’t have the emotional depth to make something like this work out. Also it has been about three months now and they need to wrap it up already.

We look at Seth Rollins and Murphy injuring Dominik Mysterio.

From Raw.

Summerslam rundown.

Humberto Carrillo vs. Murphy

They fight over a lockup to start until Murphy takes him down with an armbar. Carrillo fights up with some chops into a headlock but they start running the ropes. A running hurricanrana takes Murphy to the floor and we take a break. Back with Murphy stomping away in the corner and hitting some forearms to the spine. A kick to the same place gets two and Carrillo is sent outside for a slingshot dropkick.

Back in and Murphy asks where these fans were when Aleister Black and Dominik were hurt. Murphy whips him hard into the corner and the referee even asks Carrillo if he wants to continue. A missed charge lets Carrillo unload in the same corner and a missile dropkick to the back gives Carrillo two. Back up and Murphy blasts him with a running knee for the sudden pin at 10:09.

Rating: C-. Carrillo has fallen pretty far in a hurry and I can’t say I’m all that surprised. Ignoring the fact that Carrillo has basically been replaced by Dominik Mysterio as Rey’s little buddy, there is only so much you can expect from him. He can do things in the ring but has no personality to speak of, so how far could he be expected to go? Murphy is his usual self: talented but stuck as a lackey instead of his own man.

Long video on Retribution.

From Raw.

Here’s Shawn Michaels to show us what happened to Ric Flair again. Shawn talks about how the 31 days Flair spent on his death bed were some of the hardest days of all of our lives (uh….). Without Flair, there would be no Shawn, HHH, Edge, Christian, Big Show or Drew McIntyre (UH…….). Randy Orton is on that list as well and then he had the nerve to take out Flair last week. Shawn doesn’t know how it is going to happen but it is going to happen at Summerslam. Maybe it’s from Sweet Chin Music or the Claymore, but someone is going to give Randy what he deserves. Whatever it is, Orton is going to see it coming.

Shawn goes to leave and there’s the RKO into the Punt. McIntyre runs in to run Orton off and a referee comes out to check on Shawn. Orton comes back and McIntyre beats the heck out of him, including throwing him over the announcers’ table. McIntyre checks on Shawn but Orton comes back in again for the RKO as Shawn can’t get up to end the show. This was as expected, including the over the top praise of Ric Flair, because Shawn and HHH still haven’t officially opened their eternal shrine to him.

Overall Rating: D+. Totally run of the mill Main Event here and that’s not a good thing to say. It’s not a show that has any real life to it and I don’t think that is going to change in the near future. Maybe the Thunderdome aspect can help things, but dang man. You can’t use this place for some character development with maybe a promo or two? Just try to do something with the resources you have. Why is that so much to ask?

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6