IMG Credit: WWE

What is it about this show that makes WWE not want to build it up? Last year there were three matches set up after the final SmackDown and this time there are only five. Granted three of them are inside the Cell but don’t you think that’s a little bit low? I’m sure there will be two or three more (plus a Kickoff Show match) but for now, as of rather early Sunday morning, we only have five to work with. Let’s get to it.

Jeff Hardy vs. Elias

This is one of the two matches that was set up this week and is the only match without something on the line. They are tying this back to the May segment where Hardy allegedly hit Elias with a car and I’m not sure if that is enough to make it work out that well. It’s certainly a match that can be thrown onto pay per view with no issues, but at the same time, it might not be that thrilling.

This has to go to Elias, as there is little reason for it to continue if Hardy wins so early. If nothing else, with Elias’ album coming out this week, you don’t want to have him lose so soon. I’m not sure where they are going to go with who drove the car, mainly because it seemed like they established that it was Sheamus. Either way, the match should be fine, though it’s not something I’m looking forward to all that much.

Money In The Bank Briefcase: Otis(c) vs. The Miz

I don’t want to get on Otis for the briefcase situation because it hasn’t been his fault, but dang this has been a big fall off from where he was just a few months ago. It was one thing when the fans were there cheering for him and you could imagine him stealing the title from Braun Strowman, but there is no way you can put Otis in the ring with this version of Roman Reigns and expect it to be taken anything closer to seriously. That isn’t on Otis, but it isn’t going to work either.

Miz almost has to win here, as at least you can imagine him cashing in and taking a thrashing for daring to step to Reigns. It makes a lot more sense than Otis, and while I feel bad for Otis losing everything, a Tucker turn wouldn’t shock me. They almost have to do it here though, and that’s going to make things a little bit easier for everyone involved. Well save for Otis of course but you get the idea.

SmackDown World Title: Roman Reigns(c) vs. Jey Uso

Much like their previous match, this isn’t so much about who leaves as champion as much as how they get there, and in this case, what happens next. This story has turned more into a way of knowing what is coming but still making it interesting, which is actually a heck of a trick. Reigns has turned into something from another planet as of late and I could go for a lot more of him on top, especially if he has some lackeys with him.

Of course Reigns wins here, and it is going to be brutal to watch. That is exactly what they should be doing too and under the right circumstances, this could steal the show all over again. Reigns can turn up the brutality when he needs to and Uso is a pretty snappy underdog. Letting these two do it again inside the Cell is interesting, but they already have months worth of story ready for when Reigns wins. Good storytelling has gotten Reigns this far and it is going to get him a lot further than this after another successful title defense.

SmackDown Women’s Title: Bayley(c) vs. Sasha Banks

this is one of the most confusing and also interesting matches on the show. The story has been a very long time in the making and they have set this up very well. It’s good enough to make an exception for the first (real) match in the feud taking place inside the Cell but that leaves a heck of a question: what happens here? They really could stretch this out for several more months and possibly even make it a featured match at WrestleMania (if not the headliner), but that might be asking too much.

I think I’m going to go with Bayley retaining here, maybe by some shenanigans, as there seems to be some steam to this feud and if they play it right, this could go on all the way to WrestleMania. I’m not sure I want it to or if that’s a good idea, but I think they have Bayley hold onto the title for one more month at least. If nothing else, have Bayley debut some kind of a bodyguard that Banks has to beat next month to set up something in December. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Banks wins, but I kind of don’t want her to just yet.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Randy Orton

Yes we’re still on this feud that started back in July and I’m kind of over the whole thing. I don’t need to see them fight again though for some reason that’s what we’re getting for a third time. Orton isn’t the kind of guy who is going to lose over and over again on pay per view, but at the same time, he’s now 40 years old and someone who has been a made man for at least ten years. A loss wouldn’t kill him, but how much does McIntyre get after beating him twice already?

I’ll take Orton to win here, though I’d love to see McIntyre hold onto the title. Either way, I think McIntyre gets it back before WrestleMania 37 ends, though at some point he has to lose to make that a possibility. Orton tacking on another World Title isn’t the worst idea, but it isn’t a match I really need to see again as they are already repeating the same setup that got us to Summerslam.

Overall Thoughts

I keep thinking I’ve left something out of this and somehow that isn’t the case. I’m not sure why they only have five matches set for a pay per view less than twenty four hours in advance, but WWE has only had a month to set this up and that’s a lot of scripts that can be torn in half in advance. The big matches are set and that’s what matters, but dang man. How hard is it to announce a few matches on Talking Smack or Raw Talk?

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: Impact Wrestling

Yeah you might have forgotten about the company but Impact Wrestling is back on pay per view with their biggest show of the year. The card has been built up as well as it can be, but that is kind of a firm limit. The show isn’t exactly jumping off the page at me, though Impact Wrestling has managed to surprise me before. Hopefully that is the case again so let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Rascalz vs. Deaners

There is something so fun about the Rascalz. I have a good time watching them but their win/loss record could be a lot better. There is only so much you can do when you can’t consistently win and that has been a problem for them for a very long time now. Hopefully they can get a lot better, and there are only a few ways to do that. We might be seeing it here.

I’ll take the Rascalz, for the double reason of I like them and I can remember which one is which. The Deaners got a lot out of Wrestle House but they are still more of a gimmick tag team than anything else. Maybe they can become a bigger deal one day, because while they’re not terrible, they leave a lot to be desired. Give me the Rascalz in a fast paced match.

Ken Shamrock vs. Eddie Edwards

This is a tricky one as Shamrock is entering the Hall of Fame this weekend but probably shouldn’t be beating someone like Edwards, who was World Champion just a few months ago. Then again, Shamrock wins a good amount of matches that he probably shouldn’t be winning, meaning that this could be in play. Shamrock has been impressive enough in his return, but that might not be enough to beat Edwards.

That being said, I’ll take Shamrock here, as Impact Wrestling REALLY likes honoring its legends, even though Edwards has been far more successful in the company than Shamrock. Edwards can absorb a loss far more easily than Shamrock, and if the idea is to make Shamrock a machine again, he shouldn’t be losing his first big match after the heel turn.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match

It’s your usual casserole of wrestlers who have nothing else going on (yes Tommy Dreamer is in there too) and the winner gets a title shot of their choice. The catch is that if Rhino or Heath win, Heath gets a contract and Rhino gets to keep his job. You can probably knock out a few of the options in a hurry, so at least it’s a little bit more limited of a field to pick through.

I’ll take Heath to win and go with the layup of the two of them going for the Tag Team Titles in the more feel good moment. It isn’t like most of the people involved have much of a story anyway and winning a ten person gauntlet match is only so difficult in the first place. Hopefully they don’t stay out there too long though, which is always a big danger in something like this. And go with the right winner of course, as in the person that I picked.

X-Division Title: Rohit Raju(c) vs. Chris Bey vs. Jordynne Grace vs. TJP vs. Trey Miguel vs. Willie Mack

Blast it with these messy matches. The X-Division has actually been a division as of late and now we are getting another one of these big car crash matches for the sake of getting everyone involved rather than having one challenger for a change. Raju is a fine choice as the heel champion who escapes with the title that he doesn’t really deserve and that is a good role to have in a match like this. There are a lot of ways this could go and that could make for something interesting.

I’ll take….eh give me Bey to get the title back here, if nothing else because I’ve liked a lot of what I’ve seen from him. Odds are Raju winds up retaining the title and escaping again, but that’s a bit of a traditional pick and Impact Wrestling likes to mix things up a bit. I’m not sure if that is what they are going to do here, but it really could go a lot of ways and that is a good thing.

TNA World Title: Moose(c) vs. EC3

So EC3 was the big surprise at the end of Slammiversary and he has set his sights on Moose. Now why did he do that? Honestly I’m not sure that I know as he has been going on and on about controlling your narrative…and I don’t know if I quite understand what the heck he is talking about. I know he wants to get rid of the TNA World Title to change his legacy or something, but that’s about as far as I can go.

The only other place I can go is to the place where EC3 wins the title, as he should here. There is no reason to have Moose retain here, though I’m not sure what else to expect from the match. It is going to take place in an undisclosed location and I wouldn’t be shocked to see this as a cinematic match, because we haven’t had one around here in awhile. Just have it regular please. Is that so much to ask?

Tag Team Titles: Motor City Machine Guns(c) vs. Good Brothers vs. Ace Austin/Madman Fulton vs. The North

The Good Brothers have become the biggest stars in the company almost by default and now all they need is the gold. They showed up announced at Slammiversary and were instantly treated as some of the most important people in the company, overshadowing the entire tag team division in a hurry. They don’t need the titles, but it doesn’t exactly do the titles much good for the Good Brothers to not have them.

Actually I’ll go with the instinct and pick Austin and Fulton to win, with the Good Brothers hunting them down for the regular title match later on rather than winning the four way here. This has gotten most of the recent main event slots and while it isn’t (or at least shouldn’t) main event the show, it is going to be one of the more important matches on the card. Odds are the Good Brothers win, but I feel like a gamble.

Knockouts Title: Deonna Purrazzo(c) vs. Kylie Rae

This feels like it was supposed to take place months ago but then the Wrestle house deal slowed everything down. Rae has become one of the perkiest stars the company has seen in years while Purrazzo is more of an assassin who can rip anyone apart whenever she feels like it. That being said, when your opponent has a move called Smile To The Finish, it’s hard to cheer against them. Throw in the fact that Rae is more innocent than the Easter Bunny and it’s hard to argue against her.

I’ll take Purrazzo to win here and crush everyone’s dreams, as she just hasn’t held the title long enough to lose it yet. Rae is someone who could smile her way through anything and it seems like she could be back in the title scene down the line without much effort. Maybe she takes it from Purrazzo one day, but I really don’t think it is going to happen on Saturday night.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Eric Young(c) vs. Rich Swann

And then there’s this, which does not feel like a main event of the biggest show of the year no matter how revered the company wants to make it sound. This feels like it should be for the X-Division Title halfway through the show rather than (probably) headlining everything. Swann came back from a long injury at Slammiversary and eliminated Young from the World Title match, only to have Young take out the knee. Now Swann is back for revenge and the title.

Swann has to win here right? I can’t imagine that Impact Wrestling would go with Young as a long term champion, but then again I can’t believe that we’re seeing him as the champion again in the second place. I’ve liked Swann for a long time now and hopefully he is back to his old self. He should win the title here, though I’m not sure if he is ready for that point. Then again, it’s not like the title feels all that important most of the time anyway.

Overall Thoughts

I’ve thought this for a good while now but this show has been surpassed by Slammiversary as the most important of the year. I know Bound For Glory gets all of the attention and that’s perfectly fine, but this really doesn’t feel like the big showcase event. I’m sure the matches and action will be good as Impact Wrestling almost always delivers when they focus on their in-ring product, but I can’t really bring myself to get overly interested in the show.

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

So just over six weeks after the previous Takeover, we’re up to the next edition and now they’re just counting the shows instead of coming up with a unique name. As has been the case more than once lately, this show felt like something that has the potential to be the first bad one in history, but then they announced the main event and I was left saying ooo. Hopefully that’s enough this time around so let’s get to it.

Kushida vs. Velveteen Dream

Indeed, it does seem like Dream is just back with little reason to suggest that he’s ever going to be punished for what he allegedly did. It’s a risky play as he was accused of some serious stuff, but that’s where we are at the moment. Kushida has looked a lot more aggressive as of late and as my favorite New Japan guy, I’m certainly not complaining about what we’re getting out of him.

I’ll take Dream here, though I can’t shake the feeling that they might pull the trigger on Kushida. NXT has shown that they want to push the heck out of Dream though and that means giving him chance after chance. He has lost more momentum than almost anyone else over the course of the summer, so a win here would help get it back. I would prefer Kushida winning and he might, but this seems to be Dream’s to win.

Women’s Title: Io Shirai(c) vs. Candice LeRae

Now we get to one of the bigger ideas on this show as LeRae and her husband Johnny Gargano are trying to become the first husband and wife to be stereo champions. The result of this match is going to tie into the result of the other match and I’m not sure how well that is going to go. I could see this going either way and that’s a nice feeling to have.

I think I’m going to take Shirai to retain here on a pure hunch. LeRae is someone who will likely be champion one day until the next big thing is ready to take the title, but I just don’t know if I can picture Shirai being the person to drop it to her just yet. The Gargano Way will likely be used, but I’m thinking this might set up a rematch on NXT where LeRae wins the title. Odds are I’m wrong as I tend to be when I play a hunch, but I don’t think LeRae gets the title just yet.

Cruiserweight Title: Santos Escobar(c) vs. Isaiah Scott

For once 205 Live actually served a really good purpose as this week’s show was all about this match, including a history between the two and the sitdown interview between them from this week’s NXT. I’m not sure what that is going to mean as far as a title match goes, but they have had good matches before so hopefully they can continue the trend here. The title has turned into rather nice supplemental feature in NXT so it might as well be on here as well.

It’s another one where I’m not sure what to expect but I’ll go with Scott winning the title here. The sitdown interview made it feel like a big moment, but at the same time Escobar has spent his entire reign feuding with Scott so far. The title is kind of an afterthought, though I like Scott a lot so may be me just hoping for something I want to see. Escobar winning wouldn’t shock me, but I’ll take Scott in a surprise.

North American Title: Damian Priest(c) vs. Johnny Gargano

I like Priest. I like him a lot, as he feels completely different than so many people on NXT. He’s a big guy with some great athleticism (though I’d still switch his finisher) and his promos feel different than most. The face turn has been a major upgrade for him and I could see him going this way for a very long time. That being said, there’s something about Gargano that is hard to turn down in a match like this.

Again I’m going to go with the hope but I’ll take Priest to retain. He feels like he could be something special and there might not be anyone in NXT as established as Gargano. A win over him would be a big deal for Priest, who only won the title a few weeks ago. I know there’s a good chance that Gargano and LeRae walk out with both titles, but it really isn’t something I need to see. Priest needs this more than Gargano and I’ll go with the hope spot of NXT doing what they should do rather than what traditional booking would have them do.

NXT Title: Finn Balor(c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly

And here’s where they have me. I’m really not sure what to expect in this one but dang I want to see it. O’Reilly is someone who seems to always be in a group or on a team but when he gets a chance to shine on his own, he can pull it off like few others. Keep in mind that he is a former Ring of Honor World Champion so he has had a successful singles run before. That being said, it’s Balor, and as he said on Wednesday, if this was anyone else, O’Reilly would be a near lock to win the title.

I’m going to take….Balor here, which is the answer I came up with after having to stop and think for a few minutes. They have done a great job here of making this into a match which could go either way and that’s an impressive thing given the amount of time that they have. O’Reilly winning the title in an upset is absolutely a possibility, but I think it’s more the “he would win on any other day” and Balor escapes as champion than anything else.

Overall Thoughts

This is a weird one as there not a single match on the show that I’m sure about, but at the same time, I’m not entirely locked into wanting to see all of them either. That’s a really strange feeling to have and the mystery man (I’m going with Bo Dallas or a surprise Karrion Kross) isn’t exactly enough to have me drooling over the show like I usually am. They haven’t have the time to set things up and then the outbreak made it even worse. I’m sure it’s going to be a good show (it’s Takeover) but the fire isn’t there, and a lot of that is due to how fast they put this together. Takeover is a special, and that’s not how this feels for a change.

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

WWE runs a show like this every year and every year I try to figure out if it makes sense to have a show built entirely around titles. On one hand it is about as easy of an idea as you can have for a pay per view, but at the same time, aren’t most shows built around title matches? Either way I’m not driving six hours one way for a middle of the road pay per view this year so things are looking up. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Raw Women’s Title: Asuka(c) vs. Zelina Vega

This one was thrown together pretty recently but WWE did something smart to help set it up: they gave Vega a clean win over Mickie James. It is no secret that Vega does not have the most polish in the ring, but she has enough to get by. Now though, she has beaten someone with an established resume and that should give her enough to be a decent enough challenger to Asuka.

Now that being said, there is no reason to believe that Vega has even the tiniest prayer here so it’s Asuka retaining in a walk. Asuka is someone who could be champion for a good while to come as it’s not like there is any major credible challenger on her horizon. Let her beat Vega here and maybe again in a rematch on Monday Night Raw while we wait and see who else WWE can find for her. For now though, Asuka wins and does so with ease.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Street Profits(c) vs. Andrade/Angel Garza

Sweet goodness it feels like we have been here quite a few times now. This is one of those matches that WWE seems to want to run at multiple pay per views and that is what we have seen so far. The Street Profits have held the titles for a LONG time (at least for these titles) and they have beaten Garza and Andrade several times as champions. That should mean something, but I’m not sure if it does.

For probably the third time in a row, I’ll take Andrade and Garza to win the titles. We’re kind of at the point where they have to or there is nothing left for them to do as a team. We’ve kind of been here for months now and until they actually win the belts, the team might as well be on a treadmill. We are way past the point where the Street Profits need to prove themselves and they will probably get the titles back later, but for now, we need new champions.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley(c) vs. Nikki Cross

Speaking of long reigning champions and matches we’ve seen before, we have this one, with Bayley continuing her practically 500 day reign as champion against Cross, who Bayley seems to have beaten about half a dozen times already. The idea here is that Bayley is vulnerable without Sasha Banks in her corner, but the only thing that I can think of from that concept is “….oh come on.”

Of course Bayley retains here, because the ONLY thing that this should be setting up is the mother of all showdowns for Bayley and Banks. You could put that one in the Cell, but it might need something even bigger than that. I don’t think they can stretch it all the way to WrestleMania, but if anything deserves that kind of a stage, it would be Banks FINALLY dethroning Bayley. If it sounds like I’m treating Cross like an afterthought here, it’s only because she is one in this case.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura(c) vs. Lucha House Party

WWE is doing a really bad job of making these matches seem like they don’t matter because there are other stories already being set up. In this case it would be Lucha House Party imploding as Kalisto seems to be thinking about himself more than the team. Now that could go multiple ways here, as it isn’t clear which members of the team will be getting the shot. That being said, I don’t think it’s going to matter.

I’ll go with the champs retaining here, but there is a little voice in the back of my head that could see the titles changing hands, setting up a story where the new champs have to decide what to do with Kalisto. I don’t think WWE has thought that far ahead or put that much thought into the idea of the Lucha House Party splitting up though, so I think it’s safe to drop that idea and just go with Cesaro and Nakamura retaining.

US Title: Bobby Lashley(c) vs. Apollo Crews

It’s a Payback rematch here but things have already changed. Not only has Lashley already figured out a better name for the Full Nelson than the Full Lashley, but the Hurt Business is good when they are fighting Retribution and bad when they are fighting Crews and his friends. That’s confusing enough, but at least the match should be a pretty easy result to figure out.

This is the best (or maybe worst depending on how you look at it) example of a match where they needed to have a title match and since there is no one fresh to challenge (because Ricochet doesn’t exist on pay per view), they’re going with a rematch from last time. Lashley should retain here as Crews already got what he could out of the title and there is no need to change it back.

Intercontinental Title: Jeff Hardy(c) vs. Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles

It’s the monthly ladder matches because we need to have one of some kind about every month in WWE. Hardy is champion, Styles wants a rematch, Zayn looks like Fidel Castro and has his own title from five months ago (not six because WWE can’t count) so let’s put two titles above the ring for a ladder match. As usual, this has me worried about a screwy finish, and I can’t even say WWE wouldn’t go there.

I’ll play it safe and say Hardy retains here, but it wouldn’t shock me to see two people pulling down titles to make this a glorified elimination match. Zayn has no real claim to the title and while Styles should get a rematch, I think he might be the odd man out here. Zayn has been more interesting than he has in years in his current heel run (again, if you cut out the five month hiatus) and I’d like to see him get something going, but it doesn’t seem to be this. At least not with both titles.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Riott Squad

Oh yeah this is a thing they’re doing too. This isn’t a match that has any interest from me as Jax and Baszler have already sucked the life out of the titles. I’m not sure what that means for the titles’ futures, but it isn’t doing much for their present. Lately the champs have mainly existed to beat up Lana because her husband is now working elsewhere, leaving this match as kind of an afterthought.

The champs retain here, as WWE sees them as more interesting than anyone else. At the moment, that does seem to be the case when compared to the Riott Squad, though having Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan slipping on one banana peel after another is getting a little tiresome. Maybe they throw in a curve here, but I have a feeling that the wacky tag team partners idea is going to continue for a good while.

Smackdown World Title: Roman Reigns(c) vs. Jey Uso

I wanted to put this one on last because it’s the best story in WWE today. While there might not be much doubt in who is going to win, this is a lesson in how to take something that should be nothing and turn it into something. They’re members of the same family, Reigns is the star, Uso wants to know why he can’t be the new big dog. If you have a sibling, there is a good chance you have been in one of their shoes before. That’s how you make a wrestling story work: by giving the fans something to grab onto.

I don’t think there’s any real doubt about who wins here. Reigns is Reigns and Uso is waiting on his brother to get back to action. What is going to be interesting here is seeing how Reigns retains. There is a case to be made for Uso to get in some offense and come off looking like a star, or there is a case for Reigns to beat him in two minutes, including a cold stare at Uso’s unconscious body. I’m expecting something in the middle, as Reigns turns it on when he needs to in order to retain, but Uso should get in a little something (emphasis on little) in defeat.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Randy Orton

So what we have here is the champion who won the title at Wrestlemania and held it against some questionable opponents before escaping with the title against Orton at Summerslam, setting up a rematch at Clash Of Champions. Oh dang it I have the wrong notes here. That’s the story they did with Kofi Kingston against Orton last year. And people wonder why this company is seen as creatively bankrupt.

I’ll take….dang who will I take? I’ll go with Orton here, as I have a feeling they still want to do something else with both of them down the line. I’m not sure what, but I didn’t feel right putting McIntyre. The biggest problem for both is I’m not sure where they go next, but maybe the Draft can shake things up enough. That has to be coming soon, though so is the Cell, which could make for a good blowoff match. Orton wins here though, in a pick I have zero confidence in making.

Overall Thoughts

The more I think about it, the less I like this card. It feels like WWE is running on creative fumes at the moment and that isn’t surprising. This show is taking place on September 27 and is their third pay per view in six weeks (with Takeover running next Sunday night). It’s a case of WWE needing to let them have a breather but content is king these days and this is what we have to work with. This show has some matches which could work out rather well and probably will, but after two pay per views so recently, it’s a little hard to get up for this one.

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

We haven’t done one of these in awhile. AEW does not run very many pay per view events but they will be having one this weekend. That means the expectations are high, as AEW’s pay per views have been rather successful so far. There is always a first time for everything, but AEW has given me a lot of reason to believe that they can make this work again. Let’s get to it.

Buy In: Private Party vs. Dark Order

This was a change made on Friday with a new match being added and the original Buy In match being added to the main card. Private Party has been in a weird place since they debuted as they seemed to be the chosen ones but then fell WAY back and haven’t come close to their original status since. They have at least been on television more as of late so maybe things are turning around.

The thing that is going to help them turn around the most is a win here, which they will get. The Dark Order has been getting a push but I can’t imagine they actually beat a team like Private Party. This is a good choice for an opening match as Private Party can bring some energy to the show and give the fans a nice reaction when they beat the cult. It won’t be a great match or anything, but it will help the show get going in the right direction.

Dark Order vs. Matt Cardona/Natural Nightmares/Scorpio Sky

I can always go with a ragtag bunch of people against the monster cult (you hear about it all the time). This is fallout from Brodie Lee mauling Cody to take the TNT Title and I think I like this more than a regular title defense. We’ve already seen what Lee can do on his own so it’s ok to go with something designed to follow up on that rather than going in the more traditional route.

I’ll take the Dark Order here as there is no reason to have Lee lose in his first match after winning the title. Even if he didn’t take the fall, you don’t want to slow the momentum of the main core of the Dark Order. QT Marshall can take a fall as well as anyone here and if it happens to be after Lee blasts him with a clothesline, so be it. This is the Order’s to win, as it should be.

Young Bucks vs. Jurassic Express

Here we have a match that is just kind of happening for the sake of happening, which is rarely a good sign. These four won a match on Dynamite to earn their spot in this one and that’s about it. In other words, they had to come up with something for the Bucks to do on the show and this was as good as anything else they could come up with. At least Marko Stunt is injured and can’t interfere so we have at least one positive.

Of course the Bucks win here because it’s their company and you have to give the people what they want (or something). Much like Private Party, Jurassic Express has fallen a long way (I assure you that the addition of Stunt had NOTHING to do with it though) and they are just kind of the designated victims for the Bucks. The match will have some good spots, but the Bucks win in the end, as they should.

Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara

This is a Broken Rules match, meaning Last Man Standing. These two have had a big feud going in recent weeks (Guevara has even had signs) and then they had a tables match which was completely ripped off by having its time hacked off. I’m hoping they can do something great here, or at least really good, which might be about as good as you can expect from them here.

Given the “Hardy leaves AEW if he loses”, I think I’ll go with Guevara, mainly because that seems like a way to have Hardy get out of the company and come back as another character. Guevara also needs the win a lot more, but I’m almost scared to see what we are going to be seeing from Hardy in the near future, because he might go for epic again and that….egads it does not work a lot of the time.

Women’s Title: Hikaru Shida(c) vs. Thunder Rosa

This is actually the only singles match on the show with no special rules or stipulation. Rosa debuted on Dynamite and made me care about Serena Deeb well enough, though I don’t know if that was the point. They have built this up fairly well for Rosa through her promos, but at the same time, Shida has barely been around in the last few weeks. She still feels like the ace of the division though and that’s all you need in something like this.

I’ll go with Shida retaining here, as I’m not sure I can imagine Rosa just showing up and winning the title. Now that being said, if they want to put a rocket to someone in the short term, Rosa would make a ton of sense. Rosa could be a heck of a star as she has seemed like one every time and hopefully they give her a chance later on, because she could be a big star in a hurry around…anywhere really.

Tag Team Titles: Kenny Omega/Hangman Page(c) vs. FTR

Man alive this could have been something more interesting at another time but it is still entertaining enough here. The main crux of the story here is the continuing deterioration of the Elite, with Page now having been tossed out, despite Omega not having any say of it. We could be seeing something great in the ring here, but the real interesting parts are going to be around the drama, which tends to be the case in most big matches.

This absolutely has to be the title change, as Omega and Page being the champs mean that the story can’t really move forward in any significant way. FTR can be a great team and upgrade anyone they face, so hopefully they are given the chance to do that here. Omega and Page need to drop the titles already and there is no reason not to do that here. It will be very good to great match, and the title change should be on the same level. FTR wins, as they have to.

Britt Baker vs. Big Swole

This is the cinematic match and that means we are going to be seeing something interesting. The match is going to be taking place in Baker’s dental office, which should be a heck of an idea. AEW seems like it should be able to have the right kind of humor to make something work in the first place. These two have been wanting to fight for a few months now and if they go with the right path, we should be fine.

I’ll with with Baker here, as there is little reason to have her lose. Baker’s greatest strength is when she gets to talk and there is little reason for her to keep talking if she gets beaten here. Swole is good enough at what she does, but Baker could be the best talker in the entire division and should not lose for a good while. It’s Baker all day here and that should be the case for a long time.

Casino Battle Royal

One day someone is going to have to explain to me why they keep going with the gambling theme, especially when they aren’t in Las Vegas. Anyway, this is the big #1 contenders battle royal with the groups of wrestlers coming in at timed intervals and then one guy coming in last as the Joker. I’m not sure what to expect here as the field has not been completely announced, but this should be hard to screw up.

Based on the field that we have at the moment, I’ll be taking Darby Allin to win, if nothing else for the sake of hearing Taz freak out about it on commentary. I don’t know if that is the kind of title shot that can be defended, but some matches against Team Taz could work out rather well. You can almost guarantee that another former WWE star will debut here, but Allin winning makes the most sense out of everyone announced so far.

Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy

If you have been watching Dynamite and Dark, you very well could believe that this is the main event (and I’m not 100% convinced it won’t be). This is the Mimosa Mayhem match, because AEW loves it some uniquely named gimmick matches. It’s basically a casket match, but with a vat of orange juice and champagne instead of a casket. Plus you can win via pinfall or submission to really mix it up.

There is no real reason for Jericho to win here (aside from it’s Jericho vs. Cassidy on pay per view) and I can’t imagine Cassidy actually losing so I’ll go with what makes sense. Cassidy has already proven that he can pin Jericho so throwing him into the mimosas would make the most sense. Actually it would have made the most sense to have Cassidy beat him in this in the second match and then win via pinfall later in the big moment, but the way they did it works well enough.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley(c) vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

And then there’s this, which is going to be one of the more interesting matches on the show. I’m not sure which way this is going to go and that’s what makes it more fun. Friedman has been pretty clearly the next breakout star for a long time as he can talk as well as anyone in the world right now, but it’s almost hard to picture them taking the title off of Moxley. The Paradigm Shift is banned here, but that has taken a backseat to the lawyer stuff which just did not end. So that leaves us with the match and I’m not entirely sure.

I’ll go with Friedman winning though, as I really can’t imagine who else can take the title from Moxley at the moment. They have something with Moxley beating all of the giants in a row and then having trouble with the smaller guy so hopefully they pull the trigger. I’m not sure how good the match is going to be, but Friedman’s celebration could be outstanding and my hope for seeing it carries me through.

Overall Thoughts

I’m excited for this one and it’s nice to be able to say that about a pay per view for once. They have done something different with the shows and given how infrequently we see them, that could make for a rather nice show indeed. This is kind of the anniversary show, or at least the anniversary of the show before the show, so they are going to be going harder than usual. All out you might even say.

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

It feels like we just got done with this. It’s already time for another WWE pay per view in the form of Payback, which is another one of those generically named pay per views where there are no expectations but they might be able to make it work better as a result. The end of Smackdown gave me a lot of hope for what they could do, but you never can tell around here. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: IIconics vs. Riott Squad

This is another match added at the last minute. It doesn’t feel like it is going to be the biggest match in the world but it is something that can get the energy going a little bit to start. WWE needs some fresh teams to come after the Tag Team Titles so one of these teams makes as much sense as anything else. I mean, assuming you let one of them get some wins going.

I’ll go with the Squad to win here, as the IIconics have had their moments already. They’re also the kind of team who can get over again in a hurry after a loss so let the Squad get a little something going for a change. It isn’t like you can have the top singles stars in the division holding the Tag Team Titles forever, so mix it up a bit and see what else you have out there.

Sheamus vs. Big E.

This was added on Saturday as another rematch on the card. These guys fought last week with Retribution getting involved so this is likely going to be the clean version. Given how many rematches we already have on this show, it fits in well with the overall theme, even if there wasn’t much of an issues that warranted another match. They already took part in a six man this week anyway so I guess this passes for a feud these days.

I’ll take Big E. to win as they seem to want to try and do something with him on his own, even if that has so far mainly consisted of beating up Miz and John Morrison. This is as good as we are going to get at the moment and this might have been better served as a Kickoff Show match. Big E. can get a win against a former World Champion though and that’s a good sign for his future, even if it hasn’t really gone that far yet.

Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin

I think I’ve made my thoughts on Corbin known well enough but this is the kind of spot that suits him well. He’s in the midcard and can use the legitimate heel heat that he has to make someone new look better. Riddle can shut him up and overcome the obstacle in front of him, which gives him a nice achievement on his way up the ladder. This is something that should be almost impossible to screw up, putting it in WWE’s problem area.

I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt (because that has never gone badly for me before) and say that they’ll get it right and have Riddle go over here. There is a chance that they will stretch it out for another month but I think it’s best that you just wrap it up and don’t bother messing with anything else. Don’t do something stupid here and let them go with whatever makes sense.

Dominik Mysterio/Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins/Murphy

Let’s get this one over with because they already have the NEXT match set up as Rey will face Rollins the following night on Raw. This is a feud that doesn’t seem to have the most heat but we are still watching it every single week no matter what. They already did this match on Raw and now we get to see it all over again just six days later. Maybe Retribution can interfere the same way they always do to spice things up a bit.

Give me the Mysterios to win here because this needs to keep going for some reason. I’m assuming that the win makes Rollins mad enough that he wants to destroy Rey (again) the following night, maybe with Retribution getting involved again. Above all else though, I’m just trying really hard to make myself care about the feud and it hasn’t happened in months. Get to the end of this already so they can all move on to ANYTHING else (and yes I know how dangerous it is to say that).

US Title: Apollo Crews(c) vs. Bobby Lashley

This it he what the entire Crews vs. MVP feud seemed to be building towards and that is a good sign. Lashley is the final boss of the Hurt Business because….well how could he not be? Crews has come a long way in a short time as champion and I could see this one going either way. It’s the kind of run that could get him a little higher up on the ladder, but not that much higher based on how hit and miss he is at promos.

Anyway, I’ll go with….Crews here, but I don’t think he makes it through Clash Of Champions with the title. This could be a good match for both of them but at the same time, Lashley winning would make a lot of sense. The Hurt Business could use a big trophy like the US Title, but I think he slips on the banana peel here and Crews escapes. Lashley will wind up as champion, but it isn’t taking place here.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Bayley/Sasha Banks(c) vs. Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler

Here we have one of the worst kind of teams available: anything involving Nia Jax. Or in this case it is more about the tag partners who don’t like each other but are willing to team together, while still reminding us that they don’t like each other. This seemed to be set up for Asuka/Baszler but why go for good when you could go for Jax?

I’ll take Baszler and Jax to win here as they have been setting up the idea of Banks and Bayley finally coming back down but you’ve seen me talk enough about how many times I’ve been burned by the story. I’ll just say that it happens again here and the idea of Bayley FINALLY losing her title at the Clash could work out well enough. Anyway, the champs drop the titles here and continue to fall apart.

Keith Lee vs. Randy Orton

That’s such a cool thing to get to put down and I have no idea what they’re doing here. This is another rematch from Raw when WWE managed to screw up Lee’s solo debut because…well because they’re not that bright sometimes. Apparently new music is on the way but if they don’t get rid of the horrible looking gear, it doesn’t matter. That might be one of Lee’s many issues on Sunday.

For the life of me I don’t get what they’re going to do here but I’ll take Orton to win. Orton is gearing up for the rematch with Drew McIntyre, probably also at Clash, which begs the question of WHY you would make this Lee’s real singles debut. If you want Lee to be a big star (and of course you should), don’t put him in this spot. Give him a nice win to start so he can get over and then go somewhere from there. Don’t have him stumble right out of the gate, but given that he is basically wrestling in a skirt, we are long past that point of worrying. Orton wins, as people try to figure out how they expected to get out of this.

Universal Title: The Fiend(c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

I had this one mainly planned out and then the world got turned upside down on Smackdown as Reigns was revealed as the new Paul Heyman Guy. I’m not sure what to think of that as it only happened a few hours ago and….dang man what in the world happened? Reigns is suddenly the top heel, Strowman is fresh heel and….I guess Wyatt is going to become the top face?

With all that being said, I’ll flip a coin and say Reigns win here, likely pinning Strowman, so that you make Reigns out to be the big monster all over again and have Wyatt chase him for a bit, possibly setting up the Cell. It might not be pretty, but having Fiend lose the title back this soon wouldn’t surprise me. Whatever gets Strowman out of the main event scene will help a bit, but dang it has done some damage to everyone involved. Reigns wins here though, as he almost has to after that reveal (which could have come at the pay per view, and possibly should have).

Overall Thoughts

I really don’t know what to think of with this one but I’m curious to see where the Reigns/Heyman thing goes. That could be one heck of a heel run, though I’m not sure how well they are going to make it work. This isn’t exactly a major show, but we have four weeks before Clash Of Champions and that means this is feeling more like your traditional B pay per view. Just don’t do anything bad and work well with what you have. That is basic for a wrestling promotion, which makes it sound like deciphering hieroglyphics blindfolded for WWE. Please don’t screw up Reigns and Heyman though. Please.

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

It’s that time of year again. WWE has a long history of pay per views and it is time for one of the biggest on the calendar. This Sunday, WWE will present Summerslam from the Thunder Dome in Orlando, which could make things a lot better or a lot more headache inducing, depending on your taste and eyesight. I’m not entirely sold on this one but Summerslam has the ability to surprise you. Let’s get to it.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins

Let’s get this one out of the way before I fall asleep thinking about it. This is the next step in a feud that has gone on for months and feels like it has gone on for years. I’m not sure what WWE sees in this but maybe now that Rey Mysterio has signed a new contract, we can wrap it up and let them get on to something more interesting. It isn’t the worst feud, but I can’t bring myself to care about it whatsoever.

I don’t see a reason for Dominik to win in his debut against a name like Rollins, so I’ll go with Rollins to win here. Rey will be there and the match is a street fight to even things out a bit, but I’m not sure how good the match can be. The biggest problem is that I don’t care enough to get interested and that is going to be a problem with such a big match on this stage.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Street Profits vs. Andrade/Angel Garza

This is the match where they included another illegal action to set the story up, but in this case the poisoning (yes poisoning) was dropped for the sake of….well maybe better taste. The Street Profits have held the titles for about six months now, which is the longest reign since the New Day’s record reign by a wide margin. That would suggest it is about time to finish and it might be the case here.

That’s what I’ll go with here, as not only have the Profits held the titles for a long time now but Andrade and Garza need to actually win something at some point. They have been a team for a long time now and have yet to actually accomplish much of anything, so winning the titles here could be a nice step. The Profits are long past the point where they need the titles and can get them back later if they need to, so hopefully the titles change here.

US Title: Apollo Crews(c) vs. MVP

This is another feud that has been going on for a little while now but this time around they have me wondering where things are going to go. The interesting thing for me here is that it doesn’t seem to be the final blowoff of the whole story. Instead it seems that we are setting up Bobby Lashley as the final boss for Crews, which unfortunately doesn’t exactly leave this as the biggest mystery.

As you might have guessed, I’m taking Crews to retain here. Crews has gotten something out of this title reign, including an improvement in his promo skills. I could go for some more of him as champion, but I’m not sure where he goes after the title reign. It gets to continue here though, as MVP isn’t someone who needs to be US Champion again at this point in his career.

Sonya Deville vs. Mandy Rose

We need to get to some Smackdown stuff on here and that’s where this one comes in. I was really curious to see how they were going to have the hair vs. hair match play out, but now things have changed to a No DQ, Loser Leaves WWE match. It wouldn’t surprise me to see this be due to some real life issues and now I’m not sure how much drama there is with the match.

In theory, this is a pretty big layup with Rose winning so Deville can go deal with the fact that someone wanted to murder her a few days ago. I can’t bring myself to complain about this one of course, as that’s about as serious as you can get. It is kind of a shame though as Deville has turned into one of the best characters, especially with her talking, in all of WWE’s women’s division as of late. I’m sure she’ll be back, but it’s a shame that her roll slowed down for now.

SmackDown Women’s Title: Bayley(c) vs. Asuka

Now we begin our fairly strange two part portion of the evening, with Asuka getting a pair of singles title shows. There are a few different combinations for this and she gets Bayley to start things off. I’m not sure what to expect this time around, but Bayley has been losing more than she should be as of late. That doesn’t bode well for her, but WWE can be a strange place in something like this.

I’ll take Asuka to win the title here, as they seem to be moving towards turning the tables with Bayley and Sasha Banks. In this case that would mean Banks succeeding where Bayley doesn’t and that could make for something interesting as we move forward. Bayley has to lose the title here though and Asuka taking it would certainly be something that would work, even if it is another blow to the Raw women’s division.

Raw Women’s Title: Sasha Banks(c) vs. Asuka

So that leaves us with this, because for some reason this is the kind of idea that WWE loves to run with as of late. There is some kind of an idea about having a small number of people dominating a division and the women’s division is getting that condition now. It is Asuka, Bayley and Banks at the moment, but the question is whether Banks leaves this show with a title of her own.

I’m going to say that she does, and that means I’m likely to be wrong as there is little reason to believe that Bayley vs. Banks is EVER going to take place at this point. Fifty years from now our grandchildren are going to be waiting on them to fight in their retirement community and odds are it’s going to be any month now. Have I mentioned I’m tired of hearing about that feud being any day now?

Smackdown World Title: Braun Strowman(c) vs. The Fiend

This is now Falls Count Anywhere and hopefully that means they can wrap it up sooner rather than later. I know the Fiend might not be the best choice for World Champion but MY GOODNESS he is better than Strowman. I don’t know how much more of Strowman I can take at this point as the guy is one of the least interesting champions in recent or long term memory. I’m not sure why we need to see it last this time, but hopefully it finishes here.

In other words, for the love of all things good and holy, PLEASE let the Fiend win here. There is no need for Strowman to stick around here and I really don’t want to see them have a fourth match here because there is no need for any of this to continue again. It has been downright horrible and they need to just drop the whole thing with Fiend ending Strowman. Say by beating him with bowling pins and serving him as sandwiches at a James Bond themed dinner party.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Randy Orton

And then we have this, which is one of the most interesting things on the card. I’m not sure what this is going to bring, but sweet goodness it actually feels like they have set up something where you could see either guy could win and be ok with it. However there is one thing that I think is hanging over the whole match and it is going to play into the ending: the show’s tagline of “You’ll Never See It Coming.”

My guess is that comes into play here with one of two ideas, and both of them end with Orton winning the title. First up, Retribution could cost McIntyre the title after he called them out on Raw earlier this week. That could set up him getting some payback at Payback, either against Orton or part of Retribution. The other, and more likely option? Flair was never Punted (remember the lights flickered) and you’ll never see it coming when he shows up to help Orton win the title. Either way, the tagline doesn’t exactly help that they’re basically telegraphing a surprise, thereby negating the concept of a SURPRISE.

Overall Thoughts

Call me crazy, but I think we might be in for a decent show here. I know the TV hasn’t been great for the last few months, but there is something about this card that is giving me hope. Summerslam has been going fairly well over most of the last few years and if they can keep that trend going, maybe they can go somewhere. I mean I don’t believe they will, but you have to have some hope somewhere. Maybe they can have some good TV as a result. You would never see that coming would you?

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

It’s that time again. There may not be a series of wrestling shows with the reputation of NXT: Takeover. The shows have hovered somewhere around great and often moved up to show of the year on a number of occasions. Saturday will see a milestone version with the thirtieth edition, but things aren’t as hot as they usually are. NXT has had that feeling before, but I’m not sure if they can shake it off this time. Hopefully I’m wrong though so let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Legado del Fantasma vs. Breezango vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch

This is for a future Tag Team Title shot, assuming you can remember who the Tag Team Champions even are at the moment. The tag division has taken some major hits over the last few months and this is the second straight Takeover without the titles being defended. I can’t say I’m overly surprised as Imperium aren’t the most thrilling challengers, but they need to do something sooner rather than later.

I’ll take Burch and Lorcan to win here, as they haven’t been around much lately but it is going to be a little easier to take them seriously than Imperium. Throw in that they would give Imperium a better match than Breezango and this should be an easy pick. That is assuming they aren’t going to give the rest of Legado the titles to make all three members champions, which is certainly a possibility. Either way, I’ll take Lorcan and Burch with pretty minimal confidence.

Women’s Title: Io Shirai(c) vs. Dakota Kai

This one hasn’t been all that thrilling so far as Kai seems dangerous, but not dangerous enough to be a real threat to win the title. It was like she needed something extra to boost her chances of winning the title, like someone who could give Shirai more of a run for her money. Maybe a monster enforcer who could be a physical threat to Shirai and who destro…yeah you get what I’m going for here. Raquel Gonzalez is back and Shirai could be in trouble.

I want to go with Kai here but I can’t bring myself to say it. Therefore I’ll take Shirai to retain, as Mercedes Martinez seems destined to be the next big threat to come after the title. Kai has been a heck of an even woman in recent months and throwing Gonzalez in helps a lot, but I don’t think it’s enough to get her the title. Considering how goofy and innocent Kai used to be, her transformation has been remarkable but it isn’t enough to get her to the promised land just yet.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Finn Balor

Sometimes you need a good grudge match and that’s what we have here. This is also the kind of match that the show needed to help boost things up and hopefully that is what we are going to be getting. Balor and Thatcher both lost to Dexter Lumis in a North American Title qualifying match and Thatcher isn’t happy as he took the fall. He cost Balor his second chance match and here we are.

Give me Balor to win here, as somehow he needs to get back on track. At the same time, Thatcher is someone who needs his second big win as he has only defeated Matt Riddle in the cage match. That being said, Balor has only lost in one singles match ever at Takeover and I’m not sure I can see Thatcher adding his name to the Samoa Joe list. Balor wins here, but I’m really not convinced.

Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

This is being treated as more of the main event than anything else on the show. It’s the old wrestler vs. football player match, but in this case, McAfee might be the best talker in the promotion. I’ve wanted to hear someone shut him up because he really is that great of a villain, but I don’t want to hear Cole be the one to shut him up. Cole has spent a year as the top heel in the promotion. I need a reason to cheer him, not just to boo McAfee.

Of course I’ll go with Cole here, as there isn’t much of a reason to have him lose to the outside here. Cole can be turned face (anyone can) but having him getting beaten down by McAfee isn’t an idea that has legs. Go with what makes sense here in the big mess, as McAfee has a weapon in the big kick but doesn’t need to win here. Then again there is a chance that he could as he could have something bigger in mind as part of Cole’s redemption, but I’ll play it safe and go with Cole winning here.

North American Title: Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Velveteen Dream

Sometimes in wrestling you need a new champion and the best solution is to hang the title above the ring so a bunch of wrestlers can try to climb a ladder and pull it down. Ok so wrestling can be a little strange at times but that’s what makes it so much fun. That is what we have here as Keith Lee vacated the title after winning the NXT Title, meaning it’s time for some multiman carnage.

You could go in a bunch of ways here but I’ll take Grimes to win as he has been rather impressive for a long time now. Gargano is fine without the title, Dream is….moving on, Reed and Priest don’t make the most sense as winning here and Grimes has been outstanding as of late. Go with the best choice and someone who could get a long way with the title, which is where Grimes comes in.

NXT Title: Keith Lee(c) vs. Karrion Kross

And now we have a heck of a hoss fight to wrap things up. Lee won the title back in early July and Kross has targeted him ever since. Kross has since choked out Dominick Dijakovic and burned Lee with a fireball, meaning it’s time for a big fight. This could be an interesting way to go as they both seem unstoppable, which is where you can tell they have a good match going.

I think I’ll go with Kross to win the title here as there is no reason at all to have him lose so soon. Having him overcome the monster Lee is a way to make him look even more unstoppable, but I’m not sure where things go from there. The key thing here though is Lee can absorb a loss a lot more than Kross, though if there was ever a place for a non-finish, this would be it. Kross wins, even if it’s the second best option.

Overall Thoughts

I’m trying to get excited about this show but it isn’t working this time around. The two hour deal has hurt NXT quite a bit and while it makes WWE a lot of money, it doesn’t exactly help with the quality of the show. That being said, you never bet against Takeover and you would be crazy to do so here. They know how to do these things and hopefully that’s what happens again here, as it probably will.

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

Can we just get this done already? I’ve made no secret of the fact that I am not exactly thrilled with Extreme Rules and based on the last month or so of television numbers, a lot of the fans aren’t either. It seems like WWE isn’t trying very hard with the build to this show and that is coming off rather badly on television. That usually means a good show, but you can never be sure. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: New Day(c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura/Cesaro

This is a tables match, as chosen by Cesaro and Nakamura after Cesaro defeated Big E. on Smackdown. It is also my regular time to say that I don’t think New Day can go on forever as Tag Team Champions, even though they tend to go on forever as Tag Team Champions. You have to go with someone new at some point, though as usual, the question is whether that is what we are seeing here.

I think they do at least drop the titles here, as there is little to no reason to keep them on New Day at the moment. WWE has been hinting at teasing at a Big E. singles push (you can tell how sure they are about it) and it would be nice to see for a change. New Day is great, but how many times can we see the same thing over and over again? They do mix things up, but it tends to be New Day holding the titles forever, and that can get a little tiresome. New champs here, but I wouldn’t bet on anything long term.

US Title: Apollo Crews(c) vs. MVP

I still can’t get over how great MVP has been during this run. He can talk with the best of them in WWE today but he can also wrestle a match when necessary. A title run isn’t completely out of the question, but there seem to bigger issues out there to deal with. Crews feels like he has been ready to lose the title since the day he won it, and I’m not sure that changes here.

Crews retains this time around, as it seems that we are coming up on Crews vs. Bobby Lashley as the big boss at Summerslam. MVP is fine for a filler opponent until we get there, but as someone who doesn’t exactly get in the ring as a full time singles wrestler most of the time, I’m not sure I can see him getting a title run out of this. Either way, it should be a better match than you would expect and that’s always a nice treat.

Seth Rollins vs. Rey Mysterio

Let’s get this one out of the way. The idea here is that you have to take out your opponent’s eye to win. I get that they’re going for something to tie into the Horror Show idea (because they seem to think it’s October) but….dang man. Remember when you have two future Hall of Famers having a good match instead of this? They can have some kind of a violent, brutal match (maybe even an extreme one) without this nonsense.

I’ll take Rollins to win and hopefully get on to something other than this messiah deal that he has been doing which hasn’t worked so well yet. Mysterio doesn’t seem to have a contract at the moment so finding an out for him isn’t the worst idea. I’m not sure what else they can do with Rollins other than put him against Kevin Owens, but the real winner here is going to be the fans for seeing how stupid of a way they use to deliver on the ending (assuming they actually do).

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley(c) vs. Nikki Cross

Now this one could be a sleeper hit as the two of them can both do some good things in the ring. Bayley has gotten WAY better at her heel stuff in recent weeks and it has been a lot easier to watch her on all of the shows. Cross on the other hand is someone who seems capable of having an awesome match at the drop of a hat, though she rarely actually gets to that point.

Of course Bayley retains here though, as she has held the title so long that it is almost hard to imagine her losing the thing anytime soon. Then again, when you have practically held it for a year already, the idea of seeing you hold it much longer is a little hard to fathom. I can go for more of Bayley, though they need to make up their minds on the Sasha Banks stuff already. Or find a better top level challenger for her, as she has been lacking one for most of her time as champion.

Raw Women’s Title: Asuka(c) vs. Sasha Banks

While the other Women’s Title match seems more like a sleeper hit, this one is probably a wide awake one and might be the match of the night. Banks and Asuka do not have the biggest history together and it could be interesting to see what they can do in a big setting. I’m not sure I can imagine the title changing hands, though Asuka being a dominant main roster champion doesn’t quite feel right either.

For now though, I’ll say Asuka retains without the deepest confidence. What matters here though is having a good match between two talented wrestlers, which could be a rarity on this show. The women’s divisions have gotten better since the masses have been allowed to catch up with Charlotte and Becky Lynch gone, so hopefully these two can pull off what they are capable of doing here.

Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt

This would be your middle match of the trilogy which is there for the sake of setting up the final match in the trilogy. This is still something that is supposed to be interesting based on that time where Strowman and Wyatt were in the same stable, even though they never really did anything significant together. However, this time they’re in a swamp, which is the kind of thing that you don’t see very often.

In the least surprising result of the month, of course Wyatt wins here, likely in a cool visual after we go through the swamp in their latest cinematic match. That is about all they have around here and I’m not sure if it is going to be enough to overcome a rather dull story. These two don’t feel like they’re having a major feud, but we’re going to be seeing them do it again next month too. But yeah Wyatt wins here, as you probably guessed when the match was announced.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

So now we have these two in the main event, which will probably be a pretty decent match. They can both do good stuff when they have the chance and they will here. The problem is that it isn’t a story I care to see, which is where they lose me. It’s a lot better than Strowman vs. Wyatt, but at the same time, it is going to feel like a big countdown until we get to the finish.

That finish of course will be McIntyre Claymoring Ziggler’s head off for the pin. I’m not sure why that is something that we need to sit through what will likely be twenty minutes to get there, but at least the action should be good. We should be in for a solid match, but I can’t imagine it’s going to be enough to make up for the general apathy every time that I hear Ziggler’s music playing.

Overall Thoughts

I’m to the point where I’m expecting the show to be good but it is going to have to be a complete home run to make up for the build. You can tell when WWE just isn’t trying and they haven’t been all month. Maybe that picks up with the start of the Summerslam build, but looking at the audience numbers dropping like stones and seeing this stuff getting weaker and weaker, they need a good one here to kick things off. I’m not sure if it is going to happen, but the show could look a heck of a lot worse.

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: Impact Wrestling

I don’t know how to say this but Impact Wrestling is looking pretty good at the moment. They have something going with these recent shows (with no fans, again showing that it can be done) and I’m curious to see if they can make it work on pay per view. The company’s history suggests that they are at their best when they are just focusing on wrestling, which is where they are on Saturday. Now they need to make it work. Let’s get to it.

X-Division Title: Willie Mack(c) vs. Chris Bey

We’ll start off with a match that has a lot of potential as the two of them are both on a roll at the moment. Mack seems like he could be the star of the show in the blink of an eye and Bey looks as smooth in the ring as anyone I can remember in a good while. The main focus of this story has been Johnny Swinger, but Bey insulting him on Tuesday seems to have written that part out. That just leaves the match, and it sounds good.

I’ll go with Mack retaining here, as he seems like someone who could be a rather long term champion. Bey is going to be fine as he really is good at almost anything he does in the ring. This could be a heck of an opening match as a way to get things off to start things off, or one of the bigger matches later on in the show. I’m wanting to see this one and that’s a nice feeling to have.

Knockouts Gauntlet

This is an eleven woman gauntlet to crown a new #1 contender, meaning it could go almost any possible way. That makes for some interesting possibilities, and for a rather hard prediction to make. The important factor here is how much depth the division suddenly has, which has been an issue for the division before. Things seem to be changing, but quantity does not necessarily equal quality.

I’ll go with Rosemary as a somewhat safe pick here, as she is an established name and a win wouldn’t be out of nowhere. Kylie Rae seems to be the name they are building up more than anyone else, but she seems to be getting a little bit too much momentum. Most of the rest of the names are just kind of there, but as usual, this one is going to depend on who leaves the show with the title.

Rascalz vs. ???

Now let’s not beat around the bush here. I know this is going to be the Good Brothers, you know this is going to be the Good Brothers, and the non-existent popcorn vendor in sect….do we actually know where this show is taking place? I’d assume Nashville but I don’t think it’s ever been announced. Anyway, this isn’t a mystery to the people answering the challenge, but it should still be a cool moment.

Since the Rascalz almost never win a match, I’ll take the Good Brothers to win here without much trouble. There’s no reason for this to be anything more than a competitive match ending with a Magic Killer, as Anderson and Gallows are going to be fine enough to put on a good showing and become players in the tag division. That being said, I always feel bad about saying “I’M SURE!” on something like this, but I’m about as sure as I can be here.

TNA World Title: Moose(c) vs. Tommy Dreamer

No matter how many things change, you can count on Dreamer somehow getting a spot somewhere. Moose as the delusional monster champion has been a fun story and the kind of thing that he can pull off. I’m curious to see how long the story goes and who takes it off of him, as it could be a rather nice story with a good payoff.

What won’t be a good payoff is Dreamer winning the title, which won’t be happening here. Moose will probably sell for Dreamer because this is Old School rules (which should probably mean traditional rules but alas) but can come out as champion in the end. Beating Dreamer doesn’t mean much no matter what kind of a match it is but he comes with the territory (any territory) at this point.

Knockouts Title: Jordynne Grace(c) vs. Deonna Purrazzo

This could be an interesting one as Grace is the powerhouse but Purrazzo has gotten the better of her at almost every turn. The problem here is they’ve made Purrazzo into a near killer and I’m not sure how much damage would be done if she loses her first big match. At the same time though, Grace hasn’t even been champion that long. She’s the kind of person who could bounce back from a loss in a hurry, but I’m not sure if that’s what we’re going to be seeing here.

I’m going to go on a limb and say Purrazzo wins here, though it’s my least confident pick on the entire show. This could be a good power vs. technical skills match, and while I could see Grace countering the armbar into a Grace Driver to retain, I think Purrazzo gets the title here. She could be a killer champion for a good while, and I’m not sure her losing early on would leave that possible.

Tag Team Titles: The North(c) vs. Ken Shamrock/Sami Callihan

I’m not usually a fan of a thrown together team getting a title shot, but it’s not like there are any other teams in the company who deserve a shot at the moment. The tag division has been one of the weaker points as of late, as there certainly are teams but none of them really stand out all that well. The North has held the titles for over a year now and have to lose to someone, but is that going to be here?

I think I’ve talked myself into saying yes actually, so we’ll go with new champs. Shamrock has been treated as a big deal since he got back (he even got to face Joey Ryan) and Callihan is a former World Champion. It’s not like the North needs to hold the titles any longer, though I would assume the Good Brothers are waiting on whoever comes out with the titles. I’m oddly curious about this, but that might be due to how good the North has been.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Ace Austin vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Trey vs. ???

Now here we have an interesting one, as the mystery opponent could be multiple people. The company only had so many ways to go to set something up here and given the circumstances, this is about as good as they could do. I’m curious to see who the mystery opponent is and who leaves with the title, so missions accomplished so far. Now just have a good match and they should be fine.

In theory, this is EC3’s spot and title to win, but I’m not entirely convinced for some reason. Bully Ray springs to mind as a possibility, which would be about as lame as you can get. I’m just hoping that when they say “World Champion” they aren’t going to pull something like they’ve done before with “World TAG TEAM Champion”, but I think that’s far enough in the past for the company. As for a winner, I’ll take Austin, who I’ve liked since he debuted. I’m curious to see where it goes though, and that’s what matters most.

Overall Thoughts

I can’t believe I’m saying this but I want to watch the show, which hasn’t been the case for a long time now. Impact has been one of the best things going in recent weeks and if they nail this show, we could be in for a heck of a night. It’s almost weird to be excited over a non-AEW/NXT show these days but they’re making it work here. It’s hard to say, but don’t let me down Impact.

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