IMG Credit: WWE

What happened to this feud?

This is something that seemed to be a much bigger match than it wound up being. The biggest problem here is how the story has kind of fallen apart due to so many people involved being out of the show for various reasons. That makes things all the more complicated, but at the end of the day it just isn’t all that interesting on its own. Rollins has cooled a bit, but who hasn’t at this point?

I’ll take Rollins here and I don’t know why he would lose in this situation. I know that they’re setting up the idea that Owens has never won anything at WrestleMania (incorrect but whatever) but Rollins seems to have a lot more potential moving forward than he does. Hopefully the match is good, but this should be Rollins the entire way, albeit after some good near falls.

IMG Credit: WWE

We had to get through this one sooner or later. WWE can only do so many things at once and that has not been so clear in a long time. Just ten days ago, they were trying to build towards three shows at the same time and since one of them was in Saudi Arabia and the other one was Wrestlemania, Elimination Chamber was lost in the shuffle. Throw in the fact that the likely main event is designed to crown a pretty obvious #1 contender for the Raw Women’s Title and this show might not be the most appealing. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: Elimination Chamber

Miz and John Morrison are defending and in this case, that’s not a great thing for them. They won the titles a mere nine days ago and have already lost twice, because in WWE’s mind, that makes them tougher or something. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler won a gauntlet match (because we can’t say Tag Team Turmoil anymore for whatever reason) to earn the right to enter last, as the best way to build up a six team elimination match is with a six team elimination match.

I’ll go with something I’d like to see more than what I think will happen and go with the Usos to win here, setting up one more big match against New Day for the titles at Wrestlemania. Now odds are Miz and Morrison retain or they put the titles on Roode and Ziggler (because reasons) but I have to have some hope for the future, and while New Day vs. Usos may have been done to death already, it’s better than any other option these titles have at Wrestlemania (assuming they’re even defended, which they don’t need to be).

Raw Tag Team Titles: Street Profits(c) vs. Seth Rollins/Buddy Murphy

Rematch from this week’s Raw where the Profits won the titles in a pretty surprising twist. It also makes me wonder where things are going from here, as if the Profits retain it makes the title change seem a little unnecessary (in storyline terms at least) but if Rollins and Murphy retain, it ties Rollins down a bit for Wrestlemania. In other words, it depends on where you think things are going next.

Therefore, I’ll take the Profits to retain, as it’s hard to imagine Rollins in a nothing Raw Tag Team Title match at Wrestlemania. He has bigger things to do, like fight Kevin Owens in a big singles match, which is where I think they’re going. Murphy can be in his corner or something, but for not, the logical move is to keep the titles on the Profits and give the fans something to cheer about on Monday.

United States Title: Andrade(c) vs. Humberto Carrillo

This is a match that we’ve seen multiple times already and I’m not sure how much I want to see it again. The question is whether the story ends here or if we go on to Wrestlemania for a four way match for the title also involving Angel Garza and Rey Mysterio. Either way, you can tell that WWE wants to do something with Carrillo, and after his previous failed attempts to win the title, I don’t know how many more times he can come up short

I’ll take a shot here and say Carrillo wins the title, as I just can’t picture him losing another title match to Andrade. I do expect the four way at Wrestlemania as it could be a cool match, but these matches haven’t exactly done much to make me care about the buildup. Odds are the match will be entertaining, but sweet goodness Carrillo wouldn’t be able to find charisma if he fell into it. That isn’t going to get him very far, but I think he gets the title here.

Drew Gulak vs. Daniel Bryan

This match was set up last night on Smackdown and it’s one of the more interesting matches on the show actually. Bryan has been feuding with a few different people as of late, and that makes things a little different. I’m not sure if it’s going to mean anything, but it’s great to see someone helping out some of the talent who can’t get a breathe otherwise. Not many people would do that and it doesn’t surprise me that Bryan is one of them who will.

Of course Bryan wins here because as nice as he is, I can’t picture him losing to Gulak in a major match. Bryan giving his friends a hand is a big deal and it’s something that helps everything out here. I’m not sure where this is leading to (maybe Bryan stands up to Sheamus as the resident top small guy) but for now, he can make Gulak look great and hopefully give him a chance to do something else, albeit with Bryan winning.

Intercontinental Title: Braun Strowman(c) vs. Sami Zayn/Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura

Then there’s this and I’m not sure what to make of it. Strowman has already beaten Nakamura for the title and now he has to overcome even more odds. Part of the problem here is that Nakamura already held the title for about seven months and didn’t do anything with it, because that’s how midcard titles work these days. It’s not clear if only Nakamura can win the title, but if he’s the only option, it’s a lot less interesting in a hurry.

Either way, I’m going with Strowman retaining, if nothing else because he needs to keep the title for a little while to build him back up. There are only so many times you can have him lose and we have long surpassed that number for Strowman. Let him overcome the odds and crush Zayn like a bug, which is the right way to go in something like this. I’m not sure where this is going for everyone but Strowman retaining is the only way to go here.

Aleister Black vs. AJ Styles

If there is one match that can steal the show, this is it. It’s officially a rematch from Monday where Styles gave Black his first pinfall loss, albeit with so many asterisks involved that it doesn’t really mean much. This one comes down to whether or not Undertaker gets involved, as Styles vs. Undertaker is all but a lot for Wrestlemania. That’s going to mean something for the match here and I think I know what it is.

I’ll go with Styles to win here, likely with interference from the Good Brothers and capped off with Undertaker giving one of those “signs” of his. Black losing to interference is a lot different than taking a clean loss so hopefully we get somewhere else for him at Wrestlemania. I have no clue where that is but as long as it’ snot the battle royal, he should be fine. But yeah, Styles wins here.

Raw Women’s Elimination Chamber

I think I’ve made my thoughts on this one about as clear as possible, as has WWE. The Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler match has been teased since November and now we’re at the point where it can be set up for Wrestlemania itself. For some reason we need to do that inside the Elimination Chamber rather than just having Baszler beat Asuka in a battle of the best NXT Women’s Champions ever, but then again that doesn’t make for the best show name.

In the least surprising result in years for WWE, Baszler wins here, hopefully by eliminating everyone in the match. Baszler vs. Lynch has all but been announced and that has made this match feel completely unimportant as it has been built up. I’m not sure what we are going to be seeing otherwise, but seeing Natalya, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan treated as serious contenders to the biggest women’s match of the year is going to be a lot to take.

Overall Thoughts

What else is there to say about this show? It’s one of the least interesting and least important shows that WWE has put on in what feels like forever and the build hasn’t changed any of that. The World Champions aren’t going to be in the house because their Wrestlemania matches are already set and we have a seven match card (with Bayley/Sasha Banks vs. Naomi/Lacey Evans possibly being added in some form) that doesn’t have much on the line. In short, this is a completely lame pay per view that might wind up being watchable due to the work, but that’s about all it has to offer.

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: AEW

It’s almost weird to do one of these for this company. AEW has not been around all that long and they don’t do a lot of pay per views. For the most part they are a television company but they do throw out the occasional major show. That’s what we have here with Revolution and the card has been really well built up. Hopefully they can live up to the hype, which they have managed to do almost every time so far. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Dark Order vs. So Cal Uncensored

This is built around a mystery involving the Dark Order’s Exalted One, with the questions being who is he and when is he showing up. The first one is what matters most here though, as Christopher Daniels is kind of perfect for the whole thing. At the same time though, he might be a red herring, as AEW has done a very good job of making you wonder who it is going to be.

As for the match, I’ll take the Dark Order to win. They should be on their game more to impress the Exalted One and it’s not like SCU needs the win. This should be a good enough match, though I wouldn’t let the Dark Order stay in the ring for very long. Daniels isn’t likely the Exalted One, but at least we’re getting an interesting search through the suspects.

Jake Hager vs. Dustin Rhodes

Sometimes you need an old standard for a story and that’s what you have here. Hager was part of the group that attacked Rhodes and put him on the shelf so now Rhodes wants revenge. What else do you need for something like this? AEW has done a nice job of setting up the feuds and then letting the promos do the heavy lifting and that’s what we have here.

Hager should win this one, though Rhodes will put up a heck of a fight and get in his offense. At the end of the day though, Hager is being presented as the Inner Circle’s monster and there is no reason to have him lose his first match with the company. Have him go out fighting as hard as he can but just being outmatched by the big, powerful monster.

Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara

Similar idea to Hager vs. Rhodes, but with a little less cowboy and a little more…whatever Allin is. Allin has caught on with the AEW fans like no one else in the promotion and is one of the names the company can point to and say they have created a star. You don’t get to do that very often and Allin has been a shining example. This is one of his bigger matches to date and he should be fine.

I’ll take Allin to win here as Guevara is talented but he’s not the same as Hager, who is a monster needing to be protected. Allin is someone who wants revenge as well and in this case he should be getting it, preferably with the skateboard involved. He’s grown on me a lot and Guevara has been a favorite since I first saw him in Orlando a few years back. This is Allin’s to win and the place will go nuts for him.

Pac vs. Orange Cassidy

This is the one that is going to get some people talking, but it might not be in the same way that AEW is hoping for. We have a rather serious wrestler in Pac, who just came out of a war with Kenny Omega and Orange Cassidy, who is the comedy guy with a massive following. The thing is this isn’t the same as a comedy guy being elevated to a spot he isn’t ready to be in. Cassidy is a different kind of wrestler (I’m not entirely sure what kind) and that could make this different.

That being said, of course Pac wins here, as AEW knows better than to have Pac lose twice in a row, especially to someone who is going to stay over no matter what they do. Cassidy isn’t someone who ever needs to get in the ring because the fans are going to cheer for him no matter what, which is a good spot to be in. Pac wins here as he should, but the shenanigans are going to be something to see.

Women’s Title: Nyla Rose(c) vs. Kris Stadtlander

This is an annoying one for me as I really like Stadtlander but she might be running into a buzzsaw here. Rose is someone that AEW is pushing hard and with good reason, so I’m not sure if they would pull the trigger on Stadtlander here. Part of the problem is the character, as Stadtlander is a little bit out there with what she does (just listen to JR cut Excalibur off when he tried to explain the alien deal) to be a major featured player in the division. She can challenge for the title, but I’m not sure she can win it.

I have to go with Rose here, as it’s too soon to take the title off of her. AEW has not shown a propensity for changing titles in a hurry and I don’t think that is what they are going to do here. Stadtlander might get a title reign one day, but I don’t think they are going to take the title off of Rose so soon. Maybe down the road, but for now it’s Rose’s to retain, as it should be.

Tag Team Titles: Kenny Omega/Hangman Page vs. Young Bucks

And now we get into the matches where I either A, really want to see them, B, have no idea what to do with them or C, a nice mixture of both. This is a story that could go on for a LONG time as they are four of the people who really matter in this company. Page and Omega are awesome as the champions who are great in the ring together but might not get along so well out of it and the Bucks are the Bucks.

I’ll go with Omega and Page to retain here, as there are a lot more directions to go with the Bucks coming up short here. They can milk this thing for a crazy amount of time and this should be the first of several matches built around this story rather than the big climax. AEW seems smart enough to understand that and hopefully everything will be as good as it seems like it could be.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Cody

Now this is what I want to see. If there wasn’t a big World Title match on the show, this could headline in a heartbeat (as could the Tag Team Titles, which is a good sign). They have built this up incredibly well since the last pay per view and now we are in for Cody to get the chance to FINALLY give Friedman the beating that he has coming to him. That’s where things get complicated and I’m not sure which way to go.

I was ready to say Cody but I think they’ll find a way to let Friedman escape and extend what Cody has to do to get his hands on him for real, but I’m not sure if that’s the right idea. They have set this up perfectly so far and at some point you need to give the fans what they want to see from the story. Cody needs to crush Friedman at some point but I think they’ll try to extend it again, which is something that could work. Maybe.

AEW World Title: Chris Jericho(c) vs. Jon Moxley

And then we have this, which again could go either way. Moxley seems primed and ready to take the title from Jericho but….that would mean taking the title from Jericho. I’m not sure if that’s what they need to do just yet as he is as established as he can get, but at the same time he’s so great as champion that it makes a lot of sense to keep it on him. There’s something special going on here when I’m this unsure as it could be either choice.

I’ll take Moxley to win the title here as they are going to need a big moment if nothing else happens. This really is the kind of match where it could go either way and I love that that’s true. Even if they change the title here, there is no guarantee that Moxley keeps it, but I’m not sure I can imagine Jericho beating him at this point. Then again I could be completely wrong, as I tend to be.

Overall Thoughts

This is a top heavy show and that’s a good thing. The three biggest matches on the card could go either way and I want to see how all of them play out. The rest of the show looks good as well and there is a real chance that they could have an awesome show. That tends to be the case for AEW and it wouldn’t shock me to see them knock it out of the park all over again.

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. About four months after getting back from the disaster that was the Crown Jewel trip, WWE is heading back to Saudi Arabia because they need the money. The card isn’t exactly looking stacked this time, likely because a lot of the wrestlers don’t want to go and risk being stranded on the other side of the world in a country that isn’t so friendly. But hey, maybe the stock can go up or something. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: OC vs. Viking Raiders

Remember when the OC got a random win over the Viking Raiders at the end of a gauntlet match and it didn’t mean anything significant long term? Well now we get a rematch! I mean one that comes after all of the other rematches of course but then again these shows exist in their old universe anyway. These teams have nothing to do with each other at the moment but it could be a nice power match.

The Vikings should go over here, at least based on the American storylines at the moment so I’ll go with them here. The OC are fine for anything you want them to do and the Vikings have some awesome squashes so we could be in for a fine match here. I don’t expect any real connection to the previous match in the country, but at least it should get the fans going.

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

This is something I’m still surprised to see but the fact that it is happening again is a positive sign. Maybe they are making some tiny steps forward in the country and that’s better than nothing. I’m not sure how much it is going to mean in the bigger picture but I’ll take what I can get here. These two have been circling each other for a long time now and Naomi is an interesting challenger, but I’m not sure where this is going.

I’ll take Bayley to retain here, as there could be something big in the works at WrestleMania. I mean, I’m not sure how big as the only match they could really do of note is Bayley vs. Sasha Banks but we’ll have to get through the Elimination Chamber to figure that one out. Bayley retaining here makes sense, though it wouldn’t surprise me to see Naomi leaving WrestleMania as champion.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Seth Rollins/Murphy(c) vs. Street Profits

This was set up on Monday when the Profits ran in to make the save at the end of the show and that’s a good thing. The Profits are the kind of team who are always going to get a reaction, though I’m not sure how well things are going to go in a big stadium that might not recognize them. The energy alone is going to get them somewhere, though that’s not what matters here.

Rollins and Murphy retain here, as they should. The Profits will get the titles eventually, but Rollins and Murphy are doing something a lot bigger and shouldn’t be taking a fall at the moment. The Viking Raiders seem to be the likely candidates to take the titles and that can come later. For now though, Murphy and Rollins retain, though the Profits probably steal the show again.

Raw World Title: Brock Lesnar(c) vs. Ricochet

I want to believe that Ricochet has a real chance here and I’m doing everything I can to get a Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton vibe. Ricochet is the kind of guy who can do all kinds of good things in the ring and is one of the real stars that they have for the future. The problem is the timing though, as we’re a month and a half away from WrestleMania and it would take a miracle to change the title here.

Therefore, Lesnar wins in the easiest layup of the show, but I’m curious to see how good the match can be. It all comes down to Lesnar being interested in trying and you never know with him. If they’re willing to put in the effort, we could be in for a good match here and maybe even a great false hope spot, but it’s all going to be false hope because Lesnar retains here without much doubt whatsoever.

Mansoor vs. Dolph Ziggler

I know Mansoor is someone who is going to draw some eye rolls and that’s understandable, but he has managed to not embarrass himself whatsoever. His match against Cesaro was quite good and I could easily see him as a regular on NXT. Having him on this show isn’t absurd or going too far or anything like that and I’d rather Ziggler be in this spot than somewhere higher.

Of course Mansoor goes over because there’s no other point to putting him on the show. It’s not like this match is going to mean anything and it’s nice to see someone fresh getting a win. If nothing else, there’s something nice about seeing Ziggler lose, just because we don’t have to see him doing anything positive. Mansoor is little more than a (talented) mascot but he goes over here.

Tuwaiq Trophy Gauntlet Match

This is your multiple person match of the show and this one isn’t the most interesting in the world. There are six people in this one and I’m not sure what that is going to mean. WWE has been making these gauntlet matches go on a little longer as of late and while that can be a good idea in some situations, I’m not sure how well it’s going to work here as the names involved are hit and miss.

I’ll play it safe and go with AJ Styles here, as he is the kind of person you can put over in something like this with no worry of damage to anyone else. He’s won almost everything else in wrestling so having him pick this up is hardly going to be a surprise. If nothing else, Undertaker is all but confirmed for the show and maybe they can set something up for the rumored WrestleMania match.

Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin

So yeah, after what really felt like the blow off match on SmackDown a few weeks back, we get another match here with the two of them in a cage. This feud has been going on for about four and a half months now and any interest there might have been in it has gone through the floor ever since. The thing needs to just go away forever now because there’s nothing left for them to do.

Of course Reigns goes over here because there is no reason for the two of them to keep fighting. Reigns is going to go on to the World Title scene at WrestleMania and Corbin is likely to go on to some other big spot because WWE keeps pushing the heck out of him for whatever reason without ever learning why that’s a bad idea. But yeah Reigns wins here, as he should.

SmackDown Tag Team Titles: New Day(c) vs. The Miz/John Morrison

I know I’ve said this before but New Day are great filler champions. The problem is that they’ve been filler champions for the better part of ever over different reigns. The division never gets any better and that can be a little tiresome at times. It’s certainly not anything that seems to be getting better, but at least we have a fresh heel team here and what should be a good match.

For the sake of a little curve ball, I’ll go with a title change here, just to give the show some flavor. Miz and Morrison winning the titles would be a good way to make things move a bit though it wouldn’t surprise me to see the titles stay with New Day. They have to lose them at some point though and doing the title change here to set up a rematch at Elimination Chamber is as good as anything else they could do.

Humberto Carrillo vs. Angel Garza

This is another bonus match and yet another rematch from a recent show. The quality is going to depend on the amount of time that they get and you never know how that is going to be on a show like this. If nothing else, it’s going to be annoying having Andrade and Garza on the same show as I keep writing the wrong name for them anyway. At least Carrillo is easy enough to remember because of the Power Ranger outfit alone.

I’ll take Garza here as he has more charisma and overall ability though I’m not sure how much good it is going to do to have them fight again. The match will be an entertaining one and should get a few minutes, but it’s a match that has been done a few times now to not incredible results. Maybe this one will be the blow away match that gets the fans interested, but I can’t bring myself to get interested.

SmackDown World Title: The Fiend vs. Goldberg

And yet, they somehow have a main event that makes me wonder what we’ll be seeing. They really could go either way here and that should make for an interesting match. The Fiend losing here would seem strange, but the idea of Goldberg losing to someone like the Fiend just seems impossible. The match shouldn’t go on too long and very well could end with a spear, but I don’t think I can imagine it going that way.

I just can’t go with Goldberg here so I’ll say Fiend retains. If nothing else I certainly hope so, because I don’t want what has been an interesting character arc come crashing down just so we can get a “more WrestleMania” match between Reigns and Goldberg. You can do that match without having to take the title from Fiend and I’ll stick with the hope that they’ll do the right thing and have Fiend retain.

Overall Thoughts

I have no idea what to think of these shows anymore. Most of them have been disasters but Crown Jewel wasn’t half bad so maybe they’re getting the hang of things. Then again I have no reason to believe that is going to be the case again and I’m almost scared to imagine how some of these matches are going to end. Maybe it winds up being ok, but they don’t exactly have the track record to back that up.

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

This is a different kind of show for more ways than you almost ever see. In this case, we have a show on a Sunday, a Takeover without a major event from WWE and a six match card. I’m not sure if those things are better or worse for what we’ll be seeing but NXT has not been as strong as usual of late. This is where they get their reputation from though so let’s get to it.

Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley(c) vs. Bianca Belair

I’m not sure what to expect from this one and that’s a hard thing to pull off. What makes this so much better is the fact that while they are certainly teasing Charlotte vs. Ripley at WrestleMania, they might be going a swerve in the form of a triple threat match with Belair vs. Ripley vs. Charlotte. Now I’m not sure how great that would be, but it’s a possibility.

That being said, I don’t think it’s a possibility that is going to become a reality so we’ll say that Ripley retains here. NXT clearly sees something huge in her and I don’t think they’re going to take the title off of her in her first Takeover defense. Unless there is something surprising like Charlotte interfering to cost Ripley the title, and I’m not sure I see that happening, I think we’ll be seeing Ripley retain.

Tag Team Titles: Undisputed Era(c) vs. Broserweights

The Undisputed Era is reaching the Shayna Baszler point of “someone has to beat them”. Granted that has been the case for a long time now and yet it never seems to end. Now that’s an interesting point as you start to wonder who that team is, because there isn’t a very deep tag division in NXT. Hence the Broserweights being put together to get this spot after winning a handful of matches.

I’ll take the Undisputed Era to retain here, as I think we’re coming up on the dream match at Takeover: Tampa where DIY takes the titles off of them. The Broserweights can keep teaming together, but there isn’t a need to switch the titles here. The Undisputed Era has held them for so long now that another six weeks isn’t going to matter, so switch them in Tampa instead of here.

Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Balor

Here’s your showcase match and it’s a very good one at that. The story makes perfect sense here as you have the former star against the new one, with Gargano needing to prove that he’s as good as he seems to be. Balor is someone with main roster credentials and having Gargano beat him would be a huge moment for him. You could see this one going either way though and that’s what makes it fascinating.

I think I’ll go with Balor here, as there is a case for both of them. First and foremost, Balor is Balor and someone who brings instant main roster credibility to NXT. At the same time though, Gargano has one of the best resumes and legacies in NXT, but he also has a reputation for losing. He’s a lot better when he’s losing though and it’s not like another loss is going to hut him that much. Gargano winning wouldn’t shock me, but I’ll take Balor.

Dakota Kai vs. Tegan Nox

This is a good example of a match where the extra time for the build may have hurt it a bit. The whole thing is built on Kai being the most horrible person ever by taking out the adorable Nox’s already injured knee. The problem is that was three months ago and a lot of the steam has gone away. The heat will be back as soon as we see a clip of the attack, but it doesn’t feel as important as it once did.

Again you could go either way here, but if they want Kai to go anywhere, she needs to win here so I’ll say that. Nox is someone who has that underdog/never say die aspect to her and that is going to be enough to carry her a long way. Kai is still new to this massive heel turn deal and having her lose (again) wouldn’t leave her with much to do going forward. Let her win here and see where she can go with it.

North American Title: Keith Lee(c) vs. Dominick Dijakovic

I don’t think I’m alone when I say this is the match a lot of people have wanted to see again. These guys showed a completely new aspect to big man matches and they were some of the most exciting things I’ve seen in a long time. I had wanted them to do it on a bigger stage and that is what they are getting here, with a title on the line to boot.

I’ll take Lee to retain, as he seems in line to become the next big thing in NXT. Therefore, you don’t take the title off of him here (barring what would be a very surprising turnaround to give him the title shot at Takeover: Tampa), though Dijakovic winning it would hardly be the worst thing in the world. But yeah Lee retains here, as it is going to take a Herculean effort to get the belt off of him.

NXT Title: Adam Cole(c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa

This is the match that got me into the show because Ciampa’s promos have been outstanding. He never lost the title and pinned Cole to win WarGames so there is already a story built in. Should Cole retain, there is a strong chance he sets the record for the longest NXT Title reign in history, which is a pretty big deal given the history the title has. I’m more curious what happens if Ciampa loses though, as this is pretty much his life.

I think we’re going to find out though, as I’ll take Cole to retain. It leaves open the question of who is left to fight him (though a certain Dreamy one would seem to be an option) but for now, Ciampa doesn’t get Goldie back. I’m not sure if he ever does, but I don’t think he does here. It’s another coin flip (dang NXT is good at setting those up), though I’m going with Cole retaining.

Overall Thoughts

I’m not sure what to expect from this show as the television shows haven’t been as great lately. What matters the most though is that we’ll get down to just the wrestling here and that’s where NXT shines. I do not believe they are capable of a bad (or even average) Takeover and I don’t see this one going any differently. Just give us a good show and everything will be fine. Make it a great one and NXT is back, which is what I’d bet on happening.

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 finally arrived. After what felt like a very long wait, we are ready to get on the Road to Wrestlemania. That means starting things off in Houston with the Royal Rumble, which feels both wide open and pretty clear about the winners. There are some odds on favorites but both feel like they are favored due to default more than anything else. I’m holding out hope for a surprise, but that hope might be false. Let’s get to it.

Shorty G. vs. Sheamus

We’ve waited for the better part of a year for Sheamus to come back and this is what he gets to do: make fun of someone for being short. Words can’t express how much I can’t stand this horrible gimmick for Gable, who deserves so much better (anyone would). The whole idea is built off one joke that probably only Vince McMahon himself finds funny, but Gable does seem willing to try and make it work.

That being said, Sheamus isn’t losing his first match back so Gable will try hard (as always) but still lose in the end. WWE does not see anything in Gable and while I can understand what they see in Sheamus, I can’t get my head around how they’ve set this up. I really hope this winds up on the Kickoff Show because it doesn’t feel like a match that needs to be on the main show at all.

SmackDown World Title: The Fiend(c) vs. Daniel Bryan

This is a strap match, which is kind of a weird choice for a gimmick. It fits their story well enough, but a cage match would make a lot more sense. I’m not sure what the point is in tying them together and whipping each other, as Fiend can survive a lot worse than pain. Bryan will be able to deliver some good visuals by letting out his aggression, but it still feels like an odd choice.

Of course I’m going with the Fiend here as there’s no logical reason to expect him to lose in this spot. Fiend seems destined to defend the title at WrestleMania in Tampa so winning here seems obvious. I’m not sure what Bryan is going to do next but he can take a few weeks off and come back to set up his WrestleMania program. Fiend wins here, after a pretty brutal match.

United States Title: Andrade(c) vs. Humberto Carrillo

They set this one up on Monday Night Raw and that’s not the biggest surprise in the world. Andrade took Carrillo out a few weeks ago and now it’s time to get revenge and the title. The fact that Andrade tried to take out Rey Mysterio made it even worse, but it’s nice to see two younger guys getting a spot like this.

I’ll take Andrade to retain, as he seems primed for a serious run for the title. Carrillo is someone who makes sense on paper but hasn’t exactly clicked with the audience yet. Someone with his skills is going to be around for a long time though and they should have a good match, but it isn’t going to include a title change. Andrade is too hot at the moment and Carrillo isn’t ready.

Raw Women’s Title: Becky Lynch(c) vs. Asuka

This is the match that I’ve been looking forward to more than anything else on the roster. It was set up last year when Asuka made Lynch tap, which set her forward on her path to winning the Royal Rumble later in the night and then winning the Women’s Titles at WrestleMania 35. The loss is still in Lynch’s head though and that is driving her to want to face Asuka again.

I think Lynch wins here, but it’s after a war. Lynch is going into WrestleMania 36 for a heck of a showdown with someone (who we’ll find out tonight as well) and having her beat Asuka on the way there would be a great way to start. This could be an outstanding match and I could see an upset being possible, but the champ retains here, as she should.

Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin

This feud is still going and I’m really not sure I get why. Well ok I get why from WWE’s perspective, but the fans are the ones getting stuck with this boring story as WWE continues to try to make us care about Corbin. It’s Falls Count Anywhere so they can brawl around the stadium, which is a good bit better than trying to imagine them having another regular match.

Corbin wins here and, assuming Reigns can win the Royal Rumble, we get ANOTHER match out of them for the title shot in February. It’s the same idea that they had with Lynch last year and since WWE sees their wrestlers as the same all around, Corbin will win here, likely with the help of all of his cronies. I really don’t want to watch this but the faster we get done with this match, the faster both of them can get on to ANYTHING else.

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

I’m curious about this one as it could go either way. Bayley has been Women’s Champion for a good while now and WWE seems to like what they have with her during the heel run, but at the same time, Evans is the kind of person they have been trying to push for years now. This really could go either way and that’s a very nice feeling to have.

I’ll play it safe and pick Bayley to win, though other than Sasha Banks, I’m not sure who in the world she’s supposed to face at WrestleMania. The SmackDown women’s division isn’t exactly strong at the minute and Bayley could use a fresh challenge. I’m not exactly confident in this one and Evans could very easily walk away with the title, but I’ll take Bayley to retain.

Women’s Royal Rumble

This is your wide open Rumble as there are only five entrants announced as we come into the show. Out of those five, the only one who has a realistic chance to win is Charlotte, and I’m only kind of believing she could win. This is going to require some mixture of returning stars, NXT names and legends, which leaves the whole thing wide open.

I’m going with Shayna Baszler to debut and win, though I’m holding out hope for a Ronda Rousey return. Lynch vs. Rousey is the dream match that WWE would want at WrestleMania and one of the only logical ways they could go. Baszler is the other option and I’m hoping that’s the way they go, as she has certainly earned the chance. Then again the Survivor Series main event was kind of horrible and I don’t really need to see Baszler vs. Lynch again. Either way, Baszler wins here, save for Rousey returning.

Men’s Royal Rumble

I’m completely lost on this one. Brock Lesnar is starting the match at #1 and the question is who, if anyone, throws him out. There are a ton of wrestlers who are already announced for the match who could take him out, plus the possibility of Cain Velasquez returning (take me now) or a surprise Edge return (maybe but I’ll believe it when I see it). Then again there’s one name that seems to be a strong favorite.

As much as I don’t want to see it, I’ll take Reigns to win here so we can have his latest coronation at WrestleMania. I’m not sure why I’d want to see that, but Reigns vs. Fiend is the most likely choice they can have. Hopefully we get some nice surprises or that I’m completely wrong, as there are probably a dozen people who could get a rocket push out of this thing. They won’t, but they could and that gives me some nice false hope.

Overall Thoughts

The more I think about the two Rumble matches, the more confused I am. That’s the best thing that you can have happen, but I’m scared that we’ll get the easy way out and that’s the most annoying possibility. This year’s matches do feel wide open so maybe we can get a better show than last year. Then again, if it’s over six and a half hours counting the Kickoff Show, it isn’t going to matter how good things are.

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

Leave it to NXT to make it work. A few months back, it was announced that we would not be having a Takeover during Royal Rumble weekend. Instead we were getting a Worlds Collide special, which didn’t exactly have people excited. The previous editions hadn’t been anything interesting, but this one was different. This time we’re getting NXT vs. NXT UK, which hasn’t been done before. As luck would have it, NXT UK is on a roll at this point and it should be a blast as a result. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Kay Lee Ray vs. Mia Yim

This is non-title and that’s a good thing as I don’t have to worry about Yim winning a title. I’m not sure what it is about her but something has fallen way down with her and it’s almost impossible to make myself care about what she does. Ray hasn’t blown me away as champion yet either, but she can do more interesting things than Yim so far.

As for the match, I’ll go with Ray as well, since I just can’t imagine them having a champion lose in a non-title match without some surprise plan to make a surprise turn into Yim in NXT UK. The match should be a fine way to warm up the crowd (note to WWE: ONE Kickoff Show match can do that very well) but it isn’t something that I’m exactly excited to see in the first place.

DIY vs. Moustache Mountain

And we have a dream match that you never knew you needed to see. DIY is one of the best tag teams that NXT has ever seen and Moustache Mountain is the biggest tag team that NXT UK has ever seen. We could be in for a match of the year candidate here and that’s only if they’re having an off night. I know DIY might not be at their peaks but sweet goodness we could be in for an awesome one here.

I’ll take DIY, who have said that this is just a one off reunion, but I think you know where they’re heading at Takeover, likely over Wrestlemania weekend. Moustache Mountain is going to be tearing the house down too though and I’m drooling over the idea of the false finishes that Gargano and Bate could have. Throw in Ciampa and my goodness this could be something incredible. But yeah DIY wins here.

Finn Balor vs. Ilja Dragunov

The more I think about this one, the more interested I am in seeing these guys beat the fire out of each other. Balor is a star and Dragunov has more raw intensity than anyone I’ve seen in a long time (never look into his eyes). This one doesn’t need to be that long as they’re going to beat the fire out of each other, though I’m not entirely sure which way they’re going to go.

As much as I want to say Dragunov wins in an upset here, I can’t go against Balor, not when he’s primed for a match against Gargano at Takeover. Dragunov is the kind of guy who can come back from a loss in the blink of an eye but he’s not ready to beat someone the caliber of Balor. The upset wouldn’t shock me here, but I just can’t go with Dragunov in this spot.

Cruiserweight Title: Angel Garza(c) vs. Jordan Devlin vs. Isaiah Scott vs. Travis Banks

This is one of those matches where you could see several possible outcomes. Garza is such a ball of charisma who can do all kinds of things in the ring (though I’m still not wild on his finisher) but the other three are all serious threats. That’s how you can tell there’s a good match to be had here: you really could see any of the four walking out as champion, which isn’t something that happens very often.

I’ll go with Garza to retain here, though much like so many other matches on this show, I could see it going multiple ways. Someone taking the title over to the UK wouldn’t be a bad idea as it isn’t doing anything in NXT at the moment, but odds are it stays down in Florida, where there are several challengers ready to come after it. Then again that’s the same in the UK so I’ll move on before I change my mind again.

NXT Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm

These two are turning into a thing and that’s great for everyone involved. The two of them work well together and while Ripley has turned into the big star on the bigger stage, Storm has had her number more often than not, which gives the match a good story. We already know they can make the action work, so going with the story that makes sense is what matters in the end.

While I expect Storm to come over to NXT full time (assuming she wants to), this is Ripley’s to win. There’s no need to give Storm another win over her and Ripley has become a major star in a hurry down in NXT. Given that she already has a title defense set up for next month in Portland, it would be very out of the NXT nature to have her lose here. Ripley wins to even the feud.

Imperium vs. Undisputed Era

Back on the August 21, 2019 episode of NXT, the Undisputed Era stood on the stage where Adam Cole mentioned NXT UK. There was nothing I wanted to see more than Imperium come out, just for the sake of seeing Cole’s head explode at the thought of what he had gotten himself into. Well, since NXT is awesome, that’s what we’re getting now and it’s going to be great.

I’m going with Imperium getting the win here, as they get to make up for part of losing the overall competition to NXT. Imperium is one of the coolest things going in WWE today and giving them the big win like this should be a great step up for them. You can even have Roderick Strong take the fall without a champion getting pinned. What more could you ask for than that in a situation like this? These guys are going to tear the house down and it’s going to be outstanding in a modern dream match that I’ve known I’ve wanted to see for a long time now.

Overall Thoughts

When did this turn into such a great looking card? This thing is absolutely stacked and blows away a lot of recent WWE shows. I’m actually looking forward to this one and have every confidence that they’re going to blow us away. You have multiple matches on here that could show up on a lot of lists near the end of the year and that doesn’t happen every day. This is going to rock and I’m really excited for it.

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: Fite.TV

Somehow the NWA is back with another pay per view and it looks pretty good. I only say somehow because I still can’t fathom that this company is alive in 2020, with the fact that they have been entertaining going another step beyond. This time it’s about the TV Title, with a tournament to crown a new champion. There’s some other stuff too of course so let’s get to it.

TV Title Tournament First Round: Tim Storm vs. Ken Anderson

This is going to be a tricky show to preview because there are a lot of matches where we won’t find out the participants until later in the show. We’ll start here though and it’s an interesting one to pick first, as it really could go either way. Anderson barely qualified for the tournament, only getting in via a gauntlet match. Storm has been treated as a major focal point over the last few weeks though, meaning this could go either way.

I’ll go with Anderson winning here though, likely due to Strictly Business interfering to cost Storm the match. That’s the story that makes sense, though it wouldn’t shock me to see it happen later in the tournament. Or not at all as Storm winning the title would be a nice feel good story as Storm has been turned into quite the fan favorite. It’s nice to start off with a match which could go either way and hopefully that continues.

TV Title Tournament First Round: Zicky Dice vs. Dan Maff

This is another one where it depends on how you see the other first round match going. Maff is one of the people over from Ring of Honor and quite the monster, which Dice is someone they seem interested in push. It helps that Maff is also a huge guy and rather tough, which would seem to be a near guaranteed win over Dice.

That’s why I’m taking Dice, who is someone with a good attitude and character that makes you want to see more of him. The NWA seems interested in pushing him and it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to have him lose here. Ring of Honor will be back later on in the night, but for nice it should be Dice moving forward.

TV Title Tournament First Round: Ricky Starks vs. Matt Cross

Now we might have the first easy choice. Cross is the outsider getting his chance in the tournament and Starks is the one who seems to have been pushed rather well throughout the show’s entire run so far. I’m not sure what to expect from the match from a quality standpoint but it isn’t hard to guess where this is going.

Starks wins here, as it might be his entire tournament to win. Cross has shown the abilities to have a good match against anyone so hopefully he can give Starks a nice rub. Starks has shown himself to be rather talented so far and hopefully that continues as he could go quite far in this thing. I mean, there are only three matches for the winner so it isn’t hard to go far but you know what I’m getting at.

TV Title Tournament First Round: Question Mark vs. Trevor Murdoch

Every now and then a wrestler catches on to something that is so goofy that you can’t help but get behind it. That’s the case with Question Mark, who has turned into a cult favorite in the NWA despite being quite the goofy heel. Murdoch on the other hand is as classic of a gimmick as you can get with the grizzled cowboy trying to show he can still fight.

Ignoring the gimmicks though, this is pretty clearly Mark’s to lose. Murdoch has been little more than a jobber to the stars so having Mark lose makes no sense. If nothing else, having Mark around with more of the karate stuff would make all the sense in the world. He’s just great with that whole gimmick and I’m curious to see how far it can go. For now though, it goes on to the second round.

Women’s Title: Allysin Kay(c) vs. Thunder Rosa

This is a weird situation as Kay is the long running champion but she isn’t the most popular star in the division or even the biggest name. That being said, she’s incredibly talented and feels like a big star, though I’m not sure how long she is going to hold the title. Melina and Thunder Rosa come off as the most important people in the entire division and that isn’t a good sign for Kay’s future.

I think I’ll play it safe here and go with Rosa as the next champ. This is a case where it would be fine to go either way, but Rosa has been turned into the most popular member of the division. I know Melina is still lurking, but they could make something out of Rosa and that would start with a title win here. I’m not convinced in the slightest, but I’ll take Rosa to win the title.

Tag Team Titles: Rock N Roll Express(c) vs. Wild Cards vs. James Storm/Eli Drake

The Express got their big moment a few months ago on Powerrr and I’m not sure how much longer they can hold the things. It’s hard to believe that a pair of guys who could be the fathers of a lot of the wrestlers are the best tag team in the world, but that presents the other problem: who else is there to take the titles from them? It’s not like the division, if there is one, is all that deep.

I’ll take the Wild Cards to get the titles back though, which is about all you can go with here. They’re in a big story at the moment with Strictly Business and it would be a good idea to give the team some more gold. I could see Storm and Drake winning as well, but at some point you need to get the titles off of the Express and this seems to be a perfect place to do just that.

TV Title Tournament Semifinals: Ken Anderson vs. Ricky Starks

This is more of the right kind of match for Starks. Cross is a name, but Anderson is a former World Champion and someone who can give Starks a real rub. At the same time, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Anderson could move on and win the whole thing, which makes for a more interesting match here. You really could go either way and that’s a nice feeling.

That being said, Starks makes more sense here as the NWA needs stars and reheating the same Anderson that we’ve seen for years now doesn’t seem like the best solution. Just let Starks go forward and make the finals as Anderson is someone who can lose and not really be hurt by it. Starks moves on and Anderson goes to talk about something else.

TV Title Tournament Semifinals: Zicky Dice vs. Question Mark

It’s always weird to have a heel vs. heel match but it’s also weird to have a heel get some of the biggest reactions on the show. Dice is someone who could go somewhere but he hasn’t shown me much more than potential yet. On the other hand, Mark is someone who is riding an awesome wave of popularity so I’m not sure how long it is going to last. Both of those have positives but one makes more sense.

I’ll take Mark here, as Starks vs. Dice isn’t that thrilling of a final. Mark has been one of the most entertaining things about Powerrr so far and giving him the spot in the finals will get a much bigger reaction. Dice is going to be fine and can find something else to do, but for now it’s Mark moving forward, just to hear more about hie ka-ra-te skills from Stevens.

National Title: Aron Stevens(c) vs. Scott Steiner

Speaking of Stevens, here’s what might be the most amazing match of the Powerrr era as it could be anywhere from entertaining to one of the biggest disasters in recent memory. Hopefully it’s more towards the former and given how Stevens has been going as of late, I’d lean in that direction.

I’m going with Stevens to retain here, likely by DQ when Steiner goes nuts. They’ve done a nice job of keep Stevens as the cowardly champion who talks a big game, which is something that is always going to work. Just let Steiner be insane for a little while and have Stevens be entertaining and everything should be fine. Or it could be great. Or a nightmare. Either way, we could be in for something special here.

TV Title: Ricky Starks vs. Question Mark

So now we get down to what matters and I really could see it going either way. Like I’ve said before, it’s interesting to see where this goes because there are different realistic options. Mark is someone who is already over but I don’t know how far his run can go from here. A lot of that energy is likely to be gone with a single loss, but the same thing would be true of Starks at this point.

Give me Starks to win the title though, as Mark is over enough without it while Starks is someone without much of a gimmick or any credibility. The TV Title would help that a lot and he can defend it for a few weeks to come. Mark and Stevens are going to be fine doing their shtick while Starks needs something a bit more traditional. They’ll both be fine, but Starks wins here.

Nick Aldis vs. Flip Gordon

I doubt this goes on last but I can’t help putting the World Champion in the final spot. This is part of the NWA vs. Ring of Honor story and that could go well for both sides. The NWA is still finding its footing and Ring of Honor is trying to find a way to stop things from somehow getting worse. Maybe this partnership can help, but it has to start somewhere.

I’m actually going with Gordon on this one, probably in the form of Marty Scurll interfering to cost Aldis the match. Aldis vs. Scurll is where it’s at in the near future and they need something to help advance that. I could go for Scurll winning the title, but if Gordon wins here, he’ll be getting the shot. Aldis winning doesn’t leave as many doors open though, so go with Gordon winning.

Overall Thoughts

I’m not usually big on a one night tournament but the NWA is still brand new at this being around thing and need to do something to get some attention. There are enough names in the field to make it interesting and there is a good chance I’ve gotten most of these predictions wrong. There are a lot of good choices though and that’s a nice situation to have, much like having this show around in general.

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

It’s back to the pay per view pile for Impact and in a way, that sounds like a good thing. When Impact Wrestling cuts out all of the other nonsense and focuses on the wrestling alone, they can have a heck of a show and hopefully that is what happens here. Sometimes you don’t need to do anything more than have a bunch of good wrestling and under the right circumstances, this could be quite the show. Let’s get to it.

Ken Shamrock vs. Mad Man Fulton

Unless I missed it before, this was added to the show on Tuesday night. I’m not sure how much more gas Shamrock has in the tank but his intimidating look alone should be worth something. I can’t imagine that he’s going to be around long term but he has enough star power to validate keeping him around for the time being. That being said, Fulton has a lot of potential as a monster and Shamrock could make for a good opponent.

I’ll go with Fulton here because he has a brighter future and there is no reason to put Shamrock over him. Shamrock is already a legend and a former World Champion so putting him over Fulton doesn’t make sense. Then again, if there is one thing this company loves to do it is push older people for no logical reason. I’ll take Fulton, but there is a bit of fear in the back of my head over the whole thing.

Moose vs. Rhino

This is one of those formulas that works almost every time: take two people who can hit each other really hard and see who is left standing. It’s also a battle of the spears, with Rhino’s having more impact but Moose’s having the more clever name. Moose is in need of the big win but I’m not sure how much value there is in putting him over Rhino. That being said, I can’t imagine Rhino getting a big win on this stage.

So yeah of course it’s Moose here, as it should be. Rhino is someone who still has some name recognition and now that they’re getting him away from the ECW tributes, you can see why he’s been around as long as he has. This could be a good ten minute power brawl and Rhino can still bring it in that style. Have some fun and get the right person over and everything works out.

Tag Team Titles: The North(c) vs. Rich Swann/Willie Mack

This was the match that I was looking forward to more than any other on the card as Mack and Swann have turned into a heck of a team against a dark horse contender for the Tag Team Of The Year in 2019 in the North. Then Swann sprained his ankle last night and is unlikely for the match, meaning the whole thing is pretty much forgotten about as Mack is probably wrestling it in a handicap match.

Therefore, the North retains here and we probably get the big title match in SEVERAL weeks on Impact, assuming it happens at all. Given their marathon taping sessions, there is almost no way we’re going to be seeing Swann in the ring for months as far as Impact taping time goes and that’s a shame because he seemed ready to jump way up the ladder in the coming weeks, starting with a title win here. But alas, the North retains here (hardly a bad thing as they’ve been excellent).

Knockouts Title: Taya Valkyrie(c) vs. ODB vs. Jordynne Grace

I was completely sold on Grace ending the record long reign here, but then ODB was added to it and things started trending down (as they tend to do when she is added to almost anything). They now have an out to keep the title on Valkyrie (again: not a bad thing, which seems to be a Canadian trait), even though it is time for someone else to get into the title picture. I think you know where this is going.

I’ll play it safe and say that Valkyrie retains the title, likely by defeating ODB. Maybe they can even throw in a bonus by having Grace hit the Grace Driver so Valkyrie can steal the pin. I’m not entirely sure why ODB needs to be involved in this, though if it’s to give her a hand after her food truck burned down, I can get over my lack of caring for her. Anyway, I’m not thrilled about this one, but Valkyrie is likely retaining to lose to Grace in a singles match later.

Brian Cage vs. Rob Van Dam

I wasn’t big on Van Dam returning as he is way past his prime and has been around for so long that a lot of the luster is gone. However, I’ve dug the heck out of his crazy self-absorbed heel character as he’s selling the heck out of it. While I could go for a little less Katie Forbes, Van Dam’s stuff has been great and I’m enjoying his promos more than I have in years.

As for the match…..dang I’m not sure. This is the kind of thing that should be Cage in a walk but Van Dam has been so awesome in everything he’s done that it could go either way. I think I’ll actually take Van Dam, just for the sake of giving him something else to talk about. Cage shouldn’t be losing again, but they’ve got an intriguing match here, provided they can make the in-ring stuff work.

Call Your Shot Trophy: Eddie Edwards(c) vs. Michael Elgin

This is basically Money In The Bank but for any title, which very well could play a role later in the show. The idea here is that Elgin wants the World Title and is willing to take shortcuts to get there. He already beat Edwards in a rather good match on Impact and now he wants to do it again for the trophy. I like the idea of having to defend the thing, even though it has barely been mentioned since Edwards won the thing.

I’ll take Elgin to win here, even if it’s two big losses in a row for Edwards. The good thing about him is that he’s almost bulletproof in Impact and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Elgin on the other hand seems to be in a place where he needs to win the World Title or find something else to do, and winning the Trophy could get him a big step closer to being champion.

X-Division Title: Ace Austin(c) vs. Trey Miguel

There aren’t many people who have been as bizarre as Austin in recent months. He’s gone from apparently being an adult actor to hitting on Miguel’s mom while also winning the title. I’m not sure which of those is weirder, but here we are with one of the first actual stories about the title in months. That might not be the best story in the world, but at least it’s something for a change.

I’ll go with Austin retaining here, partially because I like him and partially because I want to see Miguel’s mom turn on him. It would be hilarious to see if nothing else, though I do need to see the Rascalz get somewhere sooner or later. This very well may be where it takes place, but I’m not sure if that’s what’s going to happen. Give me Austin to retain, though I’m not very confident in it.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Sami Callihan(c) vs. Tessa Blanchard

And then, as usual, something has to happen to mess everything up around here. In this case it isn’t Impact’s fault, but that never stopped the bad news before. In this case, Blanchard seemed all primed and ready to win the title but then there was yesterday’s Twitter fiasco that might cause some major issues for the company should they give her some big push.

That being said, I’ll go with Blanchard winning and then Elgin cashing in his newly won trophy for an immediate title shot. Therefore, Blanchard gets her win, a Canadian gets to be World Champion and we can move forward to Blanchard chasing the title again after things have cooled down a bit. It’s not the smartest thing in the world, but it’s the most protection they can have at the moment.

Overall Thoughts

I was looking forward to this show a lot more about thirty six hours ago before the Swann injury and the Blanchard drama but you should know better than to expect something like this to work out well. It really does feel like the company is cursed at times and even when they have been doing so much better as of late, it doesn’t seem like they can ever shake off the curse that follows them everywhere.

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 still kind of strange that these shows happen so infrequently. If there is one thing that WWE is not known for, it’s taking their time and letting a show be built up over time. That’s what they’ve done with the NXT UK Takeovers though and given how the main event of the most recent one went, we might be in for a special treat here. I’m looking forward to the show so let’s get to it.

Tyler Bate vs. Jordan Devlin

We’ll start with what should be a heck of a match here as these two are capable of tearing the house down. That being said, Bate has built up his reputation so well that it might be difficult for him to pull it off again. Devlin should be more than up to the challenge though and the last big match I saw him again (against Walter at an OTT show) was outstanding. Hopefully they can live up to the considerable hype here.

I’ll take Devlin to win as Bate is as over as you can get in NXT UK without winning the United Kingdom Title (again). It’s not like he’s going to lose anything by being pinned so let Devlin overcome the odds and get the big win that he needs to move himself up the ladder. The promotion needs some fresh names in the main event and Devlin has been ready to move there for what seems like ever now.

Women’s Title: Kay Lee Ray(c) vs. Toni Storm vs. Piper Niven

This is one of the places where NXT (both American and UK) shine. There wasn’t much of a reason to believe that Storm was going to get the title back here as she’s already had it once and the bigger story seems to be between her and Niven rather than her and Ray. Then we had this week’s NXT, where Storm vs. Rhea Ripley was set up and Storm mentioned a title vs. title match. That is something that could happen and gives you a reason to believe something might go down here. It’s such a nice addition and helps the match out a lot.

That being said, I’ll still take Ray to retain here. Niven winning the title by defeating Ray one on one makes more sense and you can build that up in a few weeks. Have Niven ready to win the title and then Ray steals it (yeah it’s cliched but it makes sense here) to set up their singles match later where the title change can take place. It’s been a well set up feud though and that’s always a plus.

Eddie Dennis vs. Trent Seven

This one kind of came out of nowhere and that’s ok for what they’re doing. Dennis is back after a long absence and he is mysterious enough that he doesn’t have to say much to get his point across. Going after Seven is an easy way to get back into things as he’s over enough to be a big deal and can pull off the surprise win at times. I’m not sure he will here, but Seven is dangerous enough to make you believe something could happen.

I’ll go with Dennis though, as there isn’t much of a reason for Seven to win. Dennis is someone who seems like he would be an interesting player so he needs a win to get him back in the running. Much like Bate, Seven doesn’t need to win a match due to how over he already is, so give Dennis the win and see what you have with him. Seven can make him look good too so it should be a nice result all around.

Tag Team Titles: Gallus(c) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews vs. Imperium

It’s a ladder match because….well you have to have an annual ladder match quota in modern wrestling. Gallus haven’t been the most interesting champions and I had almost forgotten that they had the titles when they came out this week on NXT. It also doesn’t help that they lost to the Undisputed Era in the first round of the Dusty Classic as that wasn’t their best sign for the future. That being said, who is the most likely pick for the titles?

Of course it’s Imperium, as the Veterans have taken a bit of a step back and Webster/Andrews seemed to win the titles because the title match was taking place in Wales. Imperium seems to be the big thing in NXT UK at the moment and giving them the Tag Team Titles to go with the United Kingdom Title makes the most sense. Just do what you should do here and don’t try to overthink things, as this is the most logical choice they have.

United Kingdom Title: Walter(c) vs. Joe Coffey

This is an idea that anyone can get, even if they’re not a wrestling fan: both of them run their own faction and they’re both big and strong. Let them hit each other really, really hard until the other one can’t get up, likely after interference from their cohorts, and see who winds up winning the thing. That’s as good of an idea as you can have here and it should be fun.

However, it’s not like there is any serious doubt here as Walter should win and win handily. It’s going to take something special to get the title off of him and while Coffey will give him one heck of a fight, I don’t think he’s going to be able to make it work. This should be very entertaining and they’ll have one of the best hoss fights in a long time, but Walter leaves as champion to give Imperium all of the belts.

Overall Thoughts

If there is one thing that NXT UK knows how to do, it is get something out of a card that does not seem the greatest on paper. This seems like a show that should have some rather obvious results but that doesn’t mean the show will be boring. The crowd response and the energy from everyone involved should make things work and we could be in for a heck of an afternoon.

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