Bruno Sammartino Passes Away At 82

https://wrestlingrumors.net/wwe-legend-bruno-sammartino-passes-away-age-82/

This is a big one.  Without Bruno, the company probably doesn’t survive the 1960s and we aren’t here today.  The man is one of the few genuine wrestling legends and there’s no replacing him.  Consider this: if Sammartino’s longest title reign ended today, it would have started before the Pipe Bomb.  Think about everything that’s happened in WWE (or anywhere else) since then.  One man was the Heavyweight Champion of the World that whole time.  This is a sad one but his life was amazing and deserves every tribute he receives.




Main Event – April 12, 2018: The Best Of The Three

IMG Credit: WWE

Main Event
Date: April 12, 2018
Location: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness

It’s been a busy week so it’s time for something a little bit easier to watch. This time around we’ll have a lot of Wrestlemania to recap but odds are it’s going to be focusing on the fallout editions of Raw and Smackdown. Throw in some cruiserweights with the good guys winning and let’s get to it.

Here’s Wrestlemania if you need a recap.

I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the upper deck with the Titantron on my right and the hard cameras across the arena.

Opening sequence.

Percy Watson is on commentary. THIS SHOW DOES NOT NEED THREE ANNOUNCERS!

Mark Andrews vs. Tony Nese

Nese starts in with the power, including a knee to the ribs. Andrews sends him outside for a middle rope moonsault to take over, only to get powered right back down. We hit the torture rack for a few moments until Andrews slips out and starts the sticking and moving. The 619 to the ribs sets up a sitout bulldog for two and Nese is rocked. Andrews stays on the ribs with a double stomp and the shooting star is good for the fast pin at 4:59.

Rating: C. Not bad at all for such a fast match. Andrews is someone who impresses me more and more every time I see him. He’s very small but they’ve developed something of a character for him and that’s a lot more than I ever would have guessed. Oh and his theme song is kind of awesome.

Quick look at Jeff Hardy returning on Raw.

From Raw.

Jeff Hardy/Finn Balor/Seth Rollins vs. Miz/Miztourage

Before Finn’s entrance, the production crew replaced a piece of the stage, which I thought would be a Rey Mysterio entrance but turned out to just be for the smoke in Balor’s entrance. Miz and Rollins start but let’s hand it off to Axel instead. Rollins kicks both lackeys in the face and it’s off to Jeff for some Poetry in Motion to Axel and Dallas. Finn and Seth play decent Matt’s actually.

Back from a break with Balor coming in and forearming all three villains. Miz offers a distraction though and Dallas decks Balor from behind. Now Miz is glad to come in with a chinlock, followed by the Hennig necksnap from Axel. Dallas drops some knees and grabs a chinlock of his own as we’re not exactly setting any new standards here (as they shouldn’t be here). Balor finally dropkicks Miz down and the hot tag brings in Jeff to clean house.

A Whisper in the Wind takes down the Miztourage as you can see Rollins getting all charged up on the apron. The diving tag brings in Seth with a springboard clothesline to Miz. Rollins suicide dives onto all three of them for a big crash and we hit a BURN IT DOWN chant. Back in and the superplex into the Falcon Arrow (Cole: “Tonight he hits it!” He hit it last night too.) gets two on Miz with Dallas making the save. Finn dives onto Axel and Dallas and the Stomp finishes Miz at 13:56.

Rating: C+. This was just an easy way to end the show and that’s all it needed to be. I would have had Jeff come out later in the night, but that would have meant the lack of the Matt segment so it balances out. Rollins pinning Miz again is fine, especially with the title match already being set. It’s not like Miz is going to be damaged by a loss in a six man tag so this was fine all around.

Post match Dallas takes a Twist of Fate, Coup de Grace, Swanton and Stomp. Axel gets a similar treatment and a Stomp to Miz ends the show.

From Raw again.

Here’s Roman Reigns for a chat. He took a beating last night but he’s here while Brock Lesnar isn’t. When he got to the Superdome yesterday, no one could look him in the eye. As of this past Wednesday, Lesnar was done and going to the UFC. Now though they have another match in a cage in Saudi Arabia later this month. That means Reigns can win the title there in a match he found out about on the internet. This brings out Samoa Joe to say Reigns exposed Lesnar last night.

For over a year, Reigns has been saying he’s the only one who can beat Lesnar. It doesn’t matter who couldn’t look at Roman because he’s a failure. It also makes him a liar because he can’t beat Brock Lesnar. Every time the Beast meets the Big Dog, the Big Dog gets conquered. After Lesnar makes Reigns fail again, Samoa Joe will be waiting at Backlash to put him to sleep. As usual, Joe was great here with the commanding voice and fire in his eyes. Joe as the new #1 contender could do some great things, especially if he eventually wins the title.

Quick package on the debuts from this week.

Lucha House Party vs. TJP/Jack Gallagher/Ariya Daivari

Daivari hammerlocks Dorado to start but gets hurricanranaed and dropkicked for his efforts. A double tag brings in Gallagher and Dorado for the pinfall reversal sequence and Dorado falls forward into a splash. Lince grabs an arm and Kalisto does the same, allowing them to throw Gallagher down in a heap. That’s rather ungentlemanly of them. Daivari offers a distraction though and Jack pulls Kalisto off the ropes for a crash.

Back from a break with Gallagher cranking Kalisto’s arm back ala Pentagon Dark and bringing Daivari in for a double suplex. We hit the chinlock for a bit but Davari misses the top rope splash. The hot tag brings in Metalik for rope walking into a headscissors. Everything breaks down and it’s a double Golden Rewind to Gallagher and Daivari. Something like a reverse Sling Blade drops TJP and the rope walk elbow ends TJP at 10:24.

Rating: C. Went a little longer than it needed to but the Lucha House Party guys are always worth taking a look at. I’m a little annoyed at the depushing of TJP and Gallagher but anything that involves seeing Daivari getting beaten up with worth some time. The guy is so uninteresting that it’s the only fun part about having him around.

From Raw again.

Here’s Stephanie McMahon, walking very slowly and with her arm in a cast after last night, to open the show. Cole talks about how Ronda Rousey’s debut may be the best debut in Wrestlemania history. Does that mean the best wrestler to debut at Wrestlemania (As in she’s better than Fandango and Baron Corbin? Or the best ever first match at Wrestlemania? I’m thinking someone else has probably done it better before. Stephanie talks about the post Wrestlemania crowd having an international flavor (Is that an insult?) but she expected at least SOME sympathy.

She did tap out last night but the fans have to admit that one woman did everything she could last night and made the transition. Yes Stephanie did make that transition and was amazing so she deserves all the praise. This brings out Rousey to a very nice reception (which she earned) and even Stephanie gives her credit for last night. Rousey is a role model and a superstar and with Stephanie guiding her, they can reach new heights. The fans tell Stephanie to shut the F up so Stephanie calls Rousey her friend….and offers a handshake.

Now if you don’t know where this is going and yeah I’m not even going to finish that. Rousey hugs her and smiles before shifting to the death stare. Stephanie gets taken down by the bad arm and Rousey takes the brace off to crank it back all over again. Referees run in for the late save and Rousey is all smiles. She’s getting better at the facial expressions and really does come off like a star. Medics come out to check on Stephanie and the fans tell her that she deserves it. As she’s leaving, JoJo asks for a little respect for Stephanie. I was hoping that made the broadcast because it made me laugh in my seat.

My issues with Stephanie are fairly well known but I LOVED this. The key to Stephanie is her being in on the joke and that doesn’t happen very often. This time she was in full on obnoxious heel mode but with a bit of a wink to the camera that she knew she was about to be destroyed. That made this workable because she was FINALLY getting what was coming to her. I know you can’t have it happen all the time, but once a year isn’t quite often enough.

Quick look at Paige being announced as the new Smackdown GM.

And from Smackdown.

AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan

Non-title. AJ takes him to the mat to start and it’s an early standoff. A shoulder block works a bit better and things speed up. Bryan fights out of a test of strength and starts in on the arm with the hard kicks. It’s off to a hammerlock with Bryan bending the arm in a variety of unnatural manners. AJ fights up and it’s the drop down into the dropkick as the fans aren’t sure who they like more. The slingshot forearm to the floor drops Bryan again and we take a break.

Back (after Bryan misses a Swan Dive in the break) with Bryan hitting the running clothesline to set up the YES Kicks. AJ counters the big one with the dragon screw legwhip but Bryan moonsaults over him in the corner. That’s fine with AJ, who moonsaults over him right into the reverse DDT to drop Bryan for two. The Phenomenal Blitz is reversed into a cross armbreaker but AJ rolls over for the break.

Instead it’s the Calf Crusher to work on Bryan’s bad knee but Bryan reverses that into the YES Lock, which is reversed into a rollup for two. A hard clothesline gives AJ two and they’re both winded. Bryan is back up with some hard kicks and it’s time to load up the running knee.

Thankfully AJ is smart enough to realize that the YES chants mean something is coming and he ducks the knee, only to get pulled into the YES Lock. Dang Bryan will get you one way or another. AJ gets the rope so Bryan puts him in the Tree of Woe for more kicks. A belly to back superplex is reversed into a crossbody….and here’s Nakamura to knee Bryan in the head for the DQ at 12:42.

Rating: B. This was getting somewhere but the ending was the right call. Bryan vs. Styles could be a major pay per view match and there’s no reason to throw away a clean finish on a regular TV match. They were starting to really turn this into something good as both guys were cranking it up. I was liking this more than Styles vs. Nakamura from Wrestlemania so there’s hope for something better in the future.

Post match Nakamura abuses Styles’ groin and hits Kinshasa to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This is a great way to look at the biggest week in WWE in the span of about forty five minutes. The wrestling wasn’t great but this is a great example of that not being the point. I’ve seen some of this stuff three times now and this might have been the most entertaining presentation. Just get us in and get us out and show us the good stuff. That’s Main Event in a nutshell and it worked here.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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




205 Live – April 10, 2018: What Day Is It Again?

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: April 10, 2018
Location: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Percy Watson

It’s the final show of Wrestlemania Weekend and that means things are starting to run out of steam. There’s not much left to say at the moment, but Cedric Alexander is the new Cruiserweight Champion as the title isn’t vacant for the first time in over two months. Buddy Murphy is waiting in the wings though so let’s get to it.

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

I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the (freezing) upper deck, opposite the hard camera.

We open with a recap of Alexander defeating Mustafa Ali to become the new champion in a pretty good, though not great, tournament final.

Opening sequence.

Percy Watson is here as Nigel McGuinness is out for two weeks. The word PERMANENT is used. Egads why?

Kalisto vs. Akira Tozawa

Kalisto wants to set the stage for next week’s tornado tag and Tozawa wants Lucha House Party FIRED. The fans, at least the ones still there, seem to favor Tozawa as there’s really no heel here. Tozawa works on the wristlock to start as the announcers talk about how awesome it is to have this be one on one with no seconds. Kalisto handwalks away and moonsaults into a headscissors to really put Tozawa in trouble.

Back up and Tozawa shouts a lot, which is rather customary for him. A big kick to the head misses but so does Kalisto’s rolling kick. Tozawa goes with the stiff shot to the head and it’s time to stomp away in the corner. The screaming backsplash gets two and it’s off to a chinlock. They’re not exactly burning the mat up so far. Kalisto finally avoids a charge in the corner and hits that head kick as things speed up a bit.

The hurricanrana driver gets two and another kick to the head staggers Tozawa on top. One heck of a super Spanish Fly (becoming VERY popular in WWE these days) gets two on Tozawa and it’s time for the slugout. Tozawa misses a charge in the corner and gets shouldered in the ribs, setting up the big running kick to the chest.

Kalisto seems to have him stunned but charges into a monkey flip with Tozawa sending him knee first into the corner. The top rope backsplash hits knees but Kalisto is too banged up to capitalize. What a horrible development. We hit the pinfall reversal sequence until Kalisto grabs the Salida Del Sol for the pin at 11:24.

Rating: B. Nice match here with a nice story being told as Kalisto tried to go strike for strike with Tozawa, only to mess up his knee in the process. When that wasn’t working he shifted to his bread and butter with the speed and won without much trouble. That Salida Del Sol is an awesome finisher and never stops looking great. Good stuff here and I’m kind of interested in seeing where this group feud goes.

Mark Andrews is getting ready to face Drew Gulak when Tony Nese comes in. Tony talks about how he and Gulak used to be friends but Drew isn’t the same man anymore. He wants Andrews to go take care of Gulak for good.

Drew Gulak vs. Mark Andrews

Gulak, in a rather small robe, says he was thinking about needing to offer the people an explanation. That should mean a POWERPOINT PRESENTATION but it’s not the time for that. This isn’t Microsoft Office aficionado Drew Gulak. This is the best submission wrestler on 205 Live and he will make you tap. Some armdrags annoy Gulak to start and he bails to the floor in short order.

Back in and the threat of the Gulock has Andrews scurrying away but coming right back with a bulldog. A hurricanrana on the apron is countered though and Gulak sends him hard into the post to start in on Andrews’ neck. That means a cravate and then a chinlock as Gulak picks Andrews apart with relative ease. Andrews fights up with a jumping enziguri for a breather, followed by a 619 to the ribs.

The standing corkscrew moonsault gets two but a HARD clothesline to the back of the head gives Gulak two. The fans are completely distracted by something behind the announcers’ table (I never could figure it out but it was something about a fan falling asleep. Andrews hits the Stundog Millionaire as the fans are asking HOW WAS YOUR NAP. Gulak sends him into the corner and the Gulock is good for the tap at 10:28.

Rating: C+. The storytelling continues here as Gulak is the cold and calculating villain waiting to find a mistake while Andrews is making things up as he goes. It makes sense that it would make Gulak (who hates flips and dives and non-scientific wrestling) angry so having him crank on Andrews that hard was the right ending.

Post match Gulak puts the hold back on but here’s Tony Nese for the save and a big beatdown. We have a face turn, which is the first thing about this show that makes it feel special.

Drake Maverick is skeptical of having a pair of guys on his roster. I was hoping for Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens but it’s Jack Gallagher and Brian Kendrick, the latter of whom is back from injury. They’ll be teaming again and Hideo Itami injuring Kendrick is water under the bridge. Uh, yay for Kendrick being back?

Here’s Maverick for Alexander’s big celebration. Drake talks about sitting ringside when Cedric won the title (Drake: “I was sitting there, John Cena was sitting right over there.”) and how proud it made him. This brings out Cedric to the YOU DESERVE IT chants. Two years ago the fans chanting PLEASE SIGN CEDRIC and then this Sunday his friends and family saw him win the Cruiserweight Title.

Cedric thanks the fans but here’s Ali to cut him off. Ali congratulates him for winning the title as his friend, but also wants to remind Cedric that he’s in the line of competitors. Cedric doesn’t seem to mind and we get a hug. Cue Buddy Murphy’s music with Buddy coming from underneath the ring to botch Murphy’s Law (not at all surprising as tricky as that move is to pull off) at first before planting Alexander. Maverick is livid and yells at Murphy to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The show’s hot streak continues but I couldn’t help wondering where the big moment was. After Raw and Smackdown had debuts, big matches and surprises, this could have been any given week of 205 Live. Now I can appreciate that in a sense as they’ve got a good thing going, but this was quite the low key (I don’t want to say downer because the show was good) way to end the week. Hopefully the momentum keeps going, because this show has become a lot more fun to watch.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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




Live Thoughts From Smackdown

And that takes care of that. Tonight was my last night in New Orleans and that means Smackdown is all that’s left. This is the other version of the post Wrestlemania show and that means a lot could be happening in a very short amount of time. I had a few ideas of what to expect and for the most part, absolutely none of them wound up happening. Let’s get to it.

The dark match saw Becky Lynch beat Ruby Riott in a pretty nice match in about six minutes. The Riott Squad interfered and got sent into each other, setting up the Disarm-Her for the tap. Snappy little match here.

The opening with Shane introducing Paige was nice….if you ignore the fact that SHANE DOESN’T HAVE POWER RIGHT NOW. Unless this was addressed on commentary, Shane has no business accepting Daniel Bryan’s resignation or naming Paige as the new General Manager. Now that being said, Paige was a genuine shock and I think I like the idea. It’s cool to have a woman in the job and, in theory at least, as the ONLY authority figure on the show. She got a great reaction and really, that’s all you can ask for in something like this. Oh and she gave us AJ vs. Bryan, because that’s what a good boss does.

The Usos beat the New Day in a very good match with both teams working well together. They’ve always had chemistry so this wasn’t exactly a shock. The win gives the Usos a title shot, presumably at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Smackdown is going to need some fresh teams in the Shakeup though as these two have fought way too often lately. Still though, very good match.

Naomi beat Natalya after getting into a stupid argument with her. There’s not much else to say on this one, as is the case with most Natalya matches.

Shinsuke Nakamura was asked why he attacked AJ Styles. Nakamura blamed it on being overly emotional and then suddenly couldn’t speak English when he was pressed on the answer. This was hilarious and some of the best talking Nakamura has done since coming to WWE.

Then we had the big segment of the night with Charlotte coming out to praise Asuka for a great match and wondering who she would make magic with next. This brought out the Iconics (formerly the Iconic Duo) of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay to a very strong reaction. They made fun of Charlotte’s speech with Royce getting in some hilarious jokes about Charlotte thanking everyone and then the beatdown was on. Charlotte was thrown over the announcers’ table both ways and powerbombed on the floor….so Carmella FINALLY cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase to win the Women’s Title.

This took the better part of forever to get to and I’m just glad the stupid thing is finally gone. I get sick of having it hanging over everything and wasting time, especially when it’s almost deflating having Carmella get it after the big match with Asuka. At least it’s gone now though and that means some peace of mind for a few months.

The main event was really all you could expect it to be. They were starting to cook and Nakamura interfered for the DQ. I don’t think anyone was really expecting AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan to go to an important conclusion on a Smackdown in Bryan’s first singles match so what we got was more than good enough for the time being. Nakamura kneed Bryan in the head and abused Styles’ testicles after the match. Of note, during a commercial, Bryan missed a Swan Dive. I’m rather stunned that he’s allowed to even think about that move anymore.

And again, so much for Rusev. It’s just not happening and that’s very clear at this point. There aren’t many more over on the roster than he is right now and that means we get Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal in ANOTHER match (because the previous ones have worked oh so well) for the US Title. I don’t know what WWE is thinking with this stuff but my goodness it’s annoying to sit through, especially when Rusev has gotten himself over like this.

The post show dark match saw Shinsuke Nakamura defeat Dolph Ziggler. This is the four time I’ve seen those two in a post Smackdown dark match, including last year’s post Wrestlemania Smackdown. Nakamura won in about seven minutes with Kinshasa. If he was supposed to wrestle differently after his heel turn, he didn’t show it here.

Overall, it was a good night and felt like the opposite of last night’s Raw. While Monday was seeing a return every ten minutes, this had the Iconics debuting and Paige being announced as the new GM. That was it for the fresh names appearing and I think I’m ok with that. While Zelina Vega/Andrade Cien Almas and Sanity would have been nice, I can both understand and wait for what might happen in the Superstar Shakeup (though I could also see none of them coming up). All in all, a strong wrestling show and fairly in line with what this Smackdown does every year.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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

 

 




205 Live – April 3, 2018: What A Waste That Was

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: April 3, 2018
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

It’s go home week for Wrestlemania and that means it’s the go home show for 205 Live as well. In this case we have a Cruiserweight Title match set for Sunday’s Kickoff Show, which means they might be able to set up some extra stuff this week. It’s hard to say what else is going on, but Buddy Murphy is being pushed strong as well. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening preview focuses on Hideo Itami/Akira Tozawa vs. Lucha House Party. It’s a smart move to focus on things other than the title match as they need something to go with after Sunday. We’ll also get a preview of the tournament final.

Opening sequence.

Akira Tozawa/Hideo Itami vs. Gran Metalik/Lince Dorado

Itami and Metalik start things off with Hideo wasting no time in taking him to the mat and posing. Instead of following up, Itami shoves Dorado in the face, allowing Metalik to score with a superkick. Dorado comes in for two off a standing moonsault but it’s off to Tozawa to kick Metalik down without much effort.

The backsplash connects but Metalik reverses into a crucifix for two of his own. A hard right hand drops Metalik again and the villainous dominance continues. Metalik gets in a right hand and is promptly kicked down. A kick of his own is enough for the hot tag to Dorado, who strikes away as well. Itami’s demands for respect earn him the Golden Rewind and a big flip dive to the floor drops Itami again. Tozawa adds a dive of his own and a BIG twisting corkscrew dive from Metalik drops everyone at once. Back in and Itami goes for Metalik’s mask and everything breaks down, drawing the double DQ at 7:27.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one but you can see the Tag Team Title feud being set up from here. Itami is better in this role as Tozawa has more than enough charisma to make up for Itami’s severe lack thereof. Lucha House Party is a nice team in this role and that’s all they need to be until we get a big threat to beat them down.

Itami and Tozawa leave the masked guys laying.

Drew Gulak isn’t disappointed that his match with Mark Andrews has been canceled due to injury, but he wants Andrews to be healthy. He had a PowerPoint presentation ready about why he would keep the Gulock (dragon sleeper) on for a long time, but one slide summed it up: because he could. If you step to him, you tap out. Serious Gulak is a fun Gulak.

Andrews says he’s coming around the world to make things right against Gulak.

Tony Nese vs. Jonathan Pierce

Pierce brings it to Nese to start but Nese moonsaults over him and nips into a kick to the ribs to take over. That’s enough for Pierce who tries to walk out but gets clotheslined for his efforts. Back in and a springboard into a Lionsault gets two, followed by Pierce getting caught on the top. The running knee in the corner ends Pierce at 2:56.

Kalisto is checking on his buddies when he runs into Buddy Murphy. Buddy says tonight isn’t personal but Kalisto is standing in his way of being Cruiserweight Champion.

Kalisto vs. Buddy Murphy

It’s an early stalemate to start until Murphy uses the size to run him over, meaning it’s time to crank on the arm. Back up and Kalisto tries a headscissors but Murphy cartwheels out in a bit of a surprise. Kalisto goes up top for a spinning armdrag (not much of a move for such a big start) and it’s another stalemate. With nothing else working, Murphy slaps on an abdominal stretch but Kalisto climbs the ropes and spins onto Buddy’s back for a sleeper. Cool counter.

A DDT gives Kalisto two and they head to the apron with Murphy suplexing him onto the apron in a sick crash. Back in and a hard Irish whip into the corner keeps the pressure on Kalisto’s back but a spinning kick to the head drops Murphy. Kalisto springboards into a reverse hurricanrana but Murphy drops him back with an electric chair for a sweet counter. A hurricanrana driver gives Kalisto two and it’s back outside, this time with Murphy hitting a monkey flip onto the announcers’ table.

That’s only good for nine as the fans are WAY into this. Back in and a powerbomb gets two on Kalisto as we get 205 and FIGHT FOREVER chants. Kalisto’s rolling kick to the head sets up a Code Red for two of his own as the fans are losing their minds over these kickouts. Back up and a bad looking Murphy’s Law (Murphy didn’t get underneath him enough) is enough for the pin at 14:49.

Rating: B+. This is the kind of match that the show should have been built around in the first place. These guys were beating the heck out of each other with as many high impact moves as they could think of until one of them couldn’t get up. I have a blast with this and Murphy is clearly the top challenger for whoever comes out of Wrestlemania as champion. Check this out if you have the chance.

Drake Maverick talks about how many great things have come from the Cruiserweight Title tournament. He pleads with us to make sure to see the Kickoff Show because Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali are going to tear the house down. That’s the match that everyone is going to be talking about. As usual, Maverick is a heck of a hype man and has some incredible emotion in his promos.

We get a long and very well done video on the Cruiserweight Title match. Both of their paths to the title match is chronicled, including how they’re both ready to win the title on the grandest stage of them all. Ali is making his pay per view debut on Sunday, which is quite the way to start.

Overall Rating: B. The main event and final hype video alone are worth checking out and I want to see the Cruiserweight Title match. This was a solid episode of the show and showcased what these people are capable of doing. It also makes you feel like so much of the first year was such a waste as this style is as entertaining as you can get. Really solid show here and the title match should be a blast.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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




Mixed Match Challenge – April 3, 2018: Who Rocks Harder?

IMG Credit: WWE

Mixed Match Challenge
Date: April 3, 2018
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Beth Phoenix

It’s time for the final episode of the show, which isn’t exactly the biggest surprise in the world. You could probably guess the finalists when you saw the brackets and that’s not the worst thing in the world. We get a preview for Charlotte vs. Asuka, which should be a lot of fun, though also short. Let’s get to it.

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

Rusev, Lana, Big E. and Carmella are all chatting this week.

Video on Miz and Asuka at their charity: Rescue Dogs Rock.

Mixed Match Challenge Finals: Charlotte/Bobby Roode vs. The Miz/Asuka

The guys start us off and Roode hits the quick pose. No contact in the first minute so Asuka starts screaming, which only allows Roode to get in a chop. The threat of the Glorious DDT is enough for Asuka to come in and it’s time for the Wrestlemania preview. They grab a lockup and both go to the mat with it, followed by a trip to the floor. That’s enough from them so it’s back to Miz vs. Roode with the latter getting two off a backslide.

Miz starts in on the knee but the Figure Four is broken up as Corey goes into the history of the Miz, the Flair Family, and the Figure Four. It’s more complicated than you might expect. Charlotte comes in and chops away, followed by the moonsault for two. Miz’s distraction lets Asuka grabs a rollup for two but it’s back to Roode. The Skull Crushing Finale is countered into another rollup for another two and it’s time for the YES Kicks. Oh man when Bryan comes out to stare Miz down for that, the roof is coming off the building.

Roode gets two off a swinging Rock Bottom and the Figure Four is countered into a small package for the same. Charlotte spears Miz down and puts on the Figure Four with Asuka making a save, despite a submission not counting anyway. Back up and Asuka sends Charlotte outside, setting up the Skull Crushing Finale for the pin on Roode at 12:56. Asuka is ELATED at the Streak being safe.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure what else you were expecting at this point as these matches have been very similar for most of the tournament. They’re short, to the point, and waste no time in doing their thing. The wrestling is usually good and both teams play off of each other very well. Charlotte spearing Miz was a nice touch and we got a Wrestlemania preview at the same time. Nothing wrong here and a good note to end the series on.

Post match Miz talks about this being the best week of his life. Miz lists off some of the charities being fought for in the tournament and talks about how awesome Rescue Dogs Rock is. They both promise wins on Sunday to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I liked the tournament as a whole. The key thing here was that it didn’t waste time. You were in and out in less than twenty five minutes a week and the whole thing was twelve matches. They didn’t build this up as some monumental thing and just got in, did their thing, and got back out. It was well done and the show was entertaining without overstepping its bounds. I liked it and could go for a sequel next year.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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


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Main Event – April 5, 2018: I’m Ready

IMG Credit: WWE

Main Event
Date: April 5, 2018
Location: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

I’m not sure what to expect from a Main Event designed to make me want to see Wrestlemania. Odds are there’s going to be some time spent on original matches between people who won’t even make it into the battle royals, but that’s never stopped this show before. This should be recap heavy so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Cedric Alexander/Mustafa Ali vs. Tony Nese/Ariya Daivari

Did I put in 205 Live by mistake? Of note, all of their name graphics point out that they are cruiserweights. Not 205 Live wrestlers, but cruiserweights. Nese whips Ali around to start but gets caught with a spinwheel kick for two. Daivari comes in and gets kicked in the face by Alexander for the same but the villains finally use some double teaming to send Ali face first into the apron.

Some stomping sets up a waistlock, followed by a running forearm for two. Another kick to the head allows the hot tag to Alexander though and it’s time to speed things up. Everything breaks down and a tornado DDT sets up the Lumbar Check to put Nese away at 5:45.

Rating: C-. Not enough time to do much here but well done on trying to use the Main Event time to actually set something up for Wrestlemania. It’s not much of a match and that’s all you could have expected, but at least they did something here. Ali vs. Alexander should be a rocking match too.

Quick clip of Cena challenging Undertaker from Raw.

Long recap of Daniel Bryan/Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn.

From Smackdown.

Here’s Daniel Bryan to open the show and shockingly enough, the fans seem into him. He wastes no time in bringing out Shane McMahon for the first time in a few weeks. Shane praises Bryan for having the courage to come back and get in this ring despite everyone telling him it would never happen. He brings up having diverticulitis and a hernia thanks to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn but just like Bryan, he’s medically cleared for Sunday.

Bryan has to apologize to Shane though, because Shane was right about Owens and Zayn all along. Shane says he was a little stubborn over the last six months. Bryan: “YOU? STUBBORN? NO!” Bryan wants a hug but Shane offers a handshake. That’s not working because they shook hands a few minutes ago and the people of Nashville want a HUG. The fans finally get their wish and Shane promises to get rid of Owens and Zayn once and for all.

From later in the night.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn come through the crowd (with Owens in a KO-MANIA III shirt, thankfully continuing the trend of using the old Wrestlemania logos) onto the announcers’ table. No one is stopping them tonight so they’ve got some apologies of their own. Sami apologizes to Birdie and Brie Danielson for what’s going to happen to Bryan. A YOU DESERVE IT chant started by Sami doesn’t quite catch on but the mic is cut off anyway. Shane and Bryan come out, sending Owens and Zayn bailing into the crowd. Bryan says this is the last time they’ll be on Smackdown and Shane starts the Goodbye Song.

Wrestlemania rundown.

Anderson and Gallows vs. Revival

Remember a year ago at the Raw after Wrestlemania when SAY YEAH got a huge reaction? WWE certainly doesn’t. Anderson headlocks Dawson to start but a blind tag….doesn’t do much good for Dawson, who gets armdragged down for his efforts. Gallows comes in and charges into a knee and everything breaks down in a hurry. Revival gets sent outside and we take a break. Back with the Magic Killer being broken up and the Shatter Machine ending Gallows at 6:21. Too short to rate of course and not enough time to mean anything in the first place.

We see the end of the Stephanie McMahon/HHH/Kurt Angle/Ronda Rousey sitdown on Monday. Rousey’s line about making sure Stephanie can still sign her checks was great.

From Raw.

Here are Heyman and Lesnar with wrestlers guarding the entrance. Heyman doesn’t think much of Angle’s actions tonight, including failing as Rousey’s mentor. We hear about how this Sunday is a battle between the two men who have defeated Undertaker at Wrestlemania. People think that this is going to be Roman Reigns’ coronation and Heyman respects everything about Lesnar.

However, this Sunday, Lesnar is going to pin Reigns 1-2-3 after an F5. Should an act of God happen though and Reigns win, Heyman and Lesnar will never appear on Raw again. If they’re leaving though, Brock will say goodbye from UFC but Heyman needs to say something now. You know this aura that Heyman has built up since 2002 of Lesnar being above everyone else and that no one is worthy of polishing his boots? It’s all true, because no one in the locker room can hold his jock, let alone take his title.

If Reigns thinks he’s having a victory party, he’s going to have to go home to his family on Sunday night to say he got beat by Brock Lesnar. Heyman: “Roman Reigns, you’re just Brock Lesnar’s b****.” That’s enough to bring out Reigns, who asks why the full time talent is protecting Lesnar.

They give Reigns a path and it’s time for the in-ring staredown. The fans chant for Roman (remember he played college football in this town) but Lesnar bails to the floor. Lesnar grabs a chair but it gets Superman Punched into his face. Two more have Brock in trouble and a third puts him down. Reigns picks up the title and is promptly F5’d to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This is a good example of “it was what it was”. The show was all about setting up Wrestlemania and it did that well enough, but it’s not like there was anything of note going on. It was mainly recaps and hype videos and really, that’s all it should have been. I’m excited for the show, but there’s a lot that could go wrong. This did its job well enough.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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Smackdown House Show – April 1, 2018: The Rusev Bunny

I took in the Smackdown house show last night in Lexington, Kentucky. This was one of the last stops on the Road to Wrestlemania (which was mentioned over and over throughout the night of course, including on the t-shirt). It wasn’t exactly a huge show and the advertised main event (at least in some places) didn’t go through in the end, though a little something started to make up for the changed match. Let’s get to it.

The show was scheduled to start at 7pm and started almost exactly on time, as is almost always the case with house shows. The arena was far from full, but to be fair Rupp Arena is the biggest basketball arena in the country and can hold over 25,000 people. Not terrible for Easter Sunday night.

Before the show, the fans chose to watch clips of Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage from Wrestlemania VII. Not surprising as Savage used to live in Lexington.

Daniel Bryan welcomed us to the show via a video which never said where the show was taking place.

It was announced that the four way main event with AJ Styles defending the Smackdown World Title against Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens would be a singles match with only Corbin getting a shot. This was announced on the Rupp Arena email I received about the show so it wasn’t a huge shock.

1. New Day b. Rusev Day – Midnight Hour to English (14:27, B-)

There was a giant inflatable BootyO’s box next to the ramp during New Day’s entrance. New Day came out with Easter eggs but English said that Rusev was the Rusev Day Bunny. Rusev Day stole the eggs and poured the candy on the mat before the match, much to Big E.’s horror. Also, New Day threw pancakes to the crowd and those things went FLYING, with a kid about four seats to my right catching one. They’re real pancakes too.

This was actually a lot of fun with Woods and English having a hot start. The fans were WAY into New Day’s antics and it was comedy for a good while. Big E. was gyrating more than usual, including one spot where English took a bow but looked up to see the gyrating hips. After Woods took a long beating, Big E. came in off the hot tag and cleaned house until the Midnight Hour ended English. The match felt longer than it was, albeit in a good way. Very solid opener.

2. Shinsuke Nakamura b. Dolph Ziggler – Kinshasa (16:20, B-)

This is the third time I’ve seen this match live in a year (plus a tag match with the two of them involved) so I was more than a little bored this time around. It was exactly the same match they’ve had time after time with Ziggler doing all of his usual stuff but getting Kinshasaed for the pin. Not terrible, but I’ve seen it so many times that I really don’t care anymore. Also, kind of early in the show for Nakamura. After the match, Charles Robinson fireman’s carried a groggy Ziggler to the stage, where Ziggler superkicked an Easter Bunny pinata.

3. Tag Team Titles: Usos b. Shelton Benjamin/Chad Gable – Double superkick to Gable (8:22, C)

This was short and to the point, but the main thing here was the Usos being CRAZY over. They easily got one of the best face pops of the night and it was nice to see them getting the recognition. These guys have reinvented themselves and they had a completely watchable match here. Nothing great, but it was fine for what it was.

4. US Title: Randy Orton b. Jinder Mahal and Bobby Roode – RKO to Mahal (13:54, C)

If this is any indication of what’s coming at Wrestlemania, we’re in for a nacho break match. This was really uninspired stuff and everything you would expect it to be. Mahal was really lame in his offense but the fans couldn’t stand him. At least they were into Roode’s pose. The interesting part here was the fans chanting HAPPY BIRTHDAY at Orton, who seemed to smile a little bit at the recognition. This was exactly what you would expect from these three, which isn’t a good sign.

Intermission

5. Tye Dillinger vs. Mojo Rawley went to a no contest when Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens interfered (7:55, D)

As intermission was winding down, we got a countdown from thirty seconds and Dillinger’s entrance started at ten in a nice surprise. This only existed for the run-in finish and that’s fine. The fans HATED Rawley though, mainly because he turned heel in the same arena. This earned him chants of MOJO SUCKS, YOU STILL SUCK and WE REMEMBER. Owens and Zayn ran in after an uninspired match, saying they were giving the fans what they paid to see, unlike Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon. Security took them out and that was that.

6. Charlotte/Naomi/Becky Lynch b. Riott Squad vs. Lana/Carmella/Natalya – Figure Eight to Morgan (10:28, C-)

They threw all of the women into one match and that’s a little annoying. I was expecting two matches but throwing them all into one didn’t let anyone stand out, save for one person. Becky Lynch came off as the biggest star in this match by a mile and a half with only Charlotte being on the same planet. She has the energy, the look and the work to be the top woman in the company and they’re crazy if they don’t go with it. Everything broke down and Charlotte made Morgan tap. This felt like a house show match, which isn’t a great thing to say. The camera doesn’t do Lana or Carmella justice.

7. AJ Styles b. Baron Corbin – Phenomenal Forearm (12:56, C+)

Styles worked the leg throughout and nearly got a submission off the Calf Crusher. There isn’t much to talk about here, save for a wicked Deep Six from Corbin. The main thing that stood out to me was how big Corbin seemed. I know he’s bigger than most of the roster but he was TOWERING over Styles here. Nothing much to this one as it was just a house show main event.

Overall, nothing worth seeing but for $27.50, I can’t really complain that much. The wrestling was fine and considering it was the Sunday before Wrestlemania, you can’t expect them to be going full speed. I had a good time and the wrestling was watchable so all in all, not a bad night whatsoever.

 

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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Main Event – March 29, 2018: John Cena is Obnoxious

IMG Credit: WWE

Main Event
Date: March 29, 2018
Location: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

This could be one of the more important Main Events of the year as they can do a pretty hard sale of Wrestlemania with so few shows left to go before Wrestlemania. There was some big stuff this week and that means it’s time to really crank things up. Oh and the cruiserweight tag match. Never forget about that. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Titus Worldwide vs. The Revival

Wilder and Apollo start things off but we’re at a four way staredown less than thirty seconds in. Dawson comes in and gets backdropped for his efforts, allowing the tag to Titus. It’s already back to Wilder and a running clothesline gives Apollo two. Apollo gets elbowed down in the corner though and Dawson grabs a waistlock. That goes into a chinlock and it’s exactly what you would expect to follow that hold. Wilder gets powerslammed and the hot tag brings in Titus to clean house. Not that it matters as the Shatter Machine ends Titus at 5:52.

Rating: D. This was lame even by Main Event standards with Titus Worldwide already losing a lot of its limited steam. The same is true of the Revival, who hasn’t done much in recent weeks. Having them thrown into the battle royal isn’t a good sign for them either, but at least they’re not being completely buried.

From Raw.

Here are Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman to open things up. Heyman recaps the attack on Roman Reigns last week and of course we see some clips. As it turns out, Reigns’ suspension is lifted but he’s not here tonight. Heyman goes over the Samoan wrestling family raising Roman to be a star and a champion. What they didn’t raise him to be is a man.

Reigns was the one saying he was here every single week no matter what but he’s not here tonight. Maybe Reigns should have found three MMA students, dressed them up like US Marshals and beaten the heck out of them before starting a fight with Lesnar. Reigns isn’t man enough to do that though, nor is he man enough to show up here and take another beating from Brock.

Heyman loads up the end but Reigns is in the crowd. He comes out swinging with a chair and gets in a few shots but Brock runs him over. A HARD shot to the face with the steps puts Reigns down and Brock lays him out with the chair. Brock goes to leave but comes back with an F5 onto the steps. Reigns is left laying, again. The story they’re telling here is good, but Reigns not even missing a single show isn’t helping. That and the fans don’t want to cheer for Reigns and there isn’t much of a way around that problem.

We look at Daniel Bryan’s return announcement and beatdown at the hands of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

From Smackdown.

Here’s Daniel Bryan for a chat on the stage. He loves being in Pittsburgh because he’s cleared to be back in the ring. However, tonight he has a job to do as General Manager. Bryan is willing to give Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn one more chance: in a tag match against Shane McMahon and himself at Wrestlemania. Shane should be back in time for Wrestlemania, so we have some stipulations. If Owens and Zayn lose, they stay fired. If they win, they’re back on Smackdown Live.

Bryan talks about opportunities, like the ones he’s given Owens and Zayn. He’s given them those opportunities because the two of them have always been there for him, whether it’s as a partner or if he needed a bed to sleep in. Bryan has a bunch of responsibilities as General Manager like going to meetings, filling out paperwork and wearing these blazers (CM Punk would not approve).

He’s sick of all of them because he fought for three years to get this spot. Owens and Zayn have held him back and now, it’s time for him to fight at Wrestlemania. Bryan goes on a rant about how this isn’t the Bryan on a disabled list or the General Manager. This is the Bryan coming to Wrestlemania to take out Owens and Zayn.

Wrestlemania rundown.

Lucha House Party vs. Tony Nese/Ariya Daivari/Jack Gallagher

Metalik and Daivari get things going with Ariya charging into a raised boot in the corner. Nese takes Metalik into the corner though and we take an abrupt break (felt like a clip), coming back with Metalik hitting a springboard double dropkick. Dorado dives onto Daivari and Gallagher, leaving the Salida Del Sol to end Nese at 1:46. Oh yeah they clipped the heck out of that.

From Raw.

Here’s Kurt Angle to bring out Ronda Rousey. Angle talks about Stephanie and HHH being ready for anything so Wrestlemania is going to be a lot of fun. Rousey was watching that video earlier and Stephanie is tough, but she’s trust fun tough. She’s limousine riding tough. At Wrestlemania, she’s get what’s coming to her when Ronda takes her arm out of its socket.

Cue Absolution with Paige saying this is their world. It’s nice that Rousey is going into her first match but she needs backup. Rousey could be the fourth member of Absolution! That’s a no from Ronda so Paige sends the other two after her. Deville goes down with one shot and Rousey suplexes Mandy into Sonya’s legs. Rousey grabs Mandy’s arm and cranks a bit but Angle calms her down. That’s very Ken Shamrock of her. This was another rough segment from Rousey, but once she goes beast mode, she’s exactly what WWE wants her to be. The talking though….needs some work.

We recap John Cena calling out Undertaker over and over, basically acting like the biggest jerk in the world in the process.

From Raw again.

John Cena vs. Kane

No DQ. Kane wastes no time in stomping Cena down and a big boot puts him on the floor. We’re already in the chinlock and Cena can’t power up with the AA as Kane falls down onto him for two. They head outside with Cena being sent into the steps as we take a break. Back with Kane knocking him through the crowd and hitting a suplex onto a well placed piece of barricade. They head back to the ring with Kane putting him down and going to take off a turnbuckle.

Cena sits up and sends him into the buckle, followed by the throat slit. A chokeslam gets two on Kane and it’s table time. Kane sits up this time though and shoves the table over before the AA can connect. Instead he sends Cena through the table in the corner for two. Rather than going after Cena even more, it’s another table being set up instead. The chokeslam is countered into an AA through the table to give Cena the pin at 14:02.

Rating: C. I’m still not interested in seeing Cena vs. Kane but at least they’re doing something else to set up the match than the usual stuff. That being said, Cena acting like Undertaker is some horrible person for wanting to retire because Cena wants a match at Wrestlemania is flimsy at best. This was perfectly fine for a house show main event.

Post match Cena wants to know where the lightning is. He calls Undertaker a coward again because there’s no response. Cena is willing to go to Wrestlemania as a fan because all he wants is SOMETHING from Undertaker. There’s just one week left to go because Undertaker has one week left to do something and define his career. Oh good grief. Anyway Cena wants him here next week because it’s Undertaker’s last chance.

Overall Rating: D+. That clipped match made things even less interesting than usual and my goodness Cena gets more and more obnoxious every time he runs his mouth about Undertaker. The Reigns vs. Lesnar and Bryan stuff was all very good and helped the show, but bad wrestling and emphasizing the really bad stories didn’t do this show any favors.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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Mixed Match Challenge – March 27, 2018: They Did the Right Thing

IMG Credit: WWE

Mixed Match Challenge
Date: March 27, 2018
Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Michael Cole, Beth Phoenix, Corey Graves

We’re down to the home stretch here with just two shows left. This week’s was supposed to feature Bobby Roode/Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks/Finn Balor but a bad dental issue is keeping Charlotte out of the match. Since it’s WWE though, they have a substitute on hand with three possible options to take Charlotte’s place. Let’s get to it.

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

We waste no time in announcing Becky Lynch as the replacement, beating out Lana and Carmella.

Video on Banks and Balor with some Special Olympians, their represented charity.

Semifinals: Becky Lynch/Bobby Roode vs. Sasha Banks/Finn Balor

The guys start us off with Balor not being able to flip out of a wristlock. A headscissors escape makes Roode laugh and they exchange poses. It’s off to Becky vs. Sasha (the big showdown here) with Becky scoring off some armdrags but neither being willing to throw a punch. That changes in short order as they won’t shake hands so Banks hammers away on the mat.

Roode and Balor head back in with Bobby getting the better of it this time around and grabbing a waistlock. Balor comes back with a Pele Kick and the women are back in with an exchange of shots to the face. Banks misses the running knees in the corner and gets kicked to the apron.

A superplex drops Banks again but it’s back to Balor vs. Roode instead of Becky covering. Something like Eye of the Hurricane gets two on Roode but he’s back up with a Blockbuster for the same. Banks hits the top rope knees on Becky and then dives through the ropes onto Roode. Back in and Becky grabs a small package for the fast pin at 11:13.

Rating: C. The wrestling was acceptable here and Becky is more than fine for a replacement. The big thing here though was they treated Banks vs. Lynch like a big deal, which was the right way to focus rather than fairly uninteresting Roode vs. Balor stuff. At least Charlotte will be back for the final, which should be a big deal.

Post match Kurt Angle, the hometown boy, comes out to hype next week’s finale.

Overall Rating: C+. We’re in the very final home stretch and the tournament doesn’t feel like it’s been going that long. As has been mentioned several times now, the shows being this short is such a relief as they don’t waste time and get to the point. I had a good time watching this and the final could be very interesting, especially as a Wrestlemania preview.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/


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


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