Smackdown
Date: July 2, 2021
Location: Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

We are two weeks away from the return of fans and that means things might be picking up around here. The big story coming out last week’s show saw the return of Edge as he attacked Roman Reigns. The Money in the Bank title match has since been set so it is time for some heavy talking. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Roman Reigns having no one left to challenge him, leading to the return of Edge.

Here is Edge to get things going. Edge talks about how Wrestlemania was supposed to be the big culmination to his story. Winning the Universal Title ten years to the day of vacating the World Title would have been a heck of a story, but then it didn’t happen. That rocked him so he took some time away. Edge has thought about the match since and even watched it back, which he never does. He could complain about a lot of things from that match, just like 2006 Edge would.

Now it’s 2021 and he has learned there are always going to be obstacles. He has spent his entire career breaking down obstacles or he wouldn’t be here right now. The difference is he knows he can beat Reigns, just like Reigns knows it too. Edge has proof, and we look at Edge having Reigns in the Crossface at Wrestlemania, with Reigns’ eyes bugging out. Now look at Edge’s eyes, because he is living in Reigns’ head. He saw it again last week when he surprised Reigns and he’ll do it again at Money in the Bank when he takes the Universal Title. Good but not great stuff here from Edge.

Paul Heyman is looking on nervously when Jimmy Uso comes in. Jimmy isn’t worried because he has Roman Reigns’ back. When Reigns gets here tonight, they’re going to take Edge out.

Big E./Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin/Apollo Crews

Rick Boogs plays Nakamura, now in black and white, to the ring and Commander Azeez is here with Crews. Before he comes out, we see a video of Corbin talking about how he has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in investments. Corbin comes to the ring needing a shave and looking like he does not care whatsoever. He’s even growing in some extra hair. Nakamura takes Crews into the corner to start and we get a double Good Vibrations, with Big E. having quite a bit of fun. Crews slips over to the corner where Corbin doesn’t seem to notice.

Corbin gets knocked off the apron though and that fires him up, earning Big E. a toss over the barricade. We take a break and come back with Corbin driving in elbows to Big E.’s head. Crews comes in with a dropkick to put Big E. down again and an enziguri puts him in the corner. Corbin comes back in for a powerslam as Nakamura and Crews knock each other down on the floor. The chinlock goes on but hold on as Boogs makes the announcement that Corbin’s car is being towed. We see said Mercedes being towed, allowing Big E. to hit the Big Ending for the pin at 8:58.

Rating: C-. The match was a big backdrop for the angle but I can go for Corbin in this role for a change. It’s something fresh for him and that’s a good idea. I know Corbin gets a lot of flack but he can do some good things as long as he isn’t pushed too hard. Giving him a story like this is something fresh and that is a good thing.

We look back at Bayley and Seth Rollins beating Bianca Belair and Cesaro last week.

Here’s Bayley for a chat. She is feeling a lot better since she pinned Bianca Belair last week as it is taking her back to her record setting reign as Smackdown Women’s Champion. They are getting ready to go back on the road in front of fans and Belair has never meant anything to her.

Cue Belair to say that Bayley has gotten in her head. That means it needs to end once and for all, so Belair is going to take everything from her. That’s why at Money in the Bank, she will put her title on the line against Bayley in an I Quit match. Bayley likes this idea because she has never quit anything. If Belair can make her quit, she might quit Smackdown, WWE or competing altogether. Since Belair can’t win, Bayley accepts, with Belair saying she is excited to hear Bayley say she quits. They have some drama there, but I’m not sure if we need to see another match between these two.

Jimmy Uso thinks Roman Reigns is waiting on him, so he’s going to set some time aside to call out Edge to end the show.

Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

Last Man Standing and Owens goes right after him in a hurry. The Cannonball connects for five and they head outside, with Sami being whipped into the barricade. Sami comes back with some shots to the face but gets sent over the barricade this time. Back to ringside and Owens hits a Swanton off the barricade for an eight. That means it’s time for Sami to be put onto the announcers’ table, only to pop up and slam Owens onto (not through) it for eight of his own.

We take a break and come back with Owens firing off shoulders in the corner. They go back to the floor with Sami being sent hard into the post and now it’s table time on the floor. Make that two tables as Owens stacks another on top. The superplex through them is broken up to prevent some rather extreme pain though and Sami suplexes him into the corner instead. That’s good for a six and Sami is pulling his hair out in frustration. Sami’s superplex is countered into the spinning superplex to put both of them down again.

They both make it up so Owens takes him into the corner to punch away. Sami gets taken up top but it’s a heck of a backdrop to put Owens through the tables instead. That’s only a nine and Sami is stunned all over again. We take another break and come back again with Sami throwing a table at Owens. They fight to the apron with Sami hitting a suplex to drop him hard. Owens beats the count so it’s a Helluva Kick to make Owens have to beat it again. Sami hits a second Helluva Kick but holds Owens up, saying that this is for everything Owens has done to him.

A third Helluva Kick connects but Owens rolls outside to break the count again. Sami’s diving DDT through the ropes is cut off with a superkick and Owens manages the Pop Up Powerbomb. Since Sami is getting up, it’s a Stunner to plant Sami again, but Owens isn’t done. Owens powerbombs him through the announcers’ table, a regular table and onto the apron to FINALLY put Sami away (and hopefully away for a bit) at 23:31.

Rating: B. The match took some time to get going but I’ve always liked the ending where someone just unloads with everything they have in a last ditch effort. There was no way Zayn was getting up at the end and it looked like he had been defeated rather than just surviving. That’s the way to do something like this and it worked well as a result. Now keep Zayn off TV a bit to let him sell the injuries and it’s even better.

Edge knows he’s walking into a trap tonight with Jimmy Uso but he doesn’t care because he’s tired of all this.

Rick Boogs offers Baron Corbin a spot on King Nakamura’s team because they could use a chicken ala king. Or maybe Corbin just needs a good night’s sleep in his king size bed. Corbin asks if Boogs thinks this is funny and says screw him before walking away.

Here’s Sonya Deville to name the next woman in the Money in the Bank ladder match: the returning Zelina Vega. She promises to win but here is Liv Morgan to interrupt. Liv says she should be here instead of Vega, who pops up after not wrestling all year and gets a Money in the Bank spot. Vega talks about her experience and promises to win, so Morgan slaps her in the face. The challenge is on and Deville makes the match.

Zelina Vega vs. Liv Morgan

Joined in progress with Vega holding Morgan in a Black Widow and adding a running knee for two. Morgan fights back with a rollup but gets reversed into another one, with Vega grabbing the trunks. The referee catches her so Morgan grabs her own rollup with trunks for the pin at 1:44.

Seth Rollins isn’t happy with Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce giving Edge a Universal Title shot. They point out that Edge is a Hall of Famer with some great credentials, but Rollins can have his own shot. That is if he wins the Money in the Bank ladder match, which he can enter if he beats Cesaro in a qualifying match next week. Rollins laughs a lot before leaving.

Video on Otis’ path of destruction.

Otis vs. Angelo Dawkins

Chad Gable is here with Otis and offers a quick distraction. Otis runs him over and sends Dawkins’ banged up shoulder into the buckle. A hammerlock slam plants the arm again and the middle rope splash into the Vader Bomb finishes Dawkins at 1:59. Exactly what it should have been.

Paul Heyman gives Jimmy Uso a pep talk on the way to the ring.

Here is Jimmy Uso to call Edge out. Cue Edge, who asks Jimmy if he gets what is going on. Jimmy is doing everything Roman Reigns wants, because he is Reigns’ b****. Yeah this is a trap, but it’s a trap for Jimmy. Edge goes to the ring and the fight is on, with Edge sending him shoulder first into the post twice in a row. Jimmy is back with a superkick and a ram into the steps, followed by a bunch of right hands. A big boot cuts Jimmy off and it’s a crossface (with a sleeper for a change) to make him tap. Edge grabs a piece of chair for the regular Crossface to mimic the Wrestlemania photo from earlier to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The important thing here is they did this without Reigns. It’s true that he is the best thing going about WWE today but he can’t do everything every week. This was a good show without Reigns involved, even if the main story revolved around him. Granted you can’t have a surprise return and a major gimmick match like that every week, but for a one off like this, it worked out well.

Results
Big E./Shinsuke Nakamura b. Apollo Crews/Baron Corbin – Big Ending to Corbin
Kevin Owens b. Sami Zayn when Zayn could not answer the ten count
Liv Morgan b. Zelina Vega – Rollup with trunks
Otis b. Angelo Dawkins – Vader Bomb

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Main Event
Date: June 24, 2021
Location: Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Byron Saxton

It’s back to the land of random as this show continues to be all over the place. You never know what you’re going to see around here and I can’t believe I’m saying this after watching this show for so many years. I’m not sure what to expect this week and I like that feeling. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bronson Reed vs. Drew Gulak

Non-title and it must be time to get ready for the Draft. Gulak can’t do much with the huge Reed to start as he gets thrown down a few times. Reed lifts him up for a piledriver and then throws him down instead. There’s a rather heavy headlock to set up a knockdown into a backsplash as it’s all Reed so far.

Gulak’s trip to the floor lets him snap Reed’s arm across the top but an Irish whip doesn’t work. Another shot to the arm works a bit better but Reed calmly gorilla presses him. Gulak jawbreaks his way to freedom and starts in on the arm again, only to have Reed crush him. A suplex into a Death Valley Driver sets up the Tsunami (needs more Wade Barrett) to finish Gulak at 4:15.

Rating: C. This was the kind of a match that you need to have to make Reed look good. He felt like a monster with the Tsunami looking like the great finisher that it needs to be. It wasn’t a great match, but this felt a lot more like it was there to give the bosses something to see, which isn’t going to be the biggest problem on a show like Main Event.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Rey/Dominik Mysterio.

From Smackdown.

Universal Title: Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio

Reigns is defending inside the Cell. Rey grabs a chair to start and knocks Reigns down, setting up a fire extinguisher blast to the face. A toolbox off the head knocks Reigns silly again and we take a break. Back with Rey wrapping a chair around Reigns’ throat and sending it into the Cell wall. That isn’t enough as Rey sends the chair into the post as well, leaving Reigns reeling even more.

Rey sets up a table and avoids a spear to send Reigns through it, but a hurricanrana is countered into a swing into the Cell. Reigns tosses him face first into the Cell and we take another break. Back with Reigns firing off knees in the corner and nailing the Superman Punch (Heyman: “HE’S GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU!!!”).

The spear is cut off with a dropkick though and a 619 connects in the corner. Some chair shots to the back and arm have Reigns down again and the frog splash onto the chair onto Reigns connects….but Rey can’t cover. Rey adds another splash just onto Reigns for two but a top rope hurricanrana is countered into a toss powerbomb over the top and into the Cell (well that was awesome). Back in and Reigns grabs a choke to make Rey tap at 16:02.

Rating: B. It was hard hitting and violent with the frog splash being a nice near fall and that toss powerbomb looking awesome. Reigns wasn’t going to lose here but it was a little more dramatic than I was expecting. It’s not like Mysterio is going to be hurt in something like this either, though I’m still not sure if it needed to be inside the Cell. Heck of a TV main event though, and it would have been fine on pay per view as well.

Post match Jimmy Uso comes out to acknowledge Reigns. That’s not enough for Reigns, who chokes Mysterio out again. Reigns: “HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!”

From Raw.

Here are Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville to deal with the Rhea Ripley/Charlotte fallout. Ripley comes out and wants to know why that was a DQ, but here is Charlotte to promise to destroy Ripley soon. Deville gets to the point and makes the rematch for Money in the Bank. They kept this really short here and there wasn’t much of a reason not to.

Video on Karrion Kross.

Karrion Kross vs. Shelton Benjamin

Non-title and Kross’ entrance is completely stripped down to just a fire background and music with no Scarlett. They go with an aggressive fight over a lockup to start with neither being able to get very far. Benjamin takes him down with a waistlock but Kross fights up to pummel him into the corner. An elbow to the back lets Kross talk trash but Benjamin is right back up. That doesn’t last long as Kross sends him into the corner, only to come back with a neckbreaker.

A Cactus Clothesline puts them both on the floor and we take a break. Back with Kross hitting a running clothesline for two and choking on the rope. We hit the armbar but Benjamin grabs an armdrag to escape. That just seems to annoy Kross but Shelton hits a quick Stinger Splash. Kross is ticked though and snaps off a suplex, only to get caught in the Dragon Whip for two. That’s too far for Kross, who pulls him into the Krossjacket Choke for the win at 8:03.

Rating: C. I’m not as sure on this one as Kross was going 50/50, albeit against a firmly established name like Benjamin. Kross popping up after everything Benjamin did worked out well enough. It wasn’t a great showcase, but I can live without Kross squashing Benjamin. This was another way to get Kross some time in front of the bosses and it could have been a lot worse.

From Raw.

Here are Bobby Lashley and MVP, flanked by his latest group of women, for the VIP Lounge. MVP brags about Lashley retaining and hands him the floor. Lashley says he was pushed to his limit last night but proved that he is still the Almighty. They brag about their win and load up a toast but here is the New Day to interrupt, complete with a plate of toast. Said toast is thrown into the ring, prompting MVP to talk about how this is more proof of what goofs these two are.

MVP accuses Kofi Kingston of not taking things seriously and hanging out with his video game obsessed friend. Kofi says not so fast but Lashley talks about being on a higher level than the two of them. That makes Kofi laugh as he talks about becoming WWE Champion at Wrestlemania XXXV and then beating Lashley last week. We see a clip of said loss and Lashley isn’t cool with that. The challenge is on Lashley accepts for Money in the Bank, but he wants to make sure it’s one on one. Therefore, he can beat up Xavier Woods tonight.

That’s cool with Woods, who cuts off MVP from talking down to him. Woods runs down his own accolades, which mainly include being on YouTube and G4. Oh and let’s make tonight’s match inside the Cell. I’m surprised they didn’t put a USA NETWORK APPROVED sticker on the screen, as that could not be more of WWE appeasing them over FOX getting a Cell match if they tried.

We take a rapid fire look at the Money in the Bank qualifiers.

From Raw.

Bobby Lashley vs. Xavier Woods

Non-title with MVP and Kofi Kingston here as well. Woods tries to start fast but gets powered out to the floor. That means it’s time for a chair, which Lashley punches into Woods’ face. The running charge hits the post though and Woods is able to dropkick Lashley into the Cell twice in a row. A running chair shot drops Lashley again and we take a break.

Back with Lashley hammering away until Woods misses a charge and falls out to the floor. Woods’ charge lets Lashley tie him in the ring skirt though and the beating is on again. Lashley stops to yell at Kofi though and Woods gets back inside. A forearm to the leg cuts Lashley down for a second and Woods gets in a hard kendo stick shot. Woods gets in more shots with the stick on the floor and a victory roll faceplant is good for two back inside.

A tornado DDT gives Woods two more so he sets up a table. Lashley’s quick powerbomb attempt is broken up and a superkick puts him on said table. The rope walk elbow sends Lashley through the table for two (with Woods almost overshooting him) but Lashley sends him face first into a chair in the corner. The spear sets up the Hurt Lock to finish Woods at 13:37.

Rating: C+. This was another match that didn’t need to be in the Cell as it was little more than a street fight for the most part. The fact that it was the fourth match in the Cell in four days didn’t help either, but I would bet on this being a way to appease USA more than anything else. There was never any doubt here and that’s ok, as Woods got to look good for a bit.

Post match the beating stays on with MVP getting inside the Cell and locking it back. Lashley puts Woods up against the Cell as Kofi can’t do anything to end the show. That was an effective use of the Cell for a change, though I’m not sure why Kofi didn’t get the referee to unlock the door again.

Overall Rating: C. I’m trying to get my head around two of the biggest names in NXT being on this show but that does keep things looking better for Main Event going forward. The matches were nothing to see, but that wasn’t the point around here. For once it was about the original wrestling, which says a lot when you had two matches inside the Cell on here.

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Smackdown
Date: June 25, 2021
Location: Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Pat McAfee, Michael Cole

We’re done with Hell In A Cell and that means it is time to get ready for Money in the Bank. A bunch of the ladder match spots have already been filled so it is time to start hammering out the rest of the field. Throw in Roman Reigns needing a new challenger and we could be in for a packed show. Let’s get to it.

Here is Hell In A Cell if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Roman Reigns beating Rey Mysterio in the Cell last week.

Paul Heyman tells Roman Reigns that the Mysterios are acknowledging him from their hospital beds. Jimmy Uso comes in so Reigns asks where Jey is. Jimmy called him a hundred times and finally got through to him, but Jey isn’t coming back. Reigns isn’t happy, but Jimmy says he’s got Reigns’ back. He says he can do everything Jey can, but Reigns doesn’t look convinced. Jimmy needs to prove himself.

Here is Bianca Belair to say we are three weeks away from leaving the Thunderdome and coming home. Tonight she gets to beat up Bayley again, because she has worked so hard to be here. She looks at the title and knows the work has been worth it, because she didn’t let a Bayley, or a bully, get to her. Everyone at home who is dealing with their own bully can make it too, but here is Seth Rollins to interrupt. He is VERY happy with beating Zazzaro, and he did better than Belair did against Bayley.

Rollins holds his hand up for a celebrating with Belair now, since she is going to be on the mat after the match. Cue Bayley to say the fans deserve a champion who doesn’t brag, so the staredown is on. Rollins offers a distraction so Bayley can jump Belair but Cesaro comes out to send Rollins flying. Bayley yells at Cesaro but Belair comes in to clear her out too.

Bianca Belair/Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins/Bayley

Cesaro takes Rollins down to start and drives him into the corner to it’s off to Bayley vs. Belair. The beating is on again and it’s already back to Cesaro, who cuts Rollins down with an uppercut. Cesaro gets sent into the middle buckle with a Downward Spiral though and Rollins grabs the chinlock.

Back up and Cesaro hits some uppercuts, only to get snapmared into a kick between the shoulders. A backflip gets Cesaro out of a suplex attempt and it’s back to Belair for a pair of nipups with a dropkick in between. Belair’s standing moonsault gets two but they head outside with Belair getting posted. We take a break and come back with Bayley working on the arm and slamming Belair down for two. Belair powers back up and brings Cesaro in to clean house, including the Swing to Rollins.

The springboard spinning uppercut gives Cesaro two but a Bayley distraction lets Rollins hit Cesaro in the back of the head. Belair makes a save of her own, prompting Rollins to say Belair and Cesaro are what’s wrong with this place. It’s back to the women with Belair’s spinebuster getting two as the guys fight on the floor. The KOD is loaded up but Rollins comes in to break it up. Bayley hits a running knee to set up the Rose Plant for the pin at 12:03.

Rating: C+. SO I guess Hell In A Cell means nothing either as we seem to be on our way to EVEN MORE REMATCHES between these people. That would certainly make sense given how WWE seems to enjoy doing things these day, but that doesn’t make it any more interesting. The match was pretty good, but egads they need to move on to something new.

Jimmy Uso is waiting outside of Roman Reigns’ dressing room when Paul Heyman comes out. Uso wants to know what Reigns means by proving himself, so Paul explains that Jimmy needs to be Main Event Jimmy Uso to help Reigns. Heyman says Reigns understands winning, so Jimmy needs to win a match. Jimmy says he has this, so Heyman goes to get the match made, while offering a threat if Jimmy loses.

We get the official coronation of Shinsuke Nakamura as the new King of WWE. Rick Boogs handles the guitar playing and the introduction. Nakamura receives his crown and we head to the back, where Baron (yes Baron) Corbin can’t talk about this.

Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce are enjoying the guitar playing when Seth Rollins comes in. Rollins thinks he is ready to face Roman Reigns next, as tonight we will be having the State of the Universal Title. He has never been more ready, but Pearce and Deville aren’t ready to make that decision. Rollins: “The time is now.”

Video on Otis’ path of destruction.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Big E. vs. Apollo Crews

Non-title and Commander Azeez is here with Crews. Big E. drives him into the ropes to start and sends Crews outside in a heap. Back in and Big E. charges into a boot in the corner but comes right back with a clothesline. They head to the apron with Crews hitting a Death Valley Driver to send us to a break.

We come back with Big E. fighting out of a chinlock but getting dropkicked down for two. The chinlock goes on again but Big E. powers up, only to have his belly to belly broken up. Big E. gets back up again and this time the Warrior Splash connects. The Rock Bottom out of the corner is countered though and Crews rolls some German suplexes.

That doesn’t last long as Big E. grabs a Stretch Muffler, sending Crews over to the leg for the break. An enziguri rocks Big E. so Crews goes up and gets two off a frog splash. An arm trap German suplex gives Crews two more and Big E. is sent outside. Azeez whips him into the barricade and loads up the Nigerian Nail….but gets caught just in time, meaning it’s an ejection. Back in and the Big Ending finishes Crews at 12:57.

Rating: C. There’s your “champ gets pinned but it doesn’t matter because this is about Money in the Bank instead of the title” box checked off. These two fought for months and now they have done so again in the name of something other than the title that Crews holds. Commentary was trying to make it a big deal that Big E. had never been in Money in the Bank, but it felt like more of a bit of trivia than a selling point.

We look at the banged up Kevin Owens losing to Sami Zayn.

Sami Zayn is VERY happy about his win and talks about how there is order to the chaos of the universe. This might be the greatest moment of his life….until he is told he is facing Kevin Owens in a Money in the Bank qualifying match next week. Sami storms off, declaring this the worst week of his life.

Post break, Sami asks Adam Pearce what is going on here and thinks he should just be in Money in the Bank. That’s a negative, because he has to qualify. Sami asks one more time but it’s off the table, which he describes as playing a very dangerous game.

Here is Sonya Deville to announce the first entrant in the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match: Carmella. Cue Carmella to say she’s happy with this but wants to be introduced as the Most Beautiful Woman In WWE. That brings out Liv Morgan to says he should be in the ladder match instead but Carmella says the match is for the stars. The fight is on but Deville says they can just have a match.

Carmella vs. Liv Morgan

Joined in progress with Carmella in control on the floor as Sonya Deville watches at ringside. Back in and Carmella sends her into the corner for a slow superkick. Morgan is right back with Oblivion for two as Carmella gets a foot on the rope. Carmella grabs a middle rope hurricanrana but Morgan rolls through into a cradle for the pin at 3:15.

Rating: D+. So this wasn’t for the spot in the ladder match and Morgan wins the series 2-1 but Carmella is in the ladder match anyway, despite losing the last two matches. I’m sure Liv will be added to the match as well, which will make the entire three match series completely meaningless. This should not surprise you at all.

Jimmy Uso dedicates his match to Roman Reigns.

Jimmy Uso vs. Dolph Ziggler

Bobby Roode is here with Ziggler. Uso starts fast with an enziguri but gets punched into the corner. Ziggler’s big elbow sets up a chinlock but Jimmy fights up without much trouble. Ziggler is sent outside so Jimmy can dive onto Roode, only to get caught in a Zig Zag onto the steps (egads) as we take a break.

Back with Ziggler hitting another Zig Zag for two and the frustration sets in. They slug it out from their knees with Uso using the headbutts but getting punched into the ropes. The Zig Zag is countered into a powerbomb which is countered into a sunset flip for two. Uso is right back up with a superkick for the pin at 9:43.

Rating: C. This could go a few ways, but it’s kind of hard to bring myself to care about someone beating Ziggler. That is almost the free space on the WWE Bingo card and while it is a new one for Jimmy, it isn’t exactly exciting. What might be interesting is seeing where this goes for Jimmy and Reigns, and ultimately that is what matters the most.

Uso heads to the back where Roman Reigns seems pleased but doesn’t say anything. Reigns heads towards the ring and Jimmy goes to follow him but Paul Heyman cuts him off.

Next week: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn in a Last Man Standing Money In The Bank qualifying match.

Here are Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman for the State Of The Universal Title Address. We see a video on Reigns beating Rey Mysterio in the Cell, plus Reigns beating up Dominik for a bonus. Heyman talks about all of the people that Reigns has beaten up, including the Fiend, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, Braun Strowman, Edge, Daniel Bryan and Rey Mysterio. Reigns has cleaned out the division, so now he needs to make an announcement.

Before he can speak, cue the returning Edge to jump Reigns and the fight is on, with Edge knocking Reigns outside. A clothesline off the apron lets Edge send Reigns face first into the announcers’ table over and over. Back in and Reigns hits a Superman Punch to cut Edge off. Reigns goes for a chair but walks into a spear.

Edge loads up the Conchairto but here is Jimmy Uso to cut him off. That earns Jimmy a spear through the barricade as Reigns and Heyman escape. Edge: “WHERE YOU AT ROMAN???” On the stage dude. Just turn to the right. Posing ends the show. This works well as Edge didn’t get his big singles match, so he’ll do fine for the Money in the Bank challenger. Like Heyman said, who else is there?

Overall Rating: C-. The ending helped a good bit, but this show was really pretty depressing. It’s clear that we’re going to be seeing a lot of rematches (including some tonight) and that isn’t the most inspiring way to get us to Money in the Bank. The action wasn’t bad, but the level of interest took a big hit this week as it became clear that what we have been watching for weeks to get us to the Cell is going to be the same thing that gets us to Money in the Bank. Edge being back does help, but that’s about all the good there was.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: May 3, 2021
Location: Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Adnan Virk, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

We are less than two weeks away from Wrestlemania Backlash and after last week, the Raw main event will be a triple threat match for Bobby Lashley’s WWE Title. The change came as Braun Strowman defeated Drew McIntyre, who was already challenging, to earn a title shot of his own. The show could use some more building this week so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Strowman being added to the Backlash title match.

Opening sequence.

MVP, Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville are in the back when Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman come in to yell at each other. Pearce flips a coin to decide who faces Bobby Lashley tonight, with Strowman winning. MVP tells Strowman to not be too confident.

Here are AJ Styles and Omos for the first time since Wrestlemania. AJ is happy to be back and it is time for Omos to throw New Day around again like they did a few weeks ago. They have spent the last few weeks in the Caribbean (or in Nigeria, as they said on the Bump) having a good time, which didn’t include throwing tomatoes like New Day.

Cue the New Day to interrupt, with Kofi Kingston saying he wasn’t sure if AJ and Omos still worked here. But hey, well done on having some time off, which is what New Day did for years. There is a reason that they are eleven time Tag Team Champions: they keep getting back up and win the titles back like clockwork every single time. Kofi talks about how he won the WWE Title at Wrestlemania in front of thousands of people with his kinds there with him. He worked so hard to get there, but now AJ and Omos have won one match and they took a month off. Omos cuts them off and promises to do various violent things to New Day.

Tag Team Titles: New Day vs. AJ Styles/Omos

Styles/Omos are defending and Omos throws Woods down to start. Kofi comes in instead and a kick to the ribs is shrugged off with no effort, meaning Omos shoves him down as well. Woods tags himself back in and it’s a double dropkick to stagger Omos, who blasts both of them with a double clothesline. It’s off to AJ for the first time with Woods knocking him outside in a hurry, though Omos cuts off Woods’ attempt at a dive. Instead, Kofi hits the Trust Fall off the top (and lands pretty hard on his shoulder) to send us to a break.

Back with Woods taking Styles into the corner for some stomping and Kingston grabbing a top wristlock. Kofi hits a jumping knee to the face but it’s back to Omos so wrecking can ensue. A not so great looking backbreaker plants Woods and there’s a release Sky High to Kofi. Woods is back up and kicks Omos in the ribs, earning himself a big boot. AJ comes back in and the Phenomenal Forearm off of Omos’ shoulders retains the titles at 11:34.

Rating: C-. This was a similar version of the Wrestlemania title match and that is not the worst thing. Styles and Omos doing the Colossal Connection formula is something that could work for a good while as Styles is a bit better than Haku and Omos is a bit more mobile than 1990 Andre. They needed to get Omos and AJ back after their hiatus and New Day can make them look as good as anyone else.

Charlotte leaves Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce’s office, with Pearce not being thrilled to see her. With Charlotte gone, Pearce tells Deville that she is overstepping her boundaries.

Eva Marie, now with slightly pink hair, is back. She is laying on a car and asking if she has out attention now. Eva says she wants to make things better and be in a place that challenges her, so the Eva-Lution has begun.

MVP says Braun Strowman’s luck ran out with that coin toss. Strowman could eat a bowl of four leaf clovers and find a lucky rabbit’s foot but his luck would still be out. Lashley says no one is taking his title and MVP certainly agrees.

We look back at Damian Priest and New Day interrupting Miz/John Morrison/Elias/Jaxson Ryker’s live performance last week. Rotten tomatoes are thrown.

Elias and Ryker are waiting to throw tomatoes at New Day but hit…..Randy Orton instead. Riddle comes scootering by and I think we have a tag match for later.

Charlotte vs. Dana Brooke

Mandy Rose is here too. Dana snaps off a headscissors to start but Dana gets sent throat first into the ropes. Charlotte boots her down for two and then tosses Dana outside. Back up and a neck snap across the top rope staggers Charlotte and an enziguri rocks her again. Dana manages to send her into the corner for back to back handspring elbows and the Swanton connects for two (with Graves sounding VERY nervous). Another handspring is cut off with a chop block though and the Figure Eight makes Dana tap at 4:13.

Rating: C-. This was about all you could have asked them to do. Brooke has gotten far better in the ring, but Charlotte is about three levels higher than she is. There was no need for this to be anything more than Brooke getting in a few shots but then coming up short in the end, which is all they did. Sometimes that’s the right move and it’s what they did here.

Post match Charlotte won’t let go but Mandy Rose comes in for the save. Cue Sonya Deville, who, after a break, is in the ring as Charlotte talks about how glad she is to be back. However, she needs to be added to the Wrestlemania Backlash title match because she is a big star. Putting her in the title match is going to make it a bigger deal because she is a big deal. She is an influencer and whether you love her or hate her, the division needs her. Charlotte tells Sonya to be fair to Flair, which is enough to get Sonya to add her to the title match.

Cue Rhea Ripley to say this is nonsense and Charlotte shouldn’t be in the title match again for the obvious reason: nobody likes her. Ripley and Asuka have a purpose in the match, but adding Charlotte is unfair. Cue Asuka to say she’s ready for both of the. Charlotte promises to win the title but Ripley gets in Sonya’s face. Charlotte jumps Ripley from behind and the fight is on with Asuka clearing the ring. I don’t think there was any doubt that Charlotte was going to be added, though it almost feels like trolling the fans.

Humberto Carrillo talks about standing up to Sheamus because he is tired of Sheamus bullying everyone. He is going to answer every one of Sheamus’ challenges…and here is Sheamus to jump him from behind. Sheamus says Carrillo won’t be answering the open challenge for tonight.

Adam Pearce yells at Sonya Deville over adding Charlotte to the match. Sonya says she sent him a text message but Pearce didn’t get it. He also doesn’t get why it was a text when they share an office. Sonya agrees and says they’ll make decisions together from now on. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS STORY AGAIN??? Was anyone asking for Sonya Deville (or anyone for that matter) to be back as another kind of maybe evil GM? Pearce was fine enough if you just had to do it, but enough with this nonsense already.

Here are Miz and Morrison, with Miz talking about how ridiculous it was to have rotten tomatoes thrown at them last week. He lists off his resume and says horrible it was last week to be shown so little respect again. Morrison gets cut off as Miz keeps ranting but eventually gets in some Respect from Aretha Franklin. Tonight, it’s Morrison’s turn for some respect.

John Morrison vs. Damian Priest

Miz is here with Morrison. Priest takes him down by the arm to start and then throws Morrison outside as we take a break. Back with Morrison getting two but Priest is back up with a release flapjack for a breather. Morrison ducks a kick to the head and hits one of his own but Priest kicks him into the corner. There’s the running elbow into the hard clothesline for two. A Miz distraction lets Morrison grab a Spanish Fly for his own near fall but another Miz distraction makes the referee miss a small package. Instead Priest Hits The Lights for the pin at 8:53.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t as into this one as I expected and it wasn’t exactly good either. Priest is someone who can wrestle a high impact and entertaining match but putting him in there with Miz and Morrison for this many months isn’t doing him any favors. The win helps of course, but Priest needs to move on to almost anything else.

Mansoor officially signs when Monday Night Raw when Sheamus comes in. Since there is no Humberto Carrillo tonight, he is going to need someone to accept the challenge…..but first he needs to congratulate Pearce for hiring a new assistant. Mansoor corrects him and says he’s a Raw star just like Sheamus. That sounds like fun to Sheamus, so maybe Mansoor can accept his open challenge tonight. Taking a Brogue Kick could be a great way to let the people get to know him. Sheamus leaves and Mansoor seems interested.

MVP doesn’t like that Braun Strowman is part of the Wrestlemania Backlash main event. He sees similarities between Strowman and Drew McIntyre and thinks they might even team up against Bobby Lashley. That’s cool though, and tonight will be a preview of the triple threat match.

Shelton Benjamin/Cedric Alexander vs. Lucha House Party

Joined in progress with Cedric running Metalik over but getting knocked out of the corner for the same. A Michinoku Driver drops Metalik for two and Shelton comes in to work on Metalik’s back. That includes a backdrop before handing it back to Cedric to hammer away in the corner. A missed charge allows the tag off to Lince Dorado and a tornado DDT plants Benjamin. Cedric is sent outside, leaving Metalik to hit the rope walk elbow to finish Benjamin at 4:30.

Rating: D+. This came and went and it felt like it was just thrown out there. There were some moments that made it feel like they weren’t on the same page and it was a pretty cold match anyway. They did keep it short, but it’s sad to see how far Cedric and Shelton have fallen, despite being a completely acceptable team.

Post match, Cedric grabs the mic and says he’s sick of this losing. He and Shelton were Tag Team Champions and then got fired by the Hurt Business. Actually scratch that, as Shelton was the one who got fired. How long has Shelton been here and how many chances has he blown? Cedric is in the prime of his career and he is tired of carrying Shelton, so this team is done. And I’m sure there will be a heck of a story for both of them after this completely necessary split of a totally competent tag team.

Drew Gulak interrupts Angel Garza from delivering a rose and accuses him of not being much of a ladies man. A match is made, with Gulak promises to come out smelling like roses. Garza promises to put the rose somewhere.

Shelton Benjamin isn’t happy with Cedric Alexander breaking up the team. Cedric was in the Hurt Business because Shelton saw something in him, but if Cedric wants to walk away, he’s a grown man. If Cedric doesn’t want to learn from him, that’s his decision.

Drew Gulak vs. Angel Garza

Garza TAKES OFF HIS PANTS at the bell and dropkicks Gulak down in a hurry. A double underhook backbreaker keeps Gulak in trouble but he kicks Garza down as well. The chinlock is on in a hurry, with Gulak throwing him around with the hold still on. Garza slips out and hits a running clothesline, followed by the Wing Clipper for the pin at 2:18.

Post match Garza…..actually stuffs the rose down Gulak’s tights and gives it a running kick!

Riddle runs into the Viking Raiders and asks if they’re Raiders or Vikings fans. Ivar explains the concept of the team so Riddle scooters on and runs into Randy Orton, who isn’t interested. Riddle says they’re metaphorical bros and Orton begrudgingly asks him to be his partner again. That’s cool with Riddle, who is very excited, until Orton tells him to zip it.

Video on Braun Strowman.

RKBro vs. Jaxson Ryker/Elias

Orton hammers on Elias in the corner to start so it’s quickly off to Ryker, who gets poked in the eye. Riddle comes in for a kick to the chest and a Kimura but Ryker powers out in a hurry. Ryker holds Riddle up for the jumping knee from Elias, who stays in to crank on Riddle’s fingers.

A suplex onto Ryker’s knee gets two and Ryker’s suplex is good for the same. Riddle finally gets up for a ripcord knee and the hot tag brings in Orton. Everything breaks down and Elias gets dropped onto the announcers’ table. The backbreaker connects back inside and it’s the hanging DDT into the Floating Bro (with Riddle landing on Elias’ head). Orton takes out Ryker with an RKO as Riddle finishes Elias at 5:13.

Rating: C-. I know this is setting up the big turn between the two of them (I’m still holding out for Riddle to be the one to turn on Orton) but they’re having a decent enough run as a team on the way there. I’m not sure what would happen but these two against AJ and Omos could be interesting. Besides, it’s not like Elias and Ryker are hurt by the loss.

Drew McIntyre doesn’t care who wins between Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley because he wants them to beat each other up. He isn’t worried about Mace and T-Bar either, because it’s all about Claymoring Strowman or Lashley and getting his title back. Strowman comes in and we get the same trash talk as usual.

Mansoor vs. Sheamus

Non-title and Sheamus and hammers away at Mansoor to start. A rollup gives Mansoor two but Sheamus puts him on the top rope and blasts him outside with a clothesline. Back in and Sheamus fishhooks the jaws (with Mansoor’s eyes bugging out for a cool bonus) before taking him outside for a toss into the timekeeper’s area. Mansoor beats the count and nails some elbows before dropkicking Sheamus’ knee out. There’s an enziguri into a tornado DDT for two on Sheamus, who comes right back with White Noise. Mansoor is put into the corner but here’s Humberto Carrillo to jump Sheamus for the DQ at 4:38.

Rating: C-. I’ve liked Mansoor a bit more almost every time I’ve seen him and this is about as good of a way as they could have had to get out of this. Mansoor is on a huge undefeated streak but it would be a little much to have him beat Sheamus here. Losing via DQ doesn’t mean anything, though the match does suggest that Mansoor is going to be in a big match at the next Saudi show. That’s not the worst idea either.

Sheamus wipes them both out post match.

It’s time for Alexa’s Playground with Alexa Bliss talking about Lily possibly killing people from time to time. A certain someone may have caught her eye but that’s their dirty little secret. Don’t blame her for what happens next. Bliss sings to Lily, but then seems to get scared of what Lily might have done.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Lana/Naomi vs. Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax

Jax and Baszler, with Reginald, are defending with Jax throwing Naomi into the corner to start. It’s off to Lana for a high crossbody for two on Baszler, followed by a Russian legsweep for the same (with Lana smiling a lot on the cover). Jax gets knocked to the floor and the double X Factor plants Baszler (how they beat her a few weeks back). Naomi gets pulled to the floor and Reginald offers a distraction so Lana only gets two. The Kirifuda Clutch makes Lana tap at 2:05. They really need to stop with Lana getting most of the ring time because it isn’t working.

MVP promises that Bobby Lashley will win tonight.

Bobby Lashley vs. Braun Strowman

Non-title and MVP is here too. Lashley’s running shoulder to start just annoys Strowman so he clotheslines Lashley outside instead. Back in and Lashley runs Strowman over with his own clothesline but Strowman is right back up….as Drew McIntyre comes out. The distraction lets Lashley take Strowman down again, allowing him to tease an alliance with McIntyre as we take a break. Back with McIntyre on commentary and Lashley choking on the rope.

Lashley keeps hammering away and hitting a running right hand in the corner as commentary brings up Drew McIntyre taking promo classes back in the day. Strowman is back with an electric chair to Lashley (whose eyes bug out when he goes up) but he slips out of the running powerslam. The Hurt Lock is blocked and Strowman hits a sidewalk slam. They head outside with the Strowman Express hitting McIntyre by mistake. McIntyre gets up on the apron and the distraction lets Lashley hit the spear for the pin at 13:12.

Rating: D+. Good night I’m bored with this feud. It’s just three people attacking each other over and over again on Raw, leading up to them all hitting each other at once (and I bet it doesn’t even turn into a paining to Eye of the Tiger). This three way feud has been so dull and lifeless and it needs to wrap up already. Next week is likely going to be McIntyre vs. Lashley because that’s the most obvious and easy thing that WWE could do, which is why I fully expect it.

Announced for next week: Lashley vs. McIntyre.

Overall Rating: C-. This show was rolling along fairly well (not good, but well enough) until they hit that last half hour. Starting with Alexa, this show went flying off a cliff with Alexa’s nonsense, the bad women’s tag and the next step in this painfully uninteresting triple threat. What makes it all the more annoying is the rest of the show was not half bad. They kept things moving and had a lot of stuff happening without focusing so much on all of the bad stuff (with just ONE Nia Jax segment). It’s still a watchable enough show, but you might want to cut it off with half an hour to go.

Results

AJ Styles/Omos b. New Day – Phenomenal Forearm to Woods

Charlotte b. Dana Brooke – Figure Eight

Damian Priest b. John Morrison – Hit The Lights

Lucha House Party b. Cedric Alexander/Shelton Benjamin – Rope walk elbow to Benjamin

Angel Garza b. Drew Gulak – Wing Clipper

RKBro b. Elias/Jaxson Ryker – Floating Bro to Ryker

Sheamus b. Mansoor via DQ when Humberto Carrillo interfered

Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax b. Lana/Naomi – Kirifuda Clutch to Lana

Bobby Lashley b. Braun Strowman – Spear

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Smackdown
Date: March 26, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It is time to start the real final push to Wrestlemania because we are finally done with Fastlane. There is a really strong possibility that Daniel Bryan is added to the Wrestlemania main event and after the pay per view, that is the best thing that they could do. Other than that, there is a good chance that we are going to be able to see something else added to the show, as we have three Smackdowns left. Let’s get to it.

Here is Fastlane if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of the Fastlane main event, with Edge costing Daniel Bryan the Universal Title. Roman Reigns tapping to Bryan did feel like a huge deal.

Here is Daniel Bryan with a chair to get things going (now complete with an info graphic saying “actually made Roman Reigns tap out at Fastlane”). Bryan talks about how everyone saw Reigns tap at Fastlane, even though Reigns said he would rather die than tap. Then Edge hit him in the back with a steel chair because Edge thinks everyone should let us see the Edge vs. Roman Reigns dream match.

Bryan is tired of everyone having a dream match but him, so he is willing to earn everything again. He wants Roman Reigns for the Universal Title tonight and is sitting right here until he gets his shot. Post break, Bryan is still sitting in the ring and after a recap of what he said before the break, here is Adam Pearce to say the referee’s decision is final. Reigns is still the Universal Champion and his next title defense will be against Edge at WrestleMania.

Bryan understands and says he can face the winner immediately after Reigns vs. Edge is over. Pearce says no and Bryan calls him out for the double standard. How about this: Edge vs. Reigns on the first night and Bryan vs. the winner on second night? Cue Edge to say every match he wrestles could be his last one and he is sick of hearing from Bryan after Bryan last twice. The fight is on and Edge hits a quick spear before unloading with the chair. Edge stares a lot and egads don’t go to a closeup of him these days.

Roman Reigns tells Jey Uso to deal with this and use force if he has to.

Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Fastlane rematch. Nakamura starts fast and gets Good Vibrations in the corner. A knee to the back on the apron rocks Rollins and we take a break. Back with Rollins getting in some crossface shots to slow Nakamura down. Nakamura fights up and hits a running knee, followed by the sliding German suplex. Nakamura’s running knee hits the buckle though and Rollins connects with the springboard knee to the head. A Falcon Arrow gets two but Nakamura is right back with a spinning kick to the head. The reverse exploder sets up the Landslide as the camera goes into a much closer angle. Rollins gets caught in the cross armbreaker but he powerbombs his way to freedom. The Stomp finishes Nakamura at 9:11.

Rating: C+. It was a fairly hard hitting match but the point here was to keep Rollins looking strong. Now you would think that they could fine a way to do that other than just doing the same thing that they did on Sunday, but that’s not how WWE works. Cesaro vs. Rollins is all but a lock for Wrestlemania and this was a good way to set that up. Just not a way we needed to see twice.

Post match Rollins stays on him but here’s the returning Cesaro to suplex Rollins down. The Swing is loaded up but Rollins bails in a hurry.

Jey Uso brings Adam Pearce in to see Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns. Heyman introduces Pearce to Reigns, who seems to have this himself. Reigns does not want Pearce to make the wrong decision but Pearce will have a decision made by the end of the night. This does not please Reigns.

Rollins has a fit over the idea that Cesaro tried to Swing him and challenges him to Wrestlemania. Cesaro will NEVER Swing him again, but here’s Cesaro to Swing him again and accept the challenge.

Big E./Street Profits vs. Apollo Crews/Alpha Academy

Crews vs. Big E. for the Intercontinental Title is set for the second night of WrestleMania. Dawkins dropkicks Otis to start and hands it off to Ford, who is planted with a powerslam. Back up and Ford tries a sunset flip but Gable reverses it into a northern lights suplex (that was sweet) for two. Crews’ delayed vertical suplex is countered though and it’s back to Big E. to start cleaning house.

Gable countered the Big Ending into an armbar but the Rock Bottom out of the corner plants Gable again. Everything breaks down and a discus lariat sends Dawkins into a German suplex from Gable. Ford lands on the floor and flips back in, setting up the huge running flip dive to drop the Academy. Crews comes in off a blind tag though and the Angle Slam finishes Big E. at 4:05.

Rating: C+. This was certainly energetic and I’m still impressed by what Otis has been doing as of late. He has gone from a goofy face to a pretty solid monster and that is more than I would have bet from him. Then there is Crews though and I can’t bring myself to get interested in him again after Big E. has beaten him multiple times. He almost has to win the title, but I can’t quite picture that happening. Just find someone else for Big E. to face already.

We look at Sami Zayn attacking Kevin Owens last week.

Edge isn’t happy and complains to Adam Pearce, who says his responsibilities are to WWE. He’ll make his decision at the end of the night, so Edge makes some not too veiled threats about how Pearce better make the right decision.

It’s time for the Kevin Owens Show. Owens talks about how he has a history with Sami Zayn and will always have his back, even if Sami is a little insane. Cue Sami to say that of course he is sorry but above all else, he wants Owens at this red carpet premiere for the trailer for his documentary. Sami has even been in contact with Logan Paul, as in the Youtube sensation with 23 million subscribers and he’s going to be here next week! Owens doesn’t care about any of that and challenges Sami for the one on one match at Wrestlemania. Sami reluctantly agrees so Owens beats him up anyway.

Daniel Bryan tells Adam Pearce to make the right decision.

We look at Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks failing to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles at Fastlane.

Bianca Belair isn’t happy with Banks but knows she is good enough to win the SmackDown Women’s Title. As for tonight, she is going to teach Natalya a lesson.

Natalya vs. Bianca Belair

Tamina is here with Natalya. Belair shoulders Natalya outside in a hurry and the chase goes badly in a hurry. Back in and Belair avoids the basement dropkick and plants Natalya. Cue Sasha Banks for a distraction and Tamina gets in a superkick to send us to a break. Back with Banks on commentary and Belair putting on a surfboard. Natalya is right back up with a shot to the face but the tornado DDT is countered into a suplex.

Banks does not seem to think much of Belair’s Royal Rumble performance and NO she is not worried about her spot on Smackdown. Belair elbows Natalya in the face and hits a spinebuster for two. The Lionsault is supposed to miss but lands on Natalya’s back anyway. A small package gives Belair two more and Natalya is right back with the discus lariat for two more. They head outside with Belair whipping Natalya into Banks for a big crash. Back in and the KOD finishes Natalya at 9:47.

Rating: C. It’s not a good sign when you have to be worried about Natalya stealing a win here or there because WWE likes to add her into thinks so often. I’m still expecting her and Tamina to be added into the Women’s Tag Team Title match (whatever that is going to be) but for now at least Belair beat her. Banks vs. Belair is a fine feud on its own and they really don’t need anyone else being added into the thing.

Post match Banks comes in for a Backstabber to Belair.

Edge comes in to Roman Reigns and doesn’t like Daniel Bryan trying to take their spotlight. Reigns knows what that is like (with Edge saying it took place in 2014 and only being a year off) so they should take care of him.

Wrestlemania rundown.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Rey Mysterio

Before the match, Rey and Dominik Mysterio talk about wanting to win the Tag Team Titles. Rey avoids a charge to start but Ziggler picks up the leg. That earns him a hurricanrana to the floor but another one is countered with a powerbomb over the barricade for a huge crash. Ziggler superkicks Dominik and we take a break.

Back with Rey still in trouble but he manages to roll away and kick Ziggler in the head for two. The Fameasser gives Ziggler the same but Rey is right back with a 619 attempt. That draws in Bobby Roode which draws in Dominik, who gets dropped to the floor. Rey loads up a springboard but Ziggler pulls him down with a Zig Zag for a close two. Back up and Rey counters what appears to be a powerbomb into another 619 though and the frog splash is good for the pin at 8:19.

Rating: C. I don’t have the vocabulary to explain how little I care about seeing the Mysterios vs. Roode/Ziggler in a title match at Wrestlemania. It is hard enough to make myself focus on anything those people are doing when they are in the ring and the idea of seeing them in a Wrestlemania title match makes my head hurt. The wrestling is fine but egads there is just nothing to get interested in there.

Great Khali and Kane are going into the Hall of Fame.

Here’s Adam Pearce for the big decision. Roman Reigns, Edge and Daniel Bryan join him and Pearce gets to the point: Reigns will defend the title once at Wrestlemania and it will be in a triple threat match. Then we cut to an ad for the FOX 10pm news and come back with Edge down and Reigns hammering on Bryan.

Jey Uso throws in a chair but Edge spears him down and beats up the other two. Edge lays them out with the chair and drops the agents for trying to break up the Conchairto. The distraction lets Bryan escape so Edge has a seat in the middle of the ring to end the show. That was the only way to go after Fastlane and thankfully they didn’t waste time.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling wasn’t the point here as they did exactly what Raw did on Monday: ramped up a lot of things for Wrestlemania and built up the Smackdown side of the card in one night. It wasn’t a great show on its own, but it accomplished a lot of things and made me want to see the pay per view a little bit more. That’s what they needed to do and it worked out well, with three matches added and the main event adjusted. Wrestlemania still doesn’t look great, but at least there is something to look at.

Results

Seth Rollins b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Stomp

Apollo Crews/Alpha Academy b. Big E./Street Profits – Angle Slam to Big E.

Bianca Belair b. Natalya – KOD

Rey Mysterio b. Dolph Ziggler – Frog splash

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 1, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe, Tom Phillips

It’s a title night as we have the Miz’s first WWE Title defense against Bobby Lashley. This is an interesting one as it is hard to imagine Miz walking into Wrestlemania as champion, but at the same time they’re almost telegraphing the title change too hard. Drew McIntyre is back tonight too and that is likely to be a factor. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of the setup of the title match.

Here’s Drew McIntyre to open things up. It has been a rough month for him and we’ll start with his issues with Sheamus. They were friends for twenty years until Sheamus turned on him, though Drew is still not sure why. Then two weeks ago at Elimination Chamber (it wasn’t two weeks ago), Drew defended his title inside the Chamber but got attacked by Bobby Lashley. That let the Miz cash in Money in the Bank, because THE FREAKING MIZ is WWE Champion. It’s cool though, because his mission is clear: get the title back and main event Wrestlemania. He didn’t come that far to lose here so get out here Sheamus, because you’re the first step.

Cue the Miz and John Morrison, with Miz demanding his big, special introduction, complete with pyro. Miz brags about winning Money in the Bank and saying it was a matter of time before he became WWE Champion. McIntyre agrees and wants a hug but Miz turns him down, knowing that McIntyre isn’t happy with this. The only person McIntyre can blame is….Bobby Lashley!

McIntyre isn’t buying it so Miz says that he himself is the real victim. He has a wife and two daughters and Lashley threatened him at Elimination Chamber. Miz had no choice but to make that deal and now Lashley has a title shot instead of McIntyre. So maybe Miz and McIntyre should join forces as the 3MBIGOS!

Cue MVP, now on a cane, to interrupt to ask if this is the beginning of a new business arrangement or just desperation to keep Miz’s title. McIntyre says he didn’t fall for that but MVP says he is here for a reason: Miz vs. Lashley begins promptly at 9pm, so Miz has less than an hour. Miz isn’t happy but here’s Sheamus to face McIntyre, who wants to fight instead of talk. The brawl is on in the aisle with McIntyre knocking him over the barricade and we take a break before the match starts. I can go for this “we’re doing X at Y time” as it’s so, so nice to have some kind of a structure around here.

Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre

It’s a brawl to start with McIntyre hammering away and elbowing him in the face. The referee has McIntyre back off and Sheamus knocks him down for a change, setting up a middle rope knee drop for two. McIntyre fights out of an armbar and stomps on the face before whipping Sheamus hard into the corner. Sheamus picks him up by the leg though and puts him down, only to get caught in the ropes for the ten forearms to the chest. You don’t rip off a signature move like that though so Sheamus puts him in the ropes for forearms to the chest and back.

The Brogue Kick puts McIntyre on the floor and we take a break. Back with Sheamus working on an armbar with a knee on McIntyre’s face. The Irish Curse gets two and we hit the reverse chinlock with a knee in McIntyre’s back. The comeback lets McIntyre get up and they fight to the floor, with Sheamus being suplexed onto the announcers’ table (Tom: “This is gnarly!”). McIntyre backdrops him onto the announcers’ table again and nails a top rope clothesline back inside.

Sheamus hits his own clothesline and goes up but McIntyre nips up. The Glasgow Kiss rocks Sheamus and a belly to belly superplex takes us to a break. Back with McIntyre hitting a spinebuster for two but getting kneed in the face for the same. White Noise gives Sheamus two more and he sends McIntyre face first into the buckle.

McIntyre is back up again though and it’s a super White Noise to plant Sheamus hard (with the referee immediately checking on him) for two. Sheamus is fine enough to catch him with an Alabama Slam out of the corner for his own two and they’re both down. It’s Sheamus up first so he loads up the Brogue Kick, only to have Drew Claymore him first for the pin at 23:05.

Rating: B+. These two beat the fire out of each other and it was all about two guys hitting each other really, really hard for a long time. You don’t see a Raw match get this time a lot of the time but they made it work really well. This was pay per view quality so seeing it on TV in a big time match made me smile a lot. I was worried they would have built this up for months and then not gone anywhere with it so well done on doing this here.

Post match we get the respectful staredown.

Nia Jax stares Naomi down in the back.

Naomi vs. Nia Jax

Lana and Shayna Baszler are here too. Nia runs her over to start and we’re already in the bearhug. With Naomi mostly done, the Samoan drop and powerbomb finish her off in a hurry at 2:20. Total and complete squash.

Rhea Ripley is coming.

Raw World Title: The Miz vs. Bobby Lashley

Lashley is challenging….but hang on because Miz has a rather bad stomach cramp and can’t see himself going to the ring right now. Adam Pearce doesn’t buy this but here’s Lashley to jump Miz. John Morrison: “SOMEBODY GET A TOWEL!” Lashley leaves him laying, but Pearce says Miz will defend the title at 10:00pm instead.

Here’s Braun Strowman for a chant before his match. He knows that Shane McMahon and Adam Pearce have a conspiracy against him. It started when he headbutted Pearce but then he wasn’t allowed in the Elimination Chamber, which sucked without him. Cue Shane and Pearce with Shane saying that he knows Braun is upset. This is all about conflict management though and the key is communication.

That’s why Strowman needs to know that it was Shane making this tag match tonight, because Pearce had nothing to do with it. Tonight, Strowman gets to team with WWE management, meaning Adam Pearce. They can do great things, and tonight they can win the Tag Team Titles! Strowman likes the idea but threatens Pearce with violence if he screws this up.

Tag Team Titles: Braun Strowman/Adam Pearce vs. Hurt Business

Strowman and Pearce are challenging and Strowman starts fast by cleaning house of the champs. Shelton Benjamin is crushed on the floor and Cedric Alexander is whipped hard into the corner. Strowman stands on Alexander’s chest and then sends him flying for a really big crash.

The running shoulder hits the post though (he’s really, really bad at that) and it’s Shelton coming in with a running knee to the face. Strowman fights off both champions without much effort though and there’s the running powerslam to Benjamin. Shane gets on the apron and demands Pearce get the tag (Pearce: “WHY??? IT’S OVER!”)…..so Shelton rolls Pearce up to retain at 3:14.

Rating: D+. This was one hundred percent an angle rather than a match and that’s ok. Pearce was only there to keep setting up Strowman vs. McMahon at Wrestlemania, which is not exactly the kind of match that is going to draw much interest. I’m rather glad they didn’t change the titles here and while it didn’t make the champs look great, it could have been worse.

Strowman is livid and storms to the back.

Elias and Jaxson Ryker come up to Damien Priest and Bad Bunny with a musical proposal. A collaboration is proposed because the two of them could be bigger than the Beatles. Bunny smirks a bit, which has Elias excited, but Priest translates to “that’s a no”.

Here are Elias and Jaxson Ryker for some music before Elias’ match, but Elias is not pleased with his lack of a Grammy nomination. That’s like Tom Brady not getting an ESPY nomination! Elias is ready to perform but gets cut off as usual.

Elias vs. Damien Priest

Jaxson Ryker and Grammy nominee Bad Bunny are here too. Priest powers him into the corner to start and grabs an armbar. The standing and seated version have Elias in trouble for a bit, followed by a spinwheel kick to make it worse. Elias bails to the floor to yell at Bunny and we take a break.

Back with Priest working on another armbar but Elias manages to send him throat first into the rope to escape. A running boot in the corner rocks Priest again and a running clothesline gives Elias two. Elias gets in a cheap shot from the floor and the chinlock goes on. Priest fights up again and strikes away, setting up the Broken Arrow for two of his own.

A rollup gives Priest two more but he gets kicked to the ropes, only to dive into a jumping knee to the face. Drift Away is countered but Elias fires off some forearms to the back. Priest doesn’t seem to mind as he kicks Elias in the head and Hit The Lights finishes for Priest at 15:20.

Rating: C-. This was far longer than it needed to be but Priest overcoming some cheating and winning in the end is all that matters. Priest is someone with a lot of potential and it seems that WWE is actually going with that for a change. Bad Bunny is the star for now, but Priest is the star for later and it is nice to see WWE doing something with that.

We look at the opening video on Miz vs. Lashley again and the first attempt at the match.

Randy Orton isn’t sure what is going on with the Fiend but knows Alexa Bliss is playing a part in it. After looking at what Bliss has been doing lately and talking about the Fiend returning, Bliss interrupts the interview and talks to a Jack-In-The Box about bringing the Fiend back. Before that though, there is something Orton should know. The screen goes nuts and a man in a hood comes up. That’s Orton, who talks to Randy (yes that’s right) and says this doesn’t end on his terms. Soon, Randy will come face to face with everything he has ever done. The real Orton starts coughing and the evil one stares at him. And moving on.

Raw World Title: The Miz vs. Bobby Lashley

Miz, with John Morrison, is defending and actually comes into the arena this time. Before the bell, Miz tries to talk Lashley into waiting for Wrestlemania but that isn’t happening. The bell rings, Miz drops to the floor, grabs the title and sprints to the back for the countout at 29 seconds. Well at least they didn’t waste time.

Post break Shane McMahon tells MVP and Lashley that there will be a title match tonight. MVP: “THIS IS BULL****!” If Miz tries something else, Shane will consider stripping Miz of the title.

Here’s Charlotte for a chat before her match (because everyone has something to say this week). She came back to be Asuka’s partner and didn’t want to be in the Raw Women’s Title picture. Asuka has worked so hard to be champion for the last six months, but Bianca Belair chose to face Sasha Banks at Wrestlemania. That leaves Asuka alone, so Charlotte wants the title shot. Asuka isn’t here though because Shayna Baszler kicked her tooth out last week. She knows Asuka will be back but here are Baszler and Nia Jax to interrupt.

Baszler laughs off the idea of hurting Asuka and Nia says no one likes Charlotte. She needs to understand that they are the real power around here. Charlotte knows everyone wants her gone but people don’t have to call her the best of all time. Instead, they just call her Charlotte.

Shayna Baszler vs. Charlotte

Charlotte starts swinging before the bell but Nia jumps her from behind. We take a break and come back joined in progress with Baszler hammering away in the corner. Charlotte comes back with the fall away slam and some chops but the Figure Four is broken up with a kick to the floor. Jax’s charge hits the steps and Charlotte counters the Kirifuda Clutch. Natural Selection finishes Baszler at 2:55.

So Charlotte got jumped before the match, shrugged it off, got rid of Jax, countered Baszler’s finisher and won clean in about seven minutes max (assuming the bell rang as soon as they went to a break) to survive the Tag Team Champions on her own. Yeah, it must be Wrestlemania season if Charlotte has the Supergirl cape on again. Oh and this is the second time these two have ever had a singles match (with the first ending in 56 seconds when Nia interfered). What a great way to have a dream match go down for the first time.

Shane McMahon confirms that Miz either has to fight or Lashley is the new champion.

Riddle/Lucha House Party vs. Retribution

T-Bar starts fast with a chokebreaker for two on Riddle ten seconds in. Mace comes in with Mass Effect for two, followed by another backbreaker from T-Bar for two. Riddle gets up and makes the hot tag off to Dorado to pick up the pace, setting up a very fast tag to Metalik. An elbow off of Dorado’s shoulders finishes T-Bar at 2:05 in another fast match.

Post match Mustafa Ali yells at Retribution and at Riddle, which means we’re not done yet.

Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali

Non-title and Ali starts fast by working on Riddle’s arm. A dropkick to the arm and a running neckbreaker gets two. It’s back to the arm with a Fujiwara armbar as we get another countdown to Lashley vs. Miz, telling you that this match isn’t lasting long. Riddle pulls him into a choke but gets reversed into a cradle for two. Back up and Riddle kicks him in the head, setting up the running forearms in the corner. The Broton gets two more on Ali but Slapjack gets on the apron for a distraction. Mace does the same and Ali hits kind of a reverse super X Factor for the pin at 3:17.

Rating: C-. Well I’ll give them credit: they waited a full eight days before having the new champion take a pin. At least it wasn’t clean and Ali might be able to get a bit of a boost out of this, but I have no reason to believe Retribution is going anywhere out of this. Hopefully Riddle can rebound soon, because he needs to rebound eight days after becoming US Champion.

Miz comes in to see Shane McMahon and complain about what is happening. He wants to know what kind of match it is going to be, but Shane isn’t sure yet. That sends Miz further over the edge as he talks about everything he can do for the company, only to get this treatment. Shane says good luck, champ.

Raw World Title: The Miz vs. Bobby Lashley

Miz is defending and here’s Shane McMahon to make it a lumberjack match. The bell rings and Miz tries a belt shot but Lashley pulls it away. With Lashley looking ready to end him, Miz heads to the apron, only to come back in for a shot to the face. That sends Miz bailing to the floor and tries to bribe the lumberjacks but gets tossed back in.

Lashley blasts him with a clothesline and hits the shoulders in the corner before throwing Miz outside again. Retribution won’t help him but the Hurt Business will throw him back inside. A Downward Spiral sets up right hands to Miz’s head and Lashley presses him to the floor. Retribution throws him back in this time and there’s the spinebuster. The Hurt Lock makes Lashley champion at 3:04.

Rating: D. They didn’t have a choice here as it was either going to be here or at Fastlane. Lashley has been ready to be WWE Champion for the better part of twenty years now so finally giving him the title was the right call. You should know where this is going for Fastlane and Wrestlemania, but maybe now the freaking out over Miz winning the title can end.

Post match Lashley beats him down again and celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. The opener was good and the title change was important, but that more or less ends the positives on the show. It was a bad night for champions (four losses in the last five matches) and some of the things the show did made me glare at the screen for longer than I should have needed to. This show was kind of a mess, but they got the important parts right. Now if only they could get the other stuff right too, they might be somewhere.

Results

Drew McIntyre b. Sheamus – Claymore

Nia Jax b. Naomi – Powerbomb

Hurt Business b. Adam Pearce/Braun Strowman – Small package to Pearce

Damien Priest b. Elias – Hit The Lights

Bobby Lashley b. The Miz via countout

Charlotte b. Shayna Baszler – Natural Selection

Riddle/Lucha House Party b. Retribution – Elbow drop to T-Bar

Mustafa Ali b. Riddle – Super head slam to the mat

Bobby Lashley b. The Miz – Hurt Lock

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Main Event
Date: February 18, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

It’s the go home show for Elimination Chamber and that isn’t going to make the biggest difference around here. Every week I hope that we’re going to get something a little different on Main Event but there is no reason to believe that is going to be the case most of the time. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

T-Bar vs. Drew Gulak

Gulak slips out of a fireman’s carry to start and manages to drive T-Bar into the corner. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Gulak so T-Bar blasts him with a clothesline for two. T-Bar hits a backbreaker into a middle rope splash for two more, followed by Eyes Wide Shut for the pin on Gulak at 3:56.

Rating: D+. This was a lot more squashish than most around here and that’s kind of nice to see. I enjoy a lot of things about Gulak but he is the kind of person who should be getting squashed by T-Bar. Or by Donovan Dijak if WWE hadn’t insisted on the stupid names for the members of the team.

From Smackdown.

Here are Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Paul Heyman for a chat with Adam Pearce, who is already in the ring. Reigns tells Pearce that he isn’t waiting on him so let’s get on with this. Pearce doesn’t call any shots around here and Reigns isn’t waiting on Pearce or Edge. Reigns knows that Edge hasn’t announced his Wrestlemania match because he knows Reigns will beat him all the way onto a Legends contract.

No one is taking the title from him so Edge is holding out hope that someone pulls a miracle before Wrestlemania. Speaking of contracts, Pearce has one in his hand and that is for Reigns’ title defense inside the Elimination Chamber. Reigns hands Heyman the mic, who says Reigns’ contract says he has to defend the title AT Elimination Chamber rather than INSIDE the Elimination Chamber. Instead, the winner can receive a title shot on the against Reigns, who won’t be in the Chamber itself.

Pearce seems to laugh it off but Heyman asks what he’s going to do about it. Fire Reigns this close to Wrestlemania? Last year’s show didn’t have Reigns and it was the lowest attended Wrestlemania of all time. Pearce says it’s time to start the qualifying process, and there are going to be two names who don’t need qualifying matches. Those would be Jey Uso and Kevin Owens, the latter of whom has Reigns outside the ring and in Pearce’s face. Reigns doesn’t think Pearce gets this but Heyman says it’s going to be on Reigns’ time.

We see King Corbin and Sami Zayn beating Rey and Dominik Mysterio to qualify for the Chamber.

From Smackdown.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Bobby Roode/Dolph Ziggler vs. Daniel Bryan/Cesaro

Non-title. Ziggler takes Bryan down for an early two but Cesaro comes in for a double slam. It’s off to Roode, who has to avoid the YES Lock, and gets sent outside. Cesaro is right there and is whipped into the steps. Sami Zayn and King Corbin come out to watch and we take a break.

Back with Bryan in trouble as Roode snaps off a suplex for two and hands it back to Ziggler. Bryan takes Ziggler down but Roode decks Cesaro, allowing Bryan to grab a rollup for two. Roode’s spinebuster gets two more on Bryan but Ziggler misses a charge in the corner, allowing the hot tag to Cesaro. Everything breaks down and Bryan hits Roode with the running knee. The Fameasser gets two on Cesaro but he’s right back up with the Swing into the Sharpshooter to make Ziggler tap at 11:04.

Rating: C+. Another good match between talented teams, even if the Tag Team Titles get their annual smack in the face for the sake of some qualifying matches. In this case I’m not sure who else could have taken the loss, but I would have preferred it not to be the champs. Bryan and Cesaro winning was mostly but not entirely obvious and that’s a nice feeling.

Post match Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and King Corbin all come in for the brawl. Everyone goes at it until Kevin Owens runs in for the Stunnerfest. Roman Reigns watches from the back as Owens sits down, saying that he’s coming for Reigns to end the show.

From Raw.

Kofi Kingston vs. Miz

If Kofi wins, he’s in the Chamber but if Miz wins, John Morrison is in (and yes they have a graphic for it, because that’s not the kind of thing you can remember without one). Miz shoulders him down to start but it’s way too early for either to hit a finisher. Kofi gets in a shot to the ribs and goes up top for a chop to the head. That’s enough to send Miz outside and Kofi hits a kick to the face from the apron.

The middle rope ax handle to the floor connects as well and a middle rope dropkick gets two back inside. A regular dropkick puts Miz on the apron but this time he catches Kofi with a knee. Miz’s neckbreaker over the middle rope and another one to the floor has Kofi in trouble as we take a break. Back with Miz getting two off a DDT and throwing Kofi outside to keep up the beating. That sets up the top rope ax handle for two more and we hit the cravate.

Kofi rolls out and fights up, including the running stomp to the chest. The Boom Drop gets two but Trouble in Paradise misses, allowing Miz to get his own two. SOS gives Kofi two more but Miz gets smart and takes out the knee. The Figure Four goes on, with Kofi getting over to the rope without much trouble. The Skull Crushing Finale is countered into a rollup for two and now Trouble in Paradise connects to give Kofi the pin and the spot at 14:11.

Rating: B-. These two have always worked well together and that’s what they did here. I was a bit surprised by Kingston winning as it would have made a bit more sense for Morrison to go forward. At the same time though, I can go with more of Kofi inside the Chamber, if nothing else for some history. Getting rid of Miz and Morrison makes me happier than anything else at the moment so I’ll take what I can get.

Elimination Chamber rundown.

Humberto Carrillo vs. Jaxson Ryker

Elias is here with Ryker, who is now in trunks for a change. Ryker cranks on the arm to start but gets caught in a headlock for his efforts. A crossbody gives Carrillo two before running the corner for the big armdrag. That means a big dive to the floor to take Ryker down and we take a break.

Back with Ryker hitting a spinebuster for two, followed by the side slam for the same. The chinlock goes on and, after a slingshot suplex, goes on again. Carrillo fights up and low bridges him to the floor, setting up the springboard elbow to the face. Ryker has had it with this though and hits Carrillo in the face, setting up a swinging Boss Man Slam for the pin at 9:10.

Rating: C. Just a standard power vs. speed match here though it’s kind of interesting that Ryker and Elias have already been relegated to Main Event. I’m glad they got rid of the tension between them after about two weeks of being together, but at the same time, they aren’t exactly the most interesting pair in the world. Hence the whole being on Main Event aspect.

From Raw.

Gauntlet Match

Non-title and the winner enters the Chamber last. AJ Styles is in at #1 and….we’ll find out who is joining him after he talks about being sick of hearing about Kofimania II. His attorney (Joseph A. Parks of course) and Omos have gone over the odds and he can’t lose on Sunday. Kofi Kingston is in at #2 and they have almost an hour for this. AJ whips Kofi into the corner to start but misses a charge, allowing Kofi to hammer away. A belly to back suplex puts Kofi down for a few seconds but he low bridges AJ out to the floor there’s the Trust Fall to the floor.

With AJ down, Xavier Woods needs to give us a trombone concert on the announcers’ table. That earns him a rather high one armed chokeslam from Omos (with the camera shooting from the ground for a great visual) over the barricade. That’s enough for Omos to be ejected but AJ uses the distraction to take out Kofi’s knee again.

We take a break and come back with AJ putting the bad knee in a half crab. Kofi gets out so AJ puts him on top, only to have Kofi shove him down and hit the middle rope splash to the back. The bad knee means it can only be a two count so AJ grabs a DDT on the leg. The Phenomenal Forearm finishes Kofi at 11:03 and it’s Drew McIntyre in at #3.

A quick belly to belly suplex sends AJ flying and Drew drops him ribs first across the top rope. Drew gets in a big boot to leave AJ on the apron and we take a break. Back with AJ being whipped hard into the corner and then into the steps. Drew hits a Michinoku Driver for two but AJ goes to the throat for a breather. AJ gets caught in the reverse Alabama Slam out of the corner but the Claymore is cut off with a kick to the face. That sends Drew to the floor and AJ nails the slingshot forearm.

A knee to the face drops Drew again and a running forearm sends Drew into the post as we take a break. Back again with Drew tossing AJ again but diving off the top and right into an enziguri. The Styles Clash is countered with a backdrop but AJ takes out the knee and puts on the Calf Crusher. Drew headbutts his way to freedom though and sends AJ throat first into the middle rope. The Claymore gives Drew the pin at 29:49 total.

Jeff Hardy is in at #4 and, after an inset promo of Hardy talking about needing to get back to Wrestlemania, he forearms Drew down to start. Drew gets knocked to the floor and a dive off the apron takes him down as we go to a break. Back with Drew making another comeback and snapping off an overhead belly to bell, followed by an overhead belly to belly for good measure. A neckbreaker lets McIntyre nip up again and, after countering a quick Twist of Fate attempt, the Futureshock gets two.

Hardy falls out to the floor so McIntyre suplexes him out there as well, leaving them both down. Back in and Drew puts him on top for a top rope superplex and another near fall. The Claymore misses though and Jeff grabs the Twist of Fate. The Swanton hits knees though and the Claymore gets rid of Hardy at 42:59 total. Randy Orton is in at #5 and McIntyre realizes he’s in some trouble.

Back from another break with McIntyre sending Orton into the barricade….but the lights go out and Alexa Bliss takes over every screen in the arena, including the fans (ok that’s creepy). Orton is counted out at 49:09, because THIS TIME WWE remembers how to count people out. That leaves Sheamus at #6 to complete the field and jumps Drew from behind. Drew is beaten up at ringside, followed by some stomping inside.

The referee asks Drew if he wants to do this and we start the match, despite there not being any bells or starts/stops between the previous falls. Sheamus sends Drew’s bad back into the corner and drops a knee for two. Despite Drew clutching his back, Sheamus grabs an armbar, allowing Drew to fight back up.

Drew tries to jump over him out of the corner but gets powerslammed down for two more. The Glasgow Kiss gets Drew out of trouble and there’s the Future Shock for a double knockdown. Drew is sent to the floor but gets in a quick shot to put Sheamus down. The Claymore misses though and the Brogue Kick finishes Drew at 58:46.

Rating: B. That was a rather long but still good match, with Drew putting on a heck of a showcase. Of course there is nothing wrong with having a World Champion lose to a former World Champion after being in the ring for the better part of forty minutes. McIntyre sold the heck out of his exhaustion at the end too and the sympathy was strong. Sheamus winning was the right call and I’m not sure who wins on Sunday so well done with the whole thing.

Post match Sheamus says that makes him the odds on favorite and he promises to win the title because Drew can’t beat him.

Overall Rating: C+. It helps when you have the gauntlet match eating up so much time (granted it was eight minutes of this show) and they had something to focus on with the two Chamber matches. As usual you could completely cut out the original stuff, but I did like that the opener was shorter than normal around here as there is no reason for T-Bar to have that much trouble in a spot like this. Better than average show, mainly because of better than average TV.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Smackdown
Date: February 12, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re less than two weeks away from Elimination Chamber but you might not realize it around here. There has not been a single Smackdown match announced for the show but that might be changing this week. Roman Reigns apparently has a big announcement and that could be a good thing. Seth Rollins is back too so let’s get to it.

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

Here are Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Paul Heyman for a chat with Adam Pearce, who is already in the ring. Reigns tells Pearce that he isn’t waiting on him so let’s get on with this. Pearce doesn’t call any shots around here and Reigns isn’t waiting on Pearce or Edge. Reigns knows that Edge hasn’t announced his Wrestlemania match because he knows Reigns will beat him all the way onto a Legends contract.

No one is taking the title from him so Edge is holding out hope that someone pulls a miracle before Wrestlemania. Speaking of contracts, Pearce has one in his hand and that is for Reigns’ title defense inside the Elimination Chamber. Reigns hands Heyman the mic, who says Reigns’ contract says he has to defend the title AT Elimination Chamber rather than INSIDE the Elimination Chamber. Instead, the winner can receive a title shot on the against Reigns, who won’t be in the Chamber itself.

Pearce seems to laugh it off but Heyman asks what he’s going to do about it. Fire Reigns this close to Wrestlemania? Last year’s show didn’t have Reigns and it was the lowest attended Wrestlemania of all time. Pearce says it’s time to start the qualifying process, and there are going to be two names who don’t need qualifying matches. Those would be Jey Uso and Kevin Owens, the latter of whom has Reigns outside the ring and in Pearce’s face. Reigns doesn’t think Pearce gets this but Heyman says it’s going to be on Reigns’ time.

Post break Pearce is freaking out over having to get all of the qualifying matches together but Sonya Deville has an idea: a tag team qualifying match with the winning team both getting into the Chamber. Pearce likes the idea, which is good because Sonya has already booked it.

Commentary confirms that the winner of the Chamber match will face Reigns that night.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Rey Mysterio/Dominik Mysterio vs. King Corbin/Sami Zayn

Before the match, Sami talks about how he and Corbin don’t get along but tonight they’re working together so WWE can’t give the Mysterios the spots in the Chamber. Rey and Dominik start fast by sending them to the floor for the double dives and we take a break. Back with Dominik rolling Sami into the corner and hitting a running elbow. Sami is right back with the Blue Thunder Bomb for two and it’s off to Corbin. Everything breaks down and the double 619 hits Corbin, with Rey taking him to the floor. That leaves Dominik to be suplexed into the corner, setting up the Helluva Kick for the pin at 7:33.

Rating: D+. I’m not sure how much drama there was to this one and that’s ok. The Mysterios continue to have problems and a showdown at Wrestlemania wouldn’t surprise me. Zayn and Corbin inside the Chamber should work out wee as they’re the perfect kind of midcarders who could beef things up a little bit.

Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode come in to see Deville and Pearce. They want in the Elimination Chamber, and are even willing to be in different pods. Sonya gives them a chance, in another tag team qualifying match, against Cesaro and Daniel Bryan.

We look back at Bianca Belair talking to Sasha Banks last week when Carmella and Reginald interfered, earning Reginald a whipping.

Reginald brings Sasha Banks some wine but Banks isn’t buying it. She takes the drink anyway and keeps talking to Kalisto.

Here’s Big E. for a chat. He is going to be a fighting champion and, after a Gorilla Glue reference, he mentions being past the Apollo Crews chapter….and here’s Crews to interrupt. Crews accepts the challenge, but Big E. was going to issue the challenge to anyone here except Crews you see. Big E. was looking forward to Michael Cole accepting the challenge but Crews implies Big E. is scared. Big E. lowers the mic and says he has beaten Crews time after time so go back to catering and get your paycheck. Crews gets in his face and a lot of arguing ensues, with Big E. saying they’re done so bring out the next challenger.

Intercontinental Title: Big E. vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura is challenging and Big E. powers him around to start. That earns him some kicks down and the champ is in some trouble. It’s already time for the Kinshasa but Big E. pulls him into the Big Ending. That’s broken up and Nakamura kicks him in the back of the head. Another Kinshasa is loaded up but Crews runs in to dropkick Big E. for the DQ at 3:24.

Rating: C-. No time for much here as we continue to build towards Crews’ final showdown, likely at Elimination Chamber. That should work out well as Crews at least has a bit more of a background after that US Title reign. I liked how serious Big E. got, but saying Crews can’t have a match isn’t the most heroic thing to do. I don’t think there’s a turn coming or anything, but it didn’t quite feel right.

Video on Seth Rollins.

The locker room comes to the ring for Rollins’ return. After a break here’s Rollins, with BURN IT DOWN again. He’s still in the suit with the one glove though so I’m getting mixed messages here. Rollins is glad to be back and knows that things have changed since he sacrificed himself at Survivor Series. The thing that has changed the most though is him though, because he has become a parent for the first time. He is now the father of a beautiful, perfect baby girl, who has changed his life in ways he never dreamed of.

Rollins sees the talent around here and he wonders where he fits in. Now he knows where that is: Rollins is the great leader that Smackdown needs to push it into the future. Leadership isn’t about what they can do for him but what he can do for them. Everyone walks out as Rollins talks about being a leader and a mentor. Rollins says all you have to do for a better Smackdown is embrace the vision. The lights come back up and he realizes that only Cesaro is left at ringside. Then Cesaro shakes his head and leaves as well, only to have Rollins run to the floor and chop block him. The beatdown is on until referees break it up.

Video on the Elimination Chamber.

Bayley vs. Liv Morgan

Ruby Riott is here with Morgan, who starts fast and hammers away. Bayley misses a clothesline and Morgan hits a middle rope dropkick to the floor, meaning it’s time for a trip to the floor. A dive off the steps takes a bit too long for Morgan and Bayley sends her hard into the barricade instead. Back in and Bayley hits a shoulder breaker to rock Morgan but it’s an enziguri to give Morgan two. Cue Billie Kay to offer Riott her resume, which Riott throws away. The referee gets rid of them though and it’s the Rose Plant to finish Morgan at 3:45.

Rating: D+. The story continues and that’s one of the things I really wish WWE would stop. Bayley beat one half of the Riott Squad thanks to Billie messing up last week and now she did it to the other half this week. It was no secret that they were going in this direction after last week and that’s because WWE is pretty repetitive. That’s not good and it wasn’t even much of a match in the first place.

The Street Profits were at Daytona Motor Speedway this week.

Street Profits vs. Otis/Chad Gable

During the entrances, the Profits say they want the titles back and Otis/Gable train for the smoke. Gable takes Dawkins to the mat to start but Dawkins manages to reverse. They send each other into opposite corners for a standoff so Ford comes in instead. An armdrag into an armbar has Ford flailing around but it’s back to Dawkins to take Gable down. That doesn’t last long as Otis gets the tag and starts to throw Profits around. Ford low bridges Otis to the floor to break up a clothesline though and it’s the Cash Out to finish Gable at 4:50.

Rating: C+. This was a pretty snappy match and that was a nice surprise. Gable and Otis work well together and I could go for seeing them develop a bit more in the future. The Profits continue to be great and you know the rematch for the titles has to be coming sooner rather than later. Everyone was working here though and the pretty short amount of time flew by.

Here’s Sasha Banks to talk about Wrestlemania. She has been dealing with Bianca Belair, who is like a little sister. Cue Belair to say Banks isn’t the boss of her. Those are fighting words so here are Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler to interrupt. Jax can’t believe how big their egos are and asks Shayna if she cares about Belair’s pick. Belair shows us the MY HOLE clip from Raw so the brawl is on. Baszler is knocked down so Jax is tripped onto the apron, meaning she has to stop herself from shouting about….well you get the idea. Belair and Banks take out Baszler as well and the two stand tall.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Bobby Roode/Dolph Ziggler vs. Daniel Bryan/Cesaro

Non-title. Ziggler takes Bryan down for an early two but Cesaro comes in for a double slam. It’s off to Roode, who has to avoid the YES Lock, and gets sent outside. Cesaro is right there and is whipped into the steps. Sami Zayn and King Corbin come out to watch and we take a break.

Back with Bryan in trouble as Roode snaps off a suplex for two and hands it back to Ziggler. Bryan takes Ziggler down but Roode decks Cesaro, allowing Bryan to grab a rollup for two. Roode’s spinebuster gets two more on Bryan but Ziggler misses a charge in the corner, allowing the hot tag to Cesaro. Everything breaks down and Bryan hits Roode with the running knee. The Fameasser gets two on Cesaro but he’s right back up with the Swing into the Sharpshooter to make Ziggler tap at 11:04.

Rating: C+. Another good match between talented teams, even if the Tag Team Titles get their annual smack in the face for the sake of some qualifying matches. In this case I’m not sure who else could have taken the loss, but I would have preferred it not to be the champs. Bryan and Cesaro winning was mostly but not entirely obvious and that’s a nice feeling.

Post match Jey Uso, Sami Zayn and King Corbin all come in for the brawl. Everyone goes at it until Kevin Owens runs in for the Stunnerfest. Roman Reigns watches from the back as Owens sits down, saying that he’s coming for Reigns to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This show worked well for me for one reason: those tag team qualifying matches. Both of them were pretty good, but the real reason they were nice to see was they were different. Instead of the usual four singles matches, they actually threw in something fresh for a change and that’s nice to see. Not so much the idea was brilliant, but it was a change from the norm and I can absolutely go for that over the same old stuff that they do all the time. The rest of the show was fine enough, but I like that they’re actually taking some different paths week to week.

Results

Sami Zayn/King Corbin b. Rey Mysterio/Dominik Mysterio – Helluva Kick to Dominik

Big E. b. Shinsuke Nakamura via DQ when Apollo Crews interfered

Bayley b. Liv Morgan – Rose Plant

Street Profits b. Chad Gable/Otis – Cash Out to Gable

Cesaro/Daniel Bryan b. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode – Sharpshooter to Ziggler

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Main Event
Date: January 28, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Samoa Joe, Tom Phillips

It’s the go home show for the Royal Rumble, which is going to mean absolutely nothing around here. Odds are we have already gotten just about everything we are going to get for the Royal Rumble and that means it is going to be the run of the mill Main Event. In other words, this could be rather weak so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Humberto Carrillo vs. Angel Garza

The lockup doesn’t go anywhere so Garza pulls him down by the hair. A headlock works a bit better for Carrillo and a slingshot armdrag has Garza in more trouble. There’s a crossbody for two on Garza but a running dropkick puts Carrillo on the floor. That breather lets Garza TAKE OFF HIS PANTS and ties up Carrillo’s legs back inside. Carrillo slugs away but gets pulled into the Wing Clipper to give Garza the pin at 5:08.

Rating: C-. I still have no idea why Garza isn’t either on the main roster or down in NXT. Somehow they have managed to stick him around here every single week after having what felt like something interesting (work with me here) with him talking to the camera with the rose. Not a bad match, but how many times can you see these two fighting?

We look at Adam Pearce signing Roman Reigns to a Last Man Standing match and swapping Kevin Owens in for him.

From Smackdown.

Here are Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman for an opening chat. Reigns laughs off the idea of Card Subject To Change because Adam Pearce swapped himself out of the title match. You won’t be seeing Kevin Owens here tonight Reigns doesn’t want him here. Reigns comes here and goes to work because that’s what he does. He even put his health in danger, but what if he gets hurt? Man his back and neck have been bothering him lately. His ankles have been messed up since college. What if he just said his back was hurting too badly to wrestle at the Royal Rumble?

Cue Pearce to say this has gotten out of hands. Reigns doesn’t want to hear it and says Pearce needs to make his way back into the title scene. Pearce doesn’t buy that but Reigns says that Pearce can’t handle this. He hasn’t had a match in six years because he doesn’t have the heart. Maybe that’s why he never made it to the WWE.

Reigns and Heyman take this as disrespect, which means Pearce is disrespecting the family. Therefore, Heyman wants to do something about it and challenges Pearce to a fight. Heyman, citing his status as a New Yorker, says he will whip Pearce’s a**. Pearce says it’s on and Reigns promises Pearce is getting whipped too. See, I think we all know where this is going, but it’s still fun to see how it goes down the obvious path.

From later in Smackdown.

Paul Heyman vs. Adam Pearce

Pearce is in workout gear and Heyman, in his suit, tapes his fist on the way to the ring. Hold on though as Heyman tweaks his ankle on the steps and goes down. The referee checks on him but Heyman says “CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE.” And yes indeed here’s Roman Reigns to hit the Superman Punch to send Pearce to the floor.

Reigns hits him low and sends him into the fan screens before taking him up to the stands like he did to Kevin Owens. Speaking of Owens, here he is in a hoodie to beat on Reigns. Owens is sent into the barricade and they head inside, where Owens nails a Stunner. Referees come out as Owens takes him outside again and beats on Reigns some more. A Stunner on the floor drops Reigns again and the Pop Up powerbomb puts him through the announcers’ table to end the show.

From Raw.

Here is Drew McIntyre to get things going. Drew is rather emotional to be back here and thanks everyone who sent him well wishes. The virus is a horrible thing but we are going to get through it together. Speaking of things we will get through, this Sunday it is going to be Drew McIntyre vs. Bill Goldberg for the WWE Title. Goldberg was 173-0 in WCW and ran through the Rock like he was nothing….and then he disappeared.

The last thing to go in a heavyweight fighter is his power but Goldberg has started a new streak. Every champion he has challenged since returning to WWE has gone down but on Sunday, Drew is ending the streak. Cue Miz and John Morrison to mock the idea of King Kong vs. Godzilla on Sunday because one of them could wind up injured after the match. That opens a door for a Money in the Bank cash-in because whoever wins is going to be a sitting duck.

Miz promises to win the title but here’s Goldberg to cut them off. Goldberg: “You, me, Sunday, you’re next.” The staredown is on so Miz and Morrison make some jokes from the apron, earning themselves a double beatdown, with Miz taking the spear and Morrison getting Claymored. Another staredown ensues as I beg of WWE to end the Miz thing on Sunday because it is managing to hurt a story that had almost nothing going for it in the first place.

Ricochet/Jeff Hardy vs. Jaxson Ryker/Elias

Ricochet and Elias start things off with Ricochet nailing an early dropkick. Hardy comes in and gets to armdrag Ryker into an early armbar. An ax handle to the back gives Hardy one but Ryker muscles him up with a slam. Everything breaks down for a bit with the villains being sent outside as we take a break. Back with Ricochet fighting out of the corner but Ryker grabs a backbreaker to keep him in trouble. Elias’ sitout chokeslam gets two and a spinning suplex is good for the same.

We go old school with a camel clutch but Ricochet fights up and slips out of a suplex. The hot tag brings in Hardy to clean house but Ryker bails from the threat of a Twist of Fate. Ricochet tags himself in as Ryker pulls Hardy to the floor, setting up a springboard high crossbody for two on Elias. Ryker comes back in though and it’s the swinging Boss Man Slam to finish Ricochet at 11:42.

Rating: C. So Elias and Ryker are one of the many teams who were having problems almost immediately after they got together but at least they were good enough to pin Ricochet. I have no idea why Ricochet and Hardy were a team together on Main Event, but they got to lose to a midcard team like Elias and Ryker. This company amazes me at times and that’s not a good thing.

Edge joins us for the first time in several months to talk about how you aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Ten years ago, he went to Wrestlemania XXVII and left as champion. Then he lost everything because of his neck and took nine years to get back. He remembers telling his mom that he wanted to be a wrestler and she told him you have to go do it.

With that in mind, he is entering the Royal Rumble. He doesn’t have much time left so he is going to fight with everything he has to make this far fetched dream come true. If you have been with him on this ride until now, you have to try. A world without dreamers and fighters is a much less magical place. He quotes Henry Ford, who said if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. Edge thinks he can, and he’ll see us at the Royal Rumble.

Women’s Title: Asuka vs. Alexa Bliss

Bliss is challenging in a rematch from last week. Asuka takes her down into an armbar to start but misses the hip attack. Bliss kicks her to the floor….and then gets on the rocking horse that appears in the ring. Back from a break with Bliss fighting out of a chinlock and getting kicked in the face. Asuka hits another kick in the corner but Bliss’ old music starts playing and now she has her regular gear on (and longer hair).

Bliss sends Asuka face first into the corner and then the lights go out, with Bliss going into the other corner. She does Bray Wyatt’s lean backwards and becomes Fiend Bliss. Asuka’s knee to the face just annoys Bliss and the Asuka Lock but Bliss powers out of it. The Mandible Claw goes on but here’s Randy Orton with red makeup because this company doesn’t know how burns work either for an RKO to Bliss and the no contest at 12:33.

Rating: F. I like Randy Orton, I like Alexa Bliss and I like Asuka. If you put all three of those people into a match and angle, I should like the product. Instead, this was like an eight year old on a sugar rush saying “And then this happens and then this happens but it doesn’t count and then this happens and then the show is over.” They had part of a match and then it was something about a horse and a goddess walking into an RKO. I would say I probably got some of the details wrong in there, but I don’t think there were any details involved in the first place.

Overall Rating: D-. All this show did was focus on everything but the Royal Rumble and that’s not the kind of thing that I wanted to see. The main event angle is still horrible and seeing Ricochet and Hardy, a pair of guys who could do some rather good things on Raw, losing here made it worse. Some of the highlights were positives but everything else just dragged this show down deep into the dirt.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Main Event
Date: January 21, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe

We’re well on the way to the Royal Rumble and that means things should be picking up around here. Unfortunately that has a tendency not to be the case on this show, but at least we are only going to have to deal with a few moments from last week’s Raw, which isn’t something that should be highlighted. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Akira Tozawa vs. Angel Garza

Rematch from last week when Garza won because yay for continuity. Tozawa shouts a lot and kicks him in the ribs only to have Garza kick him in the face. That means GARZA TAKES OFF HIS PANTS, setting up a penalty kick for two. Garza bends the leg around the rope in the corner and fires off some more kicks (he has a theme tonight), followed by the leglock. The leg gets tied up even more for something like the STF’s weird cousin (I think he’s named Marvin) until Garza picks him up for a reverse slingshot suplex. Tozawa fights up and tries the Octopus but gets superkicked down. The Wing Clipper finishes for Garza at 5:15.

Rating: D+. Total squash here and that’s how it probably should have gone. I continue to be confused with the lack of anything for Garza to do on Raw as he really is good enough for something on that show. I’ve liked Tozawa for a long time but he was in over his head here as Garza was looking sharp.

Video on Adam Pearce winning the gauntlet match to become #1 contender, with a bit of help from Roman Reigns.

From Smackdown.

Here are Roman Reigns and company for the contract signing with Adam Pearce. In a nice touch, Pearce comes out with no music, because he really doesn’t have a personality. Pearce sits but Reigns wants his chair. Jey gets Pearce out of the chair to give it to Reigns, because he is sitting at the head of the table. They both sign, with Reigns smirking a lot. Pearce says he has been waiting all night for Reigns to do that, picks up the contract, and leaves.

Pearce starts limping on his way up the ramp, saying it’s an old injury that flare up every now and then. However, all WWE contracts say “card subject to change”, an as a WWE official, Pearce will find a suitable replacement for Reigns. That’s just what he has in mind, so cue Kevin Owens to sign the contract to face Reigns at the Rumble in the Last Man Standing match. Just like Raw has done a few times in recent weeks, the show cuts off during commentary’s closing line. Fair enough on the switch, and it worked well enough as a way to get Owens another match.

From Raw.

And now, the Dirt Sheet, because we need another talk show. Miz and John Morrison talk about how great things could be for Goldberg if he wins the title one more time. That brings us to their guest tonight: Goldberg! Uh….make that Gillberg! As cliched as that might be, it’s nice to see Gillberg after his recent health issues. Anyway, Gillberg talks about everything he does in his entrance, but here’s…..a mini Drew McIntyre to interrupt.

After putting in the mini sword (Joe: “That’s the Clayless.”), mini Drew (with his kilt a bit too low and having to adjust his hair) says he is here to address his Royal Rumble opponent face to face. Drew promises to kick Goldberg back to 1998 and then go home and eat some hagis. Morrison mocks Drew’s accent and Drew breaks character, asking if we can do it again. Miz snaps on Morrison for getting an actor from New Jersey instead of New York, LA or Cleveland. Morrison: “CLEVELAND???”

Gillberg interrupts with his goofy face and gets a double shut up. They decide to wrap it up with Miz saying Drew and Goldberg will both lose at the Rumble because Miz is cashing in, because he’s the Miz and he is……next. Miz and Morrison bickering was funny but after everything else on this show, this was a really bad idea. Except for Gillberg, because Gillberg is awesome.

We get a special report, featuring HHH (Henry E. Panki) and Stephanie McMahon (Anita Reelman) as news reporters. Weatherman Sunny McCloud (Roman Reigns) and Paul Heyman announce that Wrestlemania XXXVII will be in Tampa. Hailey Mary (Sasha Banks) is in Dallas, where Wrestlemania XXXVIII will be held in 2022. Then Hugh Kantseeme (John Cena) is in Los Angeles, where Wrestlemania XXXIX will be held in 2023. Then they’re off the air and HHH and Stephanie take off their costumes to say they were both awesome. This is….uh….well it’s different. We’ll go with different.

Humberto Carrillo vs. Drew Gulak

Feeling out process to start with Carrillo armdragging him into an armbar as commentary actually remembers that Carrillo had a US Title shot on last year’s Royal Rumble Kickoff Show. I watched that show yesterday and didn’t remember it so well done. Gulak fights up but it’s the springboard headbutt to put him back down for the first two. Another springboard is countered with a shove out to the floor in a crash though and we take a break.

Back with Carrillo fighting out of an armbar and nailing an enziguri for a breather. There’s a backbreaker for two on Gulak and something like a Spanish Fly into a small package gets the same. Carrillo’s high angle springboard armdrag is blocked and Gulak goes for the cross armbreaker. A foot in the rope breaks it up so Gulak plants him down for two more. Carrillo is right back up with a springboard kick to the face though and the moonsault finishes Gulak at 10:41.

Rating: C. Not a bad match at all here as both guys are good at what they do in the ring. The big problem for both continues to be a lack of a reason to care about them, but Gulak has shown some spots of charisma when he is given the rare chance to showcase himself. I can get why he isn’t given that chance very often, but at least he shines when he can.

From Raw.

From the shadows, Randy Orton talks about people who fight fire with fire usually wind up with ashes. We see a mask over his face as he says the voices in his head have never been louder. He talks about needing to redirect his pure hatred and we see Alexa Bliss throwing the fireball last week. The fire that melted the skin off his face will never go away. He is wearing his mask to protect himself but to shield everyone else from the horror.

The burns could have been much worse or could have disfigured him forever. Orton doesn’t blame her though because he blames the Fiend. Orton blames the Fiend for this because he knows what the Fiend wants. The Fiend wants to stop Orton from achieving the inevitable. We see clips of Orton’s two Royal Rumble wins as Orton talks about how he would be a threat to win the Rumble even if you chopped off all of his limbs.

He enjoys the pain and you can blame the Fiend when he burns everyone’s Wrestlemania dreams to ashes. Orton lights and the blows out a match. That was certainly different, though would it have been too much to wait more than a week after he was burned to appear again? That’s not enough to be gone for another show?

From Raw.

Here is Alexa Bliss for Alexa’s Playground. She wants to address the viper in the room. Things got a little heated with Randy Orton last week but she knows someone if he is interested in some sunblock. As for tonight though, her guest is Asuka, who looks scared of where to sit. Bliss says that isn’t your seat, but she wasn’t talking to Asuka. For now though, Bliss has some special news.

After asking the invisible person in the swing if she should tell them, she announces her entry into the Royal Rumble. That means she could go on to Wrestlemania to face Asuka, who says she is a big fan of Bliss. Asuka, sounding rather nervous, says yowie wowie. Bliss apologizes to whoever is next to her and Asuka starts dancing. Bliss shouts to stop it and talks to the swing. Asuka tries to calm Bliss down by saying he is still here, but Bliss says not to say his name. A scared Asuka leaves.

From Raw.

Asuka vs. Alexa Bliss

Non-title. Asuka starts fast and doesn’t seem so scared this time around. An early Shining Wizard connects and Bliss is rocked, but the lights go out Fiend style. Bliss smiles a lot as we take a break. Back with Bliss seemingly transformed (and maybe with different lipstick) into the serious version and Asuka not being sure what to do.

Bliss blocks and dodges a bunch of strikes before shouldering Asuka down without much trouble. Back in and the Mandible Claw is loaded up but Asuka manages to block it. The rapid fire kicks rock Bliss but she grabs Sister Abigail and, with a blank stare, finishes Asuka at 11:36.

Rating: D+. And so we have another example of WWE doing their storytelling thing. I get the idea they’re going for here and it does make Bliss out to be a monster, but Asuka being scared or whatever is not like her whatsoever. She can go with the silly and such, but having her be scared feels out of character. Also, can anyone give me a logical reason why she and Charlotte are Tag Team Champions at the moment other than Charlotte getting another title reign?

Post match the lights flash and Bliss’ makeup changes because she’s the happy version again. Fiend’s LET ME IN ends the show.

Overall Rating: C-. All this show did was remind me of the gap between Raw and Smackdown, which grows larger by the week. Raw really has become one of the most dreadful shows in a long time while Smackdown, which still isn’t exactly a masterpiece, continues its steady progression and that’s all it needs to do. The gap continues to expand and I’m almost scared to see how much worse things get in the next few weeks and months.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.