Smackdown
Date: March 29, 2024
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett

We are just over a week away from Wrestlemania and WWE is already in the northeast for the final push towards the show. That means things are already intense and there is a good chance that we are going to be getting some fallout from the Rock attacking Cody Rhodes on Raw. Jade Cargill is here as well so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a quick look back at The Rock attacking Cody Rhodes on Raw. More on this later.

Randy Orton/Kevin Owens vs. Pretty Deadly

Owens jumps Wilson to start and drops a quick backlash for an early two. Orton comes in to hammer away on Prince so Wilson tries to tag himself in…but he’s not holding the tag rope so it doesn’t count. Well that’s not something you see everyday. The villains take Orton outside for a drop onto the announcers’ table and we take an early break.

Back with Orton belly to backing his way out of a chinlock and the tag bringing Owens in again. A DDT gives Owens two as everything breaks down. Owens comes back in but Orton is taken outside for a drop onto the announcers’ table. Cue Logan Paul with the brass knuckles to drop Owens, allowing Prince to steal the pin at 7:02.

Rating: C. This was a way to advance the triple threat at Wrestlemania and that is not a bad way to go. Paul is at his best when he’s messing with people or things that that’s what you had here, with Owens getting a pretty humiliating loss to a goofy team. That isn’t going to sit well with Orton and odds are Paul knew that coming in.

Post match Orton pulls Paul out but Pretty Deadly makes the save. Owens breaks that up and Pretty deadly is laid out, with Orton chasing Paul to the back. The chase is on and Paul jumps into a car and drives off.

Iyo Sky talks about how Bayley formed Damage CTRL to leach off of them but Sky made Bayley relevant. Then the team outgrew Bayley so they did what had to be done. Sky stands up to end the interview but gets jumped by Bayley. They destroy the green screen and are finally separated. Good brawl, but we were told what would happen before the break and that hurt things.

Here is Nick Aldis for a chat. He’s happy to bring out Jade Cargill for her first official appearance as a member of the Smackdown roster. The contract is signed and Cargill says there are some talented stars around here, but none of them are here. That woman oozes star power at a level you do not see very often.

Damage CTRL doesn’t like Bianca Belair so Dakota Kai is taking her out tonight.

Nick Aldis runs into Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre, who have dropped the witchcraft stuff but don’t say anything. Aldis keeps walking and runs into AJ Styles, who asks if LA Knight isn’t here. Aldis says he asked Knight not to be here, but Styles says Aldis should have told him.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Titles Qualifying Match: Austin Theory/Grayson Waller vs. Street Profits

Ford flips out of a double suplex to start and hands it off to Dawkins, who runs Waller over on the floor. We take a break and come back with Dawkins suplexes his way out of trouble, allowing the diving tag to Ford. A springboard spinning back elbow to the face puts Theory down for two and the Doomsday Blockbuster gets the same. Theory’s rolling neckbreaker is cut off with a sitout powerbomb but we cut to the back where Karrion Kross and Scarlett have taken out Bobby Lashley and B Fab. The distraction lets Theory raise his knees to block the frog splash and pin Ford at 6:21.

Rating: C+. Well what we saw of it was good, but as is the case so often in modern wrestling, there is only so much you can get out of a match that runs less than seven minutes and includes a commercial plus a backstage brawl. This should set up a six man between Lashley/the Profits and the Final Testament, which is a feud that needs to wrap up already as it’s long since stopped being interesting.

Post match the Final Testament comes in for the beatdown with Bobby Lashley making a failed save attempt.

We look back at Dominik Mysterio costing Rey Mysterio a match with Santos Escobar last week.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat. Santos Escobar is here to brag about his win last week. He was hoping for Rey’s knee to get infected and amputated (geez) but he’ll settle for just getting a win. All it took was the help of one man, so here is Dominik Mysterio for a chat. Escobar says Dominik was right and, after Dominik is booed out of the building, promises to ruin Rey.

Cue the LWO, with Rey saying he believed he was done with Dominik. But now Rey has the chance to beat some respect into both of them. The challenge for Dominik/Escobar vs. Rey/a partner of his choosing at Wrestlemania. That would be the newest member of the LWO: Dragon Lee. Cue Lee for the brawl as the match seems likely for Wrestlemania.

Naomi wishes Bianca Belair luck and says she has her back tonight. Belair is rather pleased and they’re in this together against Damage CTRL.

Judgment Day isn’t happy with what is going on with Rhea Ripley not even knowing what Dominik Mysterio was going to do.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Title Qualifying Match: New Catch Republic vs. Legado del Fantasma

We’re joined in progress with Dunne in trouble but he gets over for the tag to Bate as house is quickly cleaned. A standing shooting star hits Berto and the ring is cleared, with Bate hitting a big dive as we take a break. Back with Bate in trouble and getting double super gorilla pressed for two. Bate gets over for the tag seconds later though and the Birminghammer gives Dunne the pin at 7:19.

Rating: C+. Just like in the previous tag match, how much can you get out of a match that goes about seven minutes with a break? It doesn’t help that Legado was already beaten down from the pre-match brawl so the Republic doesn’t even look that great for winning. But at least we now have a sixth team for the 12 man ladder match, because we have a 12 man ladder match.

We look back at the Rock beating down Cody Rhodes to end Raw. The beating continued after the show went off the air.

The Bloodline promises to take out Jey Uso next week.

Here is AJ Styles, who says he should have had LA Knight locked up last week. Styles doesn’t buy that Knight isn’t here and thinks he might be the cameraman. That’s a no, but here’s someone coming through the crowd…and that’s not Knight either. One of the security guards is Knight though and even though Styles sees him on the Titantron, the beatdown is on anyway. Styles bails through the crowd.

Video on Tiffany Stratton.

Next week: the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is back.

Bianca Belair vs. Dakota Kai

Belair starts fast and knocks Kai into the corner for the running shoulder. Some rolling suplexes have Kai in trouble but she knees her way to freedom and we take a break. Back with Belair raining down right hands in the corner, followed by a tilt-a-whirl gutbuster. A Glam Slam into a moonsault gives Belair two but Kai manages a knee to the back for the same. The exchange of forearms goes to Belair but Kai manages to send her to the apron. A running knee only hits post though and Belair grabs a superplex. The KOD gives Belair the pin at 9:26.

Rating: C+. There is nothing wrong with giving a star a win and that is all they were trying to do here. Kai is the weakest link in Damage CTRL and having her lose to Belair at one of the last shows before Wrestlemania is hardly some career killer. Odds are we’re getting ready for a big tag match at Wrestlemania so we can probably call this a mini preview.

Post match the Kabuki Warriors come in for the beating but Naomi makes the save. The numbers game catches up to her until Jade Cargill comes in for the real save.

Overall Rating: C+. Oh yeah we are firmly in the “we’re almost to Wrestlemania so please do not screw anything up” period. That means we don’t have much time left to wait but at the same time, there is only so much to be gotten out of a show like this one. There was a likely Wrestlemania match set up and two more teams qualified for the ladder match but that’s about it. This is a completely skippable show, but it’s probably the last skippable show for a few weeks and that is a great feeling.

Results
Pretty Deadly b. Randy Orton/Kevin Owens – Brass knuckles punch from Logan Paul
Austin Theory/Grayson Waller b. Street Profits – Knees to Ford’s ribs
New Catch Republic b. Legado del Fantasma – Birminghammer to Angel
Bianca Belair b. Dakota Kai – KOD

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

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

Smackdown
Date: March 22, 2024
Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett

We are just over two weeks away from Wrestlemania and that means things are going to be picking up around here. In this case that means we have Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes going face to face, which could make for a big moment even if the Rock isn’t here. Other than that we have Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar, which should be quite the showdown. Let’s get to it.

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

Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar

Their respective stables are banned from ringside. After the long recap of their relationship and split, Rey hammers away and drops Escobar with an elbow to the face. Rey slips a bit and comes up limping slightly, allowing Escobar to knock him off the top. Not that it matters as Rey hits a top rope hurricanrana into a baseball slide dropkick in the corner. Escobar is back with a running dropkick of his own, only to get headscissored out to the corner. The sliding splash connects for Rey and we take a break.

Back with Escobar hitting the running knees in the corner and tying him in the Tree of Woe. Rey breaks that up and sends him outside, setting up a dive off the post to the floor. Back in and another basement dropkick sets up a Lionsault for two on Escobar. Rey dropkicks him back to the floor for some rams into the announcers’ table, followed by a running seated senton into the timekeeper’s area. Escobar is thrown back in but a man in a Mysterio mask shows up to distract Rey. That lets Escobar hit his own 619 into the Phantom Driver for the pin at 12:34. It’s Dominik Mysterio, with the fans not being happy.

Rating: C+. That’s a surprise way to go and gives Dominik something to do after not being the biggest star in recent weeks. The Rey vs. Escobar feud is probably not done as we need the big LWO vs. Legado showdown, but for now we might be getting more from Rey vs. Dominik. It worked well last year, but it’s kind of a random twist after they haven’t interacted in a long time. As for the match, it’s always nice to have Rey back, but Escobar winning here should be a nice boost for him.

We look back at Bayley being beaten down by Damage CTRL, with Naomi’s save not working.

Bayley (in brighter clothes) thanks Naomi for her help last week but Naomi wants to take out Iyo Sky. Bianca Belair comes in and doesn’t buy what Bayley is saying after the last year plus. Belair and Bayley argue but Naomi walks off.

Post break Belair tries to convince Naomi that she’s right but Naomi is going to be out there fighting Damage CTRL. She wants Belair to help her, because Belair couldn’t do it on her own either.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Title Qualifying Match: Grayson Waller/Austin Theory vs. OC

Michin is here with the OC, who are now in two qualifying competitions for Tag Team Title shots over Wrestlemania weekend. Gallows and Theory start things off with Gallows launching him into the corner and hammering away. Anderson comes in and Theory/Waller are sent to the floor for a flip dive.

We take a break and come back with Gallows hitting a heck of a chokeslam on Waller, with Michin adding an armdrag on the floor. Anderson hits a flipping neckbreaker on Theory and grabs back to back spinebusters. The middle rope neckbreaker gets two on Waller but the Magic Killer is broken up. Waller grabs a rollup with feet on the ropes to pin Gallows at 6:54.

Rating: C. Not much to see here but they went the right way by not having the OC, who have barely done anything for months, go over. Waller and Theory might not be the biggest deal around at the moment but they deserve a chance to go to Wrestlemania over the OC. That being said, it’s nice to have the OC doing SOMETHING after just standing around for such a long time.

Video on Bron Breakker, including a bunch of his stats to make him look like even more of a physical freak.

Earlier today, Roman Reigns was on the Pat McAfee Show and talked about how he is the only one who didn’t have to go to Hollywood because it came to him.

Naomi vs. Iyo Sky

Non-title and Damage CTRL is here with Sky…or they would be if she was here. We cut to the back to see Sky attacking Bayley until officials break it up. Naomi kicks her into the corner to start but Sky slugs her way out of trouble, setting up a middle rope hurricanrana. A middle rope spinning kick to the face drops Sky though and something like a 619 bulldog gives Naomi two.

We take a break and come back with Sky being sent into the buckle, setting up a high crossbody. Something like a splits Banzai Drop (that’s a new one) gets two on Sky but she’s right back with the running Meteora in the corner. Naomi is fine enough to catch her on top for a superplex and they slug it out from their knees. Sky gets knocked down again and Naomi goes up, only to be distracted by Damage CTRL. That’s enough for Sky to pull her down and hit Over the Moonsault for the pin at 8:56.

Rating: B-. It’s always a good sign when a match ends and I want to see them do more, which was the case here. They were having a good match and Naomi was doing the more unique offense that makes her stand out. She’s been lacking that kind of a match since she returned to the company and it’s good to see her doing it again. On the other hand, Sky gets a nice win on the way to Wrestlemania, where Bayley is pretty clearly going to need some friends.

Post match the beatdown is on, including the mist, but Bianca Belair runs in for the save. The numbers game takes Belair down though and the villains stand tall.

Jade Cargill is officially on Smackdown with her first official

Post break Naomi is getting her eyes cleaned out when Tiffany Stratton comes in to say that’s a good look for her.

Kevin Owens is yelling at Nick Aldis when Pretty Deadly interrupts. Owens doesn’t like the interruption and wants a tag match next week, with Randy Orton popping up to be the partner (Pretty Deadly jumping when he appeared was great). Aldis makes the match and Owens punches both of Pretty Deadly at once to continue his running joke (Owens: “Hey Randy look I did it!”).

We see a video from AJ Styles’ house when LA Knight showed up for a brawl. The cops arrived and Knight was arrested, complete with footage from the police car as he’s taken away. Styles declined to press charges and Knight has been released.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Title Qualifying Match: Street Profits vs. AOP

The winners face Grayson Waller/Austin Theory next week for a spot in the Wrestlemania ladder match. All of their respective associates come out with them but only Paul Ellering sticks around. Dawkins goes after them to start but gets caught in the wrong corner. Akam fires off some knees but Dawkins is up with a dropkick to the floor. Ford tries a big flip dive but gets pulled out of the air and powerbombed into Dawkins as we take a break.

Back with Rezar hammering on Ford with some double stomping in the corner making it worse. Rezar comes back in but gets enziguried, allowing the diving tag off to Dawkins. The pace picks way up and the Silencer hits Akam but he slips out of a Doomsday Device. The Final Chapter connects but Dawkins makes the save. Ford gets out of the powerbomb/neckbreaker combination and small packages Rezar for the pin at 8:33.

Rating: C+. It wasn’t quite power vs. speed but the Profits had to keep things moving to take out the monsters. I’m a bit surprised that the AOP took a clean loss so soon after their return but the Profits are hardly some makeshift team. Ice match here and I wasn’t sure who was going to win, which is always a nice feeling.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Here is Roman Reigns, with Paul Heyman, for his big showdown with Cody Rhodes, with promises that everyone else will leave them alone. Reigns reiterates said promises, has the fans acknowledge him, and then brings out Rhodes, albeit after a break. With Rhodes here, Reigns gets right to the point by calling Rhodes a fool for aligning himself with various people.

Reigns talks about how Seth Rollins promised to be Rhodes’ shield, but they were in the Shield together. They might not have done good guy things, but they had a bond. Rhodes asks if Reigns remembers the first team to beat the Shield, offering a hint of their last names (he says Rhodes, which is a weird way of saying “Orton, Kane and Bryan”). Rhodes gets to the point and asks if he can trust Rollins. Instead though, he asks if Reigns can trust the Rock. Is the Tribal Chief in charge, or is it the Final Boss?

Reigns says Rhodes asked Rock the same thing because it’s all he has. Rhodes may be great but he’s the greatest #2 of all time, while Reigns is #1. Rhodes talks about how Reigns was raised in this business, just like him, and Reigns probably grew up wanting to be the next big star. Even if he’s the best #2, Rhodes is the one, so good luck at Wrestlemania.

Reigns isn’t going to accept a handshake and goes to leave, but snaps his fingers. Cue the Bloodline but before they get in the ring, here are Jey Uso and Seth Rollins to cut them off. A big staredown ends the show. They’re in a weird place with this feud as the story is ready to go and they have to fill in two more weeks before we get there. That doesn’t leave them much to do other than have these big talking segments. While it worked, we’re at the point where they need to have the match, which could make for some tricky matches over the next two weeks.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was about the big talking segment, plus a few other things, which went well enough. Most of the focus was on the Women’s Title match plus the double Damage CTRL stories. Those stories needed the time, but this wasn’t a show you really needed to see. It kept the stories moving forward but lacked any big, important moment. We’re in that weird lull before Wrestlemania where you know what you are going to see at the show and we just have to get there. That can lead to some slightly lesser shows, but it could have been a lot worse.

Results
Santos Escobar b. Rey Mysterio – Phantom Driver
Grayson Waller/Austin Theory b. OC – Rollup with feet on the ropes to Gallows
Iyo Sky b. Naomi – Over The Moonsault
Street Profits b. AOP – Small package to Rezar

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.

Wrestlemania XXIII
Date: April 1, 2007
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Attendance: 80,103
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Tazz, John Bradshaw Layfield, Joey Styles

It’s the biggest night of the year and this time the show does indeed feel big. You can feel how things have been going strong on the way here and I want to see how it goes. That takes some work when I have already seen the show multiple times. It is a stacked card and the biggest is Bobby Lashley vs. Umaga in the Battle of the Billionaires, which is really Donald Trump vs. Vince McMahon. Let’s get to it.

Before we get to the show, let’s do the pre-show match for a bonus.

Pre-Show: Ric Flair/Carlito vs. Gregory Helms/Chavo Guerrero

This is a lumberjack match to get more people in front of the crowd. The entrance is a little weird here as there is a huge curtain in front of the set, which does make this feel like a bonus. Flair and Helms start things off with Helms taking him into the corner for a slap to the face. A hiptoss into some chops slow Helms down and it’s Carlito coming in to knee lift Chavo.

Carlito dropkicks Chavo off the apron to little avail but Helms kicks Carlito off the apron to take over. Back in and Chavo belly to back suplexes him into a chinlock but Carlito fights up in a hurry. The hot tag brings in Flair to clean house as everything breaks down. Helms breaks up the Figure Four but Chavo misses the frog splash. Guerrero is back up and tries the Three Amigos but Carlito escapes and hits the Backstabber for the pin.

Rating: C-. Nothing but a standard Raw match here (if you ignore the Smackdown wrestlers involved) and that is perfectly fine for the spot they were in. This was about warming the crowd up and having Flair out there is going to do that just fine. Sometimes you need someone to set the stage for later and these four did it just fine in a very simple tag match.

The opening video looks at a history of the show, including some major moments. We also get a special look at Wrestlemania III, with the famous Vince McMahon introduction swinging into this year’s America the Beautiful, once again sung by Aretha Franklin.

We go to the regular opening video, featuring a bunch of wrestlers talking about how they have always dreamed of being here as children. Now they are all grown up and it is time to take the stage themselves. This campaign has grown on me a lot over the years and I like it a good bit more than I used to.

Edge vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy vs. CM Punk vs. King Booker vs. Finlay vs. Randy Orton vs. Mr. Kennedy

Money in the Bank as they’re starting big this year. Everyone looks up at the briefcase to start and then it’s already time to head outside for the fight. It’s a brawl to start and Finlay dives off the top onto almost everyone else. Matt has to cut off Edge’s climb, leaving Orton and Finlay to climb the ladder to no avail. Booker goes to pull out another ladder but finds Hornswoggle’s stepladder instead, allowing Punk to knock him down.

Edge bridges a ladder between the apron and the barricade but Booker starts cleaning house. There’s the Spanarooni, only to have the Hardys run Booker over with ladders. For some reason Finlay saves Edge from the see saw ladder treatment and Edge suplexes Matt onto the ladder. Kennedy’s Kenton Bomb onto hits ladder (with Kennedy landing HARD on the back of his head) and it’s a Hardy slugout on top of the ladder.

Finlay breaks that up but gets speared down by Edge. More spears drop just about everyone else but Punk wraps the ladder around his head to knock out various people. Edge slides in the big ladder and climbs, at least until Orton shoves him over the top and out to the floor. Matt lays Edge over the bridged ladder and Jeff dives onto him, breaking the ladder to get rid of both of them. Both guys are taken out on stretchers and we’re down to a six way.

Now it’s time for the parade of RKOs and Orton climbs, despite not being underneath the briefcase. Punk breaks that up and climbs as well, only to get taken down with a super RKO for the huge spot. Booker grabs the Book End and goes up but Matt is there to catch him. Cue Queen Sharmell to grab Matt’s leg but Booker gets distracted by Matt and walks into the Twist of Fate.

Finlay gives Matt a Celtic Cross onto the ladder, busting himself open in the process. Now it’s Hornswoggle going up the ladder until Kennedy catches him for a super Regal Roll off the ladder. Punk dropkicks the ladder down to cut Finlay off and it’s Punk vs. Kennedy on top of the ladder. Kennedy gets knocked down but comes back up and kicks Punk down, allowing him to grab the briefcase for the win.

Rating: B. I never know how to rate these things but it was another blast with everyone flying around and having one crash after another. This was a lot of fun and one of the right people won, which is what matters the most in a match like Money in the Bank. Everyone got a chance to shine here, even in a complete car crash match like this one. Rather fun opener.

We look at the premiere of the Condemned. It wasn’t that good.

Mr. Kennedy congratulates himself and says any champion needs to have eyes in the back of his head because he’s coming with the briefcase.

Batista is All Grown Up.

Great Khali vs. Kane

Interpromotional battle of the monsters, though Kane doesn’t even have his big hook here. Khali shoves him down to start and adds a shoulder to drop Kane again. There’s a clothesline to set up a slam as it’s all Khali so far. The nerve hold doesn’t last long so Khali starts stomping away in the corner as JR gets in the bowling shoe line. Kane is back with some right hands and the top rope clothesline, which doesn’t knock Khali down.

Instead, Kane knocks him into the ropes for the tie up and NOW it’s time for the big hook. That takes too long though and the slugout is on with Khali getting the better of things. Khali rips the turnbuckle pad off but Kane gets in a low blow into the slam (for the Hogan/Andre callback). It’s just a slam though so Khali is back up with the double chokeslam for the pin.

Rating: D. What else were you expecting here? They had five minutes and the whole thing was about making Khali look like a monster. The hook never meant anything (as it would have killed Khali) but the slam was a cool moment. Sometimes you need a bit of a cool down match and that’s what you got here after the crazy opener.

The Divas are All Grown Up.

Cryme Tyme try to cheer Eugene up so here is Extreme Expose for the dancing. Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young come up in the same outfits to dance but Slick (get him in the Hall of Fame already) comes in to show them up. Dusty Rhodes, IRS, Jimmy Hart, Gerald Brisco (in a suit of course) and finally Ricky Steamboat come in. Say it with me: Ron Simmons comes in for the catchphrase.

US Title: MVP vs. Chris Benoit

MVP is challenging and has his own cheerleaders for some Wrestlemania flavor. Benoit drives him into the corner to start and grabs a headscissors on the mat. That’s reversed into a headlock as they’re going technical early on. MVP has to block the German suplex and the Crossface but Benoit sends him outside. Back in and MVP has to go to the rope to break up another Crossface attempt, which has Cole impressed. With the holds not working, Benoit chops him into the corner and loads MVP up on top, only to get knocked back down.

MVP starts in on the arm, including with some kicks and driving shoulders. The confidence gets a bit too high though as Benoit snaps off the rolling German suplex. It’s too early for the Swan Dive though and MVP catches him on top with a superplex. MVP stays on the shoulder by sending it into the post and a belly to back suplex onto the arm gets two. We hit the armbar for a bit but Benoit pops up and snaps on the Crossface. The bar arm gives out though and MVP plants him with a slam. Ballin gets two but the running boot misses in the corner. Benoit rolls more German suplexes and the Swan Dive retains the title clean.

Rating: C+. This was always a weird one for me as they set up MVP to win the title but then Benoit just retains clean. I’m still not sure what the point of this one was other than to give us a surprise. The match itself was like a good Smackdown match so it isn’t out of place, but this felt like a curve ball for the sake of a curve ball, as it isn’t like Benoit is some kind of amazing champion.

Donald Trump is in on the phone in his dressing room and complaining about things. Boogeyman comes in and Trump no sells it, asking for some food.

Undertaker is All Grown Up.

We look at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony from last night. William Shatner still seems to have almost no idea who Jerry Lawler is.

Official attendance: 80,103.

Howard Finkel introduces the Hall of Fame Class of 2007 (I still love that song):

Jim Ross (quite the reaction)
Curt Hennig (represented by family)
Jerry Lawler (also quite the reaction)
Nick Bockwinkel (Fans don’t seem to know him, but is this guy ever not impeccably dressed?)
Mr. Fuji (I would never have recognized him, though it’s Don Muraco of all people wheeling him out)
The Wild Samoans (Not much of a reaction but how were they not in already?)
The Original Sheik (represented by his wife)
Dusty Rhodes (your headliner)

We get a fan poll on Undertaker vs. Batista, with Undertaker winning 82%-18%. That’s a heck of a squash.

We recap Undertaker vs. Batista for the Smackdown World Title. Undertaker won the Royal Rumble to earn the shot and Batista is all BRING IT ON as we have the monster fight for the title. This feels like a Wrestlemania World Title match and that’s kind of a hard trick to pull off.

Smackdown World Title: Batista vs. Undertaker

Undertaker is challenging and Teddy Long handles the introductions for a bit of a weird moment. We get the full druid entrance for Undertaker, which will never stop being awesome. Batista spears him down at the bell and it’s time to trade right hands in the corner. It’s actually Batista getting the better of things and the fans are not too thrilled with that. Undertaker pulls him outside for a ram into the apron but Batista is right back for a hard whip into the steps.

Back in and Batista nails a top rope shoulder (dang) for two and a heck of a clothesline cuts Undertaker off again. Undertaker slugs back from his knees and punches Batista into the corner for the running clotheslines. Snake Eyes into the big boot sets up the legdrop for two as we’re back to mostly even. Old School looks to set up the chokeslam but Batista powers out and knocks Undertaker down.

Undertaker doesn’t seem to mind as he sends Batista to the apron for the legdrop. There’s the Taker Dive and they’re both down on the floor. Back up and Batista drives him HARD through the barricade and hammers away as things have cranked up in a hurry. The announcers’ table is loaded up and a running powerslam drives Undertaker through it for the big crash. That’s only good for two back inside so Batista punches away even more.

The Batista Bomb is broken up with a drive into the corner but Batista is right back….with right hands from the middle rope. I guess HHH didn’t teach him that one and it’s the Last Ride for two. The frustrated Undertaker gets caught in a spinebuster but pops back up with a chokeslam for two. Batista slips out of the chokeslam and hits the spear into the Batista Bomb for two as the fans are WAY into these near falls. Undertaker backdrops his way out of another Batista Bomb and sends Batista into the corner. The Tombstone is enough to give Undertaker the pin and the title.

Rating: A-. This felt like a Wrestlemania level title match between two monsters. These two beat the fire out of each other and didn’t bother with anything other than the big power moves. They were trading bombs throughout the whole match and it was a question of who would survive, which made the whole thing world. It helps when Undertaker was motivated by being put in the middle of the card and cranked it up a notch, as both guys felt like they were on another level here.

Bobby Lashley is All Grown Up.

Stephanie McMahon brings her daughter in to meet Vince McMahon and we get the baby carriage cam, with Vince talking trash about Donald Trump. Jokes about a smell, at Trump’s expense, ensue.

ECW Originals vs. New Breed

That would be Sandman/Rob Van Dam/Sabu/Tommy Dreamer vs. Elijah Burke/Marcus Cor Von/Kevin Thorn/Matt Striker, with Ariel in the New Breed’s corner. The Originals come through the crowd for a nice bit of flavor. Sabu starts fast with the springboard elbow and body block to drop Striker. Sandman comes in so Cor Von makes a fast save and stays to beat on Dreamer. A hard elbow drops Dreamer and it’s Burke coming in for the Elijah Express.

The mocking of Dreamer’s pose delays the near fall and it’s Thorn coming in for a chinlock. A spinebuster gives Thorn two with Sabu making a save of his own. Cor Von’s chinlock stays on Dreamer’s back but he lets go to knock Sandman off the apron. A neckbreaker gets Dreamer out of trouble and, after kicking Burke away, it’s a hot tag to bring in Van Dam. House is cleaned, including the monkey flip and Rolling Thunder to Striker. Everything breaks down and Dreamer DDTs Striker as Sandman runs over people on the floor. The Five Star gives Van Dam the pin.

Rating: C-. It wasn’t a good match or really anything close, but what matters here was giving ECW ANYTHING to do on the show. They didn’t need to do anything more than the basics here and Van Dam winning is a perfect way to go. You can all but guarantee that this feud isn’t over, especially with an Extreme Rules rematch out there.

Steve Austin is All Grown Up.

Wrestlemania XXIV is in Orlando.

We recap the Battle of the Billionaires, which is more about asking celebrities who they want to see bald. To keep it simple, Donald Trump and Vince McMahon got in a stupid argument over who is richer/invented YOU’RE FIRED/walks funnier so it’s time for a match between their handpicked representatives with the billionaires’ hair on the line. Throw in Steve Austin as referee and it’s the real Wrestlemania main event.

Bobby Lashley vs. Umaga

Non-title, Donald Trump and Vince McMahon are both here, with Steve Austin as guest referee and Armando Alejandro Estrada in Umaga’s corner. Everything, including the barber’s chair, gets its own entrance (JR: “All we need now is a barbershop quartet.”). They stare at each other before colliding, with Lashley driving him into the corner. Austin pulls Lashley away because Umaga is in the ropes so Lashley goes up for a middle rope clothesline.

Estrada puts Umaga’s foot on the rope so Lashley powerslams Estrada and sends him outside. A low bridge puts Umaga on the floor as well but Lashley misses a charge to send himself flying outside as well. Back in and Umaga gets two off a splash and it’s time to choke on the ropes. Austin doesn’t like that either and breaks it up, just to keep things even. The near explosion lets Lashley elbow Umaga in the face but Umaga runs him over again.

Some sitting down onto Lashley’s chest sets up a Samoan drop and Trump….looks about the same as he has all match. Lashley knocks Vince off the apron but Umaga is right back with a Downward Spiral. A trip up top takes too long as Lashley slams Umaga off the top for a double nine count, though Austin just won’t count the ten. Cue Shane McMahon to help Vince up as Umaga uppercuts Lashley down to cut him off again. Austin goes after Umaga’s eye to break up the choking so Shane offers a distraction, allowing Umaga to Samoan Spike Austin to the floor.

The double beating is on and Shane, after pointing at Trump (who points back), hits the Coast To Coast. Shane has a referee shirt (because of course he does) and Umaga’s top rope splash connects. Austin is back up to pull Shane to the floor and take him out (Trump, sounding calm: “What’s going on over here?”). Umaga drops Austin again but Trump clotheslines Vince (there’s your entertainment show highlight), leaving Austin to Stun Umaga. The spear gives Lashley the pin.

Rating: C. I don’t think anyone was expecting some kind of amazing match here and that’s not what you got. Instead, this was the crazy brawl surrounding the not very great power match. They kept this relatively short too, as there was no need to stretch this out any longer than needed. There was no way Trump was getting his head shaved so just get to the good stuff, which they did.

Post match Austin drags Vince inside for the shaving, but has to beat up Shane first. Vince tries to escape but Lashley chases him down without much trouble and drags him back to the ring. Back in and Vince bumps into Austin (as identified with a rub of the bald head), meaning it’s a Stunner to get Vince in the chair. The shaving is on (with Austin holding Vince for old times sake), even as Vince screams to not do this to him. JR: “It was Mr. McMahon’s real hair all along!”

They even whip out the shaving cream and razors to REALLY shave it off. JR: “Wrestlemania XXIII may be all grown up, but Mr. McMahon’s hair is all shaved off.” Vince looks eerily calm but then loses it all over again when Lashley holds up the mirror. As usual, Vince will do anything asked of him to make a moment like this. Beer is consumed and Austin Stuns Trump (the worst of all time, but he tried) to wrap it up.

John Cena is All Grown Up.

We look at the pre-show match as the ring is cleared out.

Commentary recaps the night so far.

Women’s Title: Melina vs. Ashley

Melina is defending and it’s a lumberjill match, with all of the lumberjills being named during the group entrance. Melina starts fast with the boot choke in the corner as JBL says the women look good enough to even impress Cole. Ashley gets knocked into a short giant swing and it’s off to a double arm crank with Melina’s boots in Ashley’s back. The comeback is on with Ashley whipping her into the corner and grabbing a monkey flip. Starstruck (middle rope elbow) misses though and Melina grabs a bridging cradle to retain.

Rating: D. Did you expect anything else? Ashley isn’t a wrestler and Melina isn’t good enough to carry her to anything great. They were very smart to keep this short as there was no way they could do anything long term here. Ashley did as much as she could, but this was nothing more than a way to promote her Playboy, as is the tradition for this spot.

Post match the big brawl is on and the good ones clean house in a hurry.

Shawn Michaels is All Grown Up.

John Cena beats Shawn Michaels in another fan poll 59%-41%.

We recap John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels for the Raw World Title. Michaels won a triple threat match to earn the spot and has since decided that he wanted to protect Cena until Wrestlemania. They wound up winning the Tag Team Titles but Shawn finally superkicked Cena, as is his nature, on the final Raw before Wrestlemania. Cena winning seems likely, but it’s Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania, and that is always going to give him a shot.

Raw World Title: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels

Michaels is challenging and comes out to the DX theme, which still doesn’t feel quite right. You would think his already iconic theme song would work, though he’s pretty famous for this song too. Cena’s big Wrestlemania entrance this year involves driving a Ford Mustang into the arena, right through a glass wall. They happen to be Tag Team Champions as well but it doesn’t mean as much here.

Shawn sits on the top turnbuckle as we’re ready to go. After hopping down, Shawn tells Cena to bring it and finally slaps him in the face to pick up the pace in a hurry. Cena gets knocked down into the corner and that means a crotch chop from Shawn. A backflip gets Shawn out of a belly to back suplex and Cena is frustrated early on. Shawn headlock takeovers him down and then does it again for a bonus. Back up and Cena cuts him down with a clothesline as the fans are firmly behind Shawn here.

Shawn enziguris him to the floor, setting up the springboard moonsault onto Cena onto the announcers’ table for the really nasty crash. Back in and Shawn goes for the leg, including stomping it down and wrapping it around the post. More stomping has the referee asking if Cena can continue and Shawn bends the knee around the rope. Shawn chops away so Cena punches him in the face for a simple yet effective counter.

A missed charge sends Shawn hard into the post and he’s busted open (thanks to one of those lightning quick blade jobs). Cena starts the comeback, including the ProtoBomb and Shuffle, but Shawn slips out of the FU. A quick Sweet Chin Music hits the referee by mistake (it seems early for that) and the FU is countered into a DDT to put them both down. With no referee, Shawn takes Cena outside for a piledriver onto the steps. Cena is busted as well as Shawn pulls him back inside, where a second referee comes in for the near fall.

The forearm sets up the top rope elbow but Sweet Chin Music is cut off with a hard clothesline. They’re both down again (as you might have guessed) for a bit before it’s time for the big slugout. The FU is countered into a sunset flip to give Shawn two but the next attempt connects. Cena can’t cover at first so it’s a very delayed near fall. Shawn breaks up the super FU and tries the superkick but has to counter the STFU (over and over) before getting two off a small package.

Cena is back with the STFU but Shawn realizes he is about a foot away from the rope and they’re out again. Back up and Shawn hits a quick Sweet Chin Music for a delayed near fall of his own. They pull themselves up and Cena snaps him right back into the STFU to make Shawn tap and retain the title.

Rating: A-. This felt like a Wrestlemania main event and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. They went with the epic match here and by the end, it felt like either of them could pull this off. It made everything feel that much better and it felt like an incredible main event. Again, I’m not sure how much drama there was over who was going to win here, but they still had an outstanding match with Shawn making Cena look like a killer and Cena hanging with Shawn well enough to feel like the biggest star in the company when he retained the title.

Shawn walks away post match, but Cena offer the salute.

The Ladies And Gentlemen highlight package wraps us up.

Overall Rating: B. The big matches delivered and the bad stuff was mostly short. While it isn’t quite a classic, this is firmly in the higher tier of Wrestlemanias. What mattered here was the feeling, as you had a pair of great World Title matches, Money in the Bank delivering, and the big song and dance match with the Battle of the Billionaires. The rest of the show was watchable at worst and as a result, it felt like a Wrestlemania. That’s more than you could say about last year’s edition so they are trending in the right direction.

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Wrestlemania XXII
Date: April 2, 2006
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 17,159
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz, Jerry Lawler, Jim Ross

It’s time for the biggest night of the year and this time around it has been rather fun. The Raw side has been a heck of a build while the Smackdown side has been hit and miss at best. This is one of the more forgotten Wrestlemanias (given that the image on the poster was of John Cena vs. Booker T., a match which hadn’t taken place in over a year at this point, you can kind of tell that they aren’t caring all that much) and it’s also the last one to date in a regular arena. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Battle Royal

Eugene, Viscera, Goldust, Snitsky, Rob Conway, Tyson Tomko, Lance Cade, Trevor Murdoch, Matt Striker, Super Crazy, Psicosis, Funaki, Steven Richards, Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro, Animal, William Regal, Simon Dean

Half from Raw and half from Smackdown, so yes they are wearing the designated shirts. Dean tries to do his intro and gets kicked in the face for the immediate elimination. Richards gets rid of Conway and Funaki goes out as well. There goes Cade, followed by Goldust getting rid of Richards. Striker is out too and there go Crazy and Goldust as the ring is cleared out in a hurry. Snitsky gets rid of Regal and MNM dumps Eugene after a Snapshot.

We get the Raw vs. Smackdown showdown and Murdoch and Psicosis go out back to back. We’re down to Viscera, MNM, Snitsky, Tomko and Animal with Viscera and Animal being the targets for the other four. Viscera misses a charge in the corner but beats up MNM without much trouble. That means a double Visagra (Cole: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand!” What in the world could that possibly mean in this context?) and Melina is nearly sick. It gets even worse as Viscera tosses MNM to get us down to four.

Snitsky kicks Tomko out by mistake and the LOD chants start back up. A big boot to Animal lets Viscera get rid of him, much to the crowd’s annoyance. Snitsky misses a running big boot though and Viscera wins without touching Snitsky at all. Cole: “I was hoping that would go on for another 15-20 minutes!” Tazz: “One of the best battle royals I’ve ever been a part of!” They’re bringing the Wrestlemania level snark this year.

Rating: D. Yeah this was horrible but the whole point was to get the undercard on the roster. I’m not sure on the logic of having the Chicago guy get all the way to the final three and then have him lose for the sake of Viscera, but I guess they don’t want a heel winning to open the show. Not that it would have mattered as it would have been one of the pops of the night, but it’s not worth getting annoyed about in the first place as it was a six minute battle royal before the feature presentation begins.

Post match Viscera kisses Lilian, who doesn’t seem thrilled.

Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child sings America the Beautiful. You know they’re getting in those American visuals every year and this is no exception.

The opening video looks at some great Wrestlemania moments over I Dare You by Shinedown. I like the song so this is a pretty good combination. They switch over to another song and the matches for this year’s show. That’s a nice mix that they tend to do well most years.

The posters of wrestlers around the top of the arena are a nice touch.

Raw Tag Team Titles: Carlito/Chris Masters vs. Big Show/Kane

Show/Kane are defending and we get the always awesome visual of the city set being on fire during Kane’s entrance. Masters shoulders Kane down to start as JR says this is the first tradition two on two tag match for these titles since Wrestlemania XV. How do you go that long without doing the normal version? Kane is back up with a leapfrog into a dropkick and it’s off to Show for the loud chops in the corner. A poke to the eye allows the tag off to Carlito, who gets a HECK of a reception (one of the loudest reactions I’ve ever seen for him), though Show throws both he and Masters around with ease.

Carlito gets gorilla pressed over the top onto Masters (seemingly elbowing him in the face on the way down) and Kane hits the top rope clothesline onto both of them. Back in and a double flapjack actually gets two on Show, with the replay showing a ram into an exposed buckle had something to do with it. Kane gets the tag so Show has to break up the Masterlock. Everything breaks down and Masters saves Carlito from the chokeslam. Masters hits Carlito by mistake when trying to save him again, meaning Kane can boot Masters to the floor. Not the chokeslam can hit Carlito to retain the titles.

Rating: C-. It was basically a more energetic Raw match and that works well enough for a Wrestlemania opener. I tend to like something like this more than some white hot match to open the show as it means you can go up from here. Carlito and Masters hadn’t been treated as threats to the title coming into the show so it makes sense for them to be little more than an annoyance here.

Post match, Carlito and Masters argue, with the fans being entirely behind Carlito. No violence ensues though.

Shawn Michaels, with a bandage on his head, says he doesn’t regret saying that Vince McMahon needed to grow up. Last year he and Kurt Angle tore the house down and the year before that, he did the same thing with Chris Benoit and HHH. Tonight, Shawn is going to be a different version of himself. Tonight, Vince McMahon needs to bow down and pray because Shawn is taking him to his own personal h***.

Matt Hardy vs. Finlay vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Ric Flair vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Rob Van Dam

Money in the Bank, allowing Cole to get in his first (to be fair in this case, minor) slip up of the night by saying Edge cashed in after John Cena’s Armageddon match. It’s a big brawl to start and the fans are behind Van Dam early on. Hardy goes for the first ladder but Van Dam takes him down with a slingshot dive onto the ladder onto Hardy for the crash. A ladder is bridged against the ropes so Shelton gets a running start for a huge flip dive to take down all of the young people.

Flair and Finlay fight in the ring (go on) but Matt comes in for the save with a superplex to bring Flair off the ladder (egads man). So Flair screams a lot and gets the X treatment (thanks to his knee), meaning we’re going to be down a person after about two and a half minutes. Lashley goes up top but Shelton grabs a sunset bomb. He can’t get Lashley down though so Finlay and Hardy go into the hurt business to bring Lashley crashing to the mat. Hardy crushes Finlay with the ladder in the corner until Finlay throws it back at him.

Finlay loads up the ladder but here’s Flair (after about three minutes away) to cut him off. Chops abound and Flair goes up again until Finlay makes the save with the Shillelagh, making Flair take another bump he shouldn’t be taking. The briefcase is swinging back and forth so Finlay can’t pull it down, allowing Shelton to go up as well. Lashley breaks that up and hits the Dominator on Benjamin, so Van Dam has to dropkick a chair into Lashley for the save.

Matt’s screaming legdrop from the ladder hits Lashley but he has to Side Effect Finlay off the ladder. Finlay gets knocked down as well though and Rob hits a splash off the very top of the ladder for the big crash. Van Dam goes up so Shelton does the always insane springboard onto the top of the ladder (because he can just do that) and hammers away. Matt brings in another ladder and climbs up to slug away at Shelton, who steps over to the other ladder. Rob shoves them both over for the big crash to the floor (always looks great) though and pulls down the briefcase to win.

Rating: B. This was good but not quite up to the standard that the big ladder matches have. It wasn’t all that long either and they didn’t have time to build much up. Shelton got in the big, impressive spots but there were enough high level bumps to go around. Van Dam and Flair were the only realistic winners here too so they picked one of the best options. Not as good as the others, but it still did what it was supposed to do.

New Hall of Famer Gene Okerlund is interrupted by Randy Orton, who doesn’t think much of someone who held a microphone for thirty five years. He promises to win the Smackdown World Title tonight but here’s Batista to say whoever leaves as champion is just holding it for him. Next year, he’s going to be champion at Wrestlemania XXIII.

It’s time for the Hall of Fame class, minus Bret Hart, who was not comfortable with appearing.

Gene Okerlund (No one did it better.)

Sensational Sherri (How was she not in already?)

Tony Atlas (He always seems happy to be around.)

Verne Gagne (Doesn’t mean anything directly to WWE, but you don’t have a wrestling Hall of Fame without him.)

William Perry (Sure, but he couldn’t get a suit? Or a tie? Or a shirt that tucked in?)

The Blackjacks (Again, how were they not in already?)

Eddie Guerrero (Yep.)

Vickie Guerrero looks rather overcome by the reception in a touching moment.

US Title: Chris Benoit vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

JBL, with Jillian Hall, is challenging and the ramp raises up so the limo can drive in. After commentary can manage to stop talking about Jillian’s cowgirl look, they bring up JBL wanting to prove that he can beat another great technical wrestler after Eddie Guerrero. They go straight to the slugout to start until Benoit drop toeholds him to try the Crossface. JBL is able to block it so Benoit headbutts him in the back of the head, which is a rather intense next step.

Some forearms to the neck keep JBL in trouble and a chop takes him down again. It’s too early for the Sharpshooter though and JBL bails to the floor to hide behind Jillian. Back in and JBL hammers him down in the corner until he misses a charge, allowing Benoit to roll the German suplexes. JBL crotches him on top though and hits the Eddie dance for some good mocking. The superplex brings Benoit down in a crash, allowing JBL to dance some more. He even hits two Amigos before having to boot Benoit in the face to cut off the comeback.

We hit the chinlock but Benoit fights up with more suplexes. The Swan Dive gets a close two but JBL blocks another Crossface attempt. He also blocks a German suplex with a grab of the rope and the referee, allowing him to….actually not cheat. Instead the Clothesline From JBL is countered into the Crossface, which is countered into a cradle (with a grab of the rope) to give JBL the pin and the title.

Rating: C+. This has always been a bit of a weird one for me as JBL wasn’t exactly a hot challenger coming in but he did pick up the title, which reheated him in a hurry. He wasn’t going to make it back to the World Title anytime soon (or ever, as he didn’t need it), but he needed to win something instead of losing over and over again. This was good enough though and it’s hardly a stretch to see JBL win a match over Benoit.

We recap Edge vs. Mick Foley. Edge accused Foley of costing him the Raw World Title and wanted to beat him down, so Foley agreed to a fight. Foley wanted that one Wrestlemania moment and Edge is starting to realize that he might be in over his head.

Edge vs. Mick Foley

Hardcore match, Joey Styles joins commentary, Lita is here with Edge and Foley’s flannel shirt is buttoned up for a change. Edge has a bat to start but the early swings miss and Edge drops it to the floor. Foley slugs away in the corner and puts Edge in the Tree of Woe for the running elbow to the face. Lita throws in a metal sign though and it goes upside Foley’s head over and over. The spear hits early….and Edge is in a lot of pain, as Foley opens up the shirt to reveal a band of barbed wire wrapped around his stomach.

Foley cuts himself free and ties Edge in the ropes, meaning it’s time to grab the barbed wire bat. Lita tries for the save so it’s the Cactus Clothesline to Edge, sending all three outside in the process. Foley is certainly bringing it early on. A neckbreaker on the floor drops Edge and Foley pounds him down but his charge is hiptossed into the steps for a REALLY painful looking crash. There go Foley’s knees into the steps and it’s time for a chair. Edge loads up a table on the floor but Foley rolls off before Edge can come off the top.

Instead Edge slams him head first into the steel ramp (for a SICK thud)….and it’s time for the lighter fluid. Edge covers Foley in the fluid but gets piledriven for two. Foley grabs the chair but a Lita distraction lets Edge hit a DDT. Foley is busted and the barbed wire bat to the head makes it even worse. It’s time for the thumbtacks but Foley slams Edge (with no shirt) down onto them for the really big reaction.

A barbed wire Mandible Claw goes on and now it’s Edge being hit with the barbed wire bat over and over. Now it’s time for Foley to spray the table with lighter fluid but Lita hits Foley in the knee with the barbed wire bat. The table is set on fire and Edge hits the spear through the ropes and through the fire for the pin.

Rating: A. What is there to say about this? They massacred each other and Foley bled all over the place before taking a huge bump to end the match. This was a different side of Edge and it’s the side that needed to be shown to make him feel like more than a flash in the pan. This felt like two people wanting to hurt each other and then getting to do so, as Foley continues to know how to make someone into a much bigger star than almost anyone else.

Edge and Lita looking like they’re in physical shock after the match makes it a lot better.

Some fans won tickets to the show from Snickers.

Booker T./Sharmell vs. Boogeyman

Booker makes Sharmell start, jumps Boogeyman from behind, and then comes in to hammer on Boogeyman. The comeback doesn’t take long and Booker is sent into the post. Boogeyman eats some worms and stares at Sharmell for trying a staff shot to the back. Sharmell gets kissed with the worms and runs off, leaving Boogeyman to chokebomb Booker for the pin.

Rating: F. Of course this is a failure as there isn’t anything to be praised here. It was the three of them doing a short, bad match and the big deal was Sharmell getting a mouth full of worms. There isn’t much else to it than that and the fact that this aired at Wrestlemania at any point after about 1991 tells you why it’s a failure.

We recap Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James for the Women’s Title. Mickie is a psycho who was obsessed with Trish (they never said the word lesbian but that’s what they were going for) but Trish wasn’t interested. Once Mickie was flat out turned down, she completely snapped and decided to take the Women’s Title instead. This feels like a big fight and that’s a good thing around here.

Women’s Title: Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus

Trish is defending. They fight over a lockup to start as JR tries to diagnose Mickie’s mental state. The Thesz press (JR: “Maybe the Louise Thesz press.”) puts Mickie down but she comes back with a kick, only to be thrown into the splits. A baseball slide puts Mickie on the floor but Trish kicks the post by mistake. Mickie wraps the leg around the post in a smart move and there’s a dropkick to the knee to make it worse.

The fans get behind Mickie and she wraps the leg around the ropes. The half crab goes on before it’s time to stomp on the leg in the corner. Mickie stops to soak in the cheers and bends the leg some more. This time Trish reverses into the spinning anklescissors but the fans aren’t happy with the comeback. The Stratusphere is countered with another slam of the leg to the mat as Lawler notices that Mickie’s skirt isn’t the most functional in a match.

Trish comes back with a Stratusfaction attempt but Mickie grabs her between the legs (on the Network) and licks her own hand (not on the Network) as JR loses it. Mickie tries the Stratusfaction but she either leaves it short or Trish can’t hold her on the knee, meaning they botch it horribly (also not on the Network). Mickie settles for the Chick Kick for the pin and the title. JR: “THE NUT JOB HAS WON THE TITLE!”

Rating: B-. This was getting really good near the end but then the botch happened and it stopped everything cold. The leg stuff was good and while it would have made more sense to have Trish’s knee give out when she was trying the Stratusfaction, it worked for a story in the match as Mickie knew how to break the thing down. More importantly though, Mickie FINALLY ends Trish’s year long plus reign and becomes the new star, which is long overdue. They needed to have the title change here as Trish had run out of gas a long time ago but it wasn’t like she had anyone good enough to drop it to.

Vince McMahons has the rest of the family drop to their knees in prayer before his match with Shawn. Vince: “God, let’s face it. I don’t like you, and you don’t like me.” Vince praises his own physique and promises to end Shawn.

Mark Henry vs. Undertaker

Casket match and the druids take their time wheeling the casket to ringside. Undertaker does the full entrance and Henry manages to keep glaring at him before jumping him to start things off. Some running clotheslines don’t do much to Henry so he runs Undertaker over with a single shot. They head outside with both guys going head first into the steps. The fans are in am ore traditional role here with the Undertaker cheers, which are cut off when Henry blocks Old School.

A low blow saves Undertaker from going into the casket and now it’s time to go after the arm. Old School connects this time but he still can’t get Henry down. Henry runs him over again but misses the running crotch attack and gets dropped into the casket. Undertaker follows him in and the lid closes before opening up with Undertaker’s hand around Henry’ throat.

They get back inside with Henry hitting the World’s Strongest Slam and covering because he isn’t that bright. Speaking of not that bright, Henry hammers away in the corner but gets planted with the Last Ride. Undertaker throws him onto and over the casket, setting up the Taker Dive (which barely clears the casket). Back in and a pretty impressive Tombstone lets Undertaker put him in the casket for the win.

Rating: D. Another one which didn’t work so well, mainly because there was no drama. Who was believing that Mark Henry was going to be the one to break the Streak? The Taker Dive and Tombstone both looked great but there isn’t much of a way around the fact that it was Mark Henry trying to break the Streak. It had no drama and wasn’t even that long, leaving this near the bottom end of the Streak (at least once it became a big deal).

We recap Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon. Shawn told Vince that it was time to get over the Montreal Screwjob and grow up so Vince decided to destroy Shawn once and for all. He has done a great job of making Shawn miserable and now it is time for Shawn to FINALLY get his hands on Vince in a no holds barred match.

Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon

No Holds Barred and there is a big framed copy of Vince’s Muscle and Fitness Magazine at ringside. Shawn jumps him to start and sends him into JR as the WE WANT BRET chants begin. The framed magazine goes around Vince’s head and Shawn is all ticked off. Cue the Spirit Squad to beat Shawn down though and hit the five man toss into the air. JR: “Someone get the hook!” Shawn gets their megaphone (which is smoking/powdery for some reason) and beats them down though, which sends them off for some reason.

Vince, now bleeding above the eye, gets in a clothesline to take over and it’s time to choke in the corner. The leather belt rips Shawn’s back up and it’s time to choke. Vince actually tunes up the band but Shawn blocks the kick (which had height but was nowhere near the right form) and hammers away. JR: “How are your stock dividends now???” The top rope elbow connects but here’s Shane with a kendo stick to take Shawn down. Always one to rub it in, Vince drops his pants but Shawn puts Shane’s face into it instead, followed by a low blow to Vince.

A clothesline puts Shane on the floor but that’s not enough, as Shawn handcuffs Shane to the rope. The Shane dance sets up a bunch of kendo stick shots to Shane and there’s a heck of a chair shot to Vince’s head. Lawler: “CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!” Vince is busted open and Shawn tunes up the band….before stopping cold. Instead he goes outside and grabs a ladder, which goes straight into Vince’s forehead.

Shawn still won’t cover as he grabs some trashcans and a table instead, even shoving Shane away to get to them. The trashcan to the head drops Vince again and Shawn goes up the ladder. Then he climbs back down and pulls out the BIG ladder. Shawn climbs again, does the suck it sign, and elbows Vince through the table for the huge crash. Medics bring a stretcher out but Shawn scares them off, stands Vince up, yells a lot, and finishes with the superkick.

Rating: C+. Of course it’s junk as an actual match, but this was exactly what they set it up to be. There is no reason to believe that Vince can hang with Shawn in a regular match so he didn’t really come close. Vince brought in a bunch of people, Shawn beat them up and then the beating began. Shawn destroyed him completely (or at least until the next night on Raw, or maybe a week later if they’re feeling generous) and it made sense. Might have gone a little long, but it was the logical way to go.

Post match Vince is taken out on a stretcher and still flips Shawn off. Cole talks about how Shawn promised to never go back to his old self but did it here. Not exactly, as it was just Shawn being violent and aggressive, which isn’t quite what they were talking about on the way here.

We recap Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle for the Smackdown World Title. Rey won the Royal Rumble to earn the title shot but Orton talked enough trash to get him to put the shot on the line at No Way Out. Orton cheated to win, but Teddy Long put Rey in the match too, making it a triple threat.

Smackdown World Title: Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton vs. Kurt Angle

Angle is defending and POD plays Rey, in an Aztec warrior costume this year, to the ring. Orton jumps Angle with the belt before the bell to start but Angle is right back in with a German suplex to Orton, plus a double German to both of them at once (with Rey flying through the air). An overhead belly to belly takes Orton over as well but Rey sends Angle face first into Orton’s crotch.

Angle is fine enough to send Rey up for a super hurricanrana to Orton before throwing Rey outside. Rey breaks up the ankle lock attempt and kicks Angle in the head for two as the fans are split between Rey and Kurt. The 619 is countered into the ankle lock and Rey taps (less than four minutes in) but the referee is with Orton. The German suplexes take down both challengers and an Angle Slam to the floor drops Rey in a heap. That means an ankle lock to Orton but this time Rey grabs the referee so he can’t see a tap.

Rey Drops the Dime on Angle but gets knocked outside again. The RKO connects for a delayed two on Angle and Randy goes up top, earning himself the running belly to belly superplex. Rey is back in with the springboard seated senton for two more on Angle and Orton is back in to kick Angle to the floor. The powerbomb neckbreaker gets two on Rey but the RKO takes too long, allowing Angle to come back in with the Angle Slam on Orton. Rey slips out of the Angle Slam and armdrags Angle to the floor. That leaves Orton to be dropkicked into the ropes for the 619 into the West Coast Pop for the pin and the title.

Rating: C+. This is still one of the more perplexing big matches in Wrestlemania history as it had no real structure other than them doing moves to each other. Nothing was built up, nothing set up the finish and Rey just pinned Orton to win. It was fine as it was, but I was expecting a lot more, including more time as it didn’t even last ten minutes.

Post match the Guerreros come out to celebrate with Rey.

JR and the King talk about HHH and John Cena being ready for tonight. They needed two minutes for this instead of the other World Title match? Ah right: they needed to put a bed and pillows in the ring. Great way to use the Wrestlemania time.

Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle

It’s the annual Playboy match pillow fight so JR talks about Frank Gotch gate records in Chicago during the entrances. They to to the bed to start and then hit the catfighting. Torrie turns the bed over on her and then puts her dog on Candice’s face. Candice loses her dress and then puts on a headscissors over the ropes while bending backwards over the ropes. A middle rope elbow hits Torrie on the bed and it’s time to cut Torrie out of her dress. Candice pulls out her Playboy but gets rolled up for the pin.

Rating: D-. Yeah this happened and that’s about all there is to say about it. They were there to promote Playboy and it worked well enough, even though the Playboy Diva is usually a face and someone who wins but not quite this time around. It wasn’t exactly a match of course, but why would you expect anything else?

We see clips of the Wrestlemania press conference, with HHH saying the match against John Cena will be easy and Cena saying not so fast. HHH won a tournament to get the shot so there isn’t much of a story.

Raw World Title: HHH vs. John Cena

Cena is defending and HHH, sitting on a throne in a Thor/Conan motif (the announcers say Conan but he had a big hammer), rises out from the stage. Cena on the other hand comes out after a gangster video and following an old car, complete with CM Punk as a machine gun toting gangster in one of the more well known Before They Were Famous cameos. Still as close as he ever got to the Wrestlemania main event. We get an old school weapons check as JR puts over the idea of the grunt vs. the seasons, trained professional to give us a good story to the match.

They fight over the arm control to start and Cena is sent into the corner for some frustration. The fans are almost entirely behind HHH here, or at least the loud ones are. The FU doesn’t work and they stare each other down again. Cena is sent outside for a big cheer but he comes back in to slug away. A backdrop gives Cena two and the fisherman’s suplex gets the same.

We’re already into the chinlock as the fans tell Cena that he can’t wrestle. There’s the big whip over the corner to send HHH to the floor and another backdrop puts him on the ramp. Back in and HHH hits the jumping knee for a positive reaction as commentary keeps talking about the crowd reactions. HHH whips him hard into the steps and the fans even pop for him breaking the count.

Back in again and the facebuster into a running clothesline gets two on Cena, with JR calling it a slobberknocker. A pair of neckbreakers gets two more and we hit the neck crank. HHH switches to a sleeper and then a chinlock as JR gets the World Title wrong and has to apologize to Rey Mysterio. Cena fights up and hits his own clothesline before winning the slugout. There’s a powerslam and Cena initiates the finishing sequence but the Shuffle is countered with a spinebuster for two more. Another sleeper is countered into a belly to back suplex and it’s the Shuffle into the STFU.

HHH finally makes the rope and escapes the FU before sending Cena into the referee in the corner. That means a low blow to both of them, meaning HHH can give us the crotch chop. It’s sledgehammer time and Cena is knocked silly for a delayed two. The FU gets the same and the fans are popping hard on these near falls. Cena misses a high crossbody so HHH tries the Pedigree but Cena pulls him into the STFU, even trapping the arm so HHH can’t make the rope. It takes some time but HHH finally taps and Cena retains.

Rating: A-. That’s the ultimate achievement on Raw and the win that Cena really needed to become THE guy. He had been champion for almost a year straight but still felt somewhat like someone who hadn’t made it all the way to the top yet. Cena had been the guy, but he wasn’t THE guy until this one and that’s a big change.

The match itself was great as you would expect from these two on the big stage. They played up the idea that Cena was in over his head but ground out another win as he tends to do. Cena was getting better at the big matches around this point and of course that would become one of his calling cards down the line. This worked well and felt like a Wrestlemania main event as the company is now Cena’s, which is what matters most.

The celebration and five minute highlight package wraps us up.

Overall Rating: B-. Just like it did in the buildup, Raw annihilated Smackdown here with the two matches that made the show and a lot of other good stuff in between (plus winning Money in the Bank). Edge vs. Foley and the main event certainly deliver, but the rest of the show isn’t anything great. There are some really bad parts on here but the rest is good enough. That may sound good, but I’d like a little more than “good enough” for Wrestlemania.

The biggest problem here is that there really aren’t many blow away moments. Cena winning was more of a long term deal, Rey winning the title felt more like Eddie’s big farewell, Money in the Bank is all about the future and Trish finally losing is hardly top tier stuff. Shawn getting the win against Vince was nice to see, but that middle finger after the match doesn’t make it seem like a blowoff. The problem here is Smackdown, as there wasn’t much of note other than Rey’s title win. It was a one sided show between the two brands and when the show is built around both, it doesn’t work so well, Good, but forgettable.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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Elimination Chamber 2024
Date: February 24, 2024
Location: Optus Stadium, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re going international with this show and that means we are likely in for a rather hot crowd. As you can probably guess, this show is going to be focused on the namesake matches, which will help get us to Wrestlemania. Other than that, we have Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes on the Grayson Waller Effect, which should be interesting. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Women’s Tag Team Titles: Kabuki Warriors vs. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae

Australia’s Hartwell and LeRae are challenging and Hartwell gets quite the reaction (and mini bio from Cole). Hartwell and Sane start things off with the fans already chanting for Indi. Sane gets powered into the corner as they’re starting fairly slowly. A headlock doesn’t want for Sane as Hartwell shoves her off and kicks her down. LeRae comes in and gets two off a splash before being sent into Asuka’s boots in the corner. LeRae unloads on Asuka in the corner and hits her step up backsplash for two.

A sliding knee cuts LeRae off though and Sane’s top rope forearm has her down again. Hartwell gets knocked off the apron but LeRae manages to kick Asuka away and get over to Hartwell for the needed tag. Hartwell gets to clean house, including something of a body block to send Asuka outside. LeRae is back in with a Lionsault for two on Asuka with Sane making the save. Asuka suplexes Hartwell, who grabs a rollup for two (to a big reaction) before being knocked outside. That leaves LeRae to get knocked off the top and caught in a reverse DDT/Insane Elbow combination for the pin to retain at 8:41.

Rating: C. I don’t think there was that much drama over the idea of a title change, but this was about getting an Australian wrestler out there to start the show. That went rather well, with Hartwell getting the fans’ attention and firing them up even more than before. The Warriors never quite felt in jeopardy here, but that wasn’t exactly the point of the match. Nice enough opener and they didn’t do anything ridiculous.

Post match Hartwell gets the big ovation.

Several people arrived earlier.

Opening video, mainly focusing on Rhea Ripley.

More people arrived.

Women’s Elimination Chamber

The winner gets Rhea Ripley or Nia Jax at Wrestlemania. There is no word on how long the intervals are other than them being “regularly scheduled”. Naomi is in at #1 and Becky Lynch is in at #2 and they take their time to start. They trade shoulders with neither being able to get very far and then trade rollups for two each. That means a standoff before they slap hands and catch each others’ kicks. Lynch tries for the Disarm-Her but gets rolled into a failed Starstruck attempt instead.

They head outside, where Naomi sends her face first into the cage and then takes it back inside. Stereo crossbodies leave both of them down and it’s Tiffany Stratton (quite the crowd favorite, which even she acknowledges) in at #3. The handspring elbows have Naomi in trouble in the corner but Becky goes for the Disarm-Her. That’s broken up by Naomi’s high crossbody for a double near fall and everyone is down.

Stratton tries a double fireman’s carry but can’t keep them up, instead taking Lynch down on her own. The Prettiest Moonsault Ever is broken up so Naomi hits the split legged moonsault on Lynch but Stratton steals the cover for two. With everyone down, Liv Morgan is in at #4 and she sends Stratton into the sides of the pods over and over.

Morgan starts firing off a bunch of elbows in the corner, followed by a middle rope Codebreaker for two on Lynch. Naomi and Stratton go outside with Naomi sending her into the cage wall. Lynch joins them and Bexploders Stratton into the wall. The Disarm-Her, with Stratton’s arm going through the cage, has Stratton in trouble but the fall doesn’t count out there. Back in and Naomi climbs a pod and Blockbusters Morgan off the top, only to have Stratton roll Naomi up for the pin at 13:27.

Raquel Rodriguez is in at #5 and starts throwing people around, including a fall away slam over the top to Lynch and swinging Stratton into the cage. That leaves Rodriguez vs. Morgan, with the middle rope Codebreaker being blocked. Lynch is back in with a double DDT to put Rodriguez down but Stratton gets in a shot of her own to leave everyone on the mat for a bit. Bianca Belair is in at #6 and puts Stratton back in a pod before cleaning house.

Stratton comes back in and gets spinebustered for her efforts. That gives us the Rodriguez vs. Belair showdown with Belair’s crossbody being pulled out of the air. Rodriguez slips out of the KOD attempt but misses a charge and gets sent outside. Belair is pulled out with her and manages to reverse a slingshot suplex into a tornado DDT onto the cage floor. Belair fireman’s carries Rodriguez but gets sent outside again by Stratton.

Rodriguez is laid over the middle rope but Morgan comes flying off the top with a seated senton. Lynch and Morgan are both on top of a pod with Stratton shoving her off and onto Rodriguez. Stratton says it’s Tiffy Time and hits a crazy Swanton from off the pod and onto the pile to leave everyone but Morgan down again. That means Stratton gets to face Morgan on her own but the Prettiest Moonsault Ever is broken up. Instead, Morgan hits a middle rope Downward Spiral to get rid of Stratton (the fans do not approve) at 22:55 overall.

Rodriguez is back up and gets to clean some house, including a chokeslam to Morgan. The middle rope corkscrew splash crushes Morgan but Lynch pulls Rodriguez into the Disarm-Her. That’s broken up as well so Rodriguez powerbombs Morgan and Lynch at the same time. Belair is right back in with the KOD (and she barely got it on) to eliminate Rodriguez at 25:05 overall.

That leaves us with three and Belair takes over on both of them rather quickly. A double handspring moonsault hits Morgan and Lynch for two before they all head outside. Morgan gets swung into the cage but she’s back with a kick to send Belair face first into a pod. Lynch is back up but Belair catches her in the corner to rain down right hands.

Morgan powerbombs Belair down and then superplexes Lynch, who is still able to get her knees up to block Belair’s 450. Back up and Morgan counters the KOD with a knee to Belair’s face, followed by a Codebreaker to Lynch. Another KO doesn’t work on Lynch so Morgan rolls Belair up for the pin at 32:07 overall, only for the Manhandle Slam to pin Morgan and send Lynch to Wrestlemania at 32:15.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but they didn’t just have Lynch run through everyone to get to the title match. In addition to Lynch, you had the good three way final, plus Stratton looking like a star. Stratton very well may have gotten the most out of this whole thing, as she had the fans behind her and more than lived up to the hype. The match might have gone a bit longer than it needed to, but this was Lynch’s coronation and it worked well.

Tag Team Titles: Judgment Day vs. New Catch Republic

The Republic (Graves: “Sounds like a place where my wife buys her clothes.”) is challenging and Dominik Mysterio is here with the champs. Bate and Dunne jump the champs before the bell, allowing Bate to hit a running shooting star press for an early two on Balor. Dunne comes in for a hard clothesline before cranking on Balor’s fingers. Bate adds a top rope flipping splash, only to have Priest come in and kick away.

Balor comes back in for a chinlock until Bate fights up but Dominik cuts that off. A backbreaker/legdrop combination hits Bate, but Balor manages to get over to Dunne anyway. House is quickly cleaned, including a middle rope moonsault to drop the champs on the floor. A clothesline/German suplex combination gets two on Balor but Bate can’t airplane spin Priest. Everything breaks down and now the spin (a long one at that) has Priest in trouble.

Dominik offers a distraction and that’s enough for an ejection. He won’t leave so Balor drops him, leaving Balor to Sling Blade Dunne. That doesn’t slow Dunne down that much though as he snaps Balor’s fingers, setting up the double Tyler Driver 97 for two, with Priest making the save. Dunne dives onto Priest, who plants him onto the apron. Back in and Balor hits 1916 for two on Bate but the Razor’s Edge is countered.

Bate rolls Priest up and it’s back to Dunne for some kicks to Priest’s head. Bop and Bang sets up the double Birminghammer for two on Priest, followed by some clubberin for good measure. Balor saves Priest from being slammed off the top and it’s a double chokeslam off the middle rope. The Coup de Grace to Dunne retains the titles at 17:26.

Rating: B-. The action was good but this went on longer than it needed to. I was waiting for this one to end more than once and then it just kept going longer and longer. A title change wasn’t completely out of the question here, but they needed to cut off about four minutes here to really make this work. Hopefully Bate and Dunne continue teaming, as the division could use them and they have done well in their time together.

It’s time for the Grayson Waller Effect, but first we have Austin Theory to insult Australian food. Waller comes out to not the strongest reaction but the fans do like him drinking beer out of shoes with a UFC fighter. After Waller plays up to the crowd a bit, he brings out his first guest in Seth Rollins. Then he brings out Cody Rhodes, with the entrances taking their sweet time.

With both of the guests sitting down, Waller pauses to acknowledge Roman Reigns. Waller gets right to the point: who does Rollins want to fight at Wrestlemania? Rollins instead offers a scoop: he is days away from being medically cleared to compete. Rollins talks about how he’s going to win and hits his catchphrases. Waller: “Cool story bro.” We move over to Cody, with Waller asking if Cody is selfish for not giving us Rock vs. Reigns at Wrestlemania.

Cody reiterates that he is a fan of the Rock before listing off the things that Rock would say if he was here. We confirm that there are in fact some Cody Crybabies in the crowd and then questions if the Rock is still the People’s Champion. Cody thinks that if Rollins made an announcement, he should too…and he challenges Rock to a singles match.

Rollins says he’ll be there with Cody when the match happens but Theory cuts them both off with an IT DOESN’T MATTER what you think to Cody. Theory loads up If Ya Smell but Rollins sends him through the set. Cody and Rollins drop the villains (Rollins even hits the Stomp) to wrap it up. This was really long to not say much, but Cody challenging Rock and Seth being physical again worked.

Video on the Men’s Elimination Chamber.

Men’s Elimination Chamber

For the shot against Seth Rollins at Wrestlemania, Logan Paul’s US Title isn’t on the line, and it’s Drew McIntyre in at #1 and LA Knight in at #2. McIntyre chops him into the corner and Knight is already staggering around. A running neckbreaker gets Knight out of trouble but McIntyre knocks him right back into the corner. The fans chant for CM Punk so McIntyre loads up a GTS, only to get reversed into a sunset flip backbreaker. Knight takes him outside for some rams into the pod and yes the fans are right there with the YEAH’s.

Audio goes out, presumably for some not nice crowd chants, but comes back for Knight to send McIntyre face first into another pod. Kevin Owens is in (less than five minutes, as opposed to more than six for the first pod in the women’s match) and hits a chokeslam, which is apparently at the request of a Make-A-Wish kid (that’s great). McIntyre fights up and puts Owens on the top and it goes as badly as it always does for anyone not named Owens.

Knight comes back up but gets slammed down, with Owens Codebreakering McIntyre and landing on Knight at the same time. Owens gets in front of Orton and mocks his post before kicking at Paul’s pod. Knight and Owens get together to try a double superplex on McIntyre, who high crossbodies both of them down.

Bobby Lashley is in at #4 and goes right after McIntyre, including ramming him into the cage. A suplex on the cage floor keeps McIntyre in trouble and Lashley’s spinebuster gets two. Owens is back up to knock Lashley down for two more and it’s Randy Orton in at #5 to drop Owens with the powerslam. The hanging DDT onto the cage floor knocks Owens silly but Orton can’t follow up. Lashley is back up with a spear to Knight, who rolls out to the cage floor. Knight drops McIntyre onto the pod as well but Orton suplexes Knight to leave both of them down.

Logan Paul is in at #6 (complete with messages he wrote onto his pod) but Owens jumps him to start and they are both shut into the pod to keep up the beating. They get out with Owens crotching Paul against a pod wall. Owens blasts Paul again but Lashley sends Owens through a pod. One heck of a spear drives Paul through another pod, only for Lashley to walk into McIntyre’s Claymore. Back in and another Claymore gives McIntyre the pin on Lashley at 21:28.

Knight stomps McIntyre down in the corner and then runs the corner to superplex McIntyre. BFT hits Orton and there’s another to McIntyre….but AJ Styles runs in through the open Chamber door to unload on Knight with a chair. The Styles Clash onto the chair lets McIntyre pin Knight at 24:25. Owens’ brainbuster onto the knee drops Paul and some cannonballs hit McIntyre and Orton.

The Swanton gives Owens two on Orton but McIntyre blocks another one with some raised knees. The Claymore is countered into a pop up powerbomb and there’s the Stunner to Paul. Orton is back up and gets superkicked, only to reverse the Stunner into the RKO to get rid of Owens at 28:00.

With Paul down, McIntyre and Orton have their big staredown but Orton wins a slugout. Paul sends Orton into the buckle, only to get crotched on top. McIntyre neckbreakers Orton but gets high crossbodied by Paul to leave everyone down. Paul is up first and whips out some brass knuckles but spends so long looking at them that Orton grabs the RKO for the elimination at 32:38.

We’re down to Orton vs. McIntyre, with the Futureshock and RKO both being blocked. The hanging DDT puts McIntyre down but he’s back with a spinebuster to cut off the RKO attempt. The Claymore is loaded up but Orton collapses before anything can launch. Orton is back up with an RKO….and here is Paul to knock him out with the brass knuckles. The mostly out cold McIntyre gets the pin at 36:56.

Rating: B. The star power helped here and made a rather long match feel important throughout. McIntyre felt like the right choice from the beginning but Orton winning wouldn’t have been crazy and Lashley is always worth a look. In addition to McIntyre vs. Rollins, this should set up Orton vs. Paul and Knight vs. Styles at Wrestlemania. That’s nice to see in one match.

Here is HHH to announce the attendance: 52,590.

We recap Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax. Ripley is the unstoppable home country champion and Jax is a monster. That’s about all you need to know here.

Raw Women’s Title: Nia Jax vs. Rhea Ripley

Ripley is defending and yes she gets the incredible reaction that you knew she was going to receive. Jax shoves her back to start so Ripley strikes away, including a running dropkick into the corner. Another shove sends Ripley into the corner and we go old school with a Stinkface. A legdrop to the back has Ripley in trouble but she kicks up from the mat for some creative offense.

Jax goes with the Stretch Muffler into a half crab, followed by a torture rack to stay on the ribs/back. Ripley slips out and grabs a guillotine choke, which is quickly broken up. A pair of powerbombs drop Ripley and Jax drops a leg to the back of the head for two. The Annihilator is broken up though and Ripley’s missile dropkick gets two. Jax grabs a Samoan drop but Ripley is back with a basement dropkick.

Ripley goes up and is brought back down with a super Samoan drop for another near fall. Jax gets knocked off the ropes this time and that means an Eddie dance frog splash to give Ripley two more. Riptide is broken up so let’s load up the announcers’ tables instead. Jax Samoan drops her onto said table and then adds a splash through it because that’s the kind of thing Jax does. Back in and the Annihilator gets two, leaving Jax shocked. Another Annihilator is broken up and a superplex brings Jax back own. A kick to the head sets up Riptide to retain the title at 14:38.

Rating: C. The ending was great, but there is only so much I can get out of offense built around the idea of Jax being really big. It was a bunch of Samoan drops and Annihilator attempts, which don’t quite make for the most thrilling match. If nothing else, how awesome would it have been if Ripley had kicked out of the Annihilator at two, Hulked up, and beat the fire out of Jax to win? That might not let Jax look strong though and we can’t have that, but hopefully this gets rid of Jax for the time being.

The long celebration and highlight package wrap us up.

Overall Rating: B. This was a weird one as the wrestling was mostly good to very good, but there was little in the way of drama. Lynch and McIntyre felt like pretty strong candidates to win the Chambers and Jax wasn’t beating Ripley if WWE wanted to get out of Australia alive. That didn’t leave much in the way of wondering who was winning, though that isn’t a terrible thing. It was a strong show that was missing that big moment to get it to the next level, though Ripley did everything she could to make it happen in the main event.

Results
Kabuki Warriors b. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae – Reverse DDT/Insane Elbow combination to LeRae
Becky Lynch won the Women’s Elimination Chamber last eliminating Liv Morgan
Judgment Day b. New Catch Republic – Coup de Grace to Dunne
Drew McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber last eliminating Randy Orton
Rhea Ripley b. Nia Jax – Riptide

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Smackdown
Date: February 23, 2024
Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Corey Graves

We’re taped from last week as we are nine hours away from Elimination Chamber. The show is pretty much set but there is always the chance of a last minute addition. Other than that, since they were around last week, there is the chance of getting something more from the Rock and Roman Reigns. Let’s get to it.

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

Video on the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Liv Morgan

Bianca Belair is at ringside. Morgan starts fast and forearms her out to the floor for a breather. Back in and Stratton takes over and hits a running corner splash. Morgan grabs a crucifix for two and we take a break. We come back with Morgan fighting out of a chinlock and an exchange of running shots to the face. Morgan sends her into the corner for a running knee as Belair is literally bouncing up and down.

Oblivion is countered into a spinebuster to give Stratton two but she misses the Prettiest Moonsault Ever. An Alabama Slam gives Stratton two but the moonsault is broken up again, this time with a powerbomb. Stratton sends her outside and into the announcers’ table, followed by a slap to Belair. That brings Belair to the apron, with Morgan being kicked into her, allowing Stratton to grab a rollup pin at 11:38.

Rating: C+. You can see the talent in Stratton and she is already feeling like she belongs on the main roster. There was little in the way of nervousness or looking like she was trying to figure things out. That is more than a lot of veterans can do and it gives me hope for Stratton’s future. At the same time, Stratton vs. Belair would be a rather interesting feud for both of them and a great sign for the start of Stratton’s future.

Drew McIntyre says if he loses in the Chamber, his WWE career will be as worthless as CM Punk’s Wrestlemania return. Bobby Lashley comes in to remind McIntyre of the time he beat McIntyre at Wrestlemania.

Ashante Thee Adonis and Cedric Alexander discuss possible matching ring gear but still can’t get on the same page.

We look at the Bloodline interfering on Raw to cost Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso matches, the latter of which was for the Intercontinental Title.

The Bloodline is excited over what they did, but Roman Reigns wants to know who sent Jimmy Uso to Raw. That would be Paul Heyman, but Reigns says it was his idea. Heyman interrupts though, saying Grayson Waller is here. Reigns is interested.

We see some wrestlers arriving and spending time in Australia before Elimination Chamber.

Bron Breakker vs. Dante Chen

This is Breakker’s debut as a full time member of Smackdown. Breakker wrestles him down to start and hits a running shoulder. A running clothesline (called a Steiner Line) connects but Chen gets in a neck snap over the top. Breakker slams him out of the air though and hits the spear for the dominant pin at 1:21. Destruction and Breakker looked great.

Judgment Day isn’t worried about Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne, especially not after tonight.

Elektra Lopez comes up to the LWO and says the team is dying because of bad choices. Then Legado del Fantasma jump them from behind.

Tyler Bate/Pete Dunne vs. Judgment Day

That would be JD McDonagh/Dominik Mysterio here. McDonagh shoulders Bate down to start but gets headscissored out to the floor for his efforts. Back in and a monkey flip sends McDonagh flying before Bate dives over Dunne for a middle rope Swanton. McDonagh manages to send Bate into the other corner so Dominik can come in but Bate fights out of trouble rather easily. Dunne comes back in to work on Dominik’s arm and then twist away at the ankle. Bate and Dunne stomp onto the arms at the same time but the villains send them both outside.

We take a break and come back with Dunne stomping on McDonagh’s fingers and kicking him in the head. Dominik breaks up a double suplex and gets pummeled down for his efforts. Bate airplane spins Dominik to the floor and McDonagh gets the same treatment. The rebound lariat/German suplex combination gets two on McDonagh with Dominik making the save. The standing Spanish Fly gives McDonagh two but his moonsault hits raised knees. A double Tyler Driver 97 finishes McDonagh at 13:16.

Rating: B-. This was almost literally a glorified warmup for Bate and Dunne, who feel like they could take the titles from Judgment Day proper tomorrow. The team doesn’t have much of a history so giving them a win over a team with some name power is a good step. That double Tyler Driver 97 is growing on me too so they’re doing something right so far.

Post match Damian Priest and Finn Balor come in for the brawl but are quickly dispatched.

Video on the men’s Elimination Chamber match.

Grayson Waller and Austin Theory are in the back with Logan Paul when Kevin Owens interrupts. Owens wants to punch Theory and Waller in the face again and walks off. Paul Heyman comes in and says Roman Reigns wants to speak to Waller.

Dakota Kai has been hurt again and is limping into the trainer’s room.

AOP vs. Street Profits

The rest of the Final Testament and B-Fab/Bobby Lashley are here too. Ford’s dropkicks don’t do much to Akam to start so Dawkins comes in to help take him down. A belly to back moonsault gets two on Akam and the AOP are sent outside. Dawkins hits the big flip dive and we take a break.

Back with Ford fighting out of Rezar’s chinlock but getting kneed in the chest by Akam. Ford fights up again and avoids a charge to send Rezar into the post. The tag brings in Dawkins to clean house but he misses a charge in the corner and gets booted in the face. The Final Chapter gets two with Ford making a save. A Doomsday Blockbuster hits Akam as the fans are doing Bray Wyatt’s Fireflies for some reason. Ford goes up but everyone gets in a fight on the floor, including Karrion Kross crushing Lashley’s arm with a chair. The suplex/sitout powerbomb finishes Ford at 11:21.

Rating: C+. This feud seems like it has a long way to go, even if it might not have the interest to get it very far. Other than chaos and violence, I’m still not sure what the point of the Final Testament is supposed to be. The AOP are still evil monsters who can do some damage though and putting them over the Profits will make them feel that much bigger.

Bayley comes in to check on Dakota Kai, who says Damage CTRL did this. Bayley swears vengeance and Kai promises to help make them pay.

We look at the Elimination Chamber press event.

Grayson Waller comes in to see the Bloodline, with Roman Reigns wanting to tell him something.

Elimination Chamber rundown.

Drew McIntyre checks on the injured Bobby Lashley and offers to pray for him.

LA Knight vs. Drew McIntyre

Hold on though as here is Logan Paul to join commentary. McIntyre punches his way out of the corner to start but gets sent into another corner so Knight can stomp away. The Glasgow Kiss cuts Knight but he backdrops McIntyre to the floor as Kevin Owens is here for commentary as well. McIntyre fights back and catapults Knight into the bottom of the ring as we take a break.

Back with McIntyre hitting the toss suplex but charging into a boot in the corner. A DDT gives Knight two as Owens and Paul continue to bicker. McIntyre gets in a shot of his own and goes up, only to have Knight jump to the top for the superkick. Knight gets dropped again but he’s fine enough to avoid the Claymore. They go outside where McIntyre is sent into the announcers’ table over and over. Knight and McIntyre get into it with Owens and Paul though, with Owens attacking McIntyre for the DQ at 11:49.

Rating: C+. They might as well have had a countdown until one of the people on commentary got involved for the DQ and in this case, that is a good thing. There is little reason to have one of them take a pinfall the day before Elimination Chamber so don’t waste the time. It’s still impressive to see Knight going toe to toe with the stars and shows you what kind of impact effort can have.

Post match the big fight is on, with Bobby Lashley coming in to spear various people. McIntyre Claymores him but walks into the RKO from a surprise Randy Orton to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was the big final push towards Elimination Chamber and it was enough of a success. It doesn’t help that almost everything was set for the pay per view coming into this, but they managed to put together a nice two hours. The show only mattered so much but they made it work, as tends to be the case in recent weeks.

Results
Tiffany Stratton b. Liv Morgan – Rollup
Bron Breakker b. Dante Chen – Spear
Tyler Bate/Pete Dunne b. Judgment Day – Double Tyler Driver 97 to McDonagh
AOP b. Street Profits – Sitout powerbomb/suplex combination to Ford
Drew McIntyre b. LA Knight via DQ when Kevin Owens interfered

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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Monday Night Raw
Date: February 12, 2024
Location: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
Commentators: Pa McAfee, Michael Cole

We’re less than two months away from Wrestlemania and now we seem to have a main event. Cody Rhodes is going to be challenging Roman Reigns, presumably on night two, but that leaves a lot to cover on the first night. Other than that, this week is going to be about Elimination Chamber qualifying matches so let’s get to it.

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

I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the upper deck with the Titantron to my upper left.

Jey Uso/New Day vs. Imperium

Jey gets a crazy strong reaction to his entrance, with the fans going coconuts over the hand wave dance. Kofi and Kaiser start things off with Kofi slugging away, including a dropkick and clothesline. Woods comes in to stomp away in the corner, followed by Kofi and Jey getting to do the same. It’s off to Gunther to face Uso, but instead he walks around for a bit before handing it back to Vinci.

A cheap shot takes Uso down and now Gunther is willing to come in and chop away. Uso gets knocked to the floor and we take a break. Back with Jey fighting out of a chinlock and handing it back to Kofi to clean house. A top rope splash to the back of a standing Kaiser puts him down and Kofi hits the New Day Drop on Vinci. Kaiser is back up to ram Kofi into the steps though and Kaiser adds a boot to the face for two.

Gunther comes back in for a Boston crab so Jey comes in and slaps him square in the face. You do NOT do that to Gunther, who is rather annoyed as we take another break. Back again with Kofi backdropping his way to freedom and handing it back to Jey to clean house. Jey superkicks a springboarding Vinci out of the air and now we get the showdown with Gunther.

An enziguri staggers Gunther and a high crossbody gets two. The spear is cut off though and Gunther cleans house, setting up a hard clothesline for two more. Back up and Jey spears Gunther for two but Kaiser makes the save. Vinci walks into a three man 1D, leaving Kofi to dive onto Kaiser. The Superfly Splash finishes Vinci at 19:50.

Rating: B. This match managed to serve two purposes at once, as Uso looked like an absolute star who could be the one to take out Gunther. The fans lit up when he came to the ring and then the slap made things even better. In addition, you had a heck of a tag match with everyone working hard and nearly twenty minutes flying by. Heck of an opener.

Long recap of the Wrestlemania press event with Rock turning heel and joining Roman Reigns, at least for the time being.

Andrade talks about how much he loves wrestling and goes through his title history. He left in 2021 to remember who he was, but now he’s back.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed

Reed powers him into the corner but has to cut off a Hurt Lock attempt. An early spear attempt sends Lashley shoulder first into the post though and Reed knocks him into the timekeeper’s area. We take a break and come back with Reed hitting some hard clotheslines. A Downward Spiral gives Lashley two and a suplex is good for the same. Reed hits a superkick into a Death Valley Driver for two but Lashley is back up with a spinebuster. Reed comes back with a release Rock Bottom and a backsplash before going up. That takes way too long though and Lashley slams him down, setting up the spear for the pin at 8:37.

Rating: C+. This was a fun hoss fight with Lashley being able to throw around a monster like Reed. That suplex and the slam off the top both looked good and the match worked well. I’m also a bit surprised there was no screwiness from someone like Karrion Kross to cost Lashley the match and send Reed to the Chamber in his home country but they went with the logical move instead.

We look at the end of last week’s show, with Sami Zayn saving Cody Rhodes from an attack at the hands of Shinsuke Nakamura and Drew McIntyre.

Earlier today, Zayn sat in an empty arena, who said that he has been through a lot of problems and setbacks, but he will be a champion. Nakamura popped up on screen to say that Zayn sounded like Rhodes so Nakamura needs to stop him. A match was set up for later tonight.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat and he gets right to the point: he’s challenging Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. He can do that because of the fans, who made their voices heard online after….well he doesn’t say what caused it (him giving away his shot against Reigns in the first place). Rhodes doesn’t want to get too emotional though, because it might make him a crybaby.

We see the Rock on the Pat McAfee Show, dubbing the term Cody Crybabies. Rock also lists some things that those crybabies can do with chicken nuggets, which has Rhodes so confused that he asks McAfee what Rock said. Rhodes didn’t like Rock putting his hands on him and slapping him across the face so Rhodes is going to hit back. Cue Seth Rollins to interrupt so the fans get to sing a bit.

Rhodes thanks him for the help against the Rock, with Rollins wondering what else can he say except you’re welcome. Rollins says Rhodes needs to finish his story at Wrestlemania because if he doesn’t, everything changes after the match. Reigns shows up and defends the title even less so this is their last chance to take the title and give it to the people. While Rhodes might be the man, he needs a plan.

Last year he got cheated out of the title and now the pressure is even high but it’s even more complicated because of the Rock. Rollins says Rhodes can’t do that on his own because he is tired for Reigns and Rock getting away with this stuff. We hear about Rollins helping Reigns become who he is today but there is one man suited to be Rhodes’ Shield. That man is an architect and a visionary, which seems to leave Rhodes a lot to think about. Rollins was bringing the emotion here but it feels like he’s being set up to cost Rhodes the title at Wrestlemania.

New Day and Jey Uso are happy with their win, but to make it even better, Jey is getting an Intercontinental Title shot next week.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Liv Morgan vs. Zoey Stark

Before the match, we get quick vignettes from both women about how much it would mean to go on to Wrestlemania. Stark misses a shot in the corner, allowing Morgan to stomp away. Back up and Stark hits a running clothesline, only for Morgan to snap off a hurricanrana. A springboard kick to the face puts Stark down and they fight to the apron. Stark Death Valley Drives her onto the apron and we take a break.

Back with Morgan hitting a middle rope Codebreaker for two but Starks’ powerbomb out of the corner gets the same. Another Codebreaker is countered into a catapult into the corner and a superkick drops Morgan for two. Stark takes a good bit too long going up top though and misses a flip dive, allowing Morgan to hit a quick Codebreaker. Oblivion finishes Stark at 9:13.

Rating: C+. They were trading some nice stuff here and while the ending wasn’t exactly in doubt, it was nice to see Morgan putting in the extra effort to win here. She’s being treated as a fairly big deal and that could make a difference for her in the Chamber. Stark is someone with a good bit of skill in her own right, but at some point she needs to win something on her own and that hasn’t happened yet.

R-Truth talks about how JD McDonagh needs to come to reality, but Damian Priest cuts him off. He’s tired of all this because it was never an initiation or anything like that. Tonight, when McDonagh faces R-Truth, it’s an execution.

Post break, R-Truth is trying to find out if Miz can get here from Los Angeles in time for his match.

R-Truth vs. JD McDonagh

So there is no Miz, but there is the rest of Judgment Day minus Rhea Ripley (and McDonagh as he’s kind of busy). R-Truth sends him into the corner to start and hits a splash in the corner. An AA sends McDonagh outside and we take a break. Back with R-Truth hitting John Cena’s finishing sequence but the ax kick misses, allowing McDonagh to hit the Devil Inside (a Saito suplex) for the pin at 6:38.

Rating: C. They barely had any time (at least that we saw) and in the end, having McDonagh beat R-Truth clean is a weird way to go. While R-Truth is pretty much bullet proof and isn’t likely to lose anything serious by being pinned here, I’m not sure why we didn’t get some kind of interference. The match itself was barely anything, but it also didn’t show that R-Truth needs help, because he lost a match straight up without any interference.

Post match the beatdown is on but DIY runs in with chairs for the save.

Cody Rhodes thanks Sami Zayn for his help last week.

Here is Becky Lynch for a chat. After accepting a prom invitation for 2034, Lynch talks about how crazy the Road to Wrestlemania has already been. She loves this, starting with the time she first set foot in the ring when she was 15. Wrestling is what let her meet her husband, have her daughter and cause her to miss her father’s funeral. It’s also left her having some weird conversations with her daughter like why her mom’s face is busted open, why her shoulder is banged up and she can’t pick her up….and why Daddy wants to fight Maui (Rock’s character in Moana).

Lynch knows a lot of people love Rhea Ripley and people believe no one can beat her, but Lynch isn’t anyone. She gets a drink from ringside and drinks a toast to Ripley’s last few days as champion. Cue Nia Jax, who talks about how she wishes her mother was half the woman Lynch is. She sounds rather emotional as she talks about how Lynch is going to win at Elimination Chamber. Just like she’s going to beat Ripley….who interrupts for the fight. Lynch gets crushed in the corner though and dropkicks Jax out to the floor. They almost have to go with Lynch vs. Ripley at Wrestlemania and that’s not a bad way to go.

Drew McIntyre talks about how he’s the only unselfish person around here. Cody Rhodes needs to take himself out of their match next week because the only things you don’t want to be are in his prayers or in a fight with him. Now Cody won’t be going to Wrestlemania, just like CM Punk.

R-Truth thanks DIY for their help….but thinks they’re DX. R-Truth: “How is Road Dogg?”

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: LA Knight vs. Ivar

Valhalla is here too and yes Cole does the antlers joke again. Knight starts fast and knocks Ivar outside for a bunch of rams into the announcers’ table. Ivar sends him into the barricade for a crossbody against said barricade and we take a break. Back with Knight running the corner to superplex him down, only to fail in a powerslam attempt. Ivar’s Tour of the Islands connects and a tiger bomb gets two. Ivar misses a knee though and now the powerslam can connect for two of his own. The BFT is blocked though and Ivar kicks him down, only to miss the Doomsault. Now the BFT can send Knight to Elimination Chamber at 8:26.

Rating: C. This was a different way to go than the Lashley vs. Ivar match and it went well enough. Knight wasn’t about to lose to Ivar, though the good thing is Ivar was built enough for the last few weeks that he was someone who could be a problem for Knight without being a threat. That makes for a slightly more interesting match, though the match not running incredibly long helped.

Sami Zayn runs into Drew McIntyre, who wants Zayn to keep his name out of his mouth. Zayn says McIntyre is in his way, so McIntyre steps aside.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows, including a Last Chance battle royal for the last spot in the women’s Elimination Chamber.

Chelsea Green is NOT happy with being in the battle royal with people like Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae, who are there. She also yells about Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, who pop in behind her. Green yells at Adam Pearce for seeing Baszler and Stark coming but not saying anything. Management WILL be notified.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn

Nakamura kicks him in the ribs to start but Zayn sends him to the floor and bounces back to the middle. We take an early break and come back with Zayn hitting a middle rope elbow to the head but Nakamura chokes him in the corner. Nakamura kicks him in the head though and we hit the chinlock.

Zayn fights up and hits a quick Michinoku Driver for two so they can both have a breather. A clothesline puts Nakamura on the floor and there’s a big flip dive, with Nakamura not exactly catching him so Zayn hits the floor HARD. We take another break and come back with an exchange of forearms until Nakamura kicks him in the head. Zayn is right back up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two and Nakamura rolls outside.

We go old school with Zayn trying a diving DDT over the bottom rope, only to get hit in the face. Back in and Nakamura hits a middle rope knee to the back of the head, followed by another one for another two. Zayn is back up with a heck of a clothesline and then the exploder into the corner. The Helluva Kick is loaded up but cue Drew McIntyre for a distraction. Nakamura kicks Zayn’s knee out and hits a running knee to the back of the head for the pin at 17:07.

Rating: B-. While it wasn’t quite their masterpiece in Dallas eight years ago, it was still good stuff with both of them hitting each other rather hard. The ending was part of Zayn’s issues as he continues his downward spiral. I’m not sure where that’s going to go, but hopefully it isn’t a heel turn as Zayn getting into the title hunt as the big underdog could be incredible.

Post match the double beatdown is on, with Cody Rhodes running in for the save.

Overall Rating: B-. The opener was rather good but the rest of the matches were little more than ok, which can often be the case with WWE qualifying matches. They didn’t really do anything big here, but next week’s show with Uso getting his Intercontinental Title shot and Rhodes vs. Nakamura should be more than enough. This wasn’t a show with the big stuff going on and it’s ok to lighten things a bit every so often. That was the case here and while it wasn’t a great show, it covered some things before we can get to the bigger stuff in the future.

Results
New Day/Jey Uso b. Imperium – Superfly Splash to Vinci
Bobby Lashley b. Bronson Reed – Spear
Liv Morgan b. Zoey Stark – Oblivion
JD McDonagh b. R-Truth – Devil Inside
LA Knight b. Ivar – BFT
Shinsuke Nakamura b. Sami Zayn – Running knee to the back of the head

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.

Royal Rumble 2024
Date: January 27, 2024
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the start of the Road To Wrestlemania and that should make for a huge night. The interesting ting about the Rumble is that we are only going to be in for a four match card, with the two Rumbles, a US Title match and the four way for the World Title. That should be more than enough for a good night so let’s get to it.

We open with a look at wrestlers arriving.

Hulk Hogan talks about how important this part of the country is to wrestling, as there are so many people from Florida who made a big difference in wrestling. Now it’s time for the Royal Rumble and the path to Wrestlemania, but you have to go through a lot to get there.

Just like last year, Pat McAfee returns as a surprise commentator and just like last year, Corey Graves is furious.

Women’s Royal Rumble

90 second intervals, Natalya is in at #1 and the returning Naomi is in at #2. We get a nice WELCOME BACK chant as Cole talks about Naomi winning the TNA Knockouts Title while she was gone from WWE. Natalya knocks her down but Naomi is quickly up for a hurricanrana. The basement dropkick drops Naomi and it’s Bayley in at #3. She’s quickly kicked into the corner and Naomi hits the Rear View. Natalya basement dropkicks both of them but Naomi drops them both for a breather.

Candice LeRae is in at #4 and steps on Naalya’s back with a Codebreaker to Bayley (and lands on Bayley in the process). TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace (a powerhouse) is in at #5 and runs people over before hugging Naomi (who she defeated for the title). They immediately slug it out and Grace hits the Juggernaut Driver (pumphandle driver) to plant Naomi. Indi Hartwell is in at #6 and hits some clotheslines, followed by a spinebuster on Bayley. Hartwell and LeRae team up for a bit and even manage a sign point.

Asuka is in at #7 and Bayley gets rid of Hartwell for the first elimination. Ivy Nile is in at #8 and can’t pick up Naomi. Bayley invites Cole in from commentary, continuing their long lasting one sided feud. Katana Chance is in at #9 and goes after Asuka but gets suplexed by Grace. Nile and Grace grab stereo suplexes, with Naomi trying to put Asuka out instead. Bianca Belair is in at #10, giving us Natalya, Naomi, Bayley, LeRae, Grace, Asuka, Nile, Chance and Belair.

A double running Blockbuster plants Damage CTRL and Belair hammers at Chance in the corner (even though Chance is barely taller than the turnbuckle). More house is cleaned until Kairi Sane is in at #11 to complete Damage CTRL. Sane comes in with a top rope forearm to Belair and the trio goes after Belair. LeRae sends Sane and Asuka to the apron but doesn’t bother to eliminate them, meaning Damage CTRL puts her out instead. Tegan Nox is in at #12 and Natalya has to quickly save her.

A discus lariat hits Grace but Nox tosses Natalya, only to be eliminated by Bayley. Kayden Carter is in at #13 and Sane is sent over the top but she manages to keep her feet from touching in a crazy bit of athleticism. Then she’s knocked out a second later, with Asuka being eliminated as well (Bayley is livid). Chelsea Green is in at #14 and is almost eliminated just as fast as she was last year. Green holds on, leaving Belair and Grace to slug it out. They go to the apron, where Belair hits a KOD for the elimination.

Piper Niven is in at #15 and catches Green as she is sent over the top. With Green back in, Niven wrecks Chance as we get a really cool clock showing how long some people have been in. A bunch of people can’t manage to get rid of Niven and it’s Xia Li in at #16. With a grand total of nothing going on, Zelina Vega is in at #17. Vega manages a tornado DDT on Niven but no one gets tossed. Maxxine Dupri is in at #18 as this match is just death at the moment. Carter is tossed and it’s Nia Jax in at #19.

Li and Nile are quickly out and Green goes after Jax, who promptly mauls her. Green is knocked around like a ragdoll but isn’t eliminated as Shotzi is in at #20, with Green finally being on the floor but not eliminated. That gives us Naomi, Bayley, Chance, Belair, Green, Niven, Vega, Dupri, Jax and Shotzi. Niven crossbodies Jax down but Jax survives the big group elimination attempt.

Jax eliminates Niven and Chance is tossed out as well. Becky Lynch is in at #21 and that wakes the people up. She goes right after Jax, including the missile dropkick. Green comes back in and gets tossed out as Alba Fyre is in at #22. Fyre cleans some house but doesn’t get rid of anyone as Shayna Baszler is in at #23. Fyre plants Jax and it’s Valhalla (with antlers) in at #24….but R-Truth comes in to steal her spot. He is promptly tossed out by Jax, but Adam Pearce comes out to say Vahlalla is in…and she’s immediately eliminated by Jax.

Michin is in at #25 and immediately goes after Fyre, only to have Jax clean house again. Naomi hits a hanging faceplant to get rid of Fyre and Bayley yells at Cole again. Zoey Stark is in at #26 and missile dropkicks Michin. Stark kicks out Vega, who lands HARD on Fyre. Roxanne Perez (from NXT) is in at #27 and snaps off a running headscissors. She stops to point to the sign though and has to survive Bayley throwing her to the apron. Jax gets rid of Michin, Baslzer and Shotzi to clear out a lot of space.

Jade Cargill is in at #28 and yep that brings them up again. Cargill wastes no time in fireman’s carry slamming Jax and then single handedly tossing her out (Becky is STUNNED). Cargill misses a charge into the post and almost everyone is down as NXT’s Tiffany Stratton is in at #29. Stratton gets to show ff the gymnastics but can’t get anyone out as…..Liv Morgan is back at #30. Naomi, Bayley, Belair, Lynch, Stark, Perez, Cargill, Stratton and Morgan.

Stark and Perez are both out, leaving everyone to surround Stratton. And then they all pair off instead of going after her. Cargill and Belair hit stereo gorilla presses and then stare each other down to a REALLY big reaction. Bayley and Stratton break that up and the crowd goes back to mild.

Lynch can’t Manhandle Slam Cargill, who puts her on top instead. Cargill knocks out Becky and Naomi, leaving Stratton to hold on by Belair’s hair in a spot that made me cringe. Bayley kicks them both out and we’re down to Bayley, Cargill and Morgan. They all wind up on the apron with Bayley and Morgan getting kicked away. Morgan kicks Cargill in the face and hits an Oblivion to get rid of her, only to be kicked out by Bayley for the win at 1:05:00.

Rating: C+. The last 20 or so minutes made a huge difference here as this was REALLY weak to start. What mattered here was the star power in the last third as it made things that much better. Bayley is still dependable, Cargill looked like an absolute star, Grace had a great showing, Morgan still doesn’t feel like a star and Becky was just kind of there for the most part.

On the bad side though, one of the biggest problems with the women’s Rumble is there aren’t many feuds. You have title matches and little more for the women. That leaves people just having random fights and that doesn’t give you much to work with. It’s been a problem for these matches since they started and it was still the case here. The last bit saved it, but they need to find a way to pick things up throughout.

We recap the Smackdown World Title match. Roman Reigns beat LA Knight at Crown Jewel, albeit with help from the Bloodline. The Bloodline also took out AJ Styles back in September, so he wants revenge. Randy Orton is back too and wants the title, leaving Reigns to fight them all at once.

Smackdown World Title: Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight

Reigns is defending and has Paul Heyman with him. All three go after Reigns and stomp him down in the corner without much trouble. Reigns is out on the floor so Knight takes over and sends Styles face first into the announcers’ table over and over. Orton comes over and drops Reigns onto the announcers’ table before doing the same to Knight. Back in and Orton sends Knight to the floor again, only to get chopped by Styles.

Knight comes back in and gets to take over on everyone but Reigns is back up to send Orton and Styles outside. Reigns fires off clotheslines to Knight in the corner before taking down the returning Styles and Orton. Knight ducks the Superman Punch and hammers on Reigns, including his own jumping clothesline. A DDT plants Orton and the powerslam does the same to Orton.

Knight plants Reigns again but Styles makes an accidental save. Styles’ fireman’s carry backbreaker hits Knight but bangs up his own knee in the process. The Styles Clash hits Reigns with Knight making the save this time. Styles loads up the Phenomenal Forearm but gets RKO’d down. Another RKO hits Knight and the Superman Punch is countered into the RKO….but Solo Sikoa pulls the referee out.

Sikoa gives Orton and Knight the Spike (leaving Knight on Orton for what would be a cover if there was a referee) but goes after Styles, only to go crashing through the barricade. Styles is back in for a Phenomenal Forearm and covers all three at once for two. With nothing else working, Styles grabs a chair and takes Reigns down. It works so well that he does the same thing to Knight but Reigns is up with a spear. Knight plants Reigns and hits the LA Elbow but the BFT is broken up, with Knight being shoved into the ropes to drop Styles. The spear hits Styles to retain at 19:31.

Rating: B-. This was a match where you pretty much knew how the ending was going to go and the question was more about whether Reigns was going to pin Styles or Knight. There was almost no way Reigns was going to lose here, and having the match go on second made it all the more clear. The action was good enough but far from a classic, as this was pretty much just a good version of what you knew it was going to be.

We recap Logan Paul defending the US Title against Kevin Owens. Paul is the loudmouthed champion and Owens doesn’t like an outsider being here as the new star. Therefore, after winning a tournament, Owens is ready to fight.

US Title: Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul

Owens, with a bad hand, is challenging. They’re quickly on the floor with Owens sending him into the barricade. Back in and an elbow to the face sets up the backsplash for one as it’s all Owens early on. A release German suplex drops Paul again and they’re back on the floor, with Owens chopping away. Paul gets smart by sending the bad hand into the post, followed by a high crossbody back inside.

A Kimura starts in on the arm/hand before Paul switches over to an Octopus. With that broken up, Paul uppercuts him down and my goodness his chest is looking terrible. Owens comes back with a heck of a slap and an even harder clothesline drops Paul. Another backsplash hits raised knees but Owens grabs the fisherman’s buster onto the knee. Back to back Cannonballs connect and the frog splash connects as well.

Owens’ Swanton hits knees but Paul’s hits mat, meaning it’s time for a breather on the floor. Back in and the Buckshot Lariat hits Owens and a top rope splash gives Paul two. Paul loads up a superplex but spends too much time yelling about how no one can superplex Owens, allowing Owens to hit the swinging fisherman’s superplex. Paul’s big punch is cut off by a superkick but the Stunner is blocked.

Paul hits the right hand for two and Paul can’t believe the kickout. Cue one of Paul’s cronies who has to be ejected, leaving Owens and Paul to hit stereo clotheslines. Cue Grayson Waller and Austin Theory, with the latter slipping Paul the brass knuckles. Owens gets two off a rollup and Owens gets the knuckles away from Paul and knocks him silly for the….DQ as the referee sees the knuckles at 14:02. McAfee: “OH NOW THE REF HAS 20/20?”

Rating: B. I rather like the ending as Owens getting carried away and Paul needing to be saved to keep the title. The other good thing is that Paul gets to stay strong, as his stuff in the ring still looks great. It was a rather good back and forth match and they even found a smart way out of keeping Owens from taking a pin.

Post match Owens lays out Paul again.

Rumble By The Numbers.

Men’s Royal Rumble

90 second intervals, Jey Uso is in at #1 and Jimmy Uso is in at #2. Jey knocks him to the apron to start but it’s too early for an elimination. Jimmy is back with a knockdown of his own and Grayson Waller is in at #3. Waller talks all the way to the ring and says no one cares about the sibling rivalry. Jey superkicks him off the apron (not an elimination) but gets jumped by Jimmy. Waller and Jimmy beat Jey down and the returning Andrade is in at #4.

Running knees in the corner abound and Carmelo Hayes is in at #5. Hayes fires off some superkicks and circles around with Andrade and Jey. Waller tries to roll in but gets Codebreakered, setting up the elimination from Hayes. Shinsuke Nakamura is in at #6 and kicks Hayes into the corner as the fans sing Nakamura’s song. He fires off a bunch of kicks and it’s Santos Escobar in at #7.

Andrade and Escobar quickly knock everyone down and have a staredown, with Andrade not being sure at the hug. Escobar goes for the elimination but gets sent to the apron. Karrion Kross is in at #8 and forms a weird alliance with Jimmy. They don’t actually eliminate anyone of course and here is Dominik Mysterio in at #9. The entrances continue to fly by as Carlito it in at #10, giving us Jey, Jimmy, Andrade, Hayes, Nakamura, Escobar, Kross, Dominik and Carlito.

It’s time for an apple (the fans react) and the spitting of said apple saves Carlito from Escobar. Back up and Escobar is eliminated but Kross gives Carlito the Final Prayer. Bobby Lashley is in at #11 with some spears and a spinebuster until only Dominik is left standing. Another spar hits Dominik but Kross lets Lashley get in a free shot…which eliminates Carlito instead.

There’s a spear to Kross and Lashley dumps him as well. A bunch of people can’t get rid of Lashley but here are the AOP for a distraction. They don’t actually do anything but Hayes and Nakamura knock Lashley to the apron where Kross gets rid of him. Cue the Street Profits to help with the brawl to the back as Ludwig Kaiser is in at #12.

With nothing going on there, Austin Theory is in at #13. Ataxia hits Hayes but it’s not enough for the elimination. Hayes tries to get rid of Hayes as Finn Balor is in at #14. Balor tosses Hayes and joins up with Dominik to stomp Kaiser. Cody Rhodes is in at #15 and this should pick things up a bit. Rhodes tosses Theory and gets into it with Balor as Bronson Reed is in at #16. A double Samoan drop plants Dominik and Balor before Reed dumps out Andrade. We get the Cody vs. Nakamura showdown with Nakamura hitting a kick to the face and it’s Kofi Kingston in at #17.

Cody gets rid of Nakamura and then hammers on Jimmy as Kaiser can’t get rid of Kofi. Instead Kofi kicks Kaiser out for some revenge and it’s Gunther in at #18. After yelling at Kaiser for being eliminated, Gunther gets inside and chops away. A slam plants Reed but Kofi manages to send Gunther to the apron. Gunther wastes no time in shrugging that off and dumping Kofi, who never had the chance to do anything special.

Ivar is in at #19 (Cole: “He’s on a roll in the last month.” Ivar is 2-2 in the last month, with losses to Johnny Gargano and Akira Tozawa.) and gets in a showdown with Reed. Bron Breakker is in at #20, giving us Jey, Jimmy, Dominik, Balor, Rhodes, Reed, Gunther, Ivar and Breakker. Things start fast and it’s Breakker getting rid of Jimmy and Balor before having a showdown with Gunther (no mention of Breakker beating him in NXT). A gorilla press and spear drop Gunther and it’s Omos in at #21.

Omos takes his time getting in and tossed Reed, followed by Breakker getting rid of Ivar. We get the Breakker vs. Omos showdown….and Pat McAfee is in at #22, looking stunned. Breakker and Omos stare at McAfee, who teases eliminating himself, gets back in, and then does eliminate himself. McAfee: “HOW BIG IS THAT THING IN THERE???” Breakker dumps the distracted Omos but gets tossed by Dominik as JD McDonagh is in at #23.

Breakker spears McDonagh down on the floor and it’s R-Truth in at #24, throwing McDonagh inside…where Jey knocks him out. Truth gets on the apron for a tag as Gunther sleepers Dominik. For some reason Dominik DOES tag him in and house is cleaned, at least until Gunther kicks Truth in the face. Miz is in at #25 and teams up with Truth for a double hiptoss to Jey. Truth saves Dominik though and Damian Priest is in at #26. Priest wastes no time in throwing out Truth but only sends Miz to the apron. CM Punk is in at lucky #27 and IT’S CLOBBERIN TIME.

Punk gets to clean some house and eliminates Dominik but gets forearmed by Priest. Ricochet is in at #28 and is quickly sent to the apron by Priest. A springboard high crossbody hits Gunther but Priest takes Ricochet down again. Gunther chops Miz out and Drew McIntyre is in at #29. McIntyre sends Ricochet flying with a belly to belly and clotheslines Jey down.

Priest kicks away at McIntyre, who plants him with a spinebuster. Jey is back up with a superkick to McIntyre and another to send Gunther to the apron. Gunther breaks that up and dumps Jey and it’s….Sami Zayn in at #30. That gies us a final grouping of Rhodes, Gunther, Priest, Punk, Ricochet, McIntyre and Zayn.

McIntyre dumps Ricochet out and we’re down to six. A parade of secondary finishers puts everyone but Zayn down and there’s the Helluva Kick to McIntyre. Zayn gets rid of Priest but gets dumped by McIntyre and we’re down to McIntyre, Rhodes, Punk and Gunther.
A Cody Cutter hits Gunther but he clotheslines Rhodes to save himself. McIntyre kicks people down and is the only one standing, including another Claymore to Punk. He yells that it’s his time now and is promptly eliminated by Punk to get us down to three.

Gunther dropkicks Punk and Rhodes down before powerbombing Punk. Cody slips out and tries a Cody Cutter but gets sent onto the apron. Cody manages to pull Gunther to the apron and then out, meaning it’s Cody vs. Punk. They slug it out until a double clothesline leaves them laying. They slug it out from their knees and then again on their feet. Both finishers are broken up so Cody hits the Bionic Elbow.

Cross Rhodes is broken up again but Punk can’t toss him. Punk points at the sign and walks into Cross Rhodes but Cody can’t follow up. A quick GTS plants Cody and they’re both down again. Punk hits a Pedigree (McAfee: “If you know, you know.”) but another GTS is countered and Cody dumps him for the win at 1:08:20.

Rating: B-. This took its time to get going and had some moments but it never quite got into that next level. Cody going back to Wrestlemania is certainly a choice but it would be nice to have him do something other than going after Reigns. As for the rest of the match, you had Breakker looking like a killer and Dominik getting in some good moments. For the most part though, the match just wasn’t all that great with the crowd not being interesting. You can’t argue with the final two though and that’s what matters most in a match like this. It’s not a bad Rumble, but it’s certainly not a great one either.

Sign pointing, pyro and highlights take us out.

Overall Rating: B-. For a four match show with the Rumbles taking up almost two and a half hours, there is only so much you can complain about here. I’m still curious to see where things go for Wrestlemania, but Cody winning is kind of deflating. Anyway, it’s not an all time classic or anything, but it could have been much, much worse. Wrestlemania season is here and that’s all that matters, though they’re going to need something to get a big spark going.

Results
Bayley won the Women’s Royal Rumble last eliminating Liv Morgan
Roman Reigns b. AJ Styles, Randy Orton, LA Knight – Spear to Styles
Logan Paul b. Kevin Owens via DQ when Owens used brass knuckles
Cody Rhodes won the Men’s Royal Rumble last eliminating CM Punk

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

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

Smackdown
Date: January 26, 2024
Location: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

It’s the go home show for the Royal Rumble and that means it is time for the final push to the show. There’s a good chance we’ll get some more names added to the Royal Rumble matches, as there are less than twenty entrants out of the sixty spots in two matches. The Women’s Tag Team Titles are on the line tonight too so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s main event, with Roman Reigns jumping Randy Orton after the match but getting taken out with an RKO to end the show.

Here is Eladio Carrion, a rapper from Puerto Rico who has released a song called RKO, with the music video featuring Randy Orton. He wastes no time in bringing out Orton, who greets a fan on the way to the ring. Orton knows the fans are surprised he’s friends with Carrion but it’s time to get to serious business. That would be the Bloodline, because Roman Reigns has been World Champion for almost 1,300 days.

It’s almost unheard of and no one can stop him….except maybe Orton himself. After tomorrow at the Royal Rumble, he’ll be a fifteen time World Champion and that is the only number that matters. Cue AJ Styles, who was taken out by Solo Sikoa last week. He hasn’t forgotten about Orton though, because Orton has a receipt coming. Styles is going to step over Reigns, Orton and…cue LA Knight to interrupt.

The fans seem happy to see him, with Knight calling both of them dummy. Knight finds it interesting that he is the only one in tomorrow’s four way who has a match (against Sikoa) tonight. That’s because Paul Heyman sees him as the biggest threat but tomorrow he’s coming for the title and stepping over all of them. Styles Pele’s Orton to give him the promised receipt to wrap this up.

Carlito vs. Santos Escobar

The LWO and Legado del Fantasma are here too. Carlito hammers away in the corner to start but gets sent into the buckle. Escobar sends him out to the apron, with a Legado distraction letting him get knocked outside. We take a break and come back with Escobar getting two off a clothesline. A super hurricanrana takes Carlito down again and we hit the seated abdominal stretch.

Carlito fights up and hits a dropkick, followed by a rolling neckbreaker for two. The running knee lift and a clothesline put Escobar down and everyone gets in a brawl on the floor. Del Toro hits a huge dive and here is NXT’s Elektra Lopez (formerly part of Legado) to jump Zelina Vega, allowing Escobar to grab a rollup for the pin at 9:49.

Rating: C+. This was about giving Legado one more member to even things up with the LWO, but again this was all about keeping Escobar warm before his big showdown with Rey Mysterio, whenever it comes up. Escobar is being built up rather well and having Lopez around is only going to make things better for him.

Commentary talks about Raw moving to Netflix in January.

AJ Styles runs into Jimmy Uso and suggests that Styles help the Bloodline get rid of LA Knight tonight. Uso leaves and the OC comes in, with Styles saying don’t worry about it.

NXT GM Ava comes in to see Nick Aldis but Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits interrupt. Lashley gets to draw his Royal Rumble number when Legado del Fantasma come in. Escobar draws his number as well.

Video on Bayley, who creates history and is ready to do it again. Then she formed Damage CTRL and they’re taking over.

R-Truth draws a Royal Rumble number and thinks Nick Aldis is Adam Pearce.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Kabuki Warriors vs. Kayden Carter/Katana Chance

Carter/Chance are defending. Carter rolls Asuka up for two to start and it’s Chance hitting a slingshot hilo for two of her own. Chance takes both of them out with a slingshot dive to the floor and we take a break. Back with Chance in trouble but managing to send Sane outside. Carter comes back in and dives onto both Warriors to drop them on the floor.

A springboard spinning legdrop gets two on Asuka but she hands it back to Sane. Everything breaks down but the Insane Elbow hits raised boots. The Keg Stand gets two on Asuka, who breaks up the After Party. Asuka kicks Carter in the head though and the Insane Elbow gives us new champions at 9:03.

Rating: B-. This was a better match than I was expecting but at the end of the day, there was no reason to keep the titles on Carter and Chance. They were pretty much transitional champions but dropped the titles to one of the best teams the titles have ever seen. It was the right way to go and now we get to see where things go from here.

Paul Heyman tells Solo Sikoa to finish LA Knight. Sikoa: “Ok.” With Sikoa gone, Heyman hypes up the idea of Jimmy us winning the Royal Rumble.

Bayley and Bianca Belair draw their Royal Rumble numbers.

Here are Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits for a face to face showdown with the Final Testament. Lashley runs down their resume and calls the Testament out, with the team coming straight to the ring. Only Scarlet gets in the ring though, with Montez Ford calling the team scared. Karrion Kross says the fight isn’t happening tonight…but Lashley disagrees. Scarlet goes after Lashley’s eyes though and the Testament lays everyone out.

Jimmy Uso draws his Royal Rumble number. No yeet.

We look back at Logan Paul on the KO Show, with Paul further damaging Owens’ bad hand. Then they got in a fight at the Performance Center.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory

Grayson Waller is here with Theory. A dropkick takes Theory down to start and a springboard spinning clothesline does it again. Theory gets in a cheap shot to put Hayes on the floor though and Waller adds a cheap shot as we take a break. Back with Hayes making a comeback and hitting something like a….reverse reverse DDT (as in Theory is facing up while Hayes is facing away from him). A spinning faceplant gives Hayes two but another Waller distraction sets up Ataxia (Theory loads him up for a powerbomb but flips him backwards into a faceplant). They trade rollups until Theory grabs the tights for the pin at 6:58.

Rating: C+. This was a way to make up after things went really badly two weeks ago. It’s good to see Hayes getting more reps on the show as he seems almost ready to move up to the main roster full time. It’s wouldn’t shock me to see him as a post Wrestlemania call up, but he has to get done with everything involving Trick Williams first. For now though, losing to Theory via cheating isn’t a bad thing and the match went well enough.

Post match Waller comes in for the beatdown but Trick Williams makes the save to a positive reaction. Things still aren’t great with Hayes and Williams though (it’s an NXT thing).

Royal Rumble rundown, with only four matches.

Eladio Carrion wants Randy Orton to win the title at the Rumble but the Bloodline comes in to scare him a bit.

LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa

The Bloodline is here too. Sikoa takes him into the corner to start and hammers away but Knight gets smart by going after the leg. A stomp to the hand slows Sikoa down again and a ram into the steps makes it worse. Back in and a cheap shot takes Knight down again and we take a break.

We come back with Knight charging into a Samoan drop for two but getting a boot up in the corner. The middle rope bulldog takes Sikoa down again and Knight gets to slug away. A DDT only does so much to Sikoa so they crash out to the floor, where Knight can ram him into the announcers’ table over and over. Cue AJ Styles to take Knight out for the DQ at 8:40.

Rating: C+. Not exactly a great match here but I appreciate not giving Knight a pinfall loss, or a loss of any kind, before he head son to the Royal Rumble. It’s important to keep him strong, especially with the real possibility of Knight being there to take the pinfall. The match was a lot of punching and kicking, but Knight going after the hand made sense.

Post match Styles teases teaming with Jimmy Uso against Knight but goes after Uso instead. Cue Randy Orton to take out the Bloodline and hit an RKO on Styles to….not end the show, as LA Knight gives Orton the BFT to really end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a good enough show that focused on the World Title match, which is what it needed to be. There was nothing on here worth going out of your way to see but it also didn’t do anything that made me less interested in the Rumble. The Rumble is such a weird show in that there are only four matches on the card with two of them being a mixture of wrestlers from all three shows. That leaves the US Title match, which got time last week, and the World Title match, which got time this week. Nice, to the point show.

Results
Santos Escobar b. Carlito – Rollup
Kabuki Warriors b. Kayden Carter/Katana Chance – Insane Elbow to Carter
Austin Theory b. Carmelo Hayes – Rollup with tights
LA Knight b. Solo Sikoa via DQ when AJ Styles interfered

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.

Royal Rumble 2022
Date: January 29, 2022
Location: The Dome At America’s Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 44,390
Commentators: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

Somehow this show was a year ago and that might be better for everyone involved. This show was absolutely not well received and I am almost scared to see just how badly this falls down. Hopefully time has been a bit kinder to it, but you never can tell. In addition to the Royal Rumbles, we have Seth Rollins challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Title and Brock Lesnar defending the WWE Title against Bobby Lashley. Let’s get to it.

I was in the stadium for this show, sitting in the upper deck with the Titantron on my right.

The opening video looks at how the Road To Wrestlemania begins here. As usual we get the Royal Rumble highlight reel and dang there have been some great moments over the years. The rest of the matches, which don’t mean nearly as much (as usual), get some attention as well.

Smackdown World Title: Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Reigns is defending and is currently by himself, as Paul Heyman has jumped back to Brock Lesnar and the Usos are barred from ringside. In the name of mind games, Rollins comes to the ring to the old Shield music, complete with the through the crowd entrance and gear (Of note: McAfee talks about the Shield days and says it was “Mox”, Seth and Roman”.).

Rollins goes with the grappling to start and Reigns is frustrated early. The corner clotheslines miss for Reigns and Rollins clotheslines him to the floor. Back to back suicide dives don’t do Rollins much good as Reigns knocks him out of the air back inside. They fight to the floor again though and Rollins is fine enough to hit a quick powerbomb through the announcers’ table.

Back in and the frog splash gets two but Rollins misses the Phoenix splash. Reigns’ spear is cut off by a boot to the face though and a buckle bomb into the Stomp gets a close two. Another Stomp is loaded up but Reigns blasts him with a clothesline to cut that off. Reigns’ powerbomb gets two so Rollins laughs at him, earning the big forearms to the face. The laughter is enough to let Rollins pull him into a triangle choke, which is broken up with another hard powerbomb.

They head back outside with Rollins being sent into various things, followed by a Superman Punch for two back inside. They head outside again and the spear cuts Rollins in half. Back in and another spear is countered into the Pedigree (how Rollins beat him for the title in 2016) for a rather close two.

Rollins has to elbow his way out of a Rock Bottom attempt and kicks Reigns in the face. Another spear cuts Rollins down again….but he’s still laughing at Reigns. Rollins holds out the Shield fist so Reigns pulls him into the guillotine. The referee checks the arm, with the hand falling onto the rope for the break. Well in theory at least, as Reigns doesn’t let go and it’s a DQ at 14:23.

Rating: B. This was a good match and that shouldn’t be a shock given who was in there. Any combination of the Shield guys are going to work well together and that was on display here. They tied the history of the team in well and Rollins broke Reigns down mentally, which should set up a huge rematch down the line. Granted it didn’t and this was a one off match, but it should have set something up.

Post match Reigns is all upset and slowly grabs a chair. The big beatdown leaves Rollins laying.

Women’s Royal Rumble

90 second intervals and Sasha Banks (in Sailor Moon gear) is in at #1 and Melina is in at #2. They pose at each other to start before Banks dumps her in less than a minute. That leaves Banks do to Melina’s splits pose until Tamina is in at #3. Banks dropkicks her through the ropes before Tamina can get inside, setting up the Meteora from the apron. Tamina saves herself back inside but gets caught with a quick Rey Mysterio bulldog. Running knees have Tamina in trouble in the corner but she headbutts her way to freedom.

Kelly Kelly is in at #4 and it’s strange to see her as anything but the blonde. Kelly comes in for the short form screaming headscissors but stops to dance, allowing Tamina to run her over. For some reason Kelly tries the triangle choke over the ropes on Banks and gets dumped for not thinking that through. Aliyah is in at #5 and hits a weird looking standing Thesz press to hammer on Banks. Tamina slaps Aliyah and they grapple against the ropes as Liv Morgan is in at #6.

Morgan knocks everyone down and stops for a bow, allowing Banks to hit Three Amigos. Queen Zelina is in at #7 and kicks Banks out in a pretty big upset. Tamina can’t eliminate Aliyah as Bianca Belair is in at #8. A kick to the head rocks Tamina and Belair muscles Vega up for a suplex. Belair’s handspring kick to the face can’t get rid of Morgan but she does hit Vega with a moonsault. Dana Brooke, with Reggie, is in at #9 but she does say she’ll go in on her own. Tamina saves Zelina for some reason so Brooke gives Belair a handspring elbow in the corner.

Michelle McCool is in at #10, giving us Tamina, Aliyah, Morgan, Zelina, Belair, Brooke and McCool. House is cleaned and McCool knocks Brooke….right into Reggie’s arms. The Faithbreaker hits Vega and Brooke gets tossed for good this time. Sonya Deville is in at #11 and goes over to join commentary rather than getting inside. The slow elimination attempts continue until Natalya is in at #12.

Morgan goes right at Natalya, who puts her on the apron without much trouble. It’s not quite enough for an elimination so Natalya dumps Tamina instead. More teased eliminations continue until Cameron is in at #13. Cameron cleans some of the house as Deville gets up and slides in, where she takes out Cameron without much trouble. Natalya and Deville are the only ones left standing until Naomi, who hates Deville, is in at #14.

A springboard spinning kick to the face rocks Deville and Naomi kicks her out. Carmella is in at #15 and Corey Graves certainly approves. Carmella walks around the ring as a good chunk of the other women bunched up on one side of the ring for some reason. Rhea Ripley is in at #16 and throws Carmella inside, only to get triple teamed down. Ripley shrugs that off and knocks out Carmella and Vega without much trouble.

Charlotte is in at #17 as a bunch of people go after Natalya. Aliyah is tossed out after about 23 minutes, followed by Naomi being kicked to the floor. She hangs on by her feet….but Sonya Deville is still here to pull Naomi out for the elimination anyway. Ivory, as part of the Right To Censor, is in at #18 and says nothing has changed since she was last here. It is hard for her to look at these girls and, as she gets in the ring, she says she sees a lot of wayward, lost little girls. As she is talking, Ripley picks her up and, as she is still talking, Ripley tosses her out. Ivory: “HOW DARE YOU???”

With that rather funny bit out of the way, Brie Bella is in at #19 and starts the YES chant but can’t get rid of Natalya. Ripley and Belair can’t get rid of Charlotte as Mickie James, reigning Impact Wrestling Knockouts (or Women’s, as the graphic says) Champion is in at #20. That gives us Morgan, Belair, McCool, Natalya, Ripley, Charlotte, Brie Bella and James, the latter of whom goes right after McCool. A headscissors gets rid of McCool and it’s Alicia Fox (with the brown hair instead of the blonde hair) in at #21.

Fox gets to clean some house and the referee checks on Natalya. Nikki Ash is in at #22 and we pause for her to sneak up on Ripley but, of course, she can’t eliminate her. Everyone pairs off until WWE Legend Summer Rae (AND HER SONG THAT IS SO FREAKING CATCHY) is in at #23. A slap off with Natalya goes to Rae, but Charlotte runs her over before anything can get interesting. Natalya dumps Rae and it’s Nikki Bella in at #24. House is cleaned again and the Bellas get to reunite, with Nikki knocking out Fox. Sarah Logan returns at #25, gets in a few shots, and is tossed by the Bellas.

They toss Liv as well, after a pretty ridiculous 37 minutes without an elimination. Liv and Logan get their reunion on the floor as Lita is in at #26. Mickie goes after Lita and gets DDTed, allowing Lita to get the easy elimination. Charlotte and Lita slug it out until Mighty Molly is in at #27…and gets jumped by Ash on the floor. Molly is tossed in and then eliminated by Ash, who gets in a rather long pose and stare. Ronda Rousey makes her big return at #28 and yeah this feels like a huge deal, especially with almost everyone in the ring stopping to look at her.

Ash is out fast and Nikki Bella is sent to the apron…where Brie punches her out. Shotzi is in at #29 as Rousey gets rid of Brie. Rousey goes after Belair and Natalya powerbombs Charlotte as Shayna Baszler completes the field at #30. That gives us a final grouping of Belair, Natalya, Ripley, Charlotte, Lita, Rousey, Shotzi and Baszler. Rousey and Baszler start wrecking people before squaring off instead. Charlotte interrupts that as well so Rousey kicks out Shotzi.

Belair gets rid of Natalya but Natalya comes back in, only to be tossed by Rousey as well. Lita cleans house, including a middle rope hurricanrana on Ripley. The Litasault is loaded up but Ripley breaks it up and, say it with me, Charlotte gets rid of Lita. Ripley and Rousey fight to the apron and Charlotte kicks Ripley out. Belair kicks Charlotte on the apron and spinebusters Baszler but Baszler catches her in the Kirifuda Clutch. That’s reversed into a KOD attempt but Charlotte dumps both of them. We’re down to Rousey vs. Charlotte and they square off, until Charlotte missed a boot in the corner and gets dumped at 59:45.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t exactly great and showed just how little depth there was to the women’s division at this point. Of the thirty women involved, HALF of them were legends or returning names. I know why there is a Women’s Royal Rumble, but if you need to import half of the lineup, it might be time to put it on the shelf. With six of the entrants not even making it a minute each, this was a bunch of nothing until Rousey came in and won, because part timers and returning stars rule.

Titus O’Neil and company did their local charity stuff.

Raw Women’s Title: Doudrop vs. Becky Lynch

Doudrop is challenging and attacked Lynch leading up to the title match. After the Big Match Intros, Doudrop goes with the power to send Becky outside for a breather. Back in and Becky has to bail from a Vader Bomb, leaving Doudrop to get Cannonball the steps by mistake. Becky kicks away but what looks to be a tornado DDT is blocked. The sleeper puts Doudrop down to one knee but she powers out without much effort. Doudrop’s charge goes into the post and Becky hits the missile dropkick for two.

Becky gets run over again though and a backsplash connects for two. The triangle choke has Becky in some trouble but the sitout powerbomb breaks that up fast. The Cannonball gets two but Becky is back up with a Molly Go Round for two of her own. Doudrop’s throat is snapped across the top and a top rope Fameasser gets two more. Back up and Doudrop plants her for two more, only to have another Vader Bomb countered into a super Manhandle Slam to retain the title at 12:55.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t so much bad as much as it was a lot of standing around waiting on the finish. Doudrop wasn’t about to dethrone the biggest women’s star ever, even if this is a downgraded Becky. This was Becky being given a mountain to climb and I can absolutely give them points for running a fresh challenger out there. That’s a good thing, but you need to have an entertaining match to back it up and that wasn’t the case here. When the most exciting thing in a match is the Wrestlemania sign catching on fire, you’re in big trouble.

The announced attendance is 44,390.

We recap Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley. They’re very similar, they’re monsters, they were amateur wrestlers, the were mixed martial artists, now they’re having a title match.

Raw World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

Lesnar is defending and has Paul Heyman with him while Lashley has MVP. They fight over a lockup to start until Lesnar snaps off a German suplex. Lashley is right back with one of his own but Lesnar hits two in a row. The F5 is countered though and Lashley hits a pair of spears to send Lesnar outside. Another spear sends Lashley through the barricade in the required big crash and Lesnar is rather smiley.

Lashley is back up to post Lesnar and they head back inside. Back in and Lesnar grabs more German suplexes but Lashley slaps on a quick Hurt Lock. Lesnar rams him into the corner for the break and the F5 hits Lashley, only to bump the referee at the same time. Cue Roman Reigns to spear Lesnar down before telling Heyman to hand over the title. Heyman does just that and a belt shot knocks Lesnar silly. Lashley gets the cover and the title at 10:14.

Rating: C+. That’s by far the match of the night so far as it felt like something actually happened. Lesnar vs. Lashley is a genuine dream match and something different for Lesnar, though he wrestled it similar to how he wrestles everything else. The Heyman twist was a good way to go and it’s nice to see Lashley get his title back, but this could have been something special and instead it was just ok. Granted Lashley injured his shoulder during the match so take it with a grain of salt.

Heyman leaves with Reigns as Lashley celebrates.

We recap Edge/Beth Phoenix vs. Maryse/Miz. Edge came back, Miz didn’t like it, the wives got involved, mixed tag.

Edge/Beth Phoenix vs. Miz/Maryse

Miz is knocked outside to start and Maryse is sent on top of him, allowing Edge to forearm Miz back inside. A cheap shot lets Miz take over on Edge and cannonball down onto his back. Maryse chokes a bit from the floor so Beth goes a stalking, for some reason thinking she needs a chair. Edge manages a quick implant DDT and Maryse can’t cut off the tag.

Beth comes in to beat up Maryse, including a spinning side slam for two. Miz goes after Beth and gets hammered down in the corner for his efforts. Maryse gets in a cheap shot with the loaded purse for two, setting up a camel clutch of all things. That’s broken up and Beth hits a clothesline for the double knockdown.

It’s back to Edge for the Edge-O-Matic on Miz, with Beth adding a powerbomb. Edge’s top rope elbow gets two but he spears the corner for the mishap. Maryse snaps off a top rope hurricanrana (that’s a new one for her) and there’s the French Kiss for Beth. The Skull Crushing Finale gets two on Edge and Miz gives us a shocked face. Beth is back up though and a double spear cuts Miz down. Mostly stereo Glam Slams give Edge the pin at 12:28.

Rating: C. Here is another match where it could have used some chicanery with Miz and Maryse cheating as much as they could have to win the thing and instead they played it pretty straight. The idea of battling couples works, but Edge and Beth aren’t going to lose to Miz and Maryse without all kinds of cheating and everyone knew it. Not an awful match, but another boring one on a show full of them.

A recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor is here so we hear his story.

Men’s Royal Rumble

90 second intervals with AJ Styles in at #1 (and strikes a Shawn Michaels pose for some reason) and Shinsuke Nakamura (Intercontinental Champion) in at #2, meaning Pat McAfee gets to dance on the announcers’ table. A strike off goes to Nakamura, who hits the spinwheel kick to the head but can’t exploder Styles out. Styles knocks him into the corner and it’s Austin Theory in at #3. The rolling dropkick hits Styles to start but Nakamura goes for Theory.

Robert Roode is in at #4 and hits some spinebusters but Styles cuts him off. Styles reverses a whip and sends Roode outside for the quick elimination. Ridge Holland, with face guard, is in at #5 to run some people over. Styles gets rid of Nakamura and goes after Theory as Montez Ford is in at #6. Ford throws Theory to the apron but can’t get rid of him. Instead Ford kicks away at Holland to little effect and US Champion Damien Priest is in at #7.

A bunch of stomping ensues until Sami Zayn is in at #8. More nothing ensues and it’s Johnny Knoxville in at #9. Knoxville takes Sami down and hammers away before going after Styles. The Phenomenal Blitz drops Knoxville fast and Ford adds the frog splash. Sami Helluva Kicks Knoxville out but Styles dumps Zayn for a bonus. Angelo Dawkins is in at #10, giving us Styles, Theory, Holland, Ford, Priest, and Dawkins. Omos is in at #11 and he should get to clear some of the ring. There goes Dawkins and Ford follows him rather quickly.

Ricochet is in at #12 and get chopped by Omos as NOTHING continues to happen. Chad Gable is in at #13 and rallies the troops to go after Omos, which means sending Priest after him alone. With Priest gone, the rest of the group, plus Dominik Mysterio in at #14, gets rid of Omos. Happy Corbin is in at #15 and dumps Ricochet pretty fast. Dolph Ziggler is in at #16 as this is reaching some incredible levels of boring. Deep Six plants Dominik and Corbin gets rid of him, followed by Styles getting rid of Theory.

Sheamus is in at #17, with Holland being tossed before Sheamus can get inside. Rick Boogs is in at #18 and McAfee is excited, as compared to the eerily still crowd. Boogs tosses Gable and Madcap Moss is in at #19. Corbin tosses Styles, ending a nearly thirty minute run with….nothing (that’s the story of the match so far: nothing happens, and we’re just sitting around waiting as more people come in and go out).

It’s Riddle in at #20, giving us Corbin, Ziggler, Sheamus, Boogs, Moss and Riddle as this drones on. Corbin and Moss get rid of Boogs and Drew McIntyre returns from injury at #21. McIntyre wastes no time in getting rid of Moss and Corbin, which would somehow carry on through Wrestlemania. That’s not enough though as Drew follows them outside and unloads on them with steps to the head. Kevin Owens is in at #22 and Pop Up Powerbombs McIntyre.

Rey Mysterio is in at #23 and the fans are barely reacting to a string of big, popular names. Kofi Kingston is in at #24 and gets tossed to the apron fast. Owens breaks up a springboard attempt and Kofi lands on the barricade….but his feet hit the floor as Kofi finally botches his big save spot. It’s Otis in at #25 and hits some elbows as the mindless brawling continues.

Big E. is in at #26 and oh yeah, he’s a former WWE Champion. Belly to belly suplexes abound and the Warrior Splash hits Owens. Bad Bunny gets lucky #27 and gets to clean house, including a high crossbody, followed by a Canadian Destroyer to Riddle. Bunny ducks the Brogue Kick and ducks Sheamus before teaming up with Rey to get rid of Ziggler. Mysterio turns his back on Bunny and almost gets tossed, leaving Owens to Stun Bunny instead. Otis dumps Mysterio and Shane McMahon is in at #28.

Shane wastes no time in getting rid of Owens before slugging it out with McIntyre. Randy Orton, the hometown boy, is in at #29 and the RKO gets rid of Big E. Another RKO hits Otis and Riddle hits a running RKO to McIntyre. Otis is out….and Brock Lesnar is in at #30, meaning everyone knows exactly where this is going. Lesnar gets to clean house, including a bunch of suplexes before dumping Orton and Bunny. Riddle is tossed, Shane follows him, and it’s down to Lesnar vs. McIntyre. Some right hands look to set up the Claymore but Lesnar reversed into the F5 to win at 51:11.

Rating: D-. This was HORRIBLE and is absolutely in the running for worst Royal Rumble of all time. There was no drama until the end, but the bigger problem is there was nothing set up throughout the match. This is the third time I’ve seen this match and I still have no idea what is supposed to be interesting until the end. People come in, they brawl, they get eliminated, more people come in. It’s about 50 minutes of absolute nothing and then “oh well, here’s Brock to get ANOTHER Wrestlemania title match after two minutes of work”. This felt like they didn’t try and just said “Lesnar wins, move on”. Absolutely horrendous.

Overall Rating: D-. I’ve heard this show called the lowest of the low for WWE creative in this era and that very well may be true. The ONLY decent thing on the entire show was Rollins vs. Reigns, and that ended in a screwy finish. You also have Lesnar vs. Lashley and that doesn’t even require creative to work. Instead, we had two terrible Rumbles, one of which is an all time miss, plus some nothing midcard matches. The Rumbles are always going to define these shows though and these were all time terrible. Horrific show and it gets worse every time I watch it.

Ratings Comparison

Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Original: B-
Redo: B

Women’s Royal Rumble:

Original: C-
Redo: D+.

Becky Lynch vs. Doudrop

Original: D+
Redo: C-

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

Original: B-
Redo: C+

Edge/Beth Phoenix vs. Miz/Maryse

Original: C
Redo: C

Men’s Royal Rumble

Original: C+
Redo: D-

Overall Rating

Original: C-
Redo: D-

WOW I have no idea what I was thinking on that Men’s Royal Rumble. That has to be up there on my all time list of stupid ratings.

Here is the original review if you need a recap.

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2022/01/30/royal-rumble-2022-at-least-something-caught-fire/

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