Backlash 2016
Date: September 11, 2016
Location: Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia
Attendance: 7,000
Commentators: John Bradshaw Layfield, Mauro Ranallo, David Otunga

For some reason someone wanted me to look at this again and I’m really not sure why. I don’t often get requests for modern shows and while I can remember the show, I’m not sure what to expect here. It isn’t quite a major card but for the main event does have some meaning. This is also the first Smackdown pay per view after the Brand Split so there are some inaugural champions to be decided. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Apollo Crews vs. Baron Corbin

Both of them have only been on the main roster for about five and a half months at this point and this is WAY before Corbin became a thing. Corbin shoves him around to start and then does it again for a bonus. An exchange of shoulders goes to Corbin so Crews goes to the apron. One heck of a right hand puts Crews on the floor and we take a break. Back with Crews kicking away and hitting his jumping clothesline. The Stinger Splash connects but Corbin hits the under the rope clothesline to take Crews down.

One heck of a clothesline gives Corbin two but Crews is right back with a dropkick. The standing moonsault gets two and an Angle Slam gets the same to put them both down again. Deep Six catches Crews for another near fall as they’re going back and forth here. They head outside with Corbin crashing hard into the steps and Crews hammers away back inside. Corbin shoves him off the ropes though and the End of Days is good for the pin at 9:55.

Rating: C+. I’m really not big on Corbin but these two had a heck of a nice match here, which I wouldn’t have expected from these two in this spot. They were going back and forth for just under ten minutes and both guys looked rather nice in the process. I can see why Corbin went somewhere, but it went in such a completely wrong direction that the whole thing fell apart. Crews…..yeah I still can’t explain the whole thing.

The opening video is a text crawl talking about the September 11 attacks from fifteen years earlier. It couldn’t be anything else.

The regular opening video talks about how Smackdown is crowning two inaugural champions here, plus looking at the bigger matches. All as usual in other words.

Here’s Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon to get things going because that’s how you open a pay per view. General Manager Daniel Bryan (erg the days of two bosses per show) comes out to join him and it’s time to welcome the fans to the show. Shane talks about all of their ratings success and Bryan runs down the card, in case you just strolled into a pay per view.

Women’s Title: Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Bella

This is an elimination match for the inaugural title. Becky gets a big pop and Carmella has been attacking Nikki coming into this. It’s a big brawl to start until Becky and Naomi are left alone in the ring. Becky’s armbars don’t get her very far so Naomi does her dancing kicks, which still aren’t the best idea in the world. A big kick to Becky’s head works a bit better but she’s fine enough to backdrop Naomi outside. Carmella catches Becky on top though and a Stratusphere gets two.

Natalya and Alexa break up the Nikki vs. Carmella standoff so Nikki hits the spinning kick to Alexa for two more. Bliss sends Nikki outside so Natalya runs Bliss over but Becky is back in. Naomi comes back for a Bubba Bomb into Cattle Mutilation on Natalya but that’s broken up as well. Carmella gives Nikki a Downward Spiral into the Cone of Silence to stay on the bad neck. That’s broken up and Nikki takes her up top, only to have Natalya turn it into the Tower of Doom.

Bliss clears the ring until Becky comes back in to go after her arm. Now it’s Nikki cleaning house but Carmella breaks up her big dive. Instead Naomi hits a springboard dive onto everyone, leaving Nikki to frantically adjust her gear. Back in and Natalya loads up Bliss in a powerbomb with Naomi adding a Blockbuster for the first elimination at 9:39.

Naomi headscissors Natalya out to the floor but Nikki punches her out to the air. Natalya sends Nikki outside and the Sharpshooter makes Naomi tap at 10:46. That leaves Natalya and Carmella to team up against Nikki, who fights them both off and hits the Rack Attack 2.0 to finish Natalya at 11:53. Carmella immediately rolls Nikki up for the pin at 12:00, leaving us with Carmella vs. Becky for the title.

Hold on though as Nikki slaps Carmella first, leaving the fans to cheer for Becky even more. Carmella spends a lot of time shouting so Becky comes back with the suplexes to take over. A shot to the face drops Becky but she easily pulls Carmella into the Disarm-Her for the tap and the title at 14:15.

Rating: C+. The match was kind of all over the place at first and focused way too much on Carmella vs. Nikki (I’m as shocked as you are) instead of almost anyone else involved. They did well enough once things started clearing out a bit, but the rest of this fell into the trap of two do stuff and then the others take their place with rather limited transition. Becky winning was the only choice given her competition so at least they got the ending right.

Post match Becky thanks the fans for everything and says this is what Becky Balboa is all about.

Bray Wyatt has attacked Randy Orton and injured his knee. They face each other later tonight.

Tag Team Title Tournament Semifinals: Usos vs. Hype Bros

That’s fine with Ryder, who hits a dropkick off the apron and Mojo runs Jimmy over for a bonus. Jey sends Ryder into the buckle back inside though and it’s time for the evil Usos to take over. A backbreaker/running knee combination gets two and we hit the chinlock for a bit. The running Umaga Attack (with Mauro actually getting the name right) connects for two and the chinlock goes on again.

Ryder counters a suplex into a neckbreaker for two but Jey kicks Mojo in the head like a smart villain. As usual, that’s about it for the beatdown though as Ryder clears the ring and makes the hot tag off to Rawley to clean house. Ryder gets two off a super hurricanrana but Rawley gets sent into the barricade. That leaves the Usos to take out Ryder’s knee and the Tequila Sunrise makes Ryder tap at 10:06.

Rating: C+. I wouldn’t have expected the Hype Bros to do this well but it helps when you’re in there with the Usos. The Usos have to be in a match to crown some new champions for the sake of credibility, so it wasn’t like this was the biggest shock. It was quite the surprise that the match worked out this well, but the Hype Bros could rise up to another level when they had the chance.

Rhyno and Heath Slater are ready for the Tag Team Title match but Heath’s stomach is a bit messed up because of bad crab meat. Rhyno: “We’re still live.” Heath: “You’ve been SWERVED!”

Connor’s Cure video.

We recap the Miz defending the Intercontinental Title against Dolph Ziggler. This comes off of the near legendary Daniel Bryan “you wrestle like a coward” promo on Talking Smack, which somehow set up Ziggler getting a shot. See, Ziggler needed to prove himself (again) because being a multiple time World Champion didn’t count because….uh, reasons.

In the back, Miz tells Daniel Bryan that he wants to renegotiate his contract and that’s going to get even worse after he retains the title.

Intercontinental Title: The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler

Miz, with Maryse is defending. Ziggler spinebusters him down to start and hammers away, sending Miz bailing to the floor early on. Back in and Ziggler easily wrestles him down for some near falls so Miz wisely goes to the ropes. A slam plants Ziggler and Miz stomps away as the pace slows a bit. Ziggler isn’t having that and snaps off some dropkicks but Miz is back with a catapult to send him throat first into the bottom rope. The bow and arrow works on Ziggler’s back before Miz catapults him out to the floor.

Miz drops him onto the barricade for two back inside as things slow down for real this time. The chinlock goes on and the comeback attempt earns Ziggler a face first toss into the corner. Miz grabs the surfboard ala Daniel Bryan and then stomps down onto Ziggler’s knees, also ala Bryan. We’ll keep up the Bryan tribute with the running corner dropkicks and YES pose, followed by the running corner clothesline.

The Skull Crushing Finale is countered though and Ziggler nails a dropkick. The clothesline comeback is on and it’s a spinebuster into right hands on Miz. Ziggler gets two off a sunset flip and sends him shoulder first into the post. Miz is right back with a sitout powerbomb before starting in on Ziggler’s knee. The Figure Four is broken up though and Ziggler grabs the sleeper as the submissions continue their trip back to 1982.

Miz slips out so Ziggler grabs the jumping DDT for two more. The superkick is countered into Miz’s short DDT and now the Figure Four can go on. Ziggler gets to the rope so Miz kicks him in the head, earning himself a superkick for a VERY close two. Miz has to be thrown back inside, allowing Maryse to get in some hairspray to the face. That’s enough to set up the Skull Crushing Finale to retain Miz’s title at 18:20.

Rating: B+. Yeah they were using a lot of basic stuff here, but they were using it in a way that made you want to see how it was going to go. Miz worked on Ziggler’s leg and Ziggler tried to set him up for the superkick. It became a bit of a chess match as they were trying to get to that final moment and that’s how you build to a climax. Heck of a match here, as Miz is still able to have this kind of a match under the right circumstances.

The Kickoff Show panel recaps the Kickoff Show in a panel discussion.

Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton

I forgot how much I missed Broken Out In Love. Actually hang on as Orton has a bad knee and can’t win, so after the ten count, Bray wins by forfeit.

Hold on though as we have a replacement for a No Holds Barred match.

Kane vs. Bray Wyatt

No Holds Barred. It’s a slugout to start with Kane taking him to the floor for a clothesline. Bray gets sent into the timekeeper’s area but comes out with a bell shot to the head. Back in and Bray hammers away before getting in a hard shot to the knee to cut Kane off. Some chair shots put Kane down again and then some chair shots put Kane down again. Kane comes back with a DDT onto the chair but it’s way too early for the chokeslam.

They head outside where another chokeslam is broken up, this time with a right hand to the face. The announcers’ table is loaded up and there’s a running backsplash to send Kane through it for the big crash. Back in and Sister Abigail is countered into a quick chokeslam for two. Bray manages a release Rock Bottom onto the chair but here’s Randy Orton for the RKO. Kane adds a chokeslam for the pin at 10:57.

Rating: C. Not much to see here but the point was to have Orton get one over on Bray and that worked out well enough. Kane is fine for a fill in spot like this and him beating Wyatt isn’t the biggest stretch in the world. If nothing else, it’s weird to see Wyatt in this old deal after his crazy transformation just a few weeks later.

AJ Styles talks to a few young guys and knows it by looking at them: they are destined for failure, but at least they got to meet him!

We look back at the Usos winning earlier.

Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Heath Slater/Rhino

For the inaugural titles and Slater/Rhino are the wacky thrown together team. The fans are behind Slater as he forearms Jey down to start. Rhino and Jimmy come in for the ECW chants and Jimmy gets knocked down with a knee to the ribs. Slater comes back in and is quickly knocked out to the floor in a heap.

We hit a….sliding chinlock (ok then) back inside but Slater it out even faster. That earns him something like a top rope Demolition Decapitator and we hit the chinlock. Slater gets driven into the corner and a legdrop makes it worse. A clothesline gets Slater out of trouble and it’s back to Rhino for the hot tag so house can be cleaned. The Gore only hits the buckle so Slater tags himself back in to DDT Jey. Jimmy makes the save but walks into the Gore, allowing Slater to get the pin and the titles at 9:56.

Rating: C-. This was just a TV match and nothing more, which isn’t exactly the most thrilling thing to see on a pay per view. Slater and Rhino winning is the right way to go as you can only get so far with the Usos winning. They’re the established team, so why waste your time with having them get another title win here? Not a bad match, but I won’t remember it in half an hour.

Post match Slater is rather pleased at getting the title (and a contract on Smackdown) because this is the biggest moment of his life. Slater: “Aside from a couple of my kids being born.” What matters most though: HE’S GETTING A DOUBLE WIDE!!!

And now, a KFC ad featuring Dolph Ziggler as Colonel Sanders beating up Miz in a chicken suit.

We recap AJ Styles challenging Dean Ambrose for the World Title. Styles beat John Cena at Summerslam and wants the World Title, though Ambrose isn’t exactly taking this seriously. He keeps telling AJ that he isn’t getting a trophy for being second best, but Styles wants the WWE Title.

Smackdown World Title: AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose

Ambrose is defending and is taken down in short order. Some rollups give Styles two each and it’s another early standoff. Styles wrestles him down and tells Ambrose that he owns him so Ambrose is back up with armdrags. A slam sends AJ bailing to the floor as things stop for a breather. AJ gets Ambrose to chase him though and the stomping is on, only to have Ambrose knock him outside again.

Ambrose’s suicide dive is cut off with a trip and it’s time to work on the neck. The drop down into the dropkick gets a nice reaction from the crowd, along with a two count. The jumping knee gets the same and AJ knees him in the face a few more times. Ambrose fights back but charges shoulder first into the post to cut that off in a hurry. AJ misses his own charge though and Dean hits a top rope belly to back superplex, with AJ flipping onto his face to make it worse.

A swinging Rock Bottom backbreaker gives Ambrose two and the top rope standing elbow (I’ve missed that one) hits AJ on the floor. Back in and a double chickenwing facebuster gets two more but Styles suplexes him into the corner. It’s way too early for either finisher so AJ crushes the knee in the corner to take over again. The leg cranking is on so Ambrose uses the good leg to kick his way to freedom.

Not that it matters as AJ is right back with the Calf Crusher, with Ambrose having to make the crawl to the rope. The hold goes on again so this time Ambrose bounces his head off the mat for the break. Ambrose has to climb the ropes to escape the Styles Clash so they head to the apron, where a heck of a catapult sends AJ into the heck of a hard post. Back in and Ambrose gets two off la majistral, only to get caught in the fireman’s carry backbreaker.

AJ: “Let’s see if he gets up from this one.” The springboard 450 connects and we do see Ambrose get up from this one. Ambrose slugs away and hits a running dropkick to put AJ on the floor again. Now the big dive can connect and AJ is thrown over the barricade. The running dive from the announcers’ tables over the barricade drops AJ and the rebound lariat does it again back inside. Dirty Deeds is broken up and the referee gets bumped, allowing AJ to hit a low blow into the Styles Clash for the pin and the title at 24:57.

Rating: A-. I really liked this one as they built up the story of Ambrose being a wild brawler and AJ slowly reeling him in for the catch because Styles is that much better. The leg work was good, though Ambrose kind of dropped it near the end. Styles had to get the title here and WWE was smart enough to not do something crazy like try to stretch it out. This was the right call with the right choice and the match was pretty great.

AJ looks very pleased that he won and poses to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a rather good show here and Smackdown gets off to a nice start. They did the historical stuff with the title changes and there was nothing bad throughout the card. I wasn’t expecting much out of this show and I barely remembered the thing in the first place so this was a heck of a nice surprise. Very good show here and the main event is worth seeing for some nice storytelling.

 

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Smackdown
Date: January 1, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We have finally made it to the new year and that means it is time to start getting ready for the Royal Rumble. Last week saw a pair of huge matches as Kevin Owens got cheated out of his shot at the Universal Title and Big E. won the Intercontinental Title. That sounds like a good place to start for the new year so let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Jon Huber/Luke Harper.

We open with a long recap of Roman Reigns needing Jey Uso’s help to retain the Universal Title over Kevin Owens.

Here are Roman Reigns, Jey Uso and Paul Heyman to open things up. Reigns says Happy New Year and talks about how rough 2020 was. However, when you’re the Head of the Table and the Tribal Chief, you can make it work. Look at everything he accomplished in 2020. Heyman is the most honest man he has ever done business with and Jey has had the best year of his career by just listening to Reigns. Reigns praises Jey for being Main Event Uso all along and knocking it out of the park, which is why Reigns loves him.

Cue Kevin Owens but Reigns says turn the music off. Reigns rants about how Owens won’t go away no matter what and he’s sick of Owens as a result. Owens says that since he’s still standing here, Reigns and his family have failed. That failure makes it clear that the Big Dog has been replaced by a giant b****. As for tonight, Owens is here to fight Jey and after that beating, Reigns’ family will have nothing to celebrate.

We look at Big E. winning the Intercontinental Title last week.

Big E. vs. King Corbin

Non-title with Sami Zayn, who is already ranting about a conspiracy, on commentary. They run the ropes to start with Big E. elbowing him down for an early two. Corbin gets in a shot to the face of his own and then hits Big E. in the throat. Big E. gets sent into the post (Sami: “You love to see that.”) so Corbin tries the slide under the post clothesline, only to walk into the Big Ending. That’s enough to draw Sami in for the DQ at 2:52.

Post match the Knights Of The Lone Wolf come in for the beatdown on Big E., drawing in Apollo Crews for the save.

Apollo Crews/Big E. vs. Sami Zayn/King Corbin

Joined in progress because it was sanctioned during the break and we don’t need to waste time seeing that happen. Sami elbows Crews in the corner and hands it off to Corbin for a running clothesline. Crews gets sent outside for a cheap shot from the Knights, followed by being thrown back outside for no cheap shot this time. Back in and Crews snaps off a powerslam, allowing the hot tag to Big E.

The suplexes abound, setting up the Warrior Splash (Graves: “Like getting run over by a Big Rig.”) for two. Corbin grabs Deep Six as Sami argues with the Knights on the floor. Crews comes back in to go after Corbin in a Backlash 2016 Kickoff sequel. Corbin doesn’t like that and argues with Sami before walking out. That’s enough for Crews to grab the Toss Powerbomb to finish Sami at 6:13.

Rating: C-. Not much of a match but it made Crews look good in the process. I’m not sure what that means going forward but if it means Crews vs. Big E. instead of Corbin vs. Big E., I certainly approve. Big E. wasn’t really a factor here, though he had his big moment last week already. Now build him up a challenger in a hurry.

Kevin Owens talks to Adam Pearce about the match with Jey Uso, but Pearce says he can’t do that because it’s just asking for trouble. Owens can have anyone else on the roster instead. Owens: “Fine. I’ll take Roman Reigns.” That’s enough to get Pearce to agree to the match with Uso.

Big E. talks about how things have been good for him since he won, with fans celebrating him from Rome to Rochester (Brodie Lee’s hometown). He has had little Amanda’s (Brodie Lee’s wife) and Nolan’s (Brodie Lee’s son) celebrating with him and like the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs (Brodie Lee’s hockey team), he will be a fighting champion. The open challenge is on and Apollo Crews is right there to accept.

Riott Squad vs. Tamina/Natalya

Billie Kay is here with Tamina and Natalya, who she has put together to deal with the Squad. Morgan rolls Natalya up to start but gets shoved down as Billie yells at everyone. The distraction lets Natalya get double dropkicked into the corner so it’s off to Ruby vs. Tamina. That doesn’t last long as it’s quickly off to Liv for a double Russian legsweep. Hang on though as Billie is now in the Squad’s corner, with Ruby yelling at her a bit. Billie tries to play coach, allowing Liv to roll Tamina up for the pin at 2:25.

Post match, Billie celebrates the victory.

We look back at last week’s Women’s Tag Team Title match.

Bayley/Carmella vs. Bianca Belair/Sasha Banks

Reginald is here with Carmella and Bayley. Belair takes Carmella down without much effort to start and then lifts her up by the arm. Bayley comes in and gets dropkicked down for a trip to the floor. That means a dive from Banks for two back inside as we take a break. Back with Bayley getting two on Belair and working on the arm, which was apparently hurt during the break.

The double arm crank doesn’t last long as Belair suplexes her way to freedom, only to have Carmella break up the tag attempt. A kick to the ribs sets up another armbar but Belair powers out without much trouble. It’s off to Banks for the trash talk off with Carmella, who sends her to the apron. Banks hits the running knees in the corner so Bayley comes in for the save. Belair tries to use her hair to pull Banks over for the tag but Bayley grabs it instead.

That just earns her a hair whip into the post, leaving Banks to get superkicked by Carmella. The Bronco Buster misses though and the Bank Statement goes on, with Reginald pulling Carmella to the floor. The threat of violence from Banks has Reginald backflipping off the apron but the distraction lets Carmella hit a swinging X Factor for the pin at 10:04.

Rating: C. I guess one Carmella title feud wasn’t enough. It’s not exactly thrilling but it’ll work fine enough for another title match if they have to. That isn’t going to last long term but at least Banks is likely to have another successful defense in there. Carmella has been a little better as of late so this is hardly a disaster, but it’s a little disappointing.

Roman Reigns isn’t happy with the main event being made because whoever made the match doesn’t respect him. Reigns sends Uso to find out who did it.

Sonya Deville is back and everyone is surprised to see her.

Here are the Street Profits for the 2021 Smoketacular. Montez Ford lists off all of their accomplishments this year but Angelo Dawkins wants to know what is under a blanket. That would be a drum set, because Dawkins needs to play a bit. Ford has some predictions for 2021, like the “I Was Intercontinental Champion” shirt (which they introduced) becoming the #1 seller at WWE Shop. Next up we have Dolph Ziggler, who has ripped off Shawn Michaels for so long that he is going to be dubbed the Heartache Kid. Cue Ziggler and Robert Roode and the big beatdown is on, with Ford’s leg being destroyed with post and chairs.

Post break, Ziggler and Roode say that’s all on the Street Profits’ hands because they want the Tag Team Titles. They want their title shot and won’t stop until they get it. Of note: the team now seems to officially be the Dirty Dawgs, making me wonder which names were rejected.

Daniel Bryan/Otis vs. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura

This is fallout from Cesaro/Nakamura not liking Bryan training with Chad Gable (at ringside) and Otis earlier today. Cesaro headlocks Bryan down to start and hands it off to Nakamura for a chinlock as we hear about Cesaro and Nakamura’s battle royal success. Bryan is sent outside for an uppercut from Cesaro as we take a break.

Back with Cesaro slamming Bryan down and handing it off to Nakamura for the kicks. Bryan avoids a big one though and it’s off to Otis to start wrecking things. The Caterpillar hits Cesaro and Bryan comes back in for a sunset flip on Nakamura. Back up and Nakamura’s armbar doesn’t work, as Bryan reverses into the YES Lock for the tap at 10:00.

Rating: C+. The Otis/Gable addition was a little weird but, again, they are already starting to rise up the card a little bit while also gaining some credibility. I’m not sure how Cesaro and Nakamura have already fallen down, but the Nakamura ship sailed years ago. At least Bryan is being kept strong though, and that could mean a lot in the future.

Roman Reigns gives Jey Uso one more pep talk.

Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso

Owens unloads on him to start and stomps Uso down with no trouble. They head outside with Owens hitting a backsplash on the floor, followed by another for two back inside. Back in and Owens starts in on Jey’s recently injured leg, including crushing it on the rope. Uso gets in some right hands for a breather and a superkick puts Owens down on the floor. They head outside with Owens hitting his own superkick and throwing him over the announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with Jey shoving Owens off the top. Jey has to bail out of the Superfly Splash though and Owens hits the Stunner for the pin at 7:25.

Rating: C. The post break stuff was rather short and the match was almost a squash. This should be setting up the next Reigns vs. Owens match at the Rumble and if so, they did a nice job of reheating Owens in a hurry. It wasn’t a competitive match or even close to one of the most part, but that wasn’t the kind of match they should have had here.

Post match the beatdown is on, with Owens telling Reigns to come help his family. Jey gets handcuffed to the top rope so the leg can be further destroyed. Owens finally gets tired of the beating and unhooks the cuffs, allowing Jey to stagger up the aisle. That just earns Jey another beating, including a superkick onto a table. Owens loads up something but here’s Reigns to jump him from behind. Jey grabs a chair and the big beatdown is on, with Reigns unloading with said chair. Owens gets sent into various screens and then gets tossed off the stage through a table to finally end the beating.

Overall Rating: C+. There wasn’t much done here, but with the show going up against the college football playoff, they weren’t going to have any kind of an audience in the first place. The wrestling was just mostly there, but it does seem to be setting up things for the future, which is the best way to use a show like this. Don’t waste the big stuff when you won’t have an audience, and they didn’t make such a mistake here. Not a great show, but a smartly done one.

Results

Big E. b. King Corbin via DQ when Sami Zayn interfered

Apollo Crews/Big E. b. King Corbin/Sami Zayn – Toss Powerbomb to Zayn

Riott Squad b. Tamina/Natalya – Rollup to Tamina

Carmella/Bayley b. Sasha Banks/Bianca Belair – Running X Factor to Banks

Daniel Bryan/Otis b. Shinsuke Nakamura/Cesaro – YES Lock to Nakamura

Kevin Owens b. Jey Uso – Stunner

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Smackdown
Date: December 25, 2020
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the biggest holiday of the year and WWE is doing a show because I’m assuming network requirements. It’s a stacked (and thankfully taped) card with three title matches, including Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns in a cage, Big E. challenging Sami Zayn and Charlotte/Asuka defending against opponents to be named. Let’s get to it.

Here is Tables, Ladders And Chairs if you need a recap.

Universal Title: Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns

Reigns, with Paul Heyman at ringside, is defending inside a cage. Owens slugs away to start but gets sent into the cage a few times. The Samoan drop gets two but Owens is back up to stomp Reigns in the corner. That means the Cannonball can connect for two and Reigns is in trouble. Back up and Owens tries the Pop Up Powerbomb, only to have Reigns reverse into a Rough Ryder of all things. Owens punches him down again and the Bullfrog splash connects for two.

We take a break and come back with Reigns hitting a sitout powerbomb for two of his own. Owens is able to hit the Pop Up Powerbomb for two more but Reigns catches him in the corner. The superplex is loaded up but Owens reverses into the spinning superplex for two more. Reigns hits the Superman Punch for another two and it’s time to choke on the ropes. Owens is back with his own choking to break free though and Reigns is down in the middle. The Stunner gives Owens two more and we take a second break.

Back again with Reigns having to pull Owens off the top but getting superkicked away. Owens’ Swanton hits knees though, allowing Reigns to hit the spear for a rather near fall. Reigns is aghast and talks trash, only to have Owens slam the door on his head. Owens sends him into the cage over and over to knock Reigns silly so here’s Jey Uso to slam the door on Owens’ head.

That earns Jey a door to the head but the delay lets Reigns pull Owens back in. A superkick connects but so does Reigns’ Superman Punch. The spear only hits cage though and there’s another Stunner to drop Reigns. Owens goes to the door….and here’s Jey again to handcuff him to the cage. Reigns is up and steps over Owens, who shouts that Reigns’ kids should be ashamed of him to retain at 25:36.

Rating: B. This felt like a big time TV match and that’s all you can ask for out of a big time TV match. It was a nice followup to the TLC match and that’s a hard trick to pull off given how great that was. The ending feels like a way to set up a Last Man Standing match, which should be a heck of a violent blowoff to the whole thing. This had good drama and action and the ending gave them a way to keep going. Not bad for a long, entertaining match.

Here are Charlotte and Asuka to defend the Tag Team Titles against opponents to be named, so here is Bayley to interrupt. Before she can get very far though, here is Sasha Banks to interrupt. Before she can get very far though, here is Bianca Belair to interrupt. Before she can get very far though, here’s Carmella to interrupt and the trash talk sets up a match that was already announced by commentary. So why did we need all of the interruptions and mini promos?

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Asuka/Charlotte vs. Carmella/Bayley vs. Bianca Belair/Sasha Banks

Asuka and Charlotte are defending with elimination rules. Charlotte kicks Asuka in the ribs to start and Asuka comes in to kick her down for two. Carmella comes in (with Graves swooning) so Banks joins her to send Carmella into the corner. Running knees set up a tag to Belair, who drives in the shoulders to the ribs. Charlotte takes Carmella place and they take turns mocking each other before trying dropkicks at the same time. That means stereo nip ups so it’s Bayley and Asuka coming in.

The Bayley to Belly gets two on Asuka and we take a break. Back with Asuka hitting a middle rope dropkick for two on Bayley but getting taken into the corner. Carmella comes in to send Asuka head first into the mat, allowing Bayley to come back in and knock Charlotte off the apron. Asuka fights up and brings in Charlotte to clean house as everything breaks down. Bayley gets knocked down and Banks hits the frog splash for the first elimination at 13:04.

The Bank Statement has Charlotte in trouble but she’s back up to take the leg. The Figure Four attempt is broken up though and Banks kicks her in the face. Charlotte’s big boot connects though and now the Figure Eight goes on. Belair can’t reach Banks for the tag so she throws her hair out, allowing Banks to pull herself over (Couldn’t you say that touching the hair counted as a tag?) for the tag.

Belair goes up but Charlotte kicks her down, injuring the knee in the process. The Figure Eight is broken up with a Meteora so Asuka takes Banks down, knocking her into Reginald, who is still at ringside for some reason. Bayley is still here too as Asuka kicks away at Belair. One of the kicks is countered into a sitout powerbomb for two on Asuka but there is no one for Belair to tag (which Bayley enjoys pointing out). A Codebreaker into Natural Selection finishes Belair to retain the titles at 16:56.

Rating: C+. The action was good enough, but there wasn’t exactly any drama when you have the dream team new champs facing two makeshift teams. What else was there going to be here? I have no idea who is going to take the titles from Asuka and Charlotte, because aside from the Riott Squad, I’m not even sure if there are any teams. Good enough match though, and made the champs look good.

The Street Profits preview the rest of the show but overhead Sami Zayn yelling at a member of the production team about the main event being a lumberjack match. She walks away, so the Profits bring Sami his present: a shirt saying “I WAS INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION.” Storming off ensues.

Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso

Jey jumps Bryan during the entrance and beats the heck out of him, including a slam on the ramp. We take a break and come back with Bryan saying he’s good to go, meaning Jey sends him outside in a heap. The suicide dive connects and Bryan is in a lot of trouble early on. Bryan gets whipped into the steps and it’s time to head back inside for the chops in the corner. Another slam bangs up Bryan again but he avoids a running elbow. Jey avoids the running corner dropkick though and the running hip attack rocks Bryan again.

Bryan hits a backdrop to send Jey outside though and he bangs up his ankle on the landing. Bryan’s suicide dive mostly misses though and he crashes shoulder first into the announcers’ table. There’s the belly to back superplex to drop Jey and we take a break. Back with Bryan going after the leg and getting two off a super hurricanrana. The running knee is blocked with a superkick though and the Superfly Splash hits Bryan.

Jey’s bad knee delayed the cover though and Bryan kicks out. Another Superfly Splash hits raised knees though and Bryan slaps on a half crab. With that broken up, they slug it out on the match with Bryan getting the better of things. The running knee finishes Jey at 13:46.

Rating: B. They did a nice job of setting up the drama here as Uso has been on enough of a roll to make you think that he could be a threat to Bryan. At the same time though, Bryan seems to be the most likely challenger to Reigns at Wrestlemania (at least for now) so giving him a win is a good idea. Also, is anyone going to think that Uso is downgraded by losing to Bryan?

Post break Bryan says there is one thing he has not accomplished in his career so he is setting his sights on it. As of tonight, Bryan is officially entering the Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn comes in to say Bryan was the one who said the Intercontinental Title needed to be defended more often and accuses Bryan of setting up the lumberjack match. If that’s the case, Sami will deal with him. Bryan: “Did Santa not bring him a Playstation 5? Is that what the kids are into?”

Video on Sami Zayn vs. Big E.

Intercontinental Title: Sami Zayn vs. Big E.

Big E. is challenging in a lumberjack match (with a few Raw wrestlers at ringside). Sami gets powered around to start but manages to get in a running shot to the face in the corner. E. is sent outside where the lumberjacks get in some cheap shots before throwing him in again. Back in and Big E. runs Sami over with the straight power that you would expect, only to miss the running apron splash.

Back with Sami charging into the Rock Bottom out of the corner for two. Sami tries to run away but gets thrown back in by the lumberjacks. Big E. pulls him back in with Sami grabbing the ring skirt in the process. The referee fixes it up so Sami uses the chance to get in a poke to the eyes. That gives Sami two so he goes up top, where a sunset bomb gets two more. The spear through the ropes connects so the lumberjacks slug it out, even as Sami tries to bail. That doesn’t work, as Sami is throw back in for the belly to belly, the Warrior Splash and the Big Ending to give Big E. the pin and the title at 13:15.

Rating: C+. The wrestling wasn’t the point here and there is nothing wrong with that. Above all else, they got in, did their thing, and got out with a match that felt important. They needed to do something special for Big E. and winning the Intercontinental Title on Christmas night, even in a match without much drama, feels like something important. Nice main event here, but the moment mattered more.

Post match the lumberjacks pick Big E. up and confetti falls to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The wrestling ranged from rather good to good all night long, but above all else this show felt like it belonged on a special show. It felt like a show that belonged on a holiday and the Big Ending gave us a big ending. I can’t imagine many people actually watch the thing, but it certainly gave them something to talk about on the way to the new year. Very strong show here and Big E.’s singles push seems to have begun.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good Smackdown.

Results

Roman Reigns b. Kevin Owens – Reigns escaped the cage

Charlotte/Asuka b. Sasha Banks/Bianca Belair and Carmella/Bayley – Natural Selection to Belair

Daniel Bryan b. Jey Uso – Running knee

Big E. b. Sami Zayn – Big Ending

 

 

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Tables Ladders And Chairs 2020
Date: December 20, 2020
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe, Byron Saxton

It’s time to wrap up the year and I’m not sure what that is going to mean. For the first time in a good many years, we don’t have matches based on all three of the letters in the show’s name, but rather two based on all three of them combined. That could be a good way to go and hopefully that is the case here. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Daniel Bryan/Chad Gable/Otis/Big E. vs. Sami Zayn/Shinsuke Nakamura/Cesaro/King Corbin

Well that’s kind of a huge for a tossed together match. Big E. plays an air version of Nakamura’s violin and Sami, with the two Sami Awards, has a shirt saying I’m The Intercontinental Champion. We also get some audio from Kayla Braxton’s Instagram of Sami giving quite the rant about wanting to fire people who caused it. Sami and Gable start so it’s off to Big E. in two seconds.

Corbin comes in as well and gets powered back into the corner. There’s the belly to belly and it’s off to Cesaro vs. Gable for a change. Gable starts taking him down without much effort and goes after the arm. Bryan comes in to keep the cranking going but gets driven up against the ropes. Nakamura adds a kick from the apron and comes in to work on the cravate. It’s back to Sami as Cole explains the joke about Sami’s backstage rant. Bryan fights up against Corbin as Big E. chases Sami around ringside.

The hot tag brings in Otis, who knocks Nakamura down to set up the Caterpillar. With Nakamura crushed, Gable comes in and gets kicked in the face. Nakamura hits a middle rope knee to the head, setting up a gutwrench jackknife from Cesaro. We hit the parade of secondary finishes, including a running knee from Bryan and Rolling Chaos Theory from Gable to Cesaro. Sami comes in but Gable rolls over to Big E., who counters the Helluva Kick into the Rock Bottom out of the corner. The Big Ending finishes Sami at 8:47.

Rating: C+. If nothing else, it was weird to see this kind of star power in a random match on the Kickoff Show. The ending was all that mattered, but it does kind of leave you wondering how this many people, many of whom are featured on Smackdown most weeks, are only being thrown onto this show with a few hours’ notice. What we got worked well though, as most of the people involved know how to put together a perfectly entertaining match.

The opening video looks at how this is the end of the year and could be the end of the people involved. The two main events get the big feature, probably because they’re named after the show, though the other matches get some focus of their own.

We recap AJ Styles vs. Drew McIntyre for the Raw World Title. There isn’t much of a story here, as Drew is champion and AJ won a mini tournament to get the shot. They have used the various weapons on each other and now it’s time to have the big weapons match.

Raw World Title: AJ Styles vs. Drew McIntyre

AJ, with Omos, is challenging in a TLC match. Styles goes for the knee at the bell but has to settle for chopping McIntyre in the corner instead. That earns AJ a toss out of the corner and Drew is looking especially fired up here. We get a little miscommunication as AJ is whipped into the corner and falls down, even as McIntyre follows for a running clothesline. Instead it’s kind of a running right hand, followed by a backdrop to put AJ down again.

AJ gets a boot up in the corner but Drew hits a loud chop to take him off the top and out to the floor again. Drew sends him into the barricade a few times and loads up the first ladder. That means it’s time for a chair with AJ cracking him over the back and wedging the chair in the corner. McIntyre sends him head first into said chair though and it’s time to climb. AJ is back up to pelt the chair at Drew though and they’re both down again. The Styles Clash onto the ladder is broken up though and it’s the Future Shock to plant AJ instead.

Drew tosses the ladder at AJ but only grazes him a bit, allowing AJ to take out the leg. The Calf Crusher, in the ladder, goes on to make McIntyre scream. With that broken up, AJ unloads on the knee with the chair. The Calf Crusher goes on again with the chair around McIntyre’s knee but he counters by sending him into the ladder for a double knockdown. It’s AJ up first to wrap the leg around the post. A table is cleared at ringside but Drew is up first to throw a chair at AJ for a breather.

The ladder is set up in the corner and a table is set up across from it, with AJ managing a drop toehold into said ladder. AJ kicks at the knee again but dives into a suplex into the ladder to put him in trouble again. Styles is fine enough to hit a Phenomenal Forearm but can’t follow up. It’s Styles up first to climb the ladder but McIntyre slams him off the ladder and through a ringside table.

McIntyre goes up….and here’s Miz to powerbomb McIntyre through the table. The briefcase is OFFICIALLY cashed in and we now have a triple threat. Miz goes up but Omos pulls him down and drops him through a table at ringside. John Morrison chairs Omos across the back, shattering the (metal) chair, which only annoys the giant. Omos slowly stalks him to the back and we’re down to the actual three involved.

McIntyre goes up but AJ is right there to catch him. Miz brings in his own ladder though and goes up as well. The Glasgow Kiss drops AJ and McIntyre shoves Miz down but AJ is back up with a springboard to the ladder. McIntyre gets knocked down so Miz takes his place, only to have McIntyre shove them both down. There’s the Claymore to Miz and McIntyre retains at 26:58.

Rating: B. This went as expected until the Miz cash-in, as they just had two big stars beating the fire out of each other. The problem is that’s the kind of match that we have seen time after time in TLC, so it hit a pretty firm ceiling. The good thing is that ceiling is pretty high up there and they had a hard hitting match. Not a memorable one or anything, but it worked well. Above all else though, Miz and John Morrison aren’t going to be running around with the briefcase so that annoyance is out of the way.

Paul Heyman is asked about Kevin Owens saying he will win the Universal Title or die trying. After mocking Kayla Braxton for going for aesthetics over competency, Heyman talks about how favorite non-WWE sport is actually NASCAR. Not that he cares about who wins of course, but he likes the car crashes. Tonight it is going to be a huge car crash, and Roman Reigns is retaining because that is a spoiler.

We recap Sasha Banks vs. Carmella for Banks’ Smackdown Women’s Title. Banks won the title from Bayley to end her year plus reign but was then attacked by Carmella. They already had their first match, with Carmella winning via DQ. Since then, Carmella has hit her with a pair of champagne bottles to the back, meaning Banks is coming in a bit weakened.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Carmella vs. Sasha Banks

Banks is defending and Carmella drops straight to the floor to start. That’s not going to work for Banks who chases her back inside for an armdrag. This time around Banks sends her off the apron and into the arms of the sommellier, Reginald. Carmella uses the distraction to drive Banks into the steps for two and we settle down a bit. They head out to the apron where the Bank Statement is broken up, allowing Carmella to send her face first onto said apron.

Back in and Banks kicks away a bit, setting up Three Amigos to put Carmella down for a change. The frog splash connects for two on Carmella but Banks spins around into an X Factor (with a hard landing). That gives Carmella some near falls of her own and it’s time to slap it out with some vinegar. Banks goes up top and gets caught in a superplex attempt, only to reverses into a super sunset flip for two. A backslide gives Banks two more but Carmella slaps on the Code of Silence.

That’s reversed into a rollup for two and Banks flips her into the Bank Statement. Reginald pulls Carmella out though and carries her away, only to get caught with a Meteora off the apron. Carmella nails a superkick for two back inside so she shouts her name a lot. That’s too much for Banks, who pulls her into the Bank Statement for the tap at 12:44.

Rating: C. They were trying here but there are only so many ways that you can get around the idea of Carmella being a serious threat to Banks. Carmella isn’t the joke that she used to be but the champagne deal wasn’t exactly a strong upgrade and Banks shouldn’t be losing anytime soon. And what about Banks’ back being hurt by the champagne bottles?

Billie Kay tries to talk Asuka into being her partner, complete with offering her resume. She points out that she speaks Japanese, which has Asuka rather pleased. Kay doesn’t quite get what Asuka says, but she has even made her own mask. Granted it looks like a paper plate on a popsicle stick, so Asuka is disturbed. It doesn’t matter though, as Asuka already has a partner and Kay ISN’T READY FOR ASUKA.

New Day says they’ve beaten the Hurt Business but this is BIG TIME New Day, so…..dang it they’re still not used to not having Big E. to do the entrance.

Raw Tag Team Titles: New Day vs. Hurt Business

Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander are challenging for the Hurt Business with MVP in their corner. Kofi kicks Alexander down for two at the bell and Woods comes in for the same off a legdrop. A crossbody gives Kofi two more and it’s time for the legdrop into a sliding clothesline into a springboard splash for two more on Alexander. Shelton comes in and gets forearmed by Woods as Kofi fights Alexander on the floor.

A tornado DDT gives Woods two on Shelton, who sends Woods hard into the bottom turnbuckle. That gives Alexander two and MVP is rather pleased about the chinlock with a knee in Woods’ back. The armbar doesn’t last long on Woods as he fights up and brings in Kofi off the hot tag.

As Tom brings up Shelton vs. Kofi on ECW of all things, Kofi hits the Boom Drop into the SOS for two on Alexander. Trouble in Paradise misses though and Alexander hits a running knee into a brainbuster. The Neuralizer into Paydirt puts Woods on the floor and Shelton runs the corner to superplex Kofi. Alexander tags himself in (much to Shelton’s annoyance) and the Lumbar Check finishes Kofi for pin and the titles at 9:43.

Rating: C-. Kind of a disappointing match but the absolutely right ending. The Hurt Business is becoming one of the best factions in a long time now and I could go with them being at a higher level on the roster. New Day has held the titles ten times now so losing them again isn’t going to mean a thing. Not a bad match, but they got the result right and that’s what matters.

Bobby Lashley comes out to celebrate and the Hurt Business holds up their titles.

The Royal Rumble is coming on January 31.

We recap the Sami Awards with Big E. interfering, plus the leaked audio.

Sami Zayn rants to Kayla Braxton about the leaked audio, but she won’t say who gave it to her.

We recap the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Nia Jax beat up Lana for months, then Lana got Asuka to give her some pep talks, then Lana pinned Jax, then Lana was taken out and now it’s Asuka and a mystery partner getting a title shot against Jax and Shayna Baszler.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Asuka/??? vs. Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax

Jax and Baszler are defending against Asuka and…..Charlotte, who seems to have lost something during her time away (it’s in the upper region). It’s Asuka starting with Baszler, who can’t take out Asuka’s arm early on. Charlotte comes in to face Jax, who takes her into the corner early on. You don’t do that to Charlotte, who fights out and brings Asuka back in. Baszler goes after Asuka’s arm again, including sending it into the post.

Back in and the standing armbar goes on but Asuka fights her off, allowing the hot tag off to Charlotte. Chopping abounds and the big boot drops Jax to the floor. Charlotte mostly hits the moonsault to take her down again and it’s the missile dropkick from Asuka back inside. Baszler comes in for the Kirifuda Clutch but it’s broken up in a hurry. Instead a small package gets two on Baszler, followed by Jax having to break up the Figure Eight. With Jax being dispatched again, it’s the Natural Selection to finish Baszler for the pin and the titles at 9:14.

Rating: C. How in the world did we start with Lana being sent through tables over and over and wind up with Charlotte getting another title reign? It was nice to have Charlotte gone for a good while like this though as I think we needed a breather from her after all the title matches. I doubt they hold the titles for a long time, but you know Charlotte is coming for Asuka sooner or later.

Sami Zayn finds Big E. and R-Truth laughing at the leaked audio, meaning it’s time to claim a conspiracy. Truth knows a conspiracy: your lips don’t touch when you say separate. Sami calls Big E. a loser since he went solo, and that’s enough to bring out serious Big E. This isn’t going to end well for Sami is it?

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens in a TLC match because TLC is being headlined by a match involving fire. Reigns told Jey Uso to get respect from the losing team at Survivor Series, including beating Owens down. Owens didn’t like the fact that Reigns had Jey do all of this and wanted the title match as a result. Reigns has since destroyed Owens over and over but Owens refuses to stay down.

Smackdown World Title: Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns

Reigns, with Paul Heyman, is defending in a TLC match. Owens comes in through the crowd and jumps Reigns to start as the beating is on in a hurry. The Cannonball connects and Reigns is sent outside for the frog splash off the apron. Cue Jey Uso to try and help Reigns but Owens chairs him down and Pillmanizes his ankle. Reigns uses the distraction to kick Owens in the face and then drops the top of the announcers’ table onto Owens’ back.

The steps go off of Owens’ head a few times as Heyman is starting to understand that this is getting serious. Owens is thrown back inside for a chair to the back but he picks up his own, only to have Reigns drive his own chair into Owens’ to put him down again. The chairs are set up and, after blocking a powerbomb attempt, Reigns backdrops him through the open chairs for a huge crash. Somehow Owens manages to fight his way up and chairs Reigns off the ladder.

A suplex through a chair keeps Reigns in trouble and Owens goes up until a limping Jey makes the save. The distraction lets Reigns get in a Superman Punch and Owens is down again. Reigns sets up a table in the corner and looks like he knows what he has to do. Owens kicks Jey down though and hits a Stunner on Reigns. The ladder is set up but Owens goes outside to powerbomb Jey through the announcers’ table.

Now it’s time to climb but Reigns makes another save. A spinebuster puts Owens through a table and Reigns chokeslams him through another at ringside for a bonus. Reigns isn’t done yet as it’s a Samoan drop through a third table. That’s enough for the slow climb but Owens grabs his foot, much to Reigns’ annoyance. Reigns looks down and laughs at him, even saying that Owens is embarrassing his family.

A slap to Reigns’ face earns Owens a spear through the table in the corner but Reigns can’t follow up for some reason. Owens is already pulling himself up with a ladder on the floor and Reigns can’t believe it. He tells Reigns he’ll have to kill him but another spear only hits the barricade. Reigns makes the save and sends Owens into the ladder, only to take two superkicks.

The Pop Up Powerbomb is countered into the Superman Punch but Owens hits the Pop Up Powerbomb through the table. Owens goes up again but has to deal with Jey, who is taken down by headbutts and a Stunner. Reigns catches Owens with a low blow on the ladder though and now it’s the guillotine on top. That’s it for Owens as he crashes down, allowing Reigns to retain at 24:43.

Rating: B+. If they don’t do a Last Man Standing match at the Rumble, they’re goofier than I thought. This was one of the better performances I’ve seen in a good while from WWE as I bought into the idea of Owens overcoming the odds, even though there was no reason to believe he could pull it off.

They made this work very well though as Owens just kept coming until the numbers games, and Reigns himself, became too much to overcome. There is a rematch to be had here though and just like Jey, they turned what should have been a completely obvious ending into some great drama. Reigns is on another level right now and that was on full display again here. Owens did his part too though, turning this into a heck of a match.

Big E. is challenging Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Title on Smackdown.

We recap Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton, which goes back to their time together in the Wyatt Family. Orton outsmarted Bray, to the point where he burned down the Wyatt Compound and destroyed the remains of Sister Abigail. Now Bray is in a better place with the Firefly Fun House and the Fiend wants revenge on Orton for his recent and past sins. Orton is being outsmarted but may have found Bray’s weak spot with Alexa Bliss. That being said, setting Bray on fire didn’t work, as the Fiend popped up and took Orton out. Tonight it’s a Firefly Inferno match, which needs a bit of an explanation.

Randy Orton vs. The Fiend

Orton, in sweatpants and a hoodie, has to fire himself up on the way to the ring. After some rather long entrances, the bell rings, even though we have no explanation of how you win the match yet. There is no fire to speak of to start and Orton’s right hand just makes Fiend laugh. A kick to the ribs gets the same result and the threat of the RKO is shrugged away. Fiend knocks him down in the corner but Sister Abigail is blocked. Orton hits a dropkick but Fiend is back with the running crossbody.

Sister Abigail is countered into the backbreaker, only to have Wyatt score with Sister Abigail. Fiend throws his arms up to start up some fire behind the barricade. Commentary says we know you have to set your opponent on fire to win (first mention of the way to win and the match started four minutes ago) as they fight outside with Orton being knocked around ringside. Orton gets whipped with a strap….which Fiend then lights on fire.

The big swing misses so Fiend whips out a pick ax. That only hits barricade, as commentary can’t believe Fiend would go that far. So do they just think the LIGHT YOUR OPPONENT ON FIRE rules are here because they were pulled out of a hat? With Orton down, Fiend whips out a rocking chair and some gasoline, which he pours over the chair and then in a path towards it. Orton is sent hard into the steps and then gets set in the chair, so Fiend can pull out a lighter.

The trail is lit up and Orton dives out of the chair just in time (or just before the camera cuts can keep you from seeing everything in one shot). Orton finds an ax handle to knock the steps out of Fiend’s hands and then hits him in the face with them. A chain around the face isn’t enough to drag Fiend into the fire so they head back inside. Fiend plants him with a release Rock Bottom and it’s time to go outside, with Fiend lighting the ax handle on fire. Orton breaks that up as well but the RKO is countered into the Mandible Claw. They fight near the fire with Orton reversing him into the flames for the win at 12:05.

Rating: D+. The fire stuff was forced in the first place and then they didn’t even have fire (or established rules) when the match started. These things are always going to be a stretch of logic at best and that was the case here, as it turns into a horror movie instead of a match most of the time. Orton didn’t need to win but you know this is going on to the Rumble at least. Just stop doing these Inferno matches already though, because they tend to be horrible as soon as you actually try one.

Post match Fiend is still on fire as he charges….right into the RKO. Orton isn’t sure what to think of this as he kicks Fiend over, so he grabs the gas can and covers Fiend. Now it’s time for a match, which Orton throws on Fiend to burn him alive (and send the cameras into complete insanity). Orton poses and we go off the air. I really hope this isn’t the more serious path they’re taking for USA, because they might be in more trouble than I thought.

I know the idea is to have Fiend come back for a big fight at the Rumble, but do I have any reason to believe that this is going to be some big serious moment? Last week’s show featured Orton trying to burn Wyatt and seven minutes later, Riddle was having a doughnut. Maybe they go somewhere smart with it, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

Overall Rating: B-. The two TLC matches are enough to carry things, but this was rather typical of a big WWE show: when they let the people do their thing and tell a story, it works. When they try to get too smart, everything collapses under its own weight, which is what happened at the end. The rest of the show was good to very good, with the TLC matches both delivering and some of the other stuff hitting as well. Just cut it off after Reigns wins and you’re in for a much better night, as the big angle at the end was getting into “you might as well hold up the IT’S FAKE” sign.

Results

Drew McIntyre b. AJ Styles and The Miz – McIntyre pulled down the title

Sasha Banks b. Carmella – Bank Statement

Hurt Business b. New Day – Lumbar Check to Kingston

Charlotte/Asuka b. Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax – Natural Selection to Baszler

Roman Reigns b. Kevin Owens – Reigns pulled down the title

Randy Orton b. The Fiend – Orton lit the Fiend on fire

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

It’s time to wrap things up and that means we have one show left before the Road To WrestleMania can begin. As usual that means Tables, Ladders And Chairs but this time around they are going in a different direction. Instead of a tables match, ladder match and chairs match, we’re getting tables, ladders and chairs matches. Ok so it isn’t the biggest difference on paper, but at least they’re trying something. Let’s get to it.

SmackDown Women’s Title: Sasha Banks(c) vs. Carmella

We’ll get one of the weaker matches out of the way early on. Banks has only had the title for a few months now and already has the stigma of not being able to hold onto the thing all that long. It makes sense to let her have a pretty easy feud to start off her reign, but Carmella is not exactly the most thrilling challenger in the world. She’ll do fine here, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

Banks retains here, and there really shouldn’t be that much doubt. Carmella has come a long way since her debut, but she is firmly in the second tier (at best) in every era of the women’s division. She is still a former champion though and Banks beating her will mean a little something, though I can’t imagine this being more than a one off shot. MAYBE they have a third match at the Royal Rumble, but Banks isn’t dropping the title to her.

Raw Tag Team Titles: New Day(c) vs. Hurt Business

I feel like I’m in some kind of time loop with New Day, as they seem like they have been the stay the course choice for the Tag Team Titles for literally years now, always waiting to drop the belts to the next team. That doesn’t exactly make for a thrilling story, and given how many times we’ve seen these four fight in one combination or another, the limited interest has already been taken away.

I’m going to go with new champions here, in the hopes that the Hurt Business gets an even bigger push. The whole group is one of the best around today and I could go for them having even more gold. I know I’ve said this time and time again, but New Day doesn’t need the titles and they could be good for Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander, as both could use the boost. New champions here, even though I don’t quite believe it’s happening.

The Fiend vs. Randy Orton

This is now a Firefly Inferno match, because I guess WWE thinks that fireflies have actual fire or something. It sounds like an Inferno match, which feels really, really tacked on after Orton’s ATTEMPTED MURDER earlier this week. The story has been set up, but I’m still not sure why I should want to see these two fight. That being said, it’s not like the Fiend makes the most sense in the first place and having him outsmart the master strategist is intriguing

I’ll go with Orton to win here though, mainly because his basic boots and trunks don’t leave much to be set on fire (assuming that’s how you win of course). The Fiend winning makes more sense, but I can live with Orton if he doesn’t use Alexa Bliss to upset Fiend. It’s an interesting enough match, but I could go without the fire. Just do what makes sense instead of tacking something on at the last second and (pun intended), leaping straight into the fire.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Asuka/???

So after about three months of Jax tormenting Lana and setting up the revenge at this show, Lana isn’t even on the card. Instead Asuka is getting the shot with a mystery partner, meaning the whole thing is going to come down to who she has. I’m not entirely convinced it won’t wind up being Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose getting the shot, which would at least make some more sense than whatever they’re doing here.

No matter who it is, I’ll take the champs to retain here as there is zero reason to have Asuka holding two titles again. It would be nice to not have something insane here and hopefully they don’t go too far. Just pick someone who makes sense (Brooke or Rose would make sense on their own) and have the champs beat them up after a bit of a sweat. Don’t go wacky here, because that’s the last thing this story needs.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. AJ Styles

This is the first of the two namesake matches and probably the easier one to guess. The idea here is mainly built around Omos and possibly Sheamus getting involved, but I’m not sure how much that is going to change anything about where it goes. Styles might not be the big monster they were hoping for in Braun Strowman, but he’s as good of a replacement as you are going to get.

Of course McIntyre retains here, as they aren’t going to put the title on McIntyre back in October and then take it off of him in December. There is no reason to think Styles will win here, though that’s not the worst idea in the world. Sometimes it’s ok to have the champ face off with a tough challenge and then win anyway, which is what seems to be the case here. The match should be fun, and Sheamus can challenge McIntyre next month just fine.

SmackDown World Title: Roman Reigns(c) vs. Kevin Owens

Oh man I want to see how this could go with a several months long story where Owens might have an actual chance to win the title. Owens has been doing some great stuff as the challenger who will not die no matter what, even if he is up against the monster of monsters in Reigns. The match isn’t exactly full of drama, but I want to see Owens get the title, which is the right feeling.

But yeah, Reigns isn’t losing here and he probably isn’t losing for a very long time. At the end of the day, Reigns is a total star and should not be in any serious danger. Owens is someone who could be a major threat to the title, but it’s not happening here and I don’t think there is any real drama. The story has been quite good though and I want to see Owens give it his all and fail. Owens has done very well in this story and hopefully that goes somewhere in the future, but Reigns is leaving with the title here.

Overall Thoughts

Even with only six matches announced so far, the more I think about this show, the more I like the different format. I know it’s a good bit different than usual, but I really don’t need to have five or six gimmick matches on a single card. You have the big gimmick match in the title so go with what should work well. It’s not like there are many matches on the show that need the gimmicks to help them (though there are a few, including the one that we’re not even getting), so let the big ones get the focus and go from there.

 

 

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Smackdown
Date: December 18, 2020
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the go home show for Tables, Ladders And Chairs and that means it is time to have a title match rather than waiting for Sunday. This time around it’s about the Tag Team Titles, with the Street Profits defending against Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler. Other than that, we’re likely to have more Roman Reigns greatness. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at Kevin Owens going after Roman Reigns last week, but Reigns fought back and beat the fire out of him. Reigns also spoke directly to Owens’ children, telling them to get it through their dad’s head before Reigns finishes him.

Here’s a ticked off Owens to get things going. He demands Reigns get out here right now so they can do this but Reigns doesn’t come out. With that not working, Owens says he talked to his family and they won’t be watching TLC under any circumstance. He doesn’t want his family seeing what he does to Reigns on Sunday. Reigns still doesn’t come out so Owens says Reigns is just using his family as pawns and that is just pathetic. Reigns has to know that he’s a coward, but here’s Paul Heyman on the screen.

Heyman says he’s heard this before but now he’s here to confess his sins. Last week on Talking Smack, Heyman said Owens needs to marinate in the mindset of being mutilated. Owens is martyr who is willing to pay any sacrifice to be Universal Champion at any point. That means mutilation won’t stop him, so he has to be eradicated. Owens cuts him off, saying that won’t happen. As for tonight, he’s coming to find Reigns himself.

Post break, Owens is trying to storm Reigns’ dressing room but Reigns and Heyman are slowly coming to the ring. Reigns says that Owens needs to stay in his lane because he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He doesn’t want to hurt Owens, so Owens can have the same chance as Jey Uso: acknowledge him as the head of the table and everything is forgiven. Here’s Owens in the arena but Jey Uso jumps him from behind with Reigns getting in on the act. The beatdown is on with Owens being sent into the barricade, though he gets up as Reigns leaves.

Post break again, Reigns says Owens still doesn’t understand and orders Jey to take him out.

Tag Team Titles: Street Profits vs. Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler

Roode and Ziggler are challenging. During the entrance, we hear a prediction on the Slammy Award for Tag Team of the Year from the actor presenting the award. Dawkins and Ziggler start things off but the Profits hit a double dropkick to put the challengers on the floor. Ford goes up top but shoved down into the barricade for a crash as we take a break.

Back with Roode hitting a Russian legsweep for two on Ford. It’s back to Ziggler with a waistlock to stay on the banged up ribs and hands it off to Roode for a release gordbuster. Ziggler’s waistlock goes on again and a kick to the ribs makes it even worse. Ford finally kicks Ziggler away though and the hot tag brings in Dawkins to clean house. A faceplant plants Ziggler on his face and an exploder suplex sends Roode flying.

Dawkins gets two off a neckbreaker to Roode but Ziggler is back in, with Roode tossing him into the air for a Fameasser. That’s good for two on Dawkins, who is right back up with the Anointing on Ziggler, setting up the Cash Out but Roode elbow Ford in the back for the save. Roode rolls Ford up with tights for two, only to have Ford grab a rollup with trunks to retain at 12:13.

Rating: C+. The Profits are as made of a team as there is at the moment so having them go out there for about twelve minutes to put on a good performance against another fine team is a great way to go. The match worked out well, even if it seems designed to set up a rematch on Sunday. I wasn’t sure which way this one was going though, and that’s one of the best feelings you can have in a title match.

Post match Roode and Ziggler protest, likely setting up the PPV rematch. The referee threatens them with suspension and they back off.

Owens is limping through the back when Uso chairs him from behind. Uso leaves and Owens pulls himself up again.

Bianca Belair says Bayley is her measuring stick and always has Bianca’s name in her mouth. Tonight, Belair is going to s-h-i-n-e.

The Riott Squad speculated on who Billie Kay has to face them next. Maybe Beyonce? Sarah Jessica Parker? Or Wonder Woman!

Riott Squad vs. Billie Kay/???

Billie handles her own introduction (she is a seasoned ring announcer, according to her resume) and it’s…..Tamina. Morgan gets tossed into the corner for some early stomping as Graves talks about how awesome of a team we could be seeing. Riott gets in a kick to the face, only to get blasted with a clothesline. A Samoan drop gives Billie two with Morgan having to make a save. The Squad knocks Tamina off the apron and it’s a missile dropkick/Downward Spiral combination to finish Billie at 2:35. I could go for various partners until we get to the glorious reunion with Peyton Royce, which better be coming.

We look back at Carmella beating Sasha Banks via DQ last week and then breaking a champagne bottle over her back last week.

Here’s Carmella for a champagne toast to Sasha Banks. Carmella brags about how expensive the champagne is and says it’s time to drink some bubbly. Banks has every physical gift it takes to be a champion but nothing mentally. That aggression last week is why Carmella knows she already has Banks beat. That’s why Banks is going to have to control herself, but there is no way she can pull it off. After Sunday, Banks is going to fall into a turmoil, because she’s nothing if she isn’t the Boss or the best.

That’s really depressing when you think about it, so Carmella needs a pick me up. She takes a sip but says it tastes cheap and frantic, kind of like Sasha Banks. Cue Banks, so Carmella sends the sommellier to deal with her, and of course Banks comes through the stands instead. Banks throws the champagne in her face and the fight is on, including a failed Bank Statement. The sommellier tries to make the save but it’s another bottle over Banks’ back. Carmella sounded good and confident here, though I don’t buy her having a chance on Sunday.

Owens is in the trainer’s room but here’s Uso to put him through a table.

Otis vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Otis slams him down to start and drops a headbutt for an early two. Nakamura is back with a running knee to the face and some kicks but Otis shrugs them off. A running clothesline crushes Nakamura, but Gable says don’t do the Caterpillar. Instead he wants a suplex, but Nakamura small packages Otis for two. Now the suplex connects and the Vader Bomb connects for the pin at 2:28. Cole: “That was a little drawn out.”

Sami Zayn, in a rather hideous tuxedo, is ready for the Sami Awards. He goes off to get things ready, but Big E. pops up to mess with the cards.

We get a rather nice video of the year 2020 (represented by a green monster) interrupting a Drew McIntyre promo, earning a huge beatdown from several wrestlers. The year 2021 comes in to destroy it once and for all.

Chad Gable asks Otis why he didn’t use the Caterpillar when he had the chance. No worries, as they’re back to training tomorrow. For now, re-hydrate. I’m kind of curious about this, putting it even more miles above a year long short joke.

It’s time for the Sami Awards, with Sami saying that the Slammy Awards have gone downhill since the days when Jack Tunney was running things. After a look at the Year In Review, which of course mainly focuses on Sami, the Comeback of the Year goes to….Sami Zayn! Sami is shocked but we need to keep this going. Next up is Match of the Year, which goes to…..Sami Zayn winning the Intercontinental Title at Clash of Champions!

With that out of way, it’s time for the big one, with Superstar of the Year. That would be…..Big E., who comes out to accept. After asking Notre Dame to cover the spread tomorrow, Big E. decks Sami for daring to say this isn’t how things were supposed to go. Sami gets thrown down the ramp and Big E. breaks the trophy.

Bayley talks about being on the basketball and track teams in high school but you don’t hear her bragging about everything. Bianca Belair would rather brag than pick her brain, so tonight, Bayley is putting her on the map.

Bayley vs. Bianca Belair

Belair starts fast by leapfrogging Bayley, who goes out to the apron. A neck snap staggers Belair but she flips forward and lands on the middle rope. Belair moonsaults over Bayley and kicks her down, only to have Bayley send her arm first into the apron. Back with Bayley talking a lot of trash but Belair slugs away and there’s the delayed vertical suplex with the squats.

The handspring moonsault gives Belair two and a backbreaker is good for the same. A charge sends Belair hard into the corner but she hot shots Bayley into the corner. Belair gets two more off a spinebuster and a sunset flip is good for the same. A rollup gives Belair two more so she lifts Bayley up in a powerbomb, only to have Bayley rake the eyes. The Rose Plant finishes Belair at 10:04.

Rating: C+. You could see the athleticism in Belair (as she’s one of the most athletic people WWE has ever had) but she still doesn’t seem comfortable in the ring. That sequence of rollups and counters near the end felt like they were trying to remember how the choreography went instead of doing what made sense and that’s not a good look to have. The good thing is that was a minor part of the match, which was pretty nice otherwise.

Here are Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman and Jey Uso to wrap things up. Reigns has been racking his brain and can’t figure this out. If you had a chance to be in the main event with him, why would you pass it up? It’s a chance that your kids’ kids’ kids’ kids would be talking about….and here’s Kevin Owens to interrupt.

Owens takes out Jey but gets speared down as the destruction is on. Reigns unloads with chairs, puts him through a table, buries him with the pieces of the tables, and even adds some ladders once Jey throws them in. Reigns and company go to the back for an interview but Owens is back up and says he’s going to win the title or die trying to end the show.

Man they have a heck of a story here with Owens but it needs to be a long term one rather than something thrown together in a few weeks for a one/two pay per view feud with no chance for Owens to win. Owens is selling the heck out of everything and I want to see him win but this isn’t his time and it’s obvious. What we’re getting is good, but Sunday is the inevitable.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a weird show, but it’s clear that they know Reigns is the meal ticket right now and are treating him as such. The match with Owens should be a heck of a fight and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them do it again at the Rumble in an I Quit or Last Man Standing match or something else with more violence. Other than that, the rest of the show was just people doing a few things here and there, but there was nothing bad and we had a good show overall. It was the Reigns Show though, and that’s a nice thing to see.

Results

Street Profits b. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode – Rollup to Roode with trunks

Riott Squad b. Tamina/Billie Kay – Missile dropkick/Downward Spiral combination to Kay

Otis b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Vader Bomb

Bayley b. Bianca Belair – Rose Plant

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Smackdown
Date: December 11, 2020
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s time to head to the new Thunder Dome as basketball season has taken the Amway Center off the board. Instead it’s off to a baseball stadium, meaning we could be in for an interesting setup this time around. We’re also just over a week away from TLC, meaning we are going to need some additions to the card. Let’s get to it.

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

The new setup looks mostly like the Amway Center, but there are some shots where you can see how much bigger the whole thing is.

Here’s Sasha Banks for the contract signing for TLC. There’s no contract though and no Carmella, with Banks thinking this is a setup. Carmella pops up on screen to send her assistant (an unnamed man) down to the ring with the signed contract. She talks about how she isn’t getting in the ring with Banks tonight. This is the Queen’s Gambit instead of Tiger King and she’s four moves ahead of Banks. The contract arrives in the ring and the deal is signed, but Banks wants to do this tonight instead. Adam Pearce makes the match for tonight and the title is on the line. Banks beats up the assistant and turns the table onto him.

The Street Profits mock Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler, because it’s time for singles matches against the champions!

Montez Ford vs. Dolph Ziggler

Before the match, Ziggler says he’s accused of being a poor man’s Shawn Michaels, but he’s a rather rich man. The only thing less funny than his stand up comedy is the Street Profits as the Smackdown Tag Team Titles. Robert Roode promises that when the two aces get their shot, the title reign is going up in smoke. Ziggler takes him into the corner and gets an early two, followed by something like a Crossface.

Back up and Ziggler kicks the leg out to set up a neckbreaker for two more. Ziggler spends a bit too much time gyrating though and gets catapulted into the corner, setting up a dropkick. A running Blockbuster sends Ziggler outside, so the partners come in for a standoff. That lets the Profits stop for a dance…..and the cannon shoots solo cups into the ring as we take a break.

Back with Ziggler dropping the rapid fire elbows and hitting a neckbreaker for two more. We hit the sleeper with a bodyscissors for a bit but Ford fights up with some clotheslines. The jumping enziguri misses but Ford slams him down and hits a standing moonsault. Ziggler goes to the knee to try the Fameasser but has to settle for two off a sunset flip instead. The Zig Zag is blocked and now the jumping enziguri connects. Roode goes after Ford for a distraction though, and Ziggler hits a superkick for the pin at 11:00.

Rating: C. Ford is always fun to watch and it’s not like losing to a former World Champion is going to destroy everything he is doing. The Street Profits have held the titles for the better part of ever (being realistic that is) and if they make it past Ziggler and Roode, they’re losing them to the Usos ASAP, so this is filling time at best or the end of the line at worst. Losing a singles match doesn’t matter, as the Profits are already a made team.

Sami Zayn yells about not having a shirt when Big E., with his new shirt, comes in with his new Think Big shirt. Worry not though as Apollo Crews has a hand drawn I AM SAMI ZAYN shirt, which Sami can’t rip up. He’ll show us later! Big E.: “I’m gonna show you all the things!”

We take a break and come back with Sami in the ring ranting about not having his own shirt. He brings up Pat Patterson getting so much attention last week….and here’s Big E., with new music, to cut him off.

Sami Zayn vs. Big E.

Non-title. Sami stalls on the floor to start and is almost immediately caught in a headlock back inside. The spanking abdominal stretch is escaped and Big E. elbows him down. The apron splash connects and we take a break. Back with Sami getting one off a knee to the face and the chinlock goes on. That doesn’t last long so Sami hits a middle rope clothesline into his own gyrating, which brings Big E. back up for a belly to belly. Another one sets up a third one and now it’s the real gyrating.

The Warrior Splash sends Sami outside, followed by a hard clothesline as he comes back in. Sami kicks him away but Big E. rolls through a high crossbody. The Big Ending is broken up with a rake of the eyes but the Rock Bottom out of the corner breaks up the Helluva Kick. Sami has banged up his previously injured hand….and he uses it to slap Big E. in the face. The chase is on around the ring with Sami diving underneath the ring. Big E. gives chase but Sami comes out the other side and beats the count at 10:51.

Rating: D+. Remember when Big E. was supposed to get some big singles push? I’m sure one is coming, but man alive they aren’t getting it off to a good start. If nothing else, it doesn’t help your solo efforts when you have NEW DAY ROCKS on the back of your gear. Then again, this is far from some end to him and it certainly seemed to be setting up a rematch.

Bayley wishes Carmella good luck and rants about Sasha Banks being overpaid and overrated. The only person worse than her is Bianca Belair, who pops up behind her. Belair thinks Bayley should be worried about herself because her hair is awful and she looks dusty. Belair whips out some receipts, saying she beat Natalya and Bayley was the first one eliminated at Survivor Series. Bayley storms off, with Belair saying she can text these to her.

Carmella promises to win the title tonight and look sexy while doing so. She tells her assistant to get the champagne ready to toast her title win.

We look back at last week with Kevin Owens confronting Roman Reigns and getting in a match with Jey Uso. After the match, Roman wrecked both of them with a chair to end the show.

Jey comes up to Reigns, who asks if Jey and his family are both good. Kevin Owens comes to the ring and Jey says let me go get him. Reigns gives him permission as Owens is loading up weapons. With Jey on the way to the ring and Reigns watching, Owens sets up the table, ladder and chairs before talking about how Reigns is using his family to fight. Owens doesn’t have a family, but he has some friends to help him out.

First up you have the cold, unforgiving chairs, which will help him bruise Reigns. Maybe he can even break a few bones to make it hard for Reigns to sit at the head of the table. That brings him to his second friend, the table. See, table is hard at first but then it’s looking forward to receiving Reigns at TLC. Then there is ladder, which is unforgiving, rough around the edges and unpredictable. It’s his favorite though, because it is going to help him hurt Reigns and get back to where he belongs.

Owens climbs the ladder and says Reigns can be head of the table because Owens is going to give everything he has to become Universal Champion again. Cue Jey Uso with the chair to take Owens down and hammer away, including a shot to the knee. Owens gets back up for a Pop Up Powerbomb through a table, so here are Reigns and Heyman. Reigns is ready to go but Heyman talks him out of it, saying Reigns is the OG and the head of the table. Heyman: “Who’s zooming who here?” Reigns leaves and Owens grabs a chair and limps off after him.

Post break, Owens yells at Reigns talking about his family….and gets jumped by Reigns from behind. The beatdown is on, with Reigns shouting about who supports Owens’ family. Reigns looks at the camera and lists off his accolades, saying he is the one who puts a roof over your head and the food on the table. Owens’ kids need to talk some sense into their daddy, before he takes the food off of the table. One more kick to the head leaves Owens laying with a glossed over look on his face. This was rather good, as Owens may be ticked off, but Reigns is a complete monster.

Riott Squad vs. Billie Kay/Natalya

Natalya is a mystery partner because WWE doesn’t know how to do mystery partners now either. Riott hits Kay in the leg to start and Morgan comes in for a running elbow in the corner. As we get an announcement that next week’s show will be on Fox Sports 1, Kay uses a Natalya distraction to hit Shades Of Kay, setting up the tag. Natalya takes her into the corner for the tag back to Kay, who tags Natalya right back in. Hold on though as Kay and Natalya argue with each other, allowing Morgan to kick Kay into Natalya. That’s enough for the Codebreaker into the Riott Kick to finish Kay at 2:45.

Post match Natalya leaves Kay on the floor.

Earlier this week, Chad Gable taught Otis to work on his blind side. This involves putting a blindfold on Otis and throwing things at him/hitting him in the back with things. Several hours later, Otis catches the ball without seeing it. He misses the high five, but it’s better than nothing. Gable: “Oh yeah. He’s an alpha.”

Gable talks about molding this lump of clay into Michelangelo’s David. Otis: “Mr. Angelo. He’s a good guy.” Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura, their opponents for tonight, come up to mock the idea of Otis and Gable beating them.

Chad Gable/Otis vs. Shinsuke Nakamura/Cesaro

Otis and Cesaro start things off with Otis hitting an early slam, much to Cesaro’s shock. It’s off to Gable, who waistlocks Cesaro down for two as the surprise dominance continues. Cesaro manages an uppercut to Gable though and it’s Nakamura coming in with the kicks. A Liger Kick gets Gable out of trouble and the double tag brings in Otis and Cesaro. House is cleaned again, with Otis nailing a discus clothesline. Gable wants the tag instead of letting Otis hit the Caterpillar, allowing Cesaro to Swing Gable down. Kinshasa is good for the pin at 3:19.

Rating: C-. I’m curious to see where this goes, as it would be a little much to believe that Otis and Gable are going to beat former champions on their first shot. The match itself wasn’t great, but I can’t get over how much better it is to have Gable doing ANYTHING other than being a short joke. Now just get everything else working a little better.

Post break, Gable says Otis failed because he is using the alpha mentality. In other words, he is showing Otis what to do by showing him what NOT to do. Otis looks confused.

King Corbin congratulates Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler for their good work last week. The interviewer comes up and, after being scanned with a metal detector, asks about Corbin’s new help. Corbin dubs them the Knights Of The Lone Wolf and says they’re here to help him as needed. Makes as much sense as anything else and I’m glad to see them getting another chance.

Next week: Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode get their Tag Team Title shot, plus Bayley vs. Bianca Belair.

Women’s Title: Carmella vs. Sasha Banks

Carmella is challenging and the assistant, with champagne, is here at ringside. Sasha drives her into the corner to start but Carmella shouts a lot and ties her into the ropes. A slap to the face annoys Sasha but a flying headscissors sends her into the ropes. Carmella can’t get the Code of Silence but Banks can’t get the Bank Statement either. Sasha sends her to the apron for a knee to the face, followed by the slingshot Meteora to send her into the post.

That earns Sasha an X Factor onto the apron as we take a break. Back with Carmella sending her face first into the post and hammering away on the mat. Carmella slaps on the chinlock but Banks is out in a hurry. That means another Meteora, followed by another slingshot Meteora for two more.

Carmella grabs a figure four necklock over the ropes but can’t get the X Factor. Instead the Code of Silence goes on, only to have Banks reverse into the Bank Statement. The assistant throws in a champagne bottle though, which is enough of a distraction to allow him to break the hold. Banks explodes on Carmella in the corner and it’s a DQ at 9:56.

Rating: C. I wasn’t wild on the ending, but it was designed to set up a rematch at TLC so fair enough. Carmella was looking better than usual here, though she still has a lot of work to do to get to a higher level. Banks fighting against the odds and then slipping up at the end was fine, though Carmella really doesn’t feel like much of a threat.

Post match Carmella beats up Sasha on the floor, including breaking a champagne bottle over her back. Cole: “ARE YOU CRAZY???” Carmella sprays the champagne around to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This show was all about setting things up for the future, but the biggest problem was that it isn’t exactly thrilling stuff to be setting up. You can see a handful of matches being built up for TLC and that should work out fine, but at the end of the day, the star power around here isn’t the strongest outside of the main event. Not the worst show and the two hours go by fast, but nothing worth watching this week.

The new venue worked out well, as you can’t tell they left the Amway Center most of the time. The only notable issue was a buzzing on the audio, throughout the show, but only for a few seconds at a time. If they can get that worked out, it’s going to be just like being in Orlando, which worked fine.

Results

Dolph Ziggler b. Montez Ford – Superkick

Sami Zayn b. Big E. via countout

Riott Squad b. Billie Kay/Natalya – Riott Kick to Kay

Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura b. Otis/Chad Gable – Kinshasa to Otis

Carmella b. Sasha Banks via DQ when Banks attacked in the corner

 

 

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Smackdown
Date: December 4, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

TLC is now later this month and that means it is time to start putting the card together. The big story coming out of last week would seem to be Kevin Owens as the next challenger for Roman Reigns and the Universal Title, but the question is what kind of a match will they be having. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with the roster on the stage and Michael Cole talking about how important Pat Patterson was to WWE and wrestling as a whole. We get the ten bell salute and everyone is rather silent in a nice moment.

Opening sequence.

Kayla Braxton is in the ring and gives Roman Reigns a huge introduction, including listing off all of his accomplishments. This brings Reigns, Jey Uso and Paul Heyman to the ring, with Heyman showing Braxton how to properly do the introduction. Braxton brings up Jey Uso going nuts last week and we see a clip of Reigns talking about how Jey lost at Survivor Series because his team didn’t respect him and therefore didn’t respect his family.

Therefore, Jey attacked Otis and Kevin Owens, with the latter fighting back and saying that he is ready to face Reigns. Back in the arena, Braxton asks if Reigns is scared of Owens because Reigns wouldn’t fight last week. Reigns says she has failed at her first question on the biggest night of her career. Michael Cole could have done this job. The next question is about Reigns possibly using Jey Uso, so Reigns has Heyman talk about how successful Uso has been over the last few weeks, even drawing higher ratings than usual.

Cue Kevin Owens (with either new music or bad acoustics) to say he wants to face Reigns but Jey gets in his face. Owens says he wants to face the head of the table instead of a bus boy. Since Reigns is the head of the table, let’s get a table, a ladder and some chairs in the ring and put that title on the line. Jey is ready to go right now but Reigns calms him down.

Reigns says he accepts, but we’re not doing it right now because there is a lady in the ring and he isn’t a savage. Reigns tells Owens to grow up and leaves with everyone else. Owens says he’ll grow up with Reigns grows some testicles. Reigns pauses for a few seconds and then keeps walking without looking back.

Post break Jey apologizes for overstepping his bounds but Reigns says he’s got this. Owens will face the consequences.

Bayley vs. Natalya

Bianca Belair is on commentary. Bayley takes Natalya into the ropes to start and goes outside to yell at Belair. The running dropkick underneath the ropes takes Natalya down but Bayley goes to yell at Belair again, earning herself a whip into the steps as we take a break. Back with Bayley ducking the discus lariat but getting rolled up for two. Bayley sends her into the corner but misses a charge into the corner, with her knee getting banged up in the process. The Sharpshooter goes on and Bayley….taps at 6:04? Really? Not enough shown to rate but that was a rather surprising ending.

We see some tweets to Pat Patterson, including a rather touching one from Vince McMahon.

Cole and Graves introduce the Pat Patterson tribute video, with the original Intercontinental Title at ringside (good looking belt).

We get the Pat Patterson tribute video, set to Patterson singing My Way, his signature song.

Rey Mysterio/Big E./Daniel Bryan vs. Sami Zayn/Shinsuke Nakamura/Dolph Ziggler

The current and five former Intercontinental Champions as this is the Pat Patterson Tribute Match. Nakamura can’t do much with Big E. to start so it’s off to Ziggler, who is powered into the corner without much effort. Bryan comes in to work on the arm and takes Zayn out with a suicide dive for a bonus. Back in and Bryan goes up top, only to get dropkicked down by Ziggler as we take a break.

We come back with Bryan finally getting away from Ziggler in the corner and diving over for the hot tag to Big E. House is cleaned in a hurry, including suplexes to Nakamura and Ziggler. Big E. sends Zayn into the corner but misses a charge into the post. Mysterio tags himself in and hits a top rope sunset flip for two but the wheelbarrow bulldog is countered into the Blue Thunder Bomb (sweet) for two more. Ziggler comes back in so it’s back to Bryan for the running dropkick in the corner.

The YES Kicks rock Ziggler but he’s right back with a superkick for two of his own. Rey dives in to take out Nakamura, only to get pulled down to the floor. Zayn tags himself in behind Ziggler’s back so Bryan’s running knee to Ziggler gets no count. The surprise rollup gets two on Bryan, who is right back with the YES Lock on Zayn, who gets his foot on the rope for the break. They trade rollups for two each until Bryan grabs the small package for the pin at 11:25.

Rating: B-. Action packed match here with a bunch of wrestling moves, which is the kind of tribute match that should be taking place for a Pat Patterson tribute. This worked very well and I had a good time with it, but what matters here is paying tribute to Patterson, who certainly deserves it. Another Bryan vs. Zayn match sounds nice too.

Post match the villains offer another fight but Ziggler gets left alone. Ziggler offers a bunch of alliances but gets a Patterson atomic drop from Bryan. After a long time falling, Ziggler slips into the 619 position and the Big Ending leaves him laying.

Kevin Owens talks about how he used to look up to Roman Reigns, who never looked down on people. He was one of the boys but now everything has changed. Maybe Paul Heyman got in his head or maybe Reigns talked himself into being this way. Owens has done some horrible things but he has tried to change. Kalisto of all people interrupts and, after giving him a compliment on his fedora, Owens calls Reigns an arrogant….he can’t say the word because he’ll upset FOX. It’s two syllables that starts with an A and Owens hums it instead. Otis comes in and says they’re ready to run over Uso and Reigns tonight. Sounds good to Owens.

We get a sitdown split screen interview between Carmella and Sasha Banks. Carmella mocks Banks’ catchphrases and nicknames but Banks says she’s ready to fight right now. Cole brings up Carmella saying she used to be like Banks, which makes Banks like. Carmella wishes she could be like Banks, sending Carmella into a laugh about not needing to be a Nicki Minaj wannabe.

Banks talks about Carmella needing help to get everywhere she can, including latching on to the guy with no chin and then R-Truth. Carmella says she’s the one who walked into the Performance Center and then became a star. Now the hot chick is going to take Banks’ title. Banks makes the challenge for TLC and we seem to be set.

King Corbin vs. Murphy

The Mysterio Family is here with Murphy so Corbin brings out too unnamed lackeys in hoods. Corbin tosses Murphy out of the corner to start and then pulls him over the top for a toss into the middle. Murphy comes back with some shots to the face and sends Corbin outside for a dropkick through the ropes. A kick to the face from the apron drops Corbin again but the lackeys’ distraction lets Corbin throw him hard over the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Corbin hitting Deep Six as Graves identifies the men as Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler, formerly of the Forgotten Sons (not mentioned of course). Corbin punches Murphy down in a hurry but Murphy is back with a quick chinlock of all things. Back up and Murphy hits a quick dropkick, followed by the jumping knee to the floor. Cutler and Blake get in a fight with the Mysterios and Corbin uses the melee to catch Murphy in the End of Days for the pin at 10:04.

Rating: C-. The wrestling wasn’t much and I’m not thrilled on Murphy losing, but it does make me feel better to see Cutler and Blake back. They never had much of a chance to get over on their own on Smackdown and then their careers were derailed because of what their partner said at the wrong time. At least they are getting their chance here and the two of them as lackeys is as good as anything else they could get at the moment.

The Street Profits hype up the main event but Robert Roode comes up to talk about last week’s loss. Cesaro is here as well though and says he and Shinsuke Nakamura are the real team around here. A lot of yelling ensues.

Otis/Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns/Jey Uso

There is no Reigns to start so Jey has to go it alone. Otis wastes no time in blasting Uso with a clothesline, only to miss a charge into the post. Owens comes in and gets caught in a Samoan drop so here are Reigns and Heyman to even things up. An enziguri puts them both down again and it’s Reigns coming in with a Superman Punch to drop Otis. Reigns isn’t done and he sends Otis into the announcers’ table, the post and the steps.

Just to make it worse, Reigns picks up the steps and CRUSHES Otis over and over. Owens tries to make the save but Jey takes him down as well as we take a break. Back with Owens in a handicap match this time and getting kicked down by Uso. Owens manages to send him into the corner for the Cannonball though and the backsplash crushes Jey again.

Back up and Owens hits his own Samoan drop, allowing him to glare at Reigns. Owens demands that Reigns get in the ring but the referee stops him, allowing Jey to hit a superkick. Jey goes up top but Reigns tells him to tag out because he is finishing this. Owens knocks Reigns off the apron though and drops Jey, only to have Reigns break it up for a lame DQ at 11:26.

Rating: C. This was more about story development than the wrestling and there is nothing wrong with that for a main event like this one. Owens has been talking a lot but now he has woken the beast and things are going to get a lot harder in a hurry. The other important part here is with Uso, who is feeling more and more in place in spots like this, which is almost hard to believe.

Post match Reigns and Uso grab chairs to destroy Owens. The Superfly Splash onto a chair onto Owens makes it worse….and Reigns hits Jey with the chair. Reigns shouts about having to do it himself and unloads on Jey. Reigns yells that Owens has his attention and hits him in the face. Owens should have just taken the title but he had to attack Reigns’ family so now Reigns is taking his manhood and livelihood. Reigns poses with the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Good show this week as they had some fine action, but more importantly they got things rolling towards the pay per view. We now have five matches total (with two more being announced earlier today) and two of those were announced here tonight. Good show here and that six man tag to go along with all of the Patterson praise made for a rather smile inducing night.

Results

Natalya b. Bayley – Sharpshooter

Rey Mysterio/Big E./Daniel Bryan b. Sami Zayn/Dolph Ziggler/Shinsuke Nakamura – Small package to Zayn

King Corbin b. Murphy – End of Days

Kevin Owens/Otis b. Roman Reigns/Jey Uso via DQ when Reigns attacked Owens

 

 

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Smackdown
Date: November 27, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the fallout show from Smackdown and there isn’t much to brag about around here. As usual, Roman Reigns was the high point for the blue show as he defeated Drew McIntyre in the champion vs. champion main event. Other than that, it’s time to start getting ready for the TLC pay per view next month so let’s get to it.

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

Here’s Jey Uso to open things up. After Survivor Series, everyone is talking about the Undertaker but they should be talking about his cousin. Drew McIntyre has beaten Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar but he couldn’t beat Roman Reigns….and here are Reigns and Paul Heyman to cut him off.

Reigns says play it and we see a clip of Reigns ordering Uso to make up for losing in the Survivor Series match. Uso would go on to help Reigns defeat McIntyre in the main event, seemingly regaining Reigns’ confidence. Back in the arena, Reigns says he told Jey to leave on Sunday and never needed any help against McIntyre. Why does Jey think Reigns’ Team Smackdown lost? They don’t listen because they don’t fear him and they don’t fear him because they don’t respect him.

Like Reigns said on Sunday, if they don’t respect Jey, they don’t respect the family. If they don’t respect the family, then who are they? Jey must think that Reigns is some b**** in the locker room begging for Thanksgiving leftovers. If that’s how Jey sees him, how do people see him? How do Jey’s kids look at him? That’s how Reigns feels because of Jey’s failures and he doesn’t like that. Reigns and Heyman leave Uso standing in the ring without saying anything. Sweet goodness Reigns is incredible at this stuff.

Otis vs. King Corbin

Otis comes to the ring as Jey is leaving….so Jey jumps him with a chair and completely destroys him. No match for now.

Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler vs. Street Profits

Non-title. On the way the ring, Ziggler and Roode talk about how rough that is for Otis, who has a lot on his plate. Ziggler: “Like at catering.” The Profits on the other hand think that Ziggler is Shawn Michaels, but apparently he’s just a big fan. They start fast with Ziggler trying to pick up the pace but Dawkins punches his dive out of the way. It’s far too early for the frog splash though as Ford crashes to send us to a break.

Back with Ziggler hitting a Stinger Splash on Ford in the corner, setting up Roode’s backbreaker for two. The abdominal stretch is broken up but Ziggler is right there to prevent the tag. Ford fights up a few seconds later and the hot tag brings in Dawkins to clean house. The Anointment into the Cash Out crushes Roode but Ford’s banged up ribs means it’s a delayed two. Ziggler tries to superkick Ford but gets enziguried down, only for Roode to grab a rollup for the pin at 7:55.

Rating: C-. That’s the kind of match you’ve seen a few hundred times now and odds are it sets up a title shot at TLC. I’m not sure I can imagine the Profits dropping the titles to them, but that’s how they lure you into a false sense of security with Ziggler and Roode. You don’t think they would actually go with something that dull and then that’s what we get. Keep an eye out for that, always.

We look at the recent history between Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan.

Bryan is asked about his strategy against Zayn tonight. What he has learned is that like Jey Uso, Zayn has a devil on his shoulder. Zayn will exploit anything available because he wants to retain the title. Bryan just wants the Intercontinental Title.

The Mysterios and Murphy are very thankful for everything, including Murphy finally seeing what Seth Rollins really is. Cue King Corbin to say Murphy is riding what little is left of Rey Mysterio’s coattails. Murphy has to be held back a bit.

We get the Undertaker tribute video from Sunday, along with the abbreviated version of his Final Farewell at Survivor Series.

Sami Zayn vs. Daniel Bryan

Non-title. Before the match, Sami talks about how unfair it is that he is expected to wrestle a day after a horrible holiday that celebrates what happened to the Native Americans of this country. The only person who should be thankful is Bryan, who is FINALLY being rewarded with the match that he wants. Bryan’s music cuts Sami off and we’re ready to go with Bryan taking Zayn down by the arm.

There’s a stomp to the arm, which has Zayn claiming a stomp to the hair instead. Bryan stays on the arm by cranking away on the mat but Zayn knocks him outside for a breather. Back in and Zayn gets crotched on top, meaning Bryan can knock him outside for a change. The top rope dive hits the barricade though and we take a break. Back with Zayn getting some near falls, only to have Bryan fight back with the running clothesline. It’s time to crank on the arm some more but Zayn gets out to the apron to post Bryan.

A brainbuster onto the apron mostly destroys Bryan (that looked awful) but it’s only good for a nine count. Back in and the Blue Thunder Bomb gets two on Bryan and Zayn is stunned. Bryan pulls him down into a cross armbreaker but that’s blocked as well. Instead Bryan floats over into the YES Lock but Zayn manages to get to the ropes. Zayn goes to the floor, where Bryan hits back to back suicide dives. The chase up the ramp is on and they head to the back, with only Zayn running back to beat the count at 13:08.

Rating: C+. Good stuff here, as Sami can turn on the in-ring stuff when he needs to. That ending seems to be setting up something else in the future and a rematch later on wouldn’t surprise me. Zayn is someone who could hold the title for a long time and it will feel like a big deal when he finally loses, which is what they are going for with someone like him.

Post match we cut to the back where Jey Uso is attacking Bryan. Kevin Owens tries to break it up but Jey shoves him away too. Referees get Jey off and Owens follows, with violence being implied. Post break, Owens yells at Jey while Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman watch. Owens says this isn’t their personal playground and for someone who is all about family, Reigns doesn’t great his family very well. Owens leaves and Reigns asks if Jey is going to put up with that disrespect.

Natalya vs. Bianca Belair

Bayley is on commentary as Natalya grabs a victory roll for one. Belair misses a heck of a charge into the post so Natalya forearms away to little avail. Natalya runs her over again and puts on a surfboard, even bridging back for two. Belair is back up and avoids the discus forearm, setting up a double chickenwing toss out to the floor. They fight outside with Belair decking Bayley, allowing Natalya to get in a shot to the face back inside. The Sharpshooter is broken up though and Natalya crashes into Bayley, setting up a rollup to give Belair the pin at 3:05.

Rating: C-. Belair vs. Bayley would certainly be a fresh match and a nice way to elevate Belair up the card. Eventually you need to win a few matches against bigger names and that is the chance they seem to be giving Belair here. Natalya losing means nothing anymore so Belair gets a win without hurting anyone and is moved into a better feud at the same time.

Murphy vs. King Corbin

The Mysterios here with Murphy and offer an early distraction so Murphy can slug away. Corbin runs him over though and takes it outside, where Aalyah offers a distraction. Corbin: “What is going on here???” The distraction lets Murphy get in a dive off the apron but Corbin hits Deep Six back inside. Corbin pounds him down in the corner and then tosses him into another corner to make it worse. Murphy manages to hit the jumping knee to the face and, after Dominick shoves Corbin’s leg off the ropes, gets the pin at 3:56.

Rating: C-. Another match that didn’t have the most time to go anywhere but it seems that Mysterio and company have their next big feud. I’m almost scared to wonder why Corbin is going to recruit to help him, but this is more Corbin’s speed. If he’s going to have something that can work for him, this is going to be it.

Post match Corbin yells about it being 4-1 and wants a rematch with Murphy. Corbin will be ready.

Sami Zayn brags to Apollo Crews and Big E. about beating Bryan in ten seconds, just like he did to Crews. That’s it for Crews, so Big E. says Zayn has no foundation after all the cheap ways he has won. Zayn says that sounds like sour grapes because he is in the middle of his title reign and Big E. hasn’t been champion in years. Sami brings up the ten seconds thing again so Big E. shakes and squeezes his hand for a ten count.

Billie Kay joins commentary to show off her resume.

Carmella talks about how embarrassing Sasha Banks is as Women’s Champion, which is why Carmella has been attacking her. Cue Banks to jump her from behind and tell Carmella to not mess with things.

The Street Profits and Bianca Belair shill WWE Shop merch.

Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso

Owens hammers away to start and the brawl is on early. They head outside with Uso sending him hard into the steps and hammering away with right hands. Back in and Uso works on the arm by bending it around the rope. Owens fights back with a backsplash but gets sent into the post. The suicide dive is cut off though and Owens catapults him into the post. A superkick over the announcers’ table has Jey in more trouble and we take a break.

Back with Owens hitting a Swanton off the apron, only to have Jey take the arm apart again. The armbar goes on for a bit until Owens fights up with the good arm. The Pop Up Powerbomb doesn’t work due to said arm so Uso hits a superkick for two. Owens gets the knees up to block the Superfly Splash but Jey sends the shoulder into the post again. That’s enough for Uso, who grabs a chair and unloads for the DQ at 11:56.

Rating: C+. Again, the fact that Uso has gotten this much out of Reigns’ heel run shows you how good things have been for Reigns as of late. It’s another good enough match but this one was about setting things up for later rather than having anything be overly competitive. They did their thing and the ending was the right choice so there isn’t much to complain about.

Post match Jey is held back so Owens gets the chair and massacres Uso. Owens says if Reigns has a problem, come say it to his face. He gets on the announcers’ table and says he’s the head of it, There’s a Stunner to Uso and Owens has a seat, asking where Reigns is. Owens says he’ll be waiting as we see Reigns seething to end the show. Sounds like TLC to me.

Overall Rating: C. This show was up and down for most of the night as the Uso/Reigns stuff was almost the only part that really worked. It seems like Owens is getting the TLC title match and that works out for everyone involved. Smackdown is REALLY light on main event challengers at the moment and Owens as a one/two off challenger should work rather well. Go with what makes sense and let the talented wrestlers make it work. The rest of the show was hit and miss, but they set up the big story they needed to cover.

Results

Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler b. Street Profits – Rollup to Ford

Sami Zayn b. Daniel Bryan via countout

Bianca Belair b. Natalya – Rollup

Murphy b. King Corbin – Jumping knee

Kevin Owens b. Jey Uso via DQ when Uso used a chair

 

 

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

Survivor Series 2019
Date: November 24, 2019
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 13,271
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Jerry Lawler, Nigel McGuinness, Beth Phoenix

This year’s show is all about the Battle For Brand Supremacy, but NXT is involved as well and the invasions have been red hot for a change. They have set up a pretty awesome looking show, even with the amount of triple threat matches, including triple threat elimination matches. Let’s get to it.

I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the end zone straight across from the Titantron in the upper deck.

Kickoff Show: Tag Team Battle Royal

Raw: OC, Street Profits, Curt Hawkins/Zack Ryder

Smackdown: Revival, Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler, Lucha House Party, Heavy Machinery

NXT: Forgotten Sons, Breezango, Imperium

When one member is out, the team is out. Where to begin? First of all, there are no graphics to tell you which brand the teams are on. I get expecting people to know that at the time, but WWE knows that they have the Draft every year and that the Network is a thing here. Throw up a show graphic.

Second, a year later and five of these teams are gone, with four of them out of the company. Third, Hawkins and Ryder are “glad to still be here.” These people were the Tag Team Champions at Wrestlemania seven months and a half months earlier. That’s a heck of a fall. Oh and I had forgotten about that Tag Team World Cup deal the OC had from Crown Jewel. I’ve heard worse ideas.

It’s a brawl to start (shocking I know) with Jaxson Ryker saving Gran Metalik for no reason. General stupidity maybe? The Sons are out in a hurry as I try to get over Dolph Ziggler wearing a Smackdown hat in the match. Yeah they need graphics on their name but it’s Ziggler so by definition it’s a stupid thing to do. Angelo Dawkins throws out Gran Metalik to get rid of the Lucha House Party as Ziggler (now minus the hat) is thrown to the apron for his traditional save fest.

Hawkins is sent through the middle rope but Ryder is thrown over the top and onto him for the elimination. Barthel catapults Ziggler over the top for the skinning of the cat and Roode gets rid of Aichner to eliminate Imperium and save Ziggler (again). Otis falls trying the Caterpillar and gets dumped by OC/Revival. Breezango is out thanks to Revival and that’s it for NXT.

We’re down to Revival, OC, Roode/Ziggler and the Profits, with the Profits dropkicking Revival out in a hurry. Ziggler saves Roode from the Magic Killer and superkicks Gallows out to get us down to two. The brawl is on with Roode busting Dawkins’ spine but Ziggler superkicks Roode through the ropes by mistake. The Sky High looks to set up the frog splash but Roode saves Ziggler (that man needs a lot of saving). Ford hits the frog splash on Ziggler instead, only to be thrown out by Roode for the win at 8:19.

Rating: D+. It’s a battle royal and a tag team one at that, with the teams barely being identifiable outside of commentary throwing out a brand here and there. It will get better later on and since this was a bonus match, it’s hard to get that upset. What impresses me the most is how much the tag team division changes so quickly, as this feels like it could have been four or five years ago. That probably shouldn’t be happening and yet it doesn’t seem out of place.

Smackdown – 1

Raw – 0

NXT – 0

Kickoff Show: Cruiserweight Title: Akira Tozawa (Raw) vs. Kalisto (Smackdown) vs. Lio Rush (NXT)

Rush is defending and gets double teamed to start but Tozawa and Kalisto waste no time in turning on each other. That means it’s time for Rush to start his bobbing and weaving, which always looked awesome. Kalisto pulls Rush to the floor and cuts off Tozawa’s dive before walking the rope to kick Rush in the face.

A spinning wristdrag takes Tozawa down but Tozawa shoves Kalisto into Rush’s raised boot. Rush hits a double handspring elbow to take both of them down but Tozawa punches him in the face. Kalisto gets kicked to the floor and Tozawa’s sliding boot gets two on Rush. Tozawa and Kalisto take Rush to the top but he double armdrags both of them down for a huge crash.

A circle chop off is capped off by Tozawa German suplexing Rush but Kalisto dives in to roll Rush up for two. Tozawa is back up with a Shining Wizard to send Kalisto outside and the top rope backsplash hits Rush. Kalisto dives in for the save and the slugout is on, with Kalisto hitting the Salida del Sol on Tozawa. That’s fine with Rush, who comes in with the Final Hour to pin Tozawa and retain at 8:20.

Rating: C. It’s a match that has been done before but what we got worked out just fine with the three of them flying around and doing their high flying stuff. That’s something that is always going to work because it is a style that never gets old and Rush retaining is a fine way to get NXT on the board. I know he might have some issues, but dang Rush can do the flying thing.

Smackdown – 1

NXT – 1

Raw – 0

Kickoff Show: New Day (Smackdown) vs. Undisputed Era (NXT) vs. Viking Raiders (Raw)

Non-title (with all three as respective champions) and it’s Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly, fresh off WarGames the previous night, for the Era. Big E., Ivar and O’Reilly start things off, which may be a little harder to keep track of but it makes a lot more sense than having two people in there at once instead. O’Reilly is taken down in a hurry so it’s Fish coming in, earning himself a beating of his own from Ivar. Both parts of the Era come in and get dropped by Ivar and Big E. before they turn on each over.

They take turns flipping away from each other until Big E. runs Ivar over in the power display. O’Reilly comes back in for the rapid fire knees to Big E. but the Raiders knee O’Reilly down without much effort. It’s back to Fish, who gets Ivar slammed onto him to make it even worse. Kingston comes in to slug away on Erik and it’s New Day double teaming O’Reilly down for two.

The Era is sent outside and it’s the New Day/Raiders showdown. The slugout goes on until Kofi is left alone, meaning it’s time for the Era to come back in and take over on Kingston’s leg in the corner. Ivar dives in with a splash to break up a kneebar so O’Reilly and Kingston slug it out on the apron instead. Big E. misses his spear through the ropes so Kofi and the Era join him, meaning Erik can slam Ivar onto the other four.

Back in and Fish starts taking over on Erik’s knee before handing it off to O’Reilly for the same. Erik manages to suplex O’Reilly into the corner to take Fish down, allowing the hot tag to Ivar. House is cleaned and O’Reilly kicks Fish in the corner by mistake. Big E. gets kicked in the face as well and Erik hits the shotgun dropkick on Fish. Ivar’s Bronco Buster misses though, meaning Kofi can come in with a standing double stomp to Erik.

Big E. suplexes the Era and it’s a powerbomb/top rope double stomp to crush Erik. Kofi’s big dive over the top takes out Ivar and the Era, with Big E. hitting the spear to take Erik down as well. Everyone gets back up and Erik knees Big E. in the face, setting up the springboard clothesline/German suplex combination (always cool), sending Big E. outside again.

Rating: B. This was the kind of all action match that they should have been having and it got enough time to make it work really well. New Day is a team who can be put in there at any time to make other teams look good and the Era can work with anyone. The Raiders needed the win most and it worked out well all around. Good stuff here and a nice way to wrap up the Kickoff Show.

Raw – 1

Smackdown – 1

NXT – 1

The opening video looks at how this is usually Raw vs. Smackdown but then NXT jumped in to make it a lot more interesting in a hurry. There are some other matches thrown in but this is ALL about the three way brand fight, which did have a heck of a build.

Raw Women vs. Smackdown Women vs. NXT Women

Raw – Charlotte, Asuka, Kairi Sane, Natalya, Sarah Logan

Smackdown – Sasha Banks, Dana Brooke, Carmella, Nikki Cross, Lacey Evans

NXT – Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Candice LeRae, Io Shirai, Toni Storm

The NXT team was announced after last night’s Takeover and some of them are coming off of WarGames so they’re a little banged up. Storm, Evans and Logan start things off with Lacey taking over early on. That earns her a double flip out to the floor and it’s Cross tagging herself in to take her place. Logan hits a cartwheel knee to Storm’s back for….well nothing actually as she talks trash until Cross jumps on her back for the choking.

They’re both a bit odd so that fits well. Back up and Storm German suplexes both of them at once so it’s off to Sane, Carmella and Shirai. The fans get rather excited about two of these people and I’ll let you guess who they are. Carmella hands it off to Brooke, who is fine with just standing in the corner while the other two trade headscissors and clotheslines. Shirai hits a running basement dropkick to Sane’s face but Brooke sends them both into the corner for a double handspring elbow.

The Swanton hits both of them for two on Shirai so Evans comes in for a double hiptoss instead. Candice gets the tag and strikes away at Evans as Asuka comes in as well. A quick snapmare drops Asuka so Candice can hit a step up backsplash and there’s a middle rope faceplant for two on Evans. It’s off to Ripley, who gets caught in Asuka’s armbreaker so Belair makes the save, triggering the parade of secondary finishers. Banks is left alone in the ring with everyone else down…including Shirai and LeRae need medical attention.

Everything pauses as Raw and Smackdown wave goodbye to them instead of, I don’t know, trying to eliminate each other. We settle down to Banks vs. Ripley vs. Charlotte, which does sound like a heck of a match. Ripley doesn’t seem to be very impressed and since this feels big, it’s off to Belair, Logan and Cross instead. Cross hits a neckbreaker on Logan but gets sent to the apron for her efforts. A dive to the floor takes Ripley down and Cross hammers away on Storm against the apron.

Ripley picks Cross up though and puts her on the apron, allowing Belair to grab a rollup (with Ripley holding the feet) for the elimination at 9:39. Carmella comes in with a big headscissors to Belair and a superkick to Logan, only to walk into Belair’s KOD. That sends her into the ropes but Logan sends both of them out to the floor. Running knees takes Carmella and Belair down again with Natalya having to make a save back inside. Belair punches Logan down though and hits the 450 to get rid of her at 12:10.

That puts us at Raw and Smackdown with four each and NXT with three as Charlotte comes in to face Belair and doesn’t seem impressed. Belair gets clotheslined but Carmella comes back in to kick Charlotte down. The big boot drops Belair again but Carmella breaks up the moonsault that will never hit no matter what anyway. Charlotte pulls Carmella up for a powerbomb, which is countered into a hurricanrana onto Belair to give Carmella a pair of two’s each on both.

Carmella grabs Belair by the ponytail but takes too long, allowing Charlotte to hit Natural Selection on Carmella for the elimination at 15:38. Sane, Storm and Banks come in with Storm kicking Banks in the face. Storm Zero to Shirai is broken up though and the Insane Elbow connects, with Sasha breaking up the pin and….then pinning Sane herself at 16:48. Asuka gets so frustrated that she comes in and wrecks the place, including kicking the now legal Brooke in the face to get rid of her at 17:25.

We’re down to Ripley/Belair/LeRae/Shirai (with the latter two backstage) for NXT vs. Evans/Banks for Smackdown vs. Charlotte/Asuka/Natalya for Raw. Charlotte tags herself in and gets into a shoving match with Asuka as a result, eventually slamming Asuka down by the hair. Lacey tries to jump Charlotte but Asuka is back with the green mist (BIG pop for that) to blind Charlotte before walking out. The Woman’s Right gets rid of Charlotte at 19:09 and Raw is down to just Natalya. I’ll take that over Asuka taking another loss and Charlotte is going to be the focal point of everything she does so a tainted loss doesn’t mean a thing.

Since Natalya is the only one left for Raw, she comes in with the discus lariat to Storm and then rolls Evans up for a fast elimination at 19:51. That leaves us with Storm/Belair/Ripley for NXT, Banks for Smackdown and Natalya for Raw and Ripley is rather pleased. Banks and Natalya get smart and take Storm down for a Sharpshooter/Banks Statement combination for the tap at 20:47.

Belair comes in and Natalya tries to talk trash before going with the smarter move of playing Jim to Banks’ Bret on the Hart Attack for the pin at 21:16. So it’s down to Banks vs. Natalya vs. Ripley….or at least it is until Banks decks Natalya for the pin at 21:57, eliminating Raw completely.

The fans REALLY like the idea of Banks vs. Ripley though and it’s Ripley hammering away and getting two off a dropkick. Back up and Banks can’t hit a tornado DDT so it’s a sleeper to limited avail instead. Banks hits the running knees in the corner and the middle rope Meteora gets two. More knees to the back of the head send Ripley into the corner again but this time she superkicks the Meteora out of the air.

The Prism Trap (dang that looks awesome) is on but Banks rolls into the Bank Statement instead. Ripley is in trouble so here are LeRae and Shirai, who were never officially eliminated, to pull Ripley to safety. That earns them a dropkick through the ropes each and they head back in, where Banks has to slip out of Riptide. Shirai hits her with a springboard missile dropkick though and now Riptide can give Ripley the final pin at 27:53.

Rating: B-. They got some time here and the important thing is NXT wins a major match. That’s an awesome thing to see and it’s really cool that it actually happened on a big stage. You want to set things up well for the rest of the night and having an NXT all star team lose to teams involving Logan, Brooke and Carmella wasn’t going to work. Above all else, Ripley looked like a total star here, eclipsing almost everyone else in the match and the fans treated her like one. I wouldn’t have had Shirai and LeRae save her at the end, but Ripley pinning Banks for the win is all that matters.

NXT – 2

Raw – 1

Smackdown – 1

We look at the closing moments of WarGames last night when Kevin Owens became the final member of Team Ciampa and helped them win.

Seth Rollins, Raw Team Captain, comes up to Owens to ask where his loyalties lie. Owens says last night was just to get back at the Undisputed Era so tonight, he’s Team Raw. He also finds it funny that SETH ROLLINS is questioning loyalty. A mock Shield pose takes us out.

Shinsuke Nakamura (Smackdown) vs. Roderick Strong (NXT) vs. AJ Styles (Raw)

Battle of the midcard champions and Sami Zayn is in Nakamura’s corner. Nakamura strikes away at both of them to start but AJ gets them into the corners for some running elbows. Strong’s backbreaker gets him out of trouble but AJ knocks him to the floor and hits a shot to the face. Back in and Nakamura breaks up AJ’s springboard and kicks Strong to the floor for a bonus. A knee gets two on Styles and there’s the running knee in the corner.

The gutbuster fireman’s carry gives Strong two on Nakamura but AJ comes back in with a sleeper to give Nakamura a breather. Strong fights back up and runs them both over a few times, including the alternating running forearms to AJ in the ropes. AJ fights up and gets in a few shots, only to be monkey flipped into a shot to the face from Nakamura. A slugout puts Strong down in a hurry and Nakamura hits the sliding knee for two.

The Styles Clash to Nakamura is broken up and Sami pulls Nakamura outside for a break. Strong unloads on Styles in the corner but gets caught in an Electric Chair, with Nakamura coming in off the top with a kick to the chest. AJ breaks that up as well but Sami pulls him outside, leaving Strong to hit a jumping knee for two on Nakamura. Back in and AJ cuts off Kinshasa, setting up the circle of strikes to the face.

Nakamura drops AJ and hits a reverse exploder on Strong (whose knee got very close to AJ’s face), setting up Kinshasa….for two as AJ makes another save. AJ and Nakamura slug it out so Nigel can talk about their Japanese rivalry. The Landslide gets two on AJ but Kinshasa is countered with a shot to the face. AJ hits the Phenomenal Forearm but Strong comes in to get rid of AJ and steal the pin at 16:43.

Rating: B. This was the action packed match that you would have expected and the cool thing is that it made Strong look like he was on their level. Strong isn’t someone who has been proven on the big stage before and seeing him win here, especially by outsmarting the other two, is great to see. Again: it’s not like Nakamura or Styles are going to be hurt by the loss, especially to another champion. Throw in the fast paced action and having commentary boosting it that much more than this was a great time.

NXT – 3

Raw – 1

Smackdown – 1

Miz comes up to Daniel Bryan in the back and says they’re both family men. That’s why Miz wants Bryan to stop the Fiend once and for all, because he is an evil that must be stopped. Bryan doesn’t want to hear it from Miz.

NXT Title: Adam Cole vs. Pete Dunne

Cole is defending, but the interesting thing here is the lack of Mauro Ranallo, who apparently blew his voice out last night at Takeover. This would be code for “did not like Corey Graves calling him out for making too many Chicago rap music references and not letting Phoenix and McGuinness talk enough. He would be gone for a little while before returning, but it was clear that something wasn’t quite right. Cole has bad ribs and Dunne has a bad knee coming in.

The wristlocking doesn’t work well on Cole as Dunne flips out before going straight after the bad ribs. Dunne starts in on the hand before taking it outside to stomp the elbow in the steps. Back in and Cole kicks him down to stomp away before a dropkick cuts off Dunne’s knee. Dunne grabs the X Plex for a breather and Cole lands hard on the ribs again. There’s an enziguri into the corner to set up a release German suplex.

A sitout powerbomb gets two on Cole and he heads outside, with Dunne hitting a middle rope moonsault to the floor. Back in and Dunne’s moonsault hits knees, setting up the Last Shot to give Cole two. The Panama Sunrise misses so they take turns hitting each other in the face. The brainbuster onto the knee gives Cole two but another Last Shot misses and Dunne grabs the Bitter End for a close two. They slug it out again and Dunne unloads with chops but Cole superkicks his moonsault out of the air.

That’s good for two as well, as is Dunne’s sitout X Plex. They fight to the apron (because of course they do) and Cole busts out the Panama Sunrise to put them both down on the floor. Back in and Cole kicks him in the head and the kickout has Cole panicking. Dunne talks trash as they get up and snaps the finger but the Bitter End is countered into a Panama Sunrise (that looked great). The Last Shot retains the title at 14:09.

Rating: B+. Now that’s what you were hoping to see from these two and it was an awesome match throughout. Dunne is an absolute star and Cole looks like someone who should be the future whenever he is in the ring. This is one of those matches that makes you drool when you hear it announced and then they delivered on top of it. Great stuff here and worth seeing for that NXT style that works so well.

Team Smackdown argues over who should be the captain.

We recap the Fiend taking the Smackdown World Title from Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel. Then Miz questioned if Daniel Bryan was the same person he used to be, which got the Fiend involved as well. Bryan finally said YES again and that’s just what Fiend wanted as Bryan brought back the YES Movement.

Smackdown World Title: The Fiend vs. Daniel Bryan

Fiend is defending and there is something so creepy about watching him in person. The red lights are on and Bryan hits the running dropkick into the corner. A running clothesline cuts him off though and they head outside with Bryan being sent into the post. Back in and Fiend hits the release Rock Bottom and there’s the toss suplex to drop Bryan again. We hit the neck crank as Fiend laughs a lot.

They head outside again with Bryan hitting a running knee from the apron. A top rope dive takes Fiend down again and there’s a missile dropkick back inside. Bryan nips up and the YES chants set up the YES Kicks. The big kick to the head just makes Fiend laugh but another one keeps him down for a change. The running knee connects for two but Fiend grabs the Mandible Claw. Bryan manages to reverse into an armbar but another Mandible Claw finishes Bryan at 10:01.

Rating: C+. The point here was to have Fiend get over as a monster in his first title defense and that’s what he did. They made Fiend feel like a movie monster and that’s the kind of thing you want to do in this situation. Bryan not being able to win, even with the most successful stuff he has, is a good way to go and it told they story they wanted. Fiend is an unstoppable monster and that’s how it should be.

Rey Mysterio says it has been fifteen years since he first faced Brock Lesnar. A few months ago, he was ready to hang up his mask but his son Dominik made him keep going. Tonight, Rey is swinging his lead pipe for Lesnar’s knees and hopes his son is watching when he becomes WWE Champion.

Raw Men vs. Smackdown Men vs. NXT Men

Raw: Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton

Smackdown: Roman Reigns, King Corbin, Mustafa Ali, Shorty G., Braun Strowman

NXT: Tommaso Ciampa, Walter, Keith Lee, Damian Priest, Matt Riddle

The NXT team was announced on the Kickoff Show again. The fans are way into Walter, more or less sealing his fate. Strowman, Ciampa and Rollins start things off and Strowman dropkicks both of them down. Walter and McIntyre come in and Walter is all over a three way battle of the big men. The double teaming works on Strowman this time before slugging it out themselves. A big boot into the running seated senton hits McIntyre and there’s a German suplex to drop him again.

Walter chops Strowman to make him mad, tells him to bring it, and hits a dropkick into the corner. McIntyre hits the Claymore to finish Walter at 2:59 and the fans are MAD, as they should be in that spot. Priest comes in to strike away at McIntyre and Strowman. Shorty comes in to moonsault Priest and it’s Ricochet coming in as well. That earns him a Chaos Theory from Shorty and it’s off to Riddle for the grapple off. Both ankle locks miss and neither can hit a spinning kick so we’ll go with the standoff. Ciampa comes in so Ricochet kicks both he and Shorty down at once. Owens frog splashes Shorty for the pin at 6:27.

Reigns and Corbin both come in with Corbin hitting him in the face like the horrible teammate that he is. Owens heads outside to superkick Corbin and hit the Cannonball on Reigns against the barricade. Back in and….Ciampa grabs Willow’s Bell to get rid of Owens at 7:42. Orton slides in behind Ciampa and the fans really like this one. The RKO is blocked and Ciampa clotheslines him outside but Willow’s Bell is blocked as well. Orton drops him onto the apron and it’s time for the circle stomp back inside. Priest gets a blind tag as Orton RKOs Ciampa, so it’s an RKO to get rid of Priest at 10:16.

Riddle comes in and rolls Orton up for the fast pin at 10:30. Riddle is SHOCKED at the win….until Orton hits him with an RKO so Corbin can steal the pin at 10:56. We’re down to Rollins/McIntyre/Ricochet for Raw, Reigns/Corbin/Ali/Strowman for Smackdown and Ciampa/Lee for NXT. Lee comes in to face Corbin but Strowman tags himself in as the fans are recommending that we BASK IN HIS GLORY.

Strowman runs Lee over and starts cleaning house, including the freight train around the ring. He does it again but this time Lee Pounces him, followed by a Claymore from McIntyre for the countout at 13:14. Ricochet comes in to kick Corbin down and the big flip dive drops Reigns on the floor. That just earns him the End of Days from Corbin for the pin at 14:30. Ali, the hometown boy, comes in to clean house and soak in some cheers. The wicked tornado DDT plants Rollins and Ali hits a suicide dive…but Corbin yells at him, allowing Rollins to hit the Stomp on Ali for the elimination at 16:10.

Reigns and Corbin get into it on the floor as a quick CM PUNK chant starts and stops just as fast. Back in and McIntyre hits the reverse Alabama Slam on Ciampa. Reigns spears McIntyre down for the pin at 17:39 though, leaving us with Rollins vs. Reigns/Corbin vs. Ciampa/Lee. Rollins rolls Reigns up for two but gets kicked in the face. Willow’s Bell drops Reigns but the Fairy Tale Ending is blocked. Corbin cuts off Lee and drags Reigns over for the tag, only to have Reigns spear Corbin. Ciampa will take that pin at 19:54 and Smackdown is down to Reigns.

Rollins and Reigns go after Ciampa, who is fine with these odds. Rollins throws Ciampa outside though…and it’s time to load up the announcers’ table. Lee breaks up the DoubleBomb though and Ciampa hits Project Ciampa for a close two on Rollins back inside. The Fairy Tale Ending is countered so Ciampa hits a running knee, only to eat the Superman Punch from Reigns. The Stomp gets rid of Ciampa at 24:01 and we’re down to one man each.

Lee comes back in to throw Rollins around and he crossbodies both of them at the same time. Rollins is back with an enziguri into a low superkick and the frog splash gets two, with Lee LAUNCHING him off the kickout. Rollins is all fired up but walks into the Big Bang Catastrophe to give Lee the pin and get rid of Raw at 26:36. Lee smiles down at Reigns, who hits back to back Superman Punches for a VERY close two. The spear is countered into the Spirit Bomb for a nearer fall but the moonsault misses. Reigns hits the spear for the final pin at 29:18.

Rating: A-. I came to Survivor Series wanting to see one of the classic elimination matches and that’s what I got here, with one elimination after another and some crazy drama near the end. Lee looked like a STAR here and pinning Rollins clean is as big of a moment as he was going to get. There is no shame in being pinned by Reigns and what we got here was great stuff. I loved this match, save for the way Walter was put out, and it’s all I could have asked for.

NXT – 3

Smackdown – 2

NXT – 1

Becky Lynch is ready for Shayna Baszler and there is no one who can keep her down tonight. She has been traveling the world and every day out means one day out of the gym. Becky sees something of herself in Bayley, so tonight she is going to show both of them what she is.

We recap Brock Lesnar vs. Rey Mysterio for Brock’s Raw World Title. Brock came after Rey and his family so Rey brought in Cain Velasquez. That didn’t go so well as Brock destroyed him, leaving no one to protect Rey. That’s why Rey grabbed a lead pipe and started swinging, setting up this No Holds Barred title match.

Raw World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Rey Mysterio

Lesnar, with Paul Heyman, is defending and it’s No Holds Barred. Rey is the Joker here for no apparent reason. Heyman says Lesnar weighs about two and a half Rey Mysterios. Rey grabs a pipe to start so Lesnar drops to the floor. He comes right back in though and blasts Rey with a clothesline. Rey is thrown over the announcers’ table and an overhead belly to belly sends him into the announcers’ table covering.

Brock posts him but Rey does the same to him, meaning it’s pipe time. Back in and Brock suplexes him onto the pipe and then adds another suplex. Cue Dominik to try to throw in the towel but Rey uses the distraction to hit a low blow. Some pipe shots from Rey and a chair shot from Dominik set up stereo 619s. Back to back frog splashes into a double cover gets two on Lesnar, who is back up with a suplex on Dominik. The F5 retains the title at 6:53.

Rating: C+. The whole point here was that one moment of drama and it worked a lot better than I was expecting. I don’t think anyone was realistically expecting Rey to win here but they managed to get in that little bit of drama and that was a great surprise. Lesnar was running out of opponents so having him wreck Mysterio was as good of a move as they had here, with Rey knowing how to sell this perfectly.

We recap the Women’s Champions triple threat. Becky Lynch said being the champ was all that mattered but Shayna Baszler just wanted to snap a limb. Bayley wanted to know why she was an afterthought and now it’s match time.

Bayley (Smackdown) vs. Becky Lynch (Raw) vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT)

Non-title again. They stare each other down to start and Bayley shoves Baszler into Becky. The brawling continues to the floor so Becky dives onto both of them. Back in and Bayley avoids the running spinning legdrop but Becky kicks her in the head. Baszler is back in as well and starts cleaning house until Bayley knocks her outside. Bayley stomps on Becky but charges into an elbow in the corner. With Baszler being dropped to the floor again, Bayley drops onto Becky’s back for two.

All three are back in with Becky kicking Baszler down and starting the Bexploders. A DDT gets two on Bayley and the top rope legdrop is good for the same with Baszler making the save. Becky gets sent outside so Bayley can hit a running knee for two on Baszler. Back up and Baszler sends Bayley outside, meaning it’s time for the big showdown with Becky. Bayley crossbodies both of them at once though and Becky is back outside. Bayley has to elbow her way out of a gutwrench superkicks but Becky breaks up the Kirifuda Clutch.

A powerbomb out of the corner gives Becky two on Baszler, who knocks Bayley off the apron. That means the Disarm-Her on Baszler but Bayley makes a save. They all head outside again with Becky tweaking her knee, allowing Baszler to drop her onto the announcers’ table. Becky gets dropped onto the table again but Bayley runs Baszler over. Back in and Bayley hits the top rope elbow, only to get pulled into the Kirifuda Clutch for the tap at 18:05.

Rating: C. Another viewing helped this a lot but it was longer than it needed to be and the action was only so good. Bayley was obviously there to take the fall and there is nothing wrong with that. If nothing else this should set up Becky vs. Baszler in a mega showdown later as Becky is unstoppable and Becky looks that way. Not overly great, but it did its job, albeit in the very long form.

Final Standings:

NXT – 4

Smackdown – 2

Raw – 1

Overall Rating: B+. The two last matches drag this down a bit but otherwise it’s a heck of a show with nothing bad and some good drama/shock as NXT runs away with things. What matters most here is they took some chances (some good some bad) and gave us a special moment with NXT. The wrestling was good throughout and it felt like the Survivor Series I had wanted to see for such a long time. Awesome show here and proof of what NXT can offer when they get the chance (and win the trophy).

Ratings Comparison

Tag Team Battle Royal:

Original: D

Redo: D+

Lio Rush vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Kalisto

Original: C+

Redo: C

New Day vs. Viking Raiders vs. Undisputed Era

Original: B

Redo: B

Raw Women vs. Smackdown Women vs. NXT Women

Original: B-

Redo: B-

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Roderick Strong vs. AJ Styles

Original: B

Redo: B

Pete Dunne vs. Adam Cole

Original: A-

Redo: B+

The Fiend vs. Daniel Bryan

Original: B

Redo: C+

Raw Men vs. Smackdown Men vs. NXT Men

Original: B+

Redo: A-

Rey Mysterio vs. Brock Lesnar

Original: C+

Redo: C+

Bayley vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Becky Lynch

Original: D+

Redo: C

Overall Rating:

Original: B+

Redo: B+

Other than the main event, the memories seem strong with this one.

Here’s the original Review if you’re interested:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/12/01/survivor-series-2019-they-really-did-that/

 

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

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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