IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: September 4, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Drew Gulak

I’m not sure what to expect from this show anymore but they tried something a little different last week with three matches instead of the usual two. I don’t know if that is going to solve things around here, but the recent shows have not been as dull as the ones in the last few weeks before. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ariya Daivari vs. Tehuti Miles

Daivari hits him in the face to start and says he’ll be Miles’ veteran. More right hands put Miles down and Daivari shouts about Miles being a piece of trash. That’s enough to fire Miles up and he unloads in the corner with some rights of his own. Miles goes to the apron but gets kicked into the announcers’ table to put him back in trouble. Back in and Daivari hammers away, setting up a neckbreaker for two.

The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by a heck of a clothesline to put Miles down. Back up and Miles grabs a DDT for a breather and there’s a spinebuster for two. Miles misses something off the top though and Daivari runs him over again. The hammerlock lariat misses for Daivari and Miles rolls him up for two more. Daivari is back with a superkick though and the hammerlock lariat finishes Miles at 6:18.

Rating: C-. I don’t know how to believe it but they actually have a storyline developing here. Miles was his usual self to start but then got serious and came close to beating Daivari a few times. If they keep going through with that, they could have a little something with him. It’s certainly better than nothing and the match wasn’t too bad either.

Post match Miles pulls himself up and Daivari teases a handshake before pulling the hand away. Makes sense.

We look at Isaiah Scott pinning Santos Escobar on NXT.

Mansoor vs. Colby Corino

That would be Steve’s son, who is almost a veteran to mess with my head that much more. They run the ropes to start until it’s an atomic drop into a clothesline to drop Colby. A middle rope bulldog connects and we hit the chinlock to keep Corino down. Colby gets back up and sweeps the leg to drop Mansoor off the middle rope. A seated abdominal stretch doesn’t last long as Mansoor fights up and hits a hanging TKO. The One Winged Angel into the Death Valley Driver finishes Corino at 3:18.

Rating: C. The more I see of Mansoor the more I like of him and that’s a nice thing to have around. He really could be a full time guy on some show and I don’t get why he isn’t. Corino showed some fire here too and they had a completely watchable, and even energized match given how little time they had.

We look back at Ever Rise failing to cheat to win against Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch.

Ever Rise vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch

Rematch from last week and Ariya Daivari joins commentary because I must have been evil in some past life. Before the match, Ever Rise yells at Vic Joseph for having a big mouth. Lorcan and Parker start with both guys taking turns dragging the other into the corner for tags. Burch gets taken into the corner for some alternating stompings but it’s quickly back to Lorcan to run people over.

Martel breaks it up with an elbow to the head and it’s Parker stomping away against the ropes. Parker gets two off a snap suplex and we hit the seated armbar. Lorcan fights up with a running shoulder but a drop toehold into an elbow to the back cuts him off again. Parker gets kicked away though and the hot tag brings in Burch to clean house. A German suplex into a running clothesline gets two on Martel but here is Legado del Fantasma to hit Parker with a chair for the DQ at 5:30.

Rating: C-. The match wasn’t the point here and that’s perfectly fine. Above all else it is nice to see some storyline advancement, even if it was on such a low level. Bringing in Legado, especially with the champ involved, makes things seem more important, which has been a big problem around here for a long time. Nothing match, but at least it offered something.

Post match Legado destroys all four of them, including duct taping Ever Rise’s mouths shut to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. For once this show actually gave me some hope and that’s a very nice feeling to have. What mattered here was they felt like they actually had a goal to the show and they made me want to see a little more. They haven’t done something like this in a very long time so hopefully they keep it going for a long time to come.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: August 28, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph

I’ve run out of ways to figure out what to expect from this show and in a way, that’s rather good around here. There is only so much you can expect with the rather limited roster around here and I’m not sure what to expect from that. We had a Cruiserweight Title match this week on NXT so it might be time for a new opponent. Or maybe a rematch since there was a loaded mask involved. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tehuti comes to the ring for a match but during his entrance, Miles talks about how a rookie like him should be learning from the veterans. He might be rookie of the year though and this show exists because of him. Hopefully a veteran can bring the best out of him. At least he has an opponent.

Tehuti Miles vs. Brian Kendrick

Brian hasn’t been around for awhile. Miles has to spin out of an early armbar and Kendrick drop toeholds his way out of a hammerlock. Some armdrags into an armbar have Kendrick down in an armbar and there’s another into another. Back up and Kendrick kicks him in the face for two and it’s off to an armbar on Miles for a change. Miles fights up and slugs away, followed by a dropkick for two more. The trash talk is on but Kendrick small packages him for the pin at 4:57.

Rating: C-. Kendrick is an interesting case as he keeps coming back and keeps feeling like a star despite not being much of one in a good while. That’s a natural talent that you can showcase very well if given a change. Kendrick looked fine here and Miles is starting to move up a bit by losing to bigger names. That might not sound like much, but they could get somewhere with letting him get a win.

Post match they shake hands and Kendrick says Miles has potential.

Tony Nese vs. Liam Gray

Nese runs him over with an elbow to the face to start and gets annoyed when Gray hits him in the ribs. A German suplex sends Gray into the corner and the Running Nese finishes at 1:40. Just a squash.

Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch vs. Ever Rise

Lorcan armbars Martel to start but gets taken down into a headlock on the mat. It’s off to Burch to headlock Parker over as frustration sets in. Back up and Burch pulls a leapfrog out of the air (always cool to see) and a middle rope dropkick puts Parker down again. Martel trips Burch down though and drops a few elbows. The armbar goes on again but Burch throws him off and brings Lorcan back in, meaning it’s time for some loud house cleaning.

Everything breaks down and Parker breaks up a Doomsday Device. Lorcan is fine enough to hit a top rope flip dive to Martel, followed by a running Blockbuster for two more. Parker gets tossed outside so Lorcan tries to suplex him back in. Martel grabs the leg for the Warrior/Heenan/Rude finish but the referee catches him because Ever Rise can’t even cheat to beat someone. The referee yells at Martel and Burch Crossfaces Parker for the tap at 7:54.

Rating: C-. Ever Rise is a team who could do a few things around here and as long as they don’t go much further, they should be fine. Giving them the losing streak and having them complain about it is better than nothing, and since they seem like they’ll be sticking around, it’s better than nothing. Not the worst match either, but that might be due to Burch and Lorcan.

Overall Rating: C. The time makes a big difference here as the show is all of twenty six minutes long and it’s almost impossible to get annoyed at something so short. They didn’t really advance much but Kendrick vs. Miles could go somewhere for one of them. It’s not a good show or anything, but for twenty six minutes, I can think of a lot worse.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Takeover: XXX
Date: August 22, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix

It’s time for the milestone edition of the show and this time around it’s not exactly feeling like that important of an entry. Maybe it’s the rushed build to the show or the lack of star power, but there is something missing here. The main event should be a heck of a hoss fight between Keith Lee and Karrion Kross for the NXT Title. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Breezango vs. Legado del Fantasma vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch

For the #1 contendership. Fandango jumps Mendoza to start and goes to the apron with Oney. Oney is knocked to the floor and Fandango hits a heck of a clothesline to Mendoza. Burch comes back in and gets small packaged for two, meaning it’s time for the showdown with Lorcan. Fandango gyrates while Lorcan glares but Mendoza gets up to run the corner and hits a springboard corkscrew dive.

Back in and Lorcan DDTs Breeze while Mendoza neckbreakers Lorcan for two each. The hot tag (yes there are tags in this) brings in Burch to clean house, including the German suplexes. Something that looked like a Doomsday Device is broken up as Wilde slips out of the electric chair. Lorcan’s uppercut gets two on Wilde as everything breaks down again. A Spanish Fly into the 450 gives Mendoza two with Burch and Lorcan making the save. Back up and Breeze hits a quick superkick for the pin on Lorcan at 6:56.

Rating: C. They didn’t have much to do here and I can’t say I’m surprised at the winners. That being said, Breezango vs. Imperium isn’t all that interesting, though it’s not like anyone else is getting much out of Imperium these days. They need to do something with the titles and if that means Breezango as transitional champions, so be it. Good enough choice for an opener though.

The opening video looks at the history of Takeover before going into your traditional look at all of the matches.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Finn Balor

Grudge match after Thatcher cost Balor a spots in the North American Title ladder match. Balor charges at him in the corner to start but gets taken to the mat which isn’t likely to go well. They go to the grappling with Balor working on the arm but getting caught in a front facelock for his efforts. Balor gets up and strikes Balor against the ropes before taking it back down to the mat to crank on the leg.

Thatcher hits him in the face and puts on a bow and arrow hold as Balor can’t get away from the holds. Balor flips over into a cover for two but Thatcher is right back with a Kimura. The arm is pinned back and Thatcher puts on something like an abdominal stretch on the mat. They get back up but Balor can’t get away from the grip, instead having to backdrop Thatcher into a cover for two. The hold still isn’t broken but Balor rolls into a basement dropkick for the much needed break.

They slug it out with Thatcher getting the better of it until Balor drops him with a Pele for the double knockdown. Balor gets in a double stomp and tries 1916 but has to slip out of a fireman’s carry. This time it’s Thatcher getting caught in the abdominal stretch with Balor planting him again. The Coup de Grace misses though and Balor bangs up his knee again. The half crab goes on but Balor slips out.

That’s fine with Thatcher, who kicks him in the back but Balor switches places and gets in a kick to the ribs. Thatcher gets in a shot to the face but gets rolled into the abdominal stretch again. The next reversal lets Thatcher grab an ankle lock so Balor rolls out and hits a double stomp. Another double stomp sets up the Coup de Grace but the knee means there can’t be a cover. 1916 connects to give Balor the clean pin at 14:16.

Rating: B-. It was a good grappling match but the ending was a little flat. Balor just started hitting his moves and then won with his finishers. I didn’t think Thatcher was going to win (though maybe he should have) but I was hoping for something a little better than that. What we got was good though and I’ll take that over something completely flat.

Bayley and Sasha Banks are here.

Video on the North American Title ladder match, including everyone qualifying.

North American Title: Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Velveteen Dream vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Bronson Reed

Ladder match for the vacant title. It’s a brawl to start (duh) until Reed (in Bam Bam Bigelow inspired gear) and Priest are left alone. Dream comes back in to break it up with a DDT as Grimes pulls out the first ladder….which is about three feet tall. He isn’t pleased but gets knocked down by Priest, only to come back with a big kick to the chest. Gargano pulls in his own full sized ladder and Grimes brings in a second. It’s Grimes going up, only to get caught with a leg on each ladder as they are spread apart, leaving Grimes in the splits.

Reed comes back in and cleans house, including dropping a backsplash onto a ladder onto Dream’s chest. More house is cleaned as Reed sets up a ladder but he has to shoves Gargano up as he tries to climb the standing ladder. Gargano’s next attempt to go up is countered into a powerbomb attempt from Reed but Dream takes out Reed’s knee. Gargano wants Grimes and Dream to help him but goes up, only to get caught. Johnny: “I had to try it!”

It’s Grimes in trouble this time around until Gargano crotches Dream on top. Priest crushes Grimes into a ladder into Dream’s head but it’s Reed cleaning house to take over. The massive Tower of Doom is broken up and Gargano is the only one left standing. Reed takes care of him and Grimes is sent off the ladder and into the rope. Priest is all alone on top of the ladder but Dream makes the save. That means kicks to Gargano and Dream’s heads so Gargano hits the slingshot DDT to the ladder around Reed’s neck.

Gargano heads outside but gets caught with the standing flip belly to belly from Grimes. Reed dives onto them but Grimes is up first to load up the ladder inside. For some reason he sets it up next to the ropes and Priest runs up the bridged ladder to take out everyone with a flip dive. Grimes goes up but Candice LeRae runs in for the save. Corey: “Maybe Candice just wants directions to the moon.”

Candice tries a headscissors but Gargano goes with a ladder to Grimes’ head for a more effective move. Gargano goes up so Reed knocks him off, only to have Candice climb onto his back. Reed dives off onto Gargano for the big triple splash (Corey: “The Wednesday night’s been squashed!” Since Gargano is mostly dead, Reed goes up but Priest is waiting on him. Grimes has his own bigger ladder as Reed is knocked down. Reed sends Grimes off the big ladder onto the regular one but Dream makes a save, only to get his leg tied into the falling ladder.

Dream is back up to bridge a ladder from the middle rope into the standing one before going up. The title is swinging away so Dream can’t get it, allowing Priest to shove him down. Priest drops down and knocks Reed down, only to have Grimes hit the Cave In. Grimes climbs until Gargano hits a powerbomb to send him into the bridged ladder. Instead of climbing, Gargano fires off superkicks but the One Final Beat is countered by Dream into a Dream Valley Driver onto Priest onto a ladder.

It’s Dream climbing this time but Reed shoves the ladder over, sending Dream bouncing off the top rope and over the barricade for the huge crash of the match. Grimes is up on the ladder for the title with Gargano making the save this time. Priest and Gargano go up and the title is unhooked, with Priest knocking Gargano down to win the title at 21:16.

Rating: B+. This was long and chaotic, which is exactly what you want out of something like a five way ladder match. I had Grimes winning but Priest is the second best choice as Gargano doesn’t need the title, Reed isn’t ready, and Dream probably shouldn’t be near….well anything at the moment. That Dream spot was great and there’s something special about seeing him in extreme pain at the moment. Good, long match here and I liked it more than I expected.

We recap Pat McAfee vs. Adam Cole. McAfee mocked Cole for being small on his podcast and for thinking that he’s the king of NXT. Then McAfee invaded NXT and punted Cole in the face for a big knockout. McAfee went on to have some of the best promos in NXT and the match was made for tonight. As has been the case throughout: McAfee has been a great heel, but that doesn’t make me want to cheer for Cole, which is holding things back a bit.

Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

Cole comes to the ring but we cut to the back where McAfee, with his football players, says he’s got this and promises to destroy Cole once and for all. The other players come out with McAfee, though Cole is on his own. Well that’s somewhat noble. Cole grabs a headlock to start and McAfee can’t do much here. That means Cole can send him into the corner and tease a kick of his own so McAfee asks for a timeout.

Back up and the threat of a superkick sends McAfee outside for some trash talk. Cole follows so the players get in his way, which draws out the rest of the Era. McAfee uses the distraction to go up for the big dive onto everyone, meaning the trash talk is back on. Back in and McAfee slugs away in the corner as commentary starts being amazed by every single thing McAfee does. A slam, with squats, gets two on Cole and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up after longer than you might expect and Cole gets fired up in the corner.

They slug it out with Cole pulling the shirt over McAfee’s head and slugging away before kicking McAfee in the head for two. The shock at the kickout sends Cole up top but Cole shoves him down…with McAfee landing on his feet. Cole is STUNNED and it’s even worse when McAfee runs the corner for a top rope superplex into a near fall. Cole’s head is hung over the apron so McAfee loads up the punt, which only hits the steps.

Back in and Cole grabs the Figure Four, sending McAfee over to the ropes for the break. Cole goes after him in the corner but a quick low blow puts Cole down. Now the Punt connects for two, sending McAfee up top. That takes too long though (It could have been the MCAFEE BAY BAY!) and Cole superkicks him out of the air, setting up the Panama City Sunrise for the pin at 16:20.

Rating: B-. It isn’t really shocking that McAfee was impressive, but I’m not sure people were expecting him to be this athletic. This was a good effort from both and Cole winning is the right call so they didn’t go too far. They had a pretty quick feud and while Cole is far from a face so far, it went about as well as could be expected.

Post match Cole looks at McAfee in the corner before turning to the camera to pose.

Drew McIntyre is here and picks Keith Lee to win the main event.

We recap Io Shirai vs. Dakota Kai for Shirai’s Women’s Title. Kai has been extra evil as of late and is ready to beat Shirai, because she is in her head. That and having the monster Raquel Gonalez in her corner.

Women’s Title: Io Shirai vs. Dakota Kai

Kai is challenging and has Gonzalez with her. Shirai goes with the double leg and starts kicking at Kai’s leg, including a dragon screw leg whip on the mat. A Gonzalez distraction lets Kai go after the arm though and wraps it around the arm. Shirai kicks her in the arm sets up an arm trap choke over the ropes and then stomps her down a bit. The armbar goes on, followed by one with Kai’s legs.

Shirai gets out and hits a kick to the face, followed by the 619 into a missile dropkick for two. Another armbar is broken up with a kick to the head but Kai breaks up a German suplex and sends her hard into the corner. Shirai is right back up with the running knees in the corner but the moonsault takes too long. Kai gets shoved down though and a double stomp gives Shirai two. The Kairopractor gives Kai two though and we hit the armbar, with Shirai having to get over to the ropes for the break.

Shirai is sat on top for a fireman’s carry into a kick to the head for two more with a foot on the ropes saving the title. Kai kicks the referee down by mistake so Gonzalez comes in to plant Shirai, giving Kai two. The Crossface goes on but Gonzalez makes the save. That means a moonsault to the floor to take both of them out, followed by the regular version for the pin to retain the title at 16:12.

Rating: B. Good showing here with both women looking awesome. Gonzalez added a lot here as there is only so much that you can do with Shirai vs. Kai on their own. Shirai is a monster who can destroy Kai on her own but the monster makes things that much more interesting. That turned this into a solid back and forth match and I had a good time with it, which was more than I expected.

Post match Gonzalez goes after Shirai again but Rhea Ripley runs in for the save. The staredown is on but Kai and Gonzalez run.

Damien Priest jumps in a hot tub with some women to celebrate.

NXT UK is back on September 17.

Tommaso Ciampa is back on Wednesday.

We recap Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross for the NXT Title. Lee won the title at the Great American Bash and Kross didn’t seem happy. Kross then choked out Lee’s friend Dominick Dijakovic so Lee wanted revenge. That resulted in a fireball to Lee’s face to get us slightly away from the Rocky IV theme. Now it’s about revenge and the title.

NXT Title: Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee

Kross, with Scarlett, is challenging and we get the big intro. Lee knocks him straight back to start and unloads with right hands in the corner to put Kross in early trouble. They head to the floor with Kross hammering away but Lee’s right hand busts up the Plexiglas by mistake. Lee’s arm gets caught on another swing though and the champ is hurt early on. Back in and Kross cranks on the arm (as he should) before putting him down for two. The armbar goes on again but this time Lee powers up.

That’s fine with Kross, as he sends the arm into the buckle to put Lee down again. It’s a hammerlock to put Lee down on the mat again and Kross cranks on it even harder. With that not working, Kross tries a cross armbreaker so Lee latches his hands together for the block. Lee hits a running splash in the corner and muscles him up for a spinning powerslam into the near fall. Back up and Lee misses a charge in the corner but Kross can’t Saito him. Kross can hit a DDT for two but Lee blocks the Saito again.

Lee hits a suplex of his own for a slightly delayed two of his own and they get back up. After what looked to be a little miscommunication, Kross hits a hard clothesline for two more. They slug it out until Lee is knocked to his knee, only to come back with a heck of a clothesline. Kross kicks him in the face and Lee isn’t happy. The Grizzly Magnum is blocked though and now the Saito connects for two.

Scarlett is furious about the kickout so the Crossjacket goes on, with Lee’s arm almost hitting the mat. A groggy Lee gets over to his stomach and finally makes the rope for the save. Back up and Lee headbutts him in the chest, setting up the Spirit Bomb for two. Lee goes up but Kross catches him with a shot to the arm. The super Doomsday Saito gives Kross the pin and the title at 21:56.

Rating: B+. This started slowly but they wound up going with what was the best possible choice. Kross would have been dead in the water if he had lost here and Lee is someone who can bounce back from a big loss. They didn’t quite go with the hoss battle the whole way but they got it working by the end, which is what matters here. Kross should have won, and I have no idea where Lee goes next. As for who is next for Kross….that Takeover machine Finn Balor sounds like a smart choice no?

Overall Rating: A-. As I’ve said about Dynamite before, if this is their bad show, they’re going to be fine. This wasn’t even close to what Takeover can do but it was still a rather good show with nothing resembling a bad match. There were some memorable moments and you can see where some things are going, but it was lacking that show stealer and it stuck out pretty badly.

In addition, there are some things here that make it clear the times have changed. One thing that NXT made look easy was having each match feel different. While they were different matches, there was something off about the last two matches being built around the champion’s arm being hurt. It feels like NXT should know better, but maybe that’s just the past talking. Still though, very good show, but not up to the old standards.

Results

Finn Balor b. Timothy Thatcher – 1916

Damian Priest won a ladder match – Priest pulled down the title

Adam Cole b. Pat McAfee – Panama City Sunrise

Io Shirai b. Dakota Kai – Moonsault

Karrion Kross b. Keith Lee – Super Doomsday Saito

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

IMG Credit: WWE

It’s that time again. There may not be a series of wrestling shows with the reputation of NXT: Takeover. The shows have hovered somewhere around great and often moved up to show of the year on a number of occasions. Saturday will see a milestone version with the thirtieth edition, but things aren’t as hot as they usually are. NXT has had that feeling before, but I’m not sure if they can shake it off this time. Hopefully I’m wrong though so let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Legado del Fantasma vs. Breezango vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch

This is for a future Tag Team Title shot, assuming you can remember who the Tag Team Champions even are at the moment. The tag division has taken some major hits over the last few months and this is the second straight Takeover without the titles being defended. I can’t say I’m overly surprised as Imperium aren’t the most thrilling challengers, but they need to do something sooner rather than later.

I’ll take Burch and Lorcan to win here, as they haven’t been around much lately but it is going to be a little easier to take them seriously than Imperium. Throw in that they would give Imperium a better match than Breezango and this should be an easy pick. That is assuming they aren’t going to give the rest of Legado the titles to make all three members champions, which is certainly a possibility. Either way, I’ll take Lorcan and Burch with pretty minimal confidence.

Women’s Title: Io Shirai(c) vs. Dakota Kai

This one hasn’t been all that thrilling so far as Kai seems dangerous, but not dangerous enough to be a real threat to win the title. It was like she needed something extra to boost her chances of winning the title, like someone who could give Shirai more of a run for her money. Maybe a monster enforcer who could be a physical threat to Shirai and who destro…yeah you get what I’m going for here. Raquel Gonzalez is back and Shirai could be in trouble.

I want to go with Kai here but I can’t bring myself to say it. Therefore I’ll take Shirai to retain, as Mercedes Martinez seems destined to be the next big threat to come after the title. Kai has been a heck of an even woman in recent months and throwing Gonzalez in helps a lot, but I don’t think it’s enough to get her the title. Considering how goofy and innocent Kai used to be, her transformation has been remarkable but it isn’t enough to get her to the promised land just yet.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Finn Balor

Sometimes you need a good grudge match and that’s what we have here. This is also the kind of match that the show needed to help boost things up and hopefully that is what we are going to be getting. Balor and Thatcher both lost to Dexter Lumis in a North American Title qualifying match and Thatcher isn’t happy as he took the fall. He cost Balor his second chance match and here we are.

Give me Balor to win here, as somehow he needs to get back on track. At the same time, Thatcher is someone who needs his second big win as he has only defeated Matt Riddle in the cage match. That being said, Balor has only lost in one singles match ever at Takeover and I’m not sure I can see Thatcher adding his name to the Samoa Joe list. Balor wins here, but I’m really not convinced.

Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

This is being treated as more of the main event than anything else on the show. It’s the old wrestler vs. football player match, but in this case, McAfee might be the best talker in the promotion. I’ve wanted to hear someone shut him up because he really is that great of a villain, but I don’t want to hear Cole be the one to shut him up. Cole has spent a year as the top heel in the promotion. I need a reason to cheer him, not just to boo McAfee.

Of course I’ll go with Cole here, as there isn’t much of a reason to have him lose to the outside here. Cole can be turned face (anyone can) but having him getting beaten down by McAfee isn’t an idea that has legs. Go with what makes sense here in the big mess, as McAfee has a weapon in the big kick but doesn’t need to win here. Then again there is a chance that he could as he could have something bigger in mind as part of Cole’s redemption, but I’ll play it safe and go with Cole winning here.

North American Title: Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Velveteen Dream

Sometimes in wrestling you need a new champion and the best solution is to hang the title above the ring so a bunch of wrestlers can try to climb a ladder and pull it down. Ok so wrestling can be a little strange at times but that’s what makes it so much fun. That is what we have here as Keith Lee vacated the title after winning the NXT Title, meaning it’s time for some multiman carnage.

You could go in a bunch of ways here but I’ll take Grimes to win as he has been rather impressive for a long time now. Gargano is fine without the title, Dream is….moving on, Reed and Priest don’t make the most sense as winning here and Grimes has been outstanding as of late. Go with the best choice and someone who could get a long way with the title, which is where Grimes comes in.

NXT Title: Keith Lee(c) vs. Karrion Kross

And now we have a heck of a hoss fight to wrap things up. Lee won the title back in early July and Kross has targeted him ever since. Kross has since choked out Dominick Dijakovic and burned Lee with a fireball, meaning it’s time for a big fight. This could be an interesting way to go as they both seem unstoppable, which is where you can tell they have a good match going.

I think I’ll go with Kross to win the title here as there is no reason at all to have him lose so soon. Having him overcome the monster Lee is a way to make him look even more unstoppable, but I’m not sure where things go from there. The key thing here though is Lee can absorb a loss a lot more than Kross, though if there was ever a place for a non-finish, this would be it. Kross wins, even if it’s the second best option.

Overall Thoughts

I’m trying to get excited about this show but it isn’t working this time around. The two hour deal has hurt NXT quite a bit and while it makes WWE a lot of money, it doesn’t exactly help with the quality of the show. That being said, you never bet against Takeover and you would be crazy to do so here. They know how to do these things and hopefully that’s what happens again here, as it probably will.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: August 12, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo

We’re coming up on Takeover and that means most of the card is either set or more or less set. We still need to figure out what the heck is going on with the ladder match as last week saw a change to the lineup. Other than that, we have the build towards Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee in the big hoss fight. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Karrion Kross vs. Danny Burch

We get the full entrance for Kross as he continues to look like the biggest star in the world. Burch says ring the bell and goes right at Kross with a dropkick. A clothesline puts Kross on the floor but Kross pulls him outside and hits a two handed chokeslam. Back in and Kross talks trash while slowly hammering away, as should be the case with him. There’s the exploder but Burch manages an enziguri out of the corner.

Burch hits the missile dropkick out of the corner into a German suplex. A second German suplex sets up the Crossface but Kross rolls….well right into the middle of the ring without breaking the hold. That’s countered into a pair of Doomsday Saitos, followed by the Krossjacket for the win at 4:59.

Rating: C. Burch got in some offense here but the point was to make Kross look like a killer in the end, which is exactly what they did. They’re setting up a good main event for Takeover as it’s hard to imagine either Kross or Keith Lee actually losing a match. That’s what you’re supposed to do and if the hoss fight is that good, they’ll be more than fine.

Post match here’s Keith Lee with a contract in hand. His name is already signed and William Regal has approved, so Kross needs to sign sot hey can fight at Takeover. Scarlett takes the contract and Kross signs, with Scarlett kissing the contract and handing it back to Lee, who slowly picks it up. Lee opens the contract….and a fireball comes out to burn his face. Medics immediately hit the ring to take care of Lee and get him outside. Lee: “WHERE IS KROSS???” Lee keeps shouting to get him Kross as he is taken to the back and we get ready for the next match.

Drake Maverick vs. Killian Dain

We take a break just after the bell and come back to the Undisputed Era arriving in the parking lot. Back in the ring, Dain gets taken down with a big flip dive to the floor and Maverick heads up top. Maverick hits the top rope elbow but the Era comes in for the no contest (or double DQ) at 5:12. Not enough shown to rate and it was just a way to set up the Era’s promo anyway.

Post match Adam Cole gets rather serious and says he isn’t taking what Pat McAfee did to him last week because McAfee is in over his head. That’s why he wants McAfee here next week to see him face to face where the beating will be undisputed.

Video on Legado del Fantasma beating down Breezango last week.

Video on Kushida, who wants to be North American Champion.

Santos Escobar vs. Tyler Breeze

Non-title and Escobar sends his goons to the back. Escobar chops him down to start and kicks away at the chest. More kicks have Breeze down so Escobar can pose, allowing Breeze to hit a dropkick to the floor. Breeze makes the mistake of following him and gets his leg taken off, setting up a drop down onto the apron.

We take a break and come back with Breeze fighting out of a chinlock but walking into an atomic drop (you don’t see that one very often these days). A running knee to the face drops Breeze again but the Phantom Driver is countered. Breeze hits some running forearms in the corner and the Supermodel Kick, which draws out the rest of Legado del Fantasma. The distraction lets Escobar hit the Phantom Driver for the pin at 7:51.

Rating: C. I’ve always liked Breeze and Escobar is the first interesting thing to happen to the cruiserweight division in a long time. Or maybe it’s that he’s the first thing that they have treated as important in a long time. I’m curious to see who they build someone up to take the title from him and that’s going to be an interesting road to travel.

Post match the beatdown is on but Fandango limps to the ring with a stick for the save. That earns him another beatdown but Isaiah Scott comes down for the real save.

Video on Dakota Kai, who knows how to defeat Io Shirai. Kai is in Shirai’s head and knows how to outsmart her She’s coming to Takeover and leaving with the title.

Video on Ridge Holland.

Mia Yim vs. Indi Hartwell

Before she comes to the ring, Mia says she’s ready despite what happened to Lee. Hartwell shoulders her down to start but Mia knocks the knee out and hits a basement dropkick. There’s the Cannonball in the corner for two but Hartwell is back with a side slam for two. We hit a pretty weak looking chinlock (crank a bit Hartwell) and Hartwell pulls her down into it a second time.

A backpack Stunner gets Mia out of trouble but Hartwell grabs it for a third time. This time Mia shrugs her off so Hartwell elbows her in the face. Mia sweeps the legs and hammers away before muscling her up for a German suplex. With her patience running out, Mia grabs her by the arm and pulls her into something like a reverse cross armbreaker for the tap at 4:37.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t a great match but they had an idea there with Mia being distracted. It’s a relationship that you don’t need to have portrayed on screen but it makes sense here and it can add a dimension to Lee. I don’t need it to be a major moment, but it worked out well enough here as a reason to care about the match.

Finn Balor is ready to face whoever is left out of tonight’s triple threat because he’s getting the North American Title.

Video on Pat McAfee vs. Adam Cole, complete with a lot of the ESPN media coverage.

McAfee will be here next week.

Damian Priest vs. Bronson Reed

They glare at each other to start until Priest grabs him by the wrist. Reed gets in his own wristlock but Priest pulls him into an armbar with a crossface. Back up and Reed tells him to run the ropes, so Priest kicks him in the leg and then does just that. Reed knocks him down though and it’s time to slug it out. Priest leapfrogs him and this a jumping back elbow to the face as we’re in hoss fight mode.

Some discus forearms rock Reed but he catches Priest’s jumping elbow in the corner. A DDT plants Priest and sends him outside for a needed breather. We take a break and come back with Reed fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a splash in the corner. Priest is back with a bell clap but Reed throws him down with a twisting fall away slam. The backsplash gives Reed two so Priest comes back with a bunch of shots to the face.

A springboard flipping attack puts Reed down again and now the running elbow connects in the corner. Priest manages the Broken Arrow for two so Reed evens things up with a suplex. Back up and Priest hits a spinning kick to the head to win the slugout but his springboard is powerbombed out of the air. Reed goes up for the top rope splash but Priest rolls over (not away, as Reed mostly landed on Priest’s back). Back up and Priest loads up the Reckoning, only to have Reed sweep the legs and grab a jackknife cover for the pin at 11:28.

Rating: B. This is one of those match types that is always fun and that worked rather well here. I know I’m probably getting my hopes up for Reed but they’re giving him a chance here and that’s one of the best things that could happen to him. I’m really surprised by the win here, but what matters for Reed is what happens after the ladder match.

Priest is STUNNED.

Video on Io Shirai, who knows what Kai has been doing as of late. Kai has been smart and taking people out, but Kai is no match for her. Kai has ticked her off and that isn’t going to end well.

Video on Cameron Grimes, who is ready for the North American Title.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Mercedes Martinez/Aliyah

Robert Stone is here with Martinez and Aliyah and offers Kacy a spot on the team. That earns Stone a slap to the face and Kacy hurricanranas Martinez out to the floor to start. A slingshot hilo gets two on Aliyah and a double basement superkick gets the same. Martinez is back up and tags herself in for a wheelbarrow into a cutter from Aliyah (cool) for two. We take a break and come back with Martinez coming in to hammers on Carter in the corner. Aliyah drops a leg for a few near falls but Carter kicks her in the head to bring in Kacy. Everything breaks down and Martinez grabs a quick Air Raid Crash to finish Kacy at 7:50.

Rating: C-. This was a fine way to help establish the Robert Stone Brand as a team who actually works well together, but at the same time, I’m not sure how much more proof you need for that. Martinez is destined for the big showdown with Rhea Ripley at Takeover and that could be a heck of a fight. Martinez is awesome and as annoying as it is that it took her this long to get here, it’s great to have her around.

Post match it’s Rhea Ripley coming out for the brawl but the numbers game gets the better of her. Cue Shotzi Blackheart for the save and the Stone Brand runs off.

We go to the Gargano house where Johnny is climbing a ladder while Candice reads a book to their dog. This turns into a rant about how Tegan Nox needs to be destroyed (with the camera being from the dog’s perspective). Johnny: “What kind of book are you reading?” Anyway, Johnny knows there are going to be talented people in the ladder match, but he has to be there too.

How can you have a Takeover without Johnny Takeover? He has a real qualifying match with Ridge Holland next week and he’ll go on to the ladder match he should have been in since the beginning. Gargano climbs the ladder and fixes a light before the two of them, both in POWER COUPLE suits, retire for the night.

Timothy Thatcher demonstrates an ankle lock at Thatch As Thatch Can school.

North American Title Match Qualifying Match: Kushida vs. Cameron Grimes vs. ???

We have a mystery entrant and….hokey smoke it’s Velveteen Dream. I’m actually stunned to see him as he was facing some of the most serious allegations in all of WWE. Unless I’ve missed it, WWE hasn’t said much of anything about him and he just disappeared from TV about two months ago. I’m going to assume that WWE hasn’t lost their freaking minds and have one heck of a pile of evidence proving his complete innocence, because there is no way that they are stupid enough to put him anywhere near a WWE logo without having a completely airtight answer to every single accusation against him.

Yes I said even WWE couldn’t be stupid enough to do something, because this would be about as dumb as you could get. Dream is facing accusations of some rather serious illegal activity and while it is possible he is innocent, there were quite a few people accusing him of doing similar things. If WWE has some been satisfied as to his innocence, they might want to make that public, because otherwise they are looking completely insane.

One way or another, WWE is going to have to explain something about this because a lot of people are going to going to be wanting some answers. I can’t imagine WWE is just going to let this go without making some kind of a statement as they all but have to on this. Maybe Dream is innocent and has proven it to WWE, but they might want to let others know, because otherwise it looks like they’re allowing him back on TV after giving him a two month vacation.

Oh yeah we have a match too.

Dream, with his blond goatee, gets knocked to the floor to start and Kushida arm wrings Grimes down hard onto his head. It’s Dream coming back in with a top rope ax handle to Kushida’s head for two but a tornado DDT plants Dream on the apron. Grimes crotches Kushida though and we take a break. Back with Kushida hitting a basement dropkick to Grimes and following it up with a running elbow in the corner. Dream comes back in but can’t hit the Dream Valley Driver on Kushida.

Instead everyone punches each other in the face and everyone is down. It’s Dream back up with a running clothesline to put Grimes on the floor, setting up a big dive to take him down again. Back in and the Dream Valley Driver connects on Kushida but Grimes pulls Dream out to the floor. The two fight outside until Kushida hits a big flip dive off the top onto Dream. Back in and Kushida pulls Grimes off the top and into the cross armbreaker but has to let go to catch Dream coming off the top. The Hoverboard Lock goes on Dream, who stands up, allowing Grimes to Cave In both of them and pin Kushida at 8:55.

Rating: C+. I’m still trying to get over the fact that Dream is back on TV as I wasn’t expecting to see him on WWE TV for a LONG time (if ever actually). Ignoring all of the allegations against him, Dream is an incredible talent and can be a player around here, but he isn’t exactly the same since the crowds went away. Grimes is a good choice to win, but Dream making the ladder match as well wouldn’t surprise me.

Post match Dream beats up Kushida, seemingly going heel again. Finn Balor, who will face Dream next week, comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This could have been worse, though there isn’t anything you need to see on the show. The best thing they did here was make the North American Title feel like a big deal, just by having a lot of people talk about how they wanted to win the title. The Lee angle worked (partially because commentary stayed completely quiet until the fire hit Lee) and I’m more interested in Takeover than I was before. My head is still kind of spinning off Dream though and I’m really interested in seeing the reaction to his return. Not a great show, but it was the moving forward to Takeover week.

Results

Karrion Kross b. Danny Burch – Krossjacket

Drake Maverick vs. Killian Dain went to a no contest when Undisputed Era interfered

Santos Escobar b. Tyler Breeze – Phantom Driver

Mia Yim b. Indi Hartwell – Reverse cross armbreaker

Bronson Reed b. Damian Priest – Top rope splash

Mercedes Martinez/Aliyah b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter – Air Raid Crash to Catanzaro

Cameron Grimes b. Velveteen Dream and Kushida – Cave In to Kushida

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: August 7, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Drew Gulak, Vic Joseph

We’re back to the cruiserweights and for the first time in a good while, that doesn’t sound like a complete waste of time. Things have been getting a little interesting around here, or at least as interesting as a show regularly featuring Tony Nese and Ever Rise is going to be. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ever Rise vs. Mikey Spandex/Marquis Carter

Let’s get these goofs out of the way early. Parker armbars Spandex (what a name) to start as Gulak talks about proper fish tank maintenance. Parker misses a charge, allowing Spandex to slam him for one. It’s off to Parker to knock Spandex down and stomp away but he gets in a dropkick for a breather.

Carter comes in for some running forearms and a springboard elbow gets one on Martel. That’s about it for Carter, who gets taken down into a backbreaker/running knee combination as the fans seem to be cheering for Ever Rise. I know these people are paid but is it really worth that much? Anyway the elevated Codebreaker finishes Spandex at 4:15.

Rating: D+. Well that happened, as I guess we are supposed to care about Ever Rise now? I mean, I can’t imagine many people do, but you do need to give them a win every now and then to make sure the important teams beating them gets a little something. The team isn’t so much bad as they are lame, and in a lot of ways that’s a lot worse, as has been the case with them so far.

We see Legado del Fantasma kidnapping Fandango on NXT, and what happened later that night.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat and they carry Fandango out with him. Escobar talks about how they come out here every week and try to explain that they are just better because lucha libre is not a gimmick. Fandango is thrown over the barricade and then inside, with Escobar talking about Breezango playing dress up. They spit in the face of Escobar and the disrespect stops right now. The rest of the team goes after Fandango and cut off an invading Tyler Breeze as well. Escobar says anyone who speaks his name again will face the same future.

Tony Nese vs. Danny Burch

Oney Lorcan is here with Nese. They lock up to start with neither getting anywhere. The threat of the half crab sends Nese bailing to the ropes so Lorcan takes him to the mat and works on the arm instead. Nese’s waistlock is countered into a headlock so Nese rolls over to the ropes again. Back up and Nese starts the dodging, setting up an elbow to the face for two.

The chinlock goes on but Burch fights up and grabs a headlock takeover. That’s broken up with a belly to back suplex for two and it’s off to the front facelock. Burch’s throat is snapped across the top rope and the Lionsault connects, but Burch is already in the ropes. At least he didn’t waste time. Nese stays on the ribs with a bodyscissors before throwing a chinlock in for a bonus.

That’s broken up as well and Burch clotheslines him into the corner. A suplex gives Burch two and Nese pretty easily loses a slugout. Nese kicks him in the face for two of his own, followed by a second to keep Burch down. The 450 misses but here’s Ariya Daivari to rake Lorcan’s eyes. Lorcan is sent into the Plexiglas and seems to bang up his knee, but he sends Burch back to the ring anyway. Burch sends Nese into a variety of things and grabs a hanging DDT for the pin at 10:53.

Rating: C. WHY DOES DAIVARI HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS FREAKING SHOW??? He isn’t interesting now, he wasn’t interesting before and he is never going to be interesting, but for some reason he has one of those job for life deals and keeps coming back despite never being anything that matters in the slightest. Is ANYONE going to be upset if he isn’t on the show and someone else can get his spot? I actually groaned when I saw him show up and that’s one of the worst reactions you can have for any wrestler. WWE seems to need one on every show though, and I guess Daivari is this show’s version.

Overall Rating: D+. Daivari’s appearance alone sucked the life out of this show for me, which is saying a lot on a show featuring Ever Rise in one of the two matches. I’m not big on Nese but somehow he was the second best thing about the show. This was a major downward spiral for the show and I’m almost scared to see where it is going. Just because someone is on the roster doesn’t mean you have to use them, and that is where 205 Live gets confused. Someone pay Daivari to sit at home already and let the show go somewhere. That isn’t going to happen though, as the 205 Live cycle continues.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: July 24, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Drew Gulak, Vic Joseph

This show has become one of the more intriguing of the minor shows and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. While it doesn’t feel like it matters in the slightest, they have at least brought it up to another level beyond the useless show it was just a few months ago. Hopefully they can continue with those lofty goals tonight. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Drake Maverick vs. Leon Ruff

Ruff gets an entrance for a change. Feeling out process to start and a lockup goes nowhere. Ruff grabs a quick rollup for two and Drake seems to think a little differently in a hurry. Drake takes him down by the arm but Ruff elbows him in the face for a breather. A hard clothesline takes Ruff down though and the comeback (Maybe?) is on, including a bulldog into a backsplash. Drake sunset bombs him into the corner and goes up top for a rather delayed top rope elbow and the pin at 3:45.

Rating: D+. Well that was short. They were playing up the idea that Maverick wasn’t taking things seriously at first and then turned it on near the end. It was kind of a weird match as Maverick but he needs a new direction after the destruction at the hands of Legado del Fantasma.

Post match Maverick says he’s coming for the Cruiserweight Title.

Video on Isaiah Scott, the same one from NXT.

Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch/Mansoor vs. Ever Rise/Tehuti Miles

Mansoor scares Miles into the corner to start so it’s of to Parker instead. A drop toehold into a headlock has Parker in trouble and Martel’s cheap shot earns him an armdrag. Lorcan grabs an armbar on Martel and hands it off to Burch to stomp on the hand. Mansoor’s atomic drop keeps Martel down and it’s off to Miles. That’s fine with Mansoor, who takes him down by the head and unloads with right hands.

Everything breaks down for a second with the villains bailing to the floor in a hurry. We settle down to Miles elbowing Lorcan in the face but Martel sneaks in for a dropkick to take over. It’s Lorcan getting caught in the corner and Miles chokes away on the rope. Ever Rise manages to do something right with an assisted whip into the corner and a step up elbow drop for two.

A shot to the face allows the hot tag to Burch and house is cleaned in a hurry. Everything breaks down again and Burch is pulled to the floor. Mansoor hits his slingshot neckbreaker (dubbed Seek And Destroy) but Miles gets to the floor to save himself. That means a dive from Mansoor and it’s a Samoan drop/top rope Blockbuster combination from Ever Rise to Burch. Another Seek And Destroy misses so Mansoor Oklahoma rolls Miles for the pin at 8:07.

Rating: C. Not terrible here and the main thing is they’re starting to build someone up in Mansoor. He is a case where they could come up with someone new for a change and that’s what the division needs. If nothing else, having him eventually take the Cruiserweight Title in Saudi Arabia could be a heck of a moment. Maybe it could even mean the slightest something to fans in America.

Overall Rating: C-. It’s almost strange to see them actually building things up around here. The show still doesn’t need to exist, but at least they’re trying to do something for a change. I’m not sure how long that is going to last as this show is hardly consistent, but at least they’re doing something for a change. Now just stop pretending that Miles and Ever Rise are interesting and we could be somewhere.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: June 12, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

Things have picked up in the slightest sense over the last few weeks as a minor feud has broken out. I wouldn’t expect it to go much further than that but I’ll take what I can get at this point. We now have a full on heel Cruiserweight Champion with lackeys and he’ll need a challenger after Drake Maverick. Maybe someone on here can be built up in that way. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ever Rise vs. Leon Ruff/Adrian Alanis

Martel armdrags Ruff down to start so it’s off to Parker vs. Alanis. The armdrags into the armbar put Parker down and it’s right back to the other two. This time Ruff gets in his own armbar but it’s right back to Martel for a running elbow in the corner. The top wristlock keeps Ruff down for a few seconds until he’s over to Alanis for the hot tag. That doesn’t go well either and it’s Martel holding Alanis up for a running Codebreaker from Parker for the pin at 4:25.

Rating: D+. Ever Rise were a nice team in the indies but they’re not clicking whatsoever around here. They’re just two guys in tights who have passable matches. In other words, they’re TM61 without as much talent or Pokemon jokes. You can see the effort, but sounding like a knockoff battery brand isn’t helping them.

We recap Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch’s mixed results against Tehuti Miles.

We look at Isaiah Scott beating Jack Gallagher but getting beaten down after.

We look at Hijo del Fantasma turning heel by attacking Jack Gallagher, joining forces with Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde and unmasking as Santos Escobar.

Tehuti Miles/Tony Nese/Jack Gallagher vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch/Isaiah Scott

Makes sense. Miles tags himself in to start, much to Gallagher’s annoyance, so Burch elbows him in the face. It’s off to Lorcan and then Scott in the span of a second as the arm cranking continues. Nese comes in and gets headlocked down by Scott, followed by a headscissors from Lorcan. Back up and Gallagher comes in, allowing Nese to snap Lorcan’s throat across the top. The villains take over, including a suplex/middle rope dropkick combination for two.

Miles’ hard clothesline gets two and we hit the chinlock. That doesn’t last long so Miles goes with a flapjack, but hang on as he needs to check his hair. The delay allows the tag off to Scott so the pace can pick up. The rolling Downward Spiral gets two on Miles with Gallagher making the save. Burch throws Scott into the corner to dropkick Miles as everything breaks down. Nese’s spinning kick to the face gets two on Burch but Miles checks his hair again. That’s too much for Gallagher, who walks out because he’s not babysitting kids. Nese goes to talk him out of it as Burch headbutts Miles. The Confidence Boost finishes at 7:43.

Rating: C. Just a six man here and that’s all well and good. What matters most here though is Scott continues to get the push to the next level. He has all the tools needed to be a major challenger and now he seems to be moving in that direction. That being said, he has been here before and WWE has pulled the plug so it’s cautious optimism at best.

Overall Rating: C-. It wasn’t a great show but they’re doing SOMETHING around here. No it isn’t much, but at the same time it’s better than sitting around watching the same stuff over and over again with no story or interest whatsoever. The show still offers a grand total of nothing significant, but at least they’re not just sitting around wasting time every single week.

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: June 3, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix

It’s the go home show for Takeover and that means we have another stacked card. The big story is building tot he NXT Title match but you never know how that might go. NXT has a good history with making you want to see the major shows, but things have been difference since they went to two hours. Hopefully they can make it work well here all over again. Let’s get to it.

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

Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae

Candice jumps her to start but Mia kicks her down without much trouble. More kicks keep Candice down but she kicks her way out of a full nelson. Some backsplashes give Candice two, only to be sent into the corner for a Cannonball. A forearm knocks Candice to the floor and Mia follows her out for a whip into the barricade. The brawling continues and it’s a double countout at 3:49.

Rating: D+. This was just a way to get to the finish and I think you know what’s coming here. Mia was more aggressive than usual here and that’s a good thing that she’s been needing for a while now. Candice is better at the promos than the wrestling, but she could be a lot worse. Just not much of a match, but it wasn’t supposed to be.

Post match the brawl continues and they fight into the Titantron, messing up its feed. Tegan Nox comes in to break it up but Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez come in to break up Nox. Shotzi Blackheart is out as well and the melee is afoot. Everyone else is cleared out and Mia decks Candice. Johnny Gargano comes out to break things up but Candice jumps Mia again. Cue Keith Lee to chase the Garganos off and let’s hit that mixed tag.

Keith Lee/Mia Yim vs. Johnny Gargano/Candice LeRae

Gargano and Lee are in street clothes. The Garganos try to escape but Lee grabs him in a gorilla press. Lee carries him down the aisle and doesn’t mind Candice jumping on his back at the same time. Mia jumps Johnny in the ring and we’re officially ready to start. Mia throws Candice down to start and gets a quick two off Soul Food. Candice gets kicked away but Gargano won’t come in because he’s not in wrestling gear. Gargano comes in to break up a dragon suplex so Lee picks him up, only to have Gargano stab him in the eyes with car keys. Candice rolls Mia up for the pin at 3:45.

Rating: C-. Another angle rather than a match and that’s fine given that the match is already set for Sunday. Gargano vs. Lee should be good and Candice vs. Mia can be done again later. At some point Lee has to lose the title and it would make sense for him to drop the title to the freshly heel Gargano, likely with a lot of cheating included.

Post match Gargano attacks Lee’s hand for a bonus.

Video on Tommaso Ciampa vs. Karrion Kross.

Dexter Lumis has nothing to say….but he pulls in an easel and some markers to start drawing.

Drake Maverick is ready for anything tonight and isn’t feeling the pressure. That’s why he’s having cookies and cake at catering. There is no pressure tonight, and he’s ready for the biggest night of his life.

We get a Prime Target video on Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream. Cole is picked up by the Undisputed Era (including Kyle O’Reilly) for a special day commemorating his one year anniversary as NXT Champion. They take the limo to lunch so we go to Velveteen Dream, who talks is rollerblading by Full Sail University, where Cole injured him to cost Dream the North American Title.

The Era has drinks and toasts to Cole’s success and we cut back to Dream talking about the time he pinned Cole. Dream asks his mirror who will be the greatest NXT Champion and is told that it will be him. Various personalities, including Drew McIntyre, talk about how big of a showdown this is. The match is officially a Backlot Brawl.

Lumis has finished his drawing, which is the Undisputed Era in a car with Lumis driving. Ok then.

Tony Nese vs. Isaiah Scott

Fallout from Nese costing Scott a Cruiserweight Title tournament match. Scott spears him down to start and hammers away before they fight outside. Nese gets in a hard shot on the floor and it’s back inside to send Scott back first into the corner. The bodyscissors stays on the back but Scott gets in some chops from the mat.

Nese powers him up into a guillotine but Scott reverses into a brainbuster for a good counter. Scott sends him outside and hits the running boot from the apron to make it even worse. Back in and Nese goes up top but here’s Jack Gallagher for a distraction. Nese punches Scott off the top and loads up the Sunset Driver, only to be reversed into a sunset flip to give Scott the pin at 5:32.

Rating: C. I don’t get why the cruiserweights don’t get a bit more build than they receive. I know they’re never going to be a focal point of the show, but they are right there and capable of doing a little something. Let them fill in some time so you don’t burn through so many of your top stars and stories so fast.

Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch vs. Undisputed Era vs. ???

For the #1 contendership and it’s….Breezango filling out the field in a surprise moment (they’re astronauts because reasons). Burch, Fish and Breeze start things off with Fish getting double teamed. As usual, the other two get in an argument over who should get the pin and the staredown is on. The Era is sent outside and the other four have a staredown to take us to a break.

Back with Strong getting stomped down in the corner until Burch dropkicks Breeze down. Strong sends them into each other and hits a Rock Bottom backbreaker on Breeze. Fish drops Burch on the floor, leaving Breeze to get beaten up in the corner. Fandango gets suckered in so Strong can chinlock Breeze to slow things down. That brings Burch back in for the save and Breeze gets over to Fandango for the tag.

Back to back powerslams plant the Era and it’s a Falcon Arrow for two on Strong. Lorcan comes in as well and strikes away at everyone he can find. A double running Blockbuster drops the Era and Fandango throws Lorcan onto a bunch of people at ringside. Fandango adds the big flip dive, leaving Breeze to Supermodel kick Burch inside. The Era comes in to beat up Breeze as Lumis is here to watch. The Beauty Shot drops Fish though and the Last Dance gives Fandango the pin at 9:46.

Rating: B-. This was your usual wild match but they kept it short enough to not overstay their welcome. Breezango should be good first victims for Imperium, who are the kind of guys who wouldn’t be able to stand the two of them. It could make for an entertaining match, though I’d assume it’s a regular TV match instead of something at Takeover.

Post match Imperium comes out for the staredown, followed by Malcolm Bivens and his two giants. Dang it I was hoping they had forgotten about those two.

We look at Chelsea Green firing Robert Stone last week. That’s probably the right move for both of them as the team wasn’t working.

Aliyah vs. Santana Garrett

Aliyah starts fast with a neckbreaker and right hands as a disheveled Robert Stone comes out to watch. We hit the double arm crank on Garrett but she fires up and hits a hurricanrana out of the corner. A handspring moonsault finishes Aliyah at 2:02. I like both of them but I have no reason to believe this is leading anywhere for Garrett.

An annoyed Stone leaves.

We get another Prime Target, this time on the women’s triple threat match. Io Shirai, underwater, talks about being isolated in the darkness. She loves being alone because it makes her stronger. Rhea Ripley and Charlotte should be afraid of her because she will be the next champion.

Over to Ripley, who is woken up at 5:30am to start training for the day. She finished 2019 on fire but then 2020 was all downhill. It’s time to turn things around. Then we have Charlotte, who is nervous because she hasn’t been on Takeover in a long time. She is NXT homegrown though and will show what she can do again. All three of them want to be the best and have something to prove. Talking heads talk about how good all three of them are and how great the match is going to be.

Bronson Reed vs. Cameron Grimes

Grimes talks trash to start and gets run over by the much bigger Reed. An atomic drop sets up a Bionic elbow and Grimes gets planted off a gorilla press. Reed throws him around again and hits a running hip attack in the corner. Back in and the top rope splash misses, setting up the Cave In to give Grimes the pin at 2:44. Good win for Grimes here and it’s nice to see Reed back.

Post match Grimes talks trash but Karrion Kross is here for the Doomsday Saito to Reed. Kross tells Ciampa that Sunday will be special. Tick tock.

At Takeover: Tegan Nox/Shotzi Blackheart/Mia Yim vs. Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez/Candice LeRae. I can go for a six person.

Interim Cruiserweight Title: El Hijo de Fantasma vs. Drake Maverick

For the vacant title and Maverick’s job is pretty much on the line. They shake hands to start and Fantasma rolls him up for a quick two. That freaks Drake out a bit so it’s off to a slightly safer hammerlock. Fantasma is right back up so they circle each other in a standoff. An armbar takes Drake down and Fantasma gets a rollup for two more. Back up and Maverick grabs a headscissors to put Fantasma on the floor. A Cannonball off the apron takes Fantasma down again and we take a break.

Back with Maverick hitting a middle rope dropkick to put Fantasma on the floor again but this time he powerbombs Maverick on the outside. They head back inside with Fantasma grabbing a surfboard but Maverick slips out and hits a running kick in the corner. Fantasma pulls him into a Boston crab, followed by an ugly sitout powerbomb for two more. That’s enough to fire Maverick up but Fantasma forearms him in the back to take care of that again.

This time Maverick unloads in the corner and drops the top rope elbow for two more. They fight up top again with Fantasma being knocked to the floor. Cue the masked men from the parking lot but Maverick dives onto both of them. Back in and Fantasma hits a quick superkick into the Phantom Driver for the pin and the title at 15:02.

Rating: B. It was a good enough match and I wasn’t sure which way they were going to go until the end. That makes for an interesting way to go and Maverick’s heart was shining through as always. There was even interference to make things feel a little less fair. Fantasma is the right call though as he’s more talented, but it was nice to see Maverick’s great run.

Post match Fantasma celebrates while Maverick sits in the ring. He thanks everyone for what happened, gets the hero’s sendoff…..and here’s HHH with the contract for Maverick to end the show. It was either that or win the title so this was a feel good moment. I’d be curious to find out how long this was planned in advance, but hopefully is wasn’t that long.

Overall Rating: B-. They did a nice job of making Takeover feel like a big deal, but there is still a certain level of magic missing from the show. Maybe it’s a lot of the wrestlers not being able to be in person for the show, but it isn’t exactly as interesting as it has been before. Then again, I’ve said that many times about Takeover before and been completely wrong, so maybe that’s the case this time too.

Results

Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae went to a double countout

Johnny Gargano/Candice LeRae b. Mia Yim/Keith Lee – Rollup to Yim

Isaiah Scott b. Tony Nese – Sunset flip

Breezango b. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch and Undisputed Era – Last Dance to Fish

Cameron Grimes b. Bronson Reed – Cave In

El Hijo de Fantasma b. Drake Maverick – Phantom Driver

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: May 29, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Byron Saxton, Corey Graves

It’s back to the Performance Center for some more matches that aren’t going to have any significant impact whatsoever. That’s how things work around here and I’m running out of ways to say how worthless this show is. It’s right in the running with Dark to see how little a show from a major promotion can matter so maybe they can sink even further. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tyler Breeze vs. Tony Nese

Nese poses to start before they lock up against the ropes. That’s good for a clean break so Breeze snapmares him into a chinlock. Nese fights up and hits Breeze in the face (egads man) to take over and we hit the bodyscissors. Breeze fights up and strikes away, including the running forearm in the corner. That earns him another shot to the face and Nese moonsaults him for two.

The Sunset Driver is countered into a sunset flip for two but Breeze has to roll away from the Running Nese. Back in and Breeze slaps on a half crab, sending Nese over to the rope. Nese is right back in with a quick double stomp but it hurts his knee again. A spinebuster sets up a Rock Bottom for two on Nese but he’s right back with a running elbow in the corner. The Running Nese finishes Breeze at 8:32.

Rating: C. This could have been worse but you can still feel how nothing of a match that it really is. Both of them go from match to match around here and while there might be a very slight story for either of them, it’s not like there is any reason to keep track of the wins and losses. That is the case around here most of the time and it gets rather tiresome in a hurry.

We look at Drake Maverick winning the triple threat match on NXT, earning himself a spot in the Cruiserweight Title match.

Tehuti Miles vs. Danny Burch

Miles plays some mind games to start and it’s Burch chasing him to the floor early on. Back in and Burch hits him in the face before grabbing a headlock on the mat. That’s another chance for Burch to hit him in the face before grabbing the leg to pull Miles out of the air. Burch strikes away in the corner and stomps him down as this is one sided.

Miles is back up with a dropkick to the floor and we hit the chinlock back inside. A pair of neckbreakers gives Miles two and the chinlock goes on again. Burch fights up and hits his own dropkick, followed by a release German suplex. Back in and Miles grabs a rollup with trunks for the pin at 7:37.

Rating: C-. What the heck was that? We’re building towards Burch and Oney Lorcan challenging for the NXT Tag Team Titles and he LOSES here? To TEHUTI MILES??? I know it’s a nothing show that no one will see but why in the world did they do this? There was no one else for Miles to beat? I don’t get this and it’s making my head hurt all over again.

Overall Rating: D+. So not only is the show a complete waste of time but now they’re having #1 contenders to titles lose to cruiserweight jobbers? I don’t get the point of this, even if that has been the case around here for a long time now. Nothing to the matches of course, but then they do something screwy with a result? I’d love an explanation, but my goodness the possibilities that presents.

Results

Tony Nese b. Tyler Breeze – Running Nese

Tehuti Miles b. Danny Burch – Rollup with trunks

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