Monday Night Raw
Date: December 26, 2022
Hosts: Jackie Redmond, Corey Graves

It’s the final show of the year and for the first time in a long time, we’re having a Best Of special. That should make for a pretty easy night, but there are also several things to pick from this week. WWE probably put about 18 seconds of thought into this, but it’s nice to have a bit of a week off for once. Let’s get to it.

Note that I’ll be including the full versions of the matches/segments rather than the edited versions broadcast here.

The Street Profits are in a white room, with Montez Ford saying he doesn’t think this is Gorilla. Angelo Dawkins uses his psychic powers to turn the walls into a Profits video. They realize they can make anything (PG at least) appear on the screen so we start with a look at various returns. Ford gets a little too excited over the hype videos so we slow things down a bit.

Opening sequence.

Our hosts welcome us to the show and send us to our first match.

From Summerslam.

WWE Universal Title: Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar

Reigns is defending in a Last Man Standing match…..and Lesnar rides to the ring in a tractor. Lesnar cuts off Paul Heyman’s entrance and does his own, while standing in the….whatever you call the part of a tractor that holds stuff. Lesnar dives out of the tractor to start and Reigns is knocked outside, setting up a big overhead belly to belly. They fight over to the lighting structure and knock each other into it, with Lesnar getting the better of things again.

A German suplex sends Reigns flying again so it’s table time. Heyman begs enough for a distraction, allowing Reigns to Samoan drop Lesnar through the table. Reigns puts him through another table and takes it back inside for a pair of Superman Punches. The spear keeps Lesnar down for a bit but a second attempt is countered into a failed F5 attempt. Reigns gets sent outside in a heap so Lesnar goes to the tractor.

With that going nowhere, he hits Reigns in the head with a piece of the table for about six. Lesnar throws Reigns into the bucket of the tractor, raises him up, and then drops him down into the ring. With that not working, Lesnar rolls some German suplexes and hits an F5 for nine. Another F5 is countered into a guillotine, which Lesnar reverses into one of his own. Reigns is mostly out but dives back to the ropes to break the count at nine.

Lesnar gets back in the tractor….and starts ramming the ring. Then he lifts the ring up to send Reigns sprawling out onto the floor but here are the Usos for the save. Lesnar dispatches them so Heyman tries to call it off, only to get F5’ed through the announcers’ table (they’ve been teasing that for a LONG time). Reigns is back up with a spear and they’re both down…so here is Theory to cash in.

A briefcase shot drops Reigns but Lesnar F5’s Theory onto the briefcase. The Usos are back up with a double superkick for nine, followed by a spear for nine more. Reigns unloads with the briefcase for nine more, followed by a belt shot, but Lesnar gets up again. A shot with the other belt knocks Lesnar down and the Bloodline piles a bunch of stuff onto him before standing on top of it to retain at 22:44.

Rating: B-. This is going to be the really divisive match of the night and that isn’t a surprise. They did a lot of stuff and the match was a total spectacle, but they lost me at the end with Reigns knocking him down for nine over and over. It’s a good example of a match that needed to be trimmed down by a few minutes to hammer the point home better. At the same time, I’m sure the fans on the other side of the ring loved looking up at the video screen, because those front row tickets are pretty worthless when the ring is halfway on its side for the last seven minutes of the match.

The other problem here is simple: who in the world is supposed to be able to stop Reigns? Drew McIntyre is the next big challenger, but is that their solution? McIntyre has already had his time and while you can’t really gauge things from the pandemic, I don’t know how much of a success it was. Reigns has cleared out the company by this point, and they are going to need something special to get the title off of him, whenever they finally do it.

We get a long video tribute to John Cena.

From Raw, June 27.

Here is Vince McMahon to introduce John Cena, who comes through a tunnel of adoring stars. With Vince gone, Cena says this is a milestone, which he rarely likes to celebrate because he is always looking forward. However, tonight he has been looking back at what he has done and he couldn’t do it without these people. Cena has been allowed to do this for two decades and that is because of the fans.

The people have been honest enough to tell him when he sucks and kind enough to tell him when he doesn’t. Cena has been waiting for that right moment and this feels like that right moment. We get a THANK YOU CENA chant and he says his heart is beating out of his chest. Cena thanks the fans for moments like that one and for making him who he is. He has always said WWE prepared him for anything and he doesn’t mean Fast and the Furious or Peacemaker.

WWE has made him a better human being, person and husband. Spending moments with the families he has spent time with today has taught him empathy and kindness. The fans have taught him humility and perseverance and every time he gets in the ring, he gives everything he has because these fans give him everything they have. This isn’t about a last name but about people coming together and he’s 45 years old. He doesn’t know when you’ll see him again, though he isn’t saying it isn’t happening. Fans: “ONE MORE MATCH!” Cena: “It ain’t just gonna be one. Don’t worry about that.”

It isn’t about him but about us. If you like something, tell the people. If you see something that sucks, tell the people. Cena thanks the people and asks Laredo to show what kind of noise they can make. Some catchphrases wrap us up. Cena didn’t say much here, but it felt a lot more real than some of the things he usually says. Good stuff, even if it didn’t mean a great deal.

We take a very fast look at Steve Austin returning to a*action at Wrestlemania and beating up Kevin Owens in the main event of night one. This gets maybe two minutes for the setup and match.

We look at Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville in the Jackass match at Wrestlemania. Not my thing, but dang that crowd reaction was impossible to deny.

Zayn joins us to ask why you would show that. He’s not hurt but disappointed, though it doesn’t matter as we have enough Bloodline stuff to make it work.

We get a sitdown interview with New Day, who praise the NXT tag team division. After talking about the origins of New Day, we hear about the importance of their feud with the Usos. Kofi Kingston talks about how they have a lot of quirks, but they have found their way to what they are now. Over their years though, they have fought the Usos many times as their paths keep crossing.

From Smackdown, November 11.

Tag Team Titles: New Day vs. Usos

The Usos are defending and they’re starting big here. Jey, with his hand taped, starts with Woods and they stare each other down a bit. Woods grabs a headlock as we hear about the histories between the teams. Kofi springboards in with a crossbody for two on Jey but it’s off to Jimmy with a right hand to the face. Everything breaks down and Kofi hits a Trust Fall onto both Usos as we take a break.

We come back with Jey hitting a suicide dive to send Kofi into the barricade and then whipping him into it again for a bonus. The fans want Sami, who is apparently missing due to a personal issue. We slow down a bit to Kofi being sent into the corner, setting up a wishbone leg split. A middle rope dropkick gets Kofi out of trouble though and Jey gets kicked away, only to have Jimmy pull Woods off the apron in a classic move. The pop up neckbreaker gives Jey two and we take a break.

Back again with Kofi fighting out of a chinlock and making the hot tag to Woods so house can be cleaned. Kofi hits a splash to set up a good looking Woods top rope legdrop for two. The Boom Drop connects on Jimmy but Jey makes a blind tag. That’s fine with Kofi who hits the SOS for two. Frustration is setting in as it’s off to Woods, who gets superkicked down to set up the double Superfly Splash. The 1D is broken up though and the Midnight Hour hits Jey on the floor.

Back in and a tornado DDT to Jimmy sets up the Midnight Hour for two as Jey makes a VERY last second save for two. The four of them stand up and slug it out with Woods being sent outside and superkicked over the barricade. That leaves Kofi to be sat up top where he goes old school with a double noggin knocker. Kofi tries a diving something, only to land in the 1D to retain the titles at 23:47.

Rating: A-. Yeah these guys are awesome together and this was no exception, as they had a long, pay per view quality tag match. I know it’s been done before and I’ve not been wild on seeing them fight again, but this should have been the final match to give the Usos the record. Unless there is some surprise Tag Team Title match on Monday (and there might be), New Day’s record has fallen and it happened after a great match.

Bianca Belair talks about her life starting from childhood, when she found out she was awesome in track. She started at the University of South Carolina but put too much pressure on herself and developed bulimia.

Belair joins us via satellite to talk about how much she loves Christmas and maybe she should make her own wrapping paper. We move on to how great her year has been, with so much of it leading to her Wrestlemania match with Becky Lynch.

From Wrestlemania.

Raw Women’s Title: Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch

Lynch is defending and gets a special intro (similar to the WWE TV intro as we look at moments from her career)….but Belair one ups her with the Texas Southern University marching band playing her to the ring. They both have special gear, with Lynch coming out in a kind of skirt/jacket combination and Belair in black and red with her top made to look like her lips logo. They both look like they’re on the big stage and it’s an awesome addition.

They both take the time to soak it in a bit but Lynch would rather punch than shake hands. The very early Manhandle Slam gets two and Lynch can’t believe the Summerslam plan didn’t work. Belair goes to the ropes to avoid the Disarm-Her so some covers give Lynch two. They trade rollups for two each and Lynch reverses a suplex into a DDT for two more. Belair tries….something but can’t get Lynch onto her shoulders so she switches to a rollup instead.

They head outside with Lynch slipping off the shoulders to send Belair into the steps to take over. Some Bexploders connect back inside and we hit the chinlock to slow things down a bit. With that broken up, Lynch switches to a cross armbreaker but Belair powers up and dumps her outside for the double crash. Back in and Belair drives some shoulders into the ribs in the corner, setting up a gutbuster for two. The handspring moonsault gets two more but Lynch catches her on top.

Belair gets creative with a Chicago Skyline of all things and a middle rope 450 gets another near fall. Lynch is back up with a Molly Go Round, with her feet hitting Belair in the face (OUCH) for two of her own. Belair is back with a spinebuster and a cradle but the kickout sends her into the corner.

The KOD is broken up but Belair KOD’s her to the floor. That doesn’t work for Belair so she tries to come back inside, only to have Lynch hit the Manhandle Slam onto the steps. Belair dives back in at nine and then kicks out at two, sending Lynch even further into hysteria. Another Bexploder is loaded up but Belair gets to the middle rope, moonsaults over Lynch, and hits the KOD for the pin and the title at 19:09.

Rating: B+. The action was good to great, but what mattered here was the feeling. This felt like the rise of a new champion, with Belair surviving what Lynch threw at her and then winning in the end, showing that she was the better woman when things were even. It came off like the Wrestlemania showdown with the special entrances and gear and I had a great time with the whole deal. Best thing on the show by a mile so far.

Post match Lynch falls out to the floor and collapses as Belair celebrates, giving us a great visual of the fallen former champion and the new queen.

Video on Gunther vs. Sheamus at Clash At The Castle.

Sheamus joins us from his house to talk about how important Christmas is for him. After a tour of his home bar, Sheamus talks about how the Brawling Brutes work well together because they have no egos. We hear about the Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook at Extreme Rules so you know where this is going.

From Extreme Rules.

Imperium vs. Brawling Brutes

This is a Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook, meaning street fight with some props at ringside. It’s a brawl to start, as it should be, with everyone pairing off in and around the ring. Kaiser is tied in the Tree of Woe for a running dropkick but the rest of Imperium comes over for the save. Everyone goes for the weapons and Sheamus is sent into various things at ringside.

With Kaiser and Vinci holding Sheamus over a bar, Gunther chops away and hits the big boot before dropping him onto said bar. Back in and it’s Butch and Holland getting beaten up, including the double running dropkick to Butch in the corner. As Imperium poses, Sheamus fights up and it’s time to wreck Gunther’s minions.

Gunther tells Sheamus to bring it and the slugout is on. A release German suplex drops Sheamus but he’s right back up with a clothesline. Holland and Butch are back up to help with the beating until everyone knocks each other down. The teams get up and fight to the floor, with Butch hitting a heck of a moonsault off some barrels.

Gunther is back up and hits the shillelagh shot for two Sheamus. The rest of the Brutes get back in and beat down Gunther, allowing Sheamus to hit a heck of a shillelagh shot to knock Gunther silly. Gunther gets powerbombed through the announcers’ table, leaving Kaiser to get Brogue Kicked for the pin at 17:42.

Rating: A-. The good old fashioned part was right as these guys didn’t bother with anything more than what was advertised. They beat each other up for about eighteen minutes and you could feel a lot of the pain and violence they were showing off here. Sheamus getting the win was the right way to go and he can probably have a final showdown with Gunther. This was what I was looking for from this match and they delivered hard.

Sami Zayn, wearing glasses and reading from the Bloodline Dictionary, talks about the greatness of the Bloodline.

We look at Drew McIntyre getting ready for Clash At The Castle.

McIntyre joins us to talk about how he is on the mend from a minor injury and can’t wait to be back. We hear about his match with Roman Reigns at Clash At The Castle.

Video on Karrion Kross vs. Drew McIntyre.

We look at various returns this year (and there have been a lot of them).

Cody Rhodes (whose return was not shown) talks about how much his return meant and how much he needed that kind of a reaction. We hear about his history with Seth Rollins, including the Cell match with the horrible pectoral injury. He feels he has paid his price and is ready to pick up where he left off. There is one thing that he came back for and he has made that clear (meaning the WWE Title). It’s still weird having Cody sound sane and not going all over the place whenever he talks.

From Hell In A Cell.

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins

Inside the Cell and Cody has a torn pectoral muscle. Rollins cranks up the evil by coming out in Dusty Rhodes polka dots but Cody’s chest steals the show, because it looks AWFUL, making him seem all the nuttier for being out there. Cody starts firing off the left hands and manages a Disaster Kick, setting up a not so great Cody Cutter. The Figure Four goes on but Rollins manages to reach underneath the ring and grab a tool box. That doesn’t work so it’s a kendo stick to the bad arm to break things up.

Rollins stabs him in the chest with the stick and then knocks Cody into the Cell. Cody manages a whip of his own but can barely follow up. The steps off the shoulder rocks Cody again so Rollins puts on Cody’s jacket. He also grabs the weightlifting belt to beat on Rhodes before setting up the table. The fans chant THANK YOU ROLLINS as he steps on the bad arm in the corner. Cody can’t powerbomb him through the table but he can avoid the frog splash through the table, leaving Rollins down.

With nothing else working, Rhodes pulls out a bullrope with a cowbell so Rollins is confused. Rhodes ties one end around his wrist and Rollins does the same, giving us an impromptu bullrope match. Cody takes him down and hits a superkick, setting up the cowbell to the head for two. Rollins gets in another shot and unhooks the rope, allowing him to set up a table. A one armed Cross Rhodes gives Cody a quick two but the arm gives out on a powerbomb attempt.

Rollins cranks on the arm and toss powerbombs Cody through the table for two. It’s sledgehammer time but Cody kicks it away and hits a Pedigree for two of his own. Cody grabs the hammer but gets caught with the Stomp for two more. Another Stomp is countered into Cross Rhodes from Rollins but Cody pops up and hits one of his own for the double knockdown. They both go for the hammer but Cody switches to back to back Cross Rhodes. Now Rhodes picks up the hammer and hits a running shot for the pin at 24:18.

Rating: B+. That’s on a heck of a sliding scale as Cody was almost literally fighting with one arm. Having him win, especially before he goes off for surgery that might have him missing all the way through the Rumble, is quite the choice. It might be a feel good moment, but Rollins is going to need some time to recover from that kind of a loss. Cody looked like an absolute star and points for an amazing effort, but that arm was about as gruesome as you could get and it was hard to watch at times.

Video on Liv Morgan’s rise to the top of the Smackdown women’s division, including a cameo from Morgan’s mom to talk about what wrestling meant to Liv as a kid.

Morgan joins us to talk about what it meant to her and how happy she has been. She is ready for anything and the best is yet to come.

We get a quick look at Ronda Rousey taking the Smackdown Women’s Title from Morgan at Extreme Rules.

Video on the rise of Judgment Day.

Video on the rise of Austin Theory.

We look at Bobby Lashley’s year, setting up his nearly getting fired, plus Seth Rolling beating him to get the US Title shot next week on Raw.

From Crown Jewel.

Undisputed WWE Universal Title: Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul

Reigns, with Paul Heyman (for the sake of clarity, any mentions of “Paul” will mean Logan), is defending and powers Paul into the corner to start. Paul wrestles him down a few times and Reigns actually needs a breather on the floor. Back in and Paul tells him to stop running so Reigns hits an elbow to the face. Some rights and lefts to the ribs set up a hiptoss to Reigns, followed by a running clothesline to the floor. A diving clothesline off the barricade takes Reigns down again and it’s a Buckshot Lariat for two back inside.

Paul’s springboard is knocked out of the air and Heyman is right there with the big rah rah speech. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by the corner clotheslines. The jumping clothesline gives Reigns two and he grabs a one armed camel clutch. Paul fights up and hits a gutwrench suplex for a much needed double knockdown. A Blockbuster gives Paul two and he hits his own Superman Punch (which looked a lot more like a Shawn Michaels flying forearm) into a high crossbody.

The standing moonsault gets two and Heyman is stunned. Sweet Chin Music (complete with Tuning Up The Band) is countered into a release Rock Bottom for two. The Superman Punch is countered with a shot to the ribs and the big right hand, followed by the Superman Punch to give Paul two. They head outside with Logan putting him on the announcers’ table. Paul talks to his friends in the front row, with one of them giving him a camera as Paul goes up top.

The splash through the table (with camera in hand) connects but here are the Usos to beat up Paul’s friends. Cue Logan’s brother Jake (also Paul) to take the Usos out with a right hand each. Logan hits a frog splash for two and here is Solo Sikoa to go after Jake. Logan dives onto the Usos and goes back inside, where Reigns hits the Superman Punch. The spear retains the title at 24:45.

Rating: B+. They went too far with the run-ins and interferences, but this was GREAT for a celebrity match and I was having a very good time. I didn’t think for a second that they were going to change the title, but that isn’t the point of something like this. The match was all about Paul getting to blow people’s minds and it worked well. Very fun stuff here, as Logan absolutely has the talent to be a special attraction around here. This was highly entertaining (Jake Paul easily dispatching the Tag Team Champions aside) and far better than I would have expected.

The hosts wrap it up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I never know how to rate something like this so we’ll call this quite good and that’s about it. This show did what it advertised and covered a bunch of stuff throughout 2022 while also hyping up future major events. That was more than enough to make a three hour show interesting and they didn’t leave out anything overly important. We can move on to the important stuff this Friday and next Monday, but it was nice to have a one off, fun show that didn’t mean anything.

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Monday Night Raw
Date: December 19, 2022
Location: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

It’s the last show before Christmas and possibly the last show of the year depending on what they do next week. There is still a lot of time before the Royal Rumble but we have another big match coming up on December 30. John Cena is on his way back to WWE and that should have some people talking. Let’s get to it.

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

Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns are here, with Reigns saying he is around here to deal with Kevin Owens. Reigns has been dealing with Owens and now he has to take care of John Cena again. Now, he is going to torture Owens until Raw acknowledges the Bloodline.

We cut to the rest of the Bloodline beating down Mustafa Ali in an NWO style handheld video attack.

Opening sequence.

Street Profits vs. Judgment Day

Finn Balor/Damien Priest for the team here, with their friends and Akira Tozawa at ringside too. Ford goes nuts on Priest to start but gets sent into the corner. We go split screen to see the Bloodline beating up Andre Chase and Elias, the latter with a guitar shot. Back to full screen with Priest sending the Profits to the floor by himself and we take a break.

We come back with Dawkins coming in to clean house but Priest grabs the South of Heaven chokeslam. Ford is right there with the frog splash before Priest can get back up but Balor is in to dropkick Ford into the corner. Everything breaks down and Tozawa throws a drink in Dominik Mysterio’s (already injured) eyes, allowing Ford to roll Balor up for the pin at 8:56.

Rating: C+. They had the energy going here and it even tied in to what they did last week. At the same time, it was nice to have a different kind of presentation with the cut to the back. It’s nice to have something feel like it is happening in real time and if it takes Elias getting beaten up to accomplish that, good for the Bloodline.

Post match Rhea Ripley punches Tozawa out and challenges him to a fight.

Akira Tozawa vs. Rhea Ripley

Everyone else is here too. Tozawa is really nervous about doing this and gets run over without much trouble. A big boot puts Tozawa in more trouble in the corner and Ripley muscles him over with a suplex for two. Ripley can’t quite powerbomb him, allowing Tozawa to grab a hurricanrana out to the floor. The distraction lets Balor trip Tozawa down so the Profits hit the stereo flip dives. Back in and Ripley misses a charge into the corner but Tozawa misses the backsplash. Riptide finishes Tozawa at 4:30.

Rating: C. This was an example of a man vs. woman match that made sense and could be believed. Tozawa is a smaller guy and Ripley is a giant compared to most of the division. Ripley’s offense looked fine here and I could buy what they were doing. Throw in Ripley winning the match after capitalizing on Tozawa’s mistake and the whole thing worked out well enough.

We look back at Bobby Lashley snapping and getting fired by Adam Pearce as a result.

Adam Pearce won’t talk about Lashley, who should be back soon. MVP comes in, but hang on as someone else has been attacked.

Post break and it’s Dolph Ziggler who has been attacked.

OC vs. Alpha Academy

Anderson shoulders Gable to start and grabs a hiptoss. A double shoulder takes Gable down again but he takes Anderson into the corner. That’s fine with Anderson, who armdrags him right out. Otis comes in and has the power showdown with Gallows. The Academy is sent outside and we take a break. Back with Otis cleaning house but Gable misses a moonsault. Gallows’ superkick sets up the Magic Killer for the pin at 8:59.

Rating: C. Another perfectly watchable match, even as the Academy is feeling less and less important every week. You can only get so much when they lose all the time and they don’t exactly have much in the way of a story anyway. The OC gets some momentum back and we didn’t have to hear SHUSH too often, so we’ll call this a success.

Post break the Bloodline jumps the OC.

Back from a break and the Bloodline is still in the ring, with Adam Pearce telling them to wrap it up. Sami Zayn promises to do even worse to john Cena and Kevin Owens next week. As the Bloodline goes to leave, AJ Styles jumps them but gets pulled off by security.

We look at Alexa Bliss becoming #1 contender and then having to snap herself back to reality.

AJ Styles wants the Bloodline tonight and gets Sami Zayn.

We get a sitdown interview between Bianca Blair and Alexa Bliss. Belair gets right to the point by saying she doesn’t trust Bliss, who says she is turning into a shell of a human being she doesn’t even recognize. Belair asks about the Bray Wyatt connection, but Bliss says this isn’t about him. Bliss was winning titles before Belair got here and that’s kind of a mic drop moment. Then Bliss hits Belair in the head with a vase.

Miz vs. Dexter Lumis

Ladder match with two bags of money hanging above the ring and Johnny Gargano at ringside. They go for the ladder to start, with Lumis getting the better of it and crushing Miz in the corner with the ladder. With Miz down in the corner, Lumis teases pushing the ladder down for a low blow. Instead he leaves it a big short and dropkicks it between Miz’s legs, sending him outside. Miz is able to get up top and save the money and they go crashing down onto the ropes.

We take a break and come back with both of them on top of the ladder so Lumis can punch him down. Miz shoves the ladder over this time though and goes up, only to have Lumis pull him down as well. The Silencer is countered into a neckbreaker onto the apron and Lumis is down again, much to Gargano’s annoyance. Miz crushes Lumis in the ladder and rolls a chair at Gargano.

With Gargano backed up, Miz buries Lumis and the ladder with chairs. A table is teased but Miz beats up Gargano instead of climbing. Lumis uses the distraction to fight up and Rock Bottom Miz onto the announcers’ table covering. Lumis misses a dive off the ladder and through the announcers’ table. Miz goes up but Lumis cuts him off again and tries to pull down the money…but Bronson Reed returns and cuts Lumis off. The Tsunami crushes Lumis and Reed helps Miz get the money back at 18:20.

Rating: D+. This was all about the surprise return and that doesn’t matter much when the match is rather dull on the way there. This is a match that would have been better served as a regular one on one match at about half the length, as They had far too many instances of “climb, cutoff, climb cutoff, climb, cutoff”. This feud is likely to continue, though having Reed back could boost things up quite a bit.

Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles

No one else is at ringside for a change. Styles starts fast and knocks Zayn to the floor for the slingshot forearm. Back in and a hot shot cuts Styles off, only to have him come back with some kicks of his own. Zayn is sent outside again and dropped for a second time, but he is fine enough to break up the Phenomenal Forearm as we take a break.

Back with Zayn grabbing a brainbuster for two but getting caught with the Phenomenal Blitz. The moonsault reverse DDT is cut off though and Zayn exploders him into the corner. The Helluva Kick is countered into the Calf Crusher though, with Zayn having to make it to the rope. Cue Solo Sikoa for a distraction though, with Styles going outside to beat him up. The referee is distracted as well though and Sikoa gets in a Samoan Spike. Zayn adds the Blue Thunder Bomb for the pin at 12:51.

Rating: B-. The Bloodline numbers game continues and that is the way this should have gone. You don’t need Zayn losing so close to his huge match with Reigns at the end of the year and Styles is as bulletproof as you can get around here. If nothing else, this could open up more things by having Styles go after the Bloodline and Sikoa in particular, so they did what they should have done with a good match here.

Here is Seth Rollins (home state boy) for a chat. The fans are REALLY happy to see him and Rollins seems happy to be back. Rollins says Roman Reigns doesn’t run Mondays and no one can stop him. Cue Austin Theory to say he can beat Rollins, even if the fans think Theory sucks. Theory thinks Rollins is fine after Bobby Lashley took his frustrations out on a referee, but Rollins praises him anyway.

Rollins talks about how great Theory is, but he’ll never be on Rollins’ level. Theory talks about wanting to rise up but Rollins calls himself Everest. The fight is teased but here are the Usos, leaving Rollins and Theory to stand next to each other. Theory runs off (shocking) and the beatdown is on but Kevin Owens makes the save. Security breaks it up, but Owens suggests they keep this going. The match is on for later.

Becky Lynch wants to face the best version of Bayley, so let’s do this one on one. Tonight it’s going to be one on one or one on three but she’s ready either way.

Bayley vs. Becky Lynch

The rest of Damage Ctrl is here too. A dancing Becky soaks in the fans’ cheers to start and a frustrated Bayley gets armdragged down. Becky boots her to the floor and hits a flying forearm and we take a break. Back with Becky fighting out of a chinlock and winning a slugout to leave both of them down. The Bexploder drops Bayley and the middle rope legdrop gives Becky two.

A backslide gives Becky two but Bayley is back with a sliding lariat. The Bayley to Belly gives Bayley two but Becky is right back with Diamond Dust of all things for two of her own. Damage Ctrl breaks up the Manhandle Slam so Becky threatens them with a….TV monitor. Before that can go anywhere it’s a double ejection, but the distraction lets Bayley get in a monitor shot. The Rose Plant finishes Becky at 14:42.

Rating: B. These two beat each other up for awhile until Bayley had to cheat to win. There is something to that ending as Becky had said she wanted to face Bayley at her best and on her own but didn’t get to do that here. Good stuff from two very talented stars and it would not surprise me to see this come back again on a bigger stage, like say the Royal Rumble.

Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens are ready for the Usos, though Owens remembers Rollins trying to steal his Wrestlemania main event earlier this year. Rollins seems ready to go anyway.

Seth Rollins/Kevin Owens vs. Usos

Non-title and the brawl is on before the bell with Owens and Jimmy heading outside. We get the bell with Rollins hammering on Jey in the corner. The fans are pleased as Rollins elbows him in the face and hands it off to Owens for a clothesline. Jimmy manages a shot from the apron though and Jey knocks Rollins to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Rollins getting the hot tag to clean house, including the Sling Blade to Jey. Owens comes back in with a frog splash for two on Jey, but the Swanton only hits raised knees. Cue Solo Sikoa but the Good Brothers come in to take him out. Jey gets Stomped on the floor but Austin Theory pops up with a belt shot to Rollins. Jimmy superkicks Owens for two but Owens is back up with a superkick of his own. The Pop Up Powerbomb finishes Jimmy at 10:57.

Rating: B. While Lynch vs. Bayley was all about getting in a competitive match, this was more about tying all of the insanity together until the ending. The Usos losing is an event these days and even though this wasn’t for the title, Owens and Rollins overcame a bunch of shenanigans to score the big upset. That is a rare loss for the Bloodline and it gives Rollins a nice hometown moment. Imagine that for a change.

Post match Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have a staredown but nothing gets physical to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Save for that ladder match, this was a heck of a show with a bunch of good matches throughout. What mattered here the most though was having so many things woven throughout the show. There were plot elements that came up multiple times over the course of the night and it felt like an event rather than just another show. It never made sense to have things be so cut and dry around here, so this was a very nice change of pace. Pretty awesome show and if you cut that ladder match down, it’s a great one.

Results
Street Profits b. Judgment Day – Rollup to Balor
Rhea Ripley b. Akira Tozawa – Riptide
OC b. Alpha Academy – Magic Killer to Gable
Miz b. Dexter Lumis – Miz pulled down the money
Sami Zayn b. AJ Styles – Blue Thunder Bomb
Bayley b. Becky Lynch – Rose Plant
Seth Rollins/Kevin Owens b. Usos – Pop Up Powerbomb to Jimmy

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: December 12, 2022
Location: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We are crawling towards the Royal Rumble and it seems like the build has been put on the back burner for at least a few more weeks. This time around the main focal point is finding a new #1 contender for the United States Title as Bobby Lashley faces Seth Rollins in what should be a good one. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss

For the #1 contendership to Bianca Belair and the rest of Damage Ctrl is here with Bayley. Not that it matters as here is Becky Lynch to beat up Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai and chase them out of the arena with a chair, leaving it one on one. Cue Bianca Belair to watch as things get even bigger. Bliss starts fast and knocks Bayley outside, where it’s time for a breather. Back in and Bayley gets smart by stomping on the foot, earning herself a running crossbody. Bayley manages to knock her outside again though and we take a break.

Back with the fight going outside again where Bliss kicks at the ribs and knocks Bayley down, setting up the cannonball off the apron. Back in and a DDT gets two on Bayley, who is right back with a sunset flip into the corner for two. They head outside again with Bayley teasing going after Belair, allowing Bliss to knock her back again. They go inside again with Bliss dropkicking her into the corner, setting up Twisted Bliss for the pin and the title shot at 13:00.

Rating: C-. Yeah this didn’t exactly work, as they were going outside every few moments, seemingly with no clue about what else to do. The ending was also pretty flat, as Bliss just won almost out of nowhere. Bayley will probably be getting ready for a showdown with Becky Lynch sooner than later, but it’s going to be a bit difficult to buy Bliss as a threat to the title. At least she’s a fresh challenger though and that’s nice for a change.

Post match Belair comes in to shake hands but Bliss would rather have a hug. That works for Belair, but Bliss pulls her in for Sister Abigail. Bliss’ face goes all evil but then she snaps back to reality and leaves, looking upset with herself.

We look at Kurt Angle spraying the Alpha Academy with milk on Smackdown.

The Alpha Academy isn’t happy and claim Angle is a dinosaur. The OC comes in to say Japan thought it was hilarious, setting up AJ Styles vs. Chad Gable tonight.

We look at Austin Theory winning the US Title at Survivor Series.

AJ Styles vs. Chad Gable

Mia Yim and Luke Gallows (no Karl Anderson) and Otis are here too. Styles starts fast and kicks him down, setting up his own SHUSH. A backbreaker puts Gable down but he manages to send Styles outside for an Otis cheap shot. Styles gets dropped onto the apron and sent into the steps as we take a break.

Back with Gable rolling German suplexes until Styles escapes to set up the Pele kick. An overhead belly to belly drops Styles but Gable is right back with the ankle lock. That’s reversed into a Calf Crusher which is reversed into an ankle lock. With Styles slipping out of that as well, it’s a northern lights suplex to give Gable two. The moonsault misses though and it’s the Styles Clash to give Gable the pin at 9:07.

Rating: C+. Not bad, though the Alpha Academy continues to feel like one of the least interesting and important teams in a good while. They have been beaten down so hard that it stops mattering and that is where we are again. Gable can still go in the ring and working with Styles was going to almost guarantee that things went well, but they need to find something new for the team to do if they are going to ever mean anything.

Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis are going over some detailed drawings to decide what to do with Lumis’ money. Candice LeRae comes in to suggest doing something related to the holiday season. This seems better than the drawings, including fully functioning Iron Man suits and Bluey bling.

Judgment Day vs. Street Profits/Akira Tozawa

In the back, the Profits are asked why they saved Akira Tozawa, with the answer being IT’S AKIRA TOZAWA! Dawkins is driven into the corner to start and Balor fires off some shoulders to the ribs. Priest comes in for a heck of a right hand but Dawkins gets over to Tozawa anyway. A running chop in the corner cuts Tozawa off so he tries a chop to Priest. The ensuing glare allows Balor to blast Tozawa with a clothesline as we take a break.

Back with Tozawa fighting up and diving over to Ford for the hot tag. Everything breaks down and Ford is launched over the announcers’ table. We settle back down to Dominik Two Amigoing Ford to make things worse. A cheap shot in the corner keeps Ford down with the referee missing a tag to Dawkins. Ford finally backflips out of a belly to back suplex and enziguris Balor, allowing Ford to get over to Dawkins for the tag.

Everything breaks down again but Balor grabs a Nightmare on Helm Street for a double knockdown. Tozawa and Dominik come in with the former unloading with right hands. Priest comes back in to wreck people until Tozawa dumps him out. Dominik grabs a rollup for two but Tozawa sends him outside for the suicide headbutt. Back in and Tozawa DDTs Balor and Dominik but Priest Razors Edge tosses him inside, allowing Mysterio to get the pin at 14:47.

Rating: B-. This got rolling near the end and a lot of that was due to Tozawa. It’s kind of interesting to see him go from nothing joke stories to a few decent midcard matches out of nowhere. The talent is there, so why not let him show what he can do in a match that actually matters (at least somewhat) for a change? WWE can always use fresh blood and if Tozawa can help, good for him.

Dexter Lumis and Johnny Gargano clean out a merchandise stand and, after a break, give the gear away to fans. Cue Miz to steal the bag of Lumis’ money but Adam Pearce cuts him off and says give the money back. Miz isn’t happy and wants to face Gargano again. Gargano calls him Mike, resulting in a shout of MY NAME IS THE MIZ! Gargano: “Ok Miz.” Lumis will face Miz for the money next week….and let’s make it a ladder match, with Miz putting up his own share of money, double or nothing.

Miz says he doesn’t have money, but Gargano doesn’t buy it. Miz: “I have a ton of money in my accounts….that my wife controls.” Instead, he gets an allowance and has to ask if Maryse will give him an advance. That works for Gargano, but for tonight, Miz gets to give out this merchandise, dressed as an elf. Pearce approves and Gargano gets the bag of money back. As has been the case with this story, there are some funny moments but the segments take WAY too long to get to the point.

Iyo Sky vs. Candice LeRae

The rest of Damage Ctrl is here too, with Bayley joining commentary. Sky flips out of a headscissors to start so Candice scores with an enziguri. That earns her a flapjack as Graves complains about Bayley’s headset not working. The beating continues as we take a break, coming back with Candice slugging away.

They fight to the floor with a poisonrana planting Sky hard so Candice can get two back inside. Sky palm strikes her into a bridging German suplex for two before going up. Candice tries to catch her but Mrs. LeRae’s Wild Ride is broken up. The Over The Moonsault finishes for Sky at 10:22.

Rating: C. Good enough, but Candice continues to be just kind of there most of the time. She can have a watchable match but I could go for something a little stronger than that most of the time. That being said, the women’s division doesn’t have the strongest depth and a rank between the top stars and the cannon fodder is a good idea.

We look back at Kevin Owens and Matt Riddle failing to beat the Usos last week, with Riddle being sent out on a stretcher.

Owens isn’t happy with the loss but Elias comes in to cut him off. With Owens’ mouth hanging open, Elias asks Owens to have his back tonight against Solo Sikoa. Owens goes on a rant about everything Elias did to him earlier this year. That was Ezekiel, but Elias thinks they should wipe the slate clean, with Owens ranting about how that doesn’t make sense. Elias says he needs Owens, who walks away, comes back, and walks away again. Owens being the one who remembers things is an interesting choice and works for him.

Post break, Elias is in the ring for a tribute song to Matt Riddle. The song is about how they’re friends and even bros but now it’s time for Elias to beat Solo.

Elias vs. Solo Sikoa

Sami Zayn is here with Sikoa. Elias kicks away to start but gets knocked down without much effort. Back up and Sikoa fires off the chops, only to get kicked out of the corner. Elias knocks him outside and we take a break. We come back with Sikoa missing the middle rope headbutt, allowing Elias to score with the jumping knee for two. Sikoa isn’t having that and hits a superkick, setting up Spinning Solo for the pin at 8:04.

Rating: C. This was a match where there wasn’t much doubt about who was winning and they didn’t veer away from that whatsoever. Elias isn’t going to be the one to beat Sikoa and I don’t think anyone really expected him to be. Instead, we had a completely watchable match between two guys who had a bit of an issue coming out of last week. It wasn’t exactly memorable, but Sikoa continues to be pushed strong.

Post match Sikoa hits a Samoan Spike and loads up the running Umaga attack. Cue Kevin Owens for the save though and the Bloodline bails. Elias thanks Owens and gets Stunned to even things up a bit after everything Ezekiel put him through.

Video on the history of Tribute to the Troops. This would mainly be back when WWE went overseas and it felt special, rather than now when it’s a tacked on hour after a TV taping.

We get some photos of Miz as an elf, giving out merchandise to kids. Why they had that outfit ready might be better left unanswered.

Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley

Dominik Mysterio is here with Ripley while Asuka has no paint on her face for a change. Asuka goes for the arm multiple times but can’t get the armbar early on. Ripley powers her down but gets pulled into an armbar. With that broken up, they fight to the apron with Asuka hitting the Codebreaker to send Ripley outside.

We take a break and come back with Ripley missing a splash and an exchange of kicks leaving both of them down. Asuka manages to send her to the apron for the running hip attack to the floor. A Dominik distraction doesn’t quite work as the Asuka Lock goes on. Dominik puts the foot on the rope for the break, earning himself the mist from Asuka. That’s enough of a distraction for the Riptide to finish Asuka at 11:31.

Rating: C+. Asuka’s face change was a nice surprise but at the same time, it’s not going to mean much if she loses again right after. Asuka is still one of the most talented stars in the division, but every week it feels more and more like she is just someone there to make others look good. That being said, Ripley has felt like she is ready to break out for months now (if not longer) and this was another step there.

Post break Dominik is getting his eyes cleaned out as the rest of Judgment Day freaks out.

We look at Dolph Ziggler returning last week to go after Austin Theory.

Ziggler talks about what the United States Title means and how Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley are going to go to war tonight for a chance at being champion. As for Theory, he needs to learn what being a champion means.

Video on Bobby Lashley.

Miz gave out more gifts.

Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley

For a future US Title shot. Lashley shoulders him down to start and they’re on the floor early, with Rollins being sent into the barricade. Rollins manages to post him though and a running knee off the apron drops Lashley as well. Back in and Lashley suplexes him over the top and out to the floor before grabbing the steps. The referee cuts that off so Lashley sends Rollins over the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Lashley taking him up top but getting bitten back down. Rollins hits a high crossbody into an enziguri to send Lashley outside, setting up the series of suicide dives. They get back inside where Rollins hits the Falcon Arrow for two but Lashley sends him back outside. The posting rocks Rollins but he’s right back in with a basement superkick. Rollins’ frog splash gets two so he tries the stomp, which is reversed into the Hurt Lock. The referee gets bumped so Lashley’s spear only gets a delayed two. Another spear is countered into the Pedigree to give Rollins the pin and the title shot at 12:55.

Rating: B-. That’s a great counter for the spear that Rollins has used before, but the fact that you could kind of see it coming tells you just how many people in WWE use the spear. Rollins winning is the more interesting way to go and Lashley is not going to be happy with that referee issue. They did a nice job with making the match seem big though and that is an important part of making the US Title feel important.

Post match Lashley goes after the referee so here is Adam Pearce. Lashley shoves him too and gets fired to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Overall, the show was a bit better than ok, but almost entirely skippable. There was nothing going on that you needed to see or that would be required viewing whatsoever, with the focal point being setting up two title matches, plus a ladder match for money. There are far worse shows to watch out there, but you’re going to be a lot better off reading a recap than spending three hours on this one.

Results
Alexa Bliss b. Bayley – Twisted Bliss
AJ Styles b. Chad Gable – Styles Clash
Judgment Day b. Street Profits/Akira Tozawa – Toss Razor’s Edge to Tozawa
Iyo Sky b. Candice LeRae – Over The Moonsault
Solo Sikoa b. Elias – Spinning Solo
Rhea Ripley b. Asuka – Riptide
Seth Rollins b. Bobby Lashley – Pedigree

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: December 5, 2022
Location: Capital One Arena, Washington DC
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We are on our way to…well the Royal Rumble, but the show is so far away that it is hard to be that interested so far. As for this week, the Usos will be defending the Tag Team Titles against Matt Riddle and Elias, who are such a longstanding team. Other than that, it’s hard to say what we might be seeing this week so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Matt Riddle/Elias

The Usos, with Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa, are defending and they’re starting fast this week. Earlier today though, Riddle annoyed the Bloodline so Elias got beaten down as a result. Actually hang on as the Usos say that the match is off due to Elias being beaten down. Therefore, whoever wants a shot can come get one. Cue Riddle to say that beatdown wasn’t cool, but Sami calls him “my dog.” Riddle: “My dog?”

Sami says he knows what it takes to be ucey, because he is a certified uce-ologist. Sikoa taking out Elias was ucey. The Usos remaining the longest reigning Tag Team Champions in history is ucey. Riddle coming out here to suggest he ever had a chance, that his dog is NOT ucey. The thing is though, Riddle has found a partner and the title match is on for tonight. He isn’t bros with this guy, but they both hate the Bloodline….and it’s Kevin Owens.

Tag Team Titles: Usos vs. Kevin Owens/Matt Riddle

Owens and Riddle are challenging and it’s Owens hammering on Jey to start. The backsplash gives Owens an early two but Jimmy breaks up a Cannonball attempt. That’s fine with Owens, who goes outside and sends Jey into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Riddle in trouble as the Usos start taking turns kicking at him. A big kick to the head drops Riddle and Jimmy even knocks Owens off the apron. Riddle forearms back but gets dropped again by some double teaming and we take another break.

Back again with Owens hitting a Swanton on Jimmy but the Stunner is blocked. Owens his a superkick instead, only to have Jimmy come back with one of his own for the double knockdown. The tag brings in Riddle as Owens and Sikoa stare at each other on the floor. Riddle dives onto Sikoa and it’s time for a bunch of shots to the face. Back in and a blind tag lets the Usos hit the 1D to finish Riddle at 13:58.

Rating: B-. Owens was definitely an upgrade over Elias as he at least ties into the story. Other than that though, there was no drama here as the Usos aren’t losing the titles to a makeshift team on Raw. It is going to take something special to take the titles from the Usos and I’m not sure if anyone around at the moment is up to the task. For now though, having good matches most of the time will still work.

Post match the Usos go after Riddle again but Owens makes the save with a chair and chases the Usos and Sami to the back. Sikoa is still at ringside though and beats on Riddle some more, including a Samoan Spike for an Umaga flashback. The running Umaga attack in the corner rocks Riddle again but Sikoa isn’t done. A chair is wrapped around Riddle’s head and another running Umaga attack crushes him again. Riddle is taken out on a stretcher as Sikoa looks like a killer.

Rhea Ripley is ready for tonight’s triple threat to become the new #1 contender. Bayley and Asuka are great, but they’re not Rhea Bloody Ripley. She’s coming for Bianca Belair and after that, everyone will be calling her Mami. She whispers something to Dominik Mysterio and seems like she’ll be handling her match on her own.

JBL is hosting a poker tournament in the back with various stars. Cue Dexter Lumis and Johnny Gargano, but JBL doesn’t think much of the idea of Lumis playing. Lumis empties out his bag of money from the Miz last week and is much more welcome.

Bayley vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka

The winner of this faces the winner of another triple threat next week for a shot against Bianca Belair (simple, effective reason for these matches to take place). Bayley comes out first but here is Becky Lynch to interrupt. Becky, coming through the crowd, talks about how the two of them haven’t fought in a long time, even after Bayley carried the division during the Thunderdome era.

Bayley doesn’t want to hear this and thinks Becky is jealous of her success. Becky is ready for a showdown, if Bayley can get the job done like her partners have already managed to do (ouch). Becky goes to leave, only to run into Rhea Ripley for a heck of a staredown on the way to the ring.

After a break and Asuka’s entrance, we’re ready to go with Bayley grabbing a rollup for an early two. Ripley sends Bayley outside and hammers on Asuka until Bayley comes back in. A hard whip into the corner drops Bayley and Asuka gets thrown down as well. Some double teaming finally slows Ripley down but Bayley has to avoid the running hip attack from Asuka.

We take a break and come back with more double teaming dropping Ripley again until Asuka ankle locks Bayley. That’s broken up so it’s a German suplex to Bayley and a kick to Ripley’s head. A double Codebreaker gives Asuka two each so she missile dropkicks Bayley. The Asuka Lock goes on but it’s not quite in full, allowing Ripley to break it up with a basement dropkick.

Some headbutts rock Bayley and an electric chair faceplant puts Asuka down for two, leaving Ripley shocked. Ripley knocks Bayley outside but misses a running flip dive off the steps for a nasty crash on the floor. Back in and Asuka strikes away on Bayley but the middle rope dropkick misses. The Rose Plant finishes Asuka to give Bayley the pin at 15:21.

Rating: B. I was surprised by the ending as they seemed to be setting up Ripley as the winner. That being said, it’s nice to see some surprises here and there, as going with the same stuff over and over can get old fast. Bayley getting the win is a good way to heat her up a bit more and now we could be in for something more interesting with what was set up here. It helped that the match got some time and had them laying into each other for most of the match.

Post match Ripley unloads on Asuka and leaves her laying, while holding a somewhat nasty looking shoulder.

Drew McIntyre is not medically cleared for Smackdown so Butch is taking his place in the Tag Team Title match.

Here is Seth Rollins for a chat. He is happy to be here and next week he’ll be facing Bobby Lashley in a #1 contenders match for US Title shot. Rollins talks about the fans singing his song but here is Lashley to interrupt. That’s fine with Rollins, who accuses Lashley of being scared of Brock Lesnar. Lashley doesn’t want to hear that, so Rollins thinks it must be jealousy instead.

That earns Rollins a grab by the jacket so he says that winning the US Title isn’t going to make Lashley feel better about Lesnar. The fight is on with referees and agents not being able to break it up. Lashley spears an agent down (missing Rollins in the process), leaving Adam Pearce rather upset.

Austin Theory thinks he has all the cards and the forever reign is just beginning. Theory runs into Mustafa Ali, who is smirking at the idea of Theory holding the title forever. That’s too far for Theory, so Ali can have his shot tonight.

Back to the poker, where Lumis appears to be cleaning up and beats Baron Corbin in another hand. Corbin yells a lot so Lumis pulls out an ax. At the other table, Akira Tozawa is still cleaning up but accuses Dominik Mysterio of stealing chips. A match is set.

US Title: Austin Theory vs. Mustafa Ali

Theory is defending and chokes Ali in the corner to start. Ali is back up with a headscissors to the apron and there’s a suicide dive to drop Theory again. A posting rocks Ali though and we take a break. Back with Ali hitting his rolling neckbreaker but a hurricanrana out of the corner doesn’t go so well, with Theory landing mostly on his head. Thankfully he’s fine enough to get caught with a tornado DDT to give Ali two but Theory fights back. Not that it matters as Dolph Ziggler runs in to superkick Theory for the DQ at 8:03

Rating: C. Well at least Ali didn’t get pinned again. I know Ali might be getting a little tiresome, but having him win some matches, or at the very least not getting pinned so often, could do him a world of good. I’m not sure I can picture him getting a bigger push than he is now, but giving it a shot might not be a bad idea. At the same time, Ziggler vs. Theory isn’t exactly appealing and hopefully it doesn’t last very long.

Post match Ali rightfully yells at Ziggler for costing him the match but Theory runs them both over. Ali is sent outside and A Town Down drops Ziggler.

Miz interrupts JBL’s phone call and asks why he didn’t get an invitation to play poker. JBL won’t let him in, even with an offer of a Rolex since he doesn’t have the money to buy in, sending Miz off.

Corbin can’t quite pull off cheating at the poker game and shoves AJ Styles for accusing him of doing so. The result: OC vs. Corbin/Alpha Academy. JBL is annoyed at these “idiots” and hits the dealer with his hat. Lumis strokes his ax and tips the dealer a few grand. Nice guy.

Bianca Belair is ready for whoever gets the title shot.

We look back at Solo Sikoa beating down Matt Riddle earlier tonight.

OC vs. Alpha Academy/Baron Corbin

Corbin shoulders Styles over to start as JBL sits in on commentary. Gable comes in to take Anderson down and work on a headlock but it’s quickly off to Gallows for a shoulder. Gallows and Gable yell at each other before Corbin comes back in. Everything breaks down and OC gets dropped on the floor as we take a break.

Back with Otis splashing Styles, who can’t quite fight out of Gable’s armbar. Gable knocks Anderson to the floor, allowing Corbin to hit a quick Deep Six to give Gable two. Styles gets up and brings in Anderson to clean house as everything breaks down. Otis runs Styles over but gets dropped by Anderson. Gable forearms Anderson, who comes back with an uppercut to put both of them down. The Magic Killer finishes Gable at 14:30.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what was missing here but it wasn’t quite thrilling stuff. The Alpha Academy has been ground into little more than dust and here they lost again. Corbin has cooled WAY off in recent weeks and the OC felt very tacked in on this whole match. The match might not have been bad, but it didn’t exactly feel important and that made for a long nearly fifteen minutes.

Candice LeRae is ready to fight harder now that she’s a mom. Dexter Lumis and Johnny Gargano come in, with LeRae being stunned by how much Lumis won playing poker.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Akira Tozawa

The rest of Judgment Day is here with Dominik. Tozawa gets taken down to start and Dominik manages Three Amigos for two. Dominik gets sent into the corner, only to avoid the top rope backsplash. The frog splash finishes Tozawa at 2:43.

Post match the beatdown ensues but the Street Profits make the save.

Adam Pearce yells at Bobby Lashley for spearing down the agent earlier tonight. As a result, he is…well nothing, but if it happens again, things will go badly.

Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Cross

The winner faces Bayley in a #1 contenders match next week. Bliss and Lynch knock Cross outside to start, leaving Bliss to roll Becky up for two. The knees to the ribs rock Becky again but Cross is back in to clean house. Cross gets taken down again and Bliss knocks Lynch into the corner. The running knees miss though and Becky sends her into the buckle. It’s Cross back up to wreck both of them, including the swinging neckbreaker to drop Bliss son the floor.

We take a break and come back with Cross chinlocking Bliss until Becky makes the save. The middle rope legdrop hits Cross for two and Lynch suplexes her down. Bliss is back in and flip dives off the apron to take both of them down. Back in and it’s a Tower of Doom to give Becky two on Cross. That doesn’t last long as Cross is back up to crossbody Becky against the apron for a unique crash.

The hanging DDT is loaded up but Becky hits a double legdrop to Bliss’ back, giving Becky two of her own. Cross can’t piledrive Becky on the apron, meaning it’s a bad Manhandle Slam to give Becky….no count as Cross rolls away. Cue Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky to jump Becky, including a powerbomb through the announcers’ table. Bliss steals the pin on Cross at 16:28.

Rating: C+. Bliss winning is a bit surprising but I can go with boosting her up a bit after such a long stretch of very little of note. Cross continues to be enough of a wild card to be interesting and we are likely heading towards Bayley vs. Bliss. Good match here, even with a few rough spots near the ending.

Overall Rating: C+. This show started fast and then cooled off pretty badly about halfway through. What worked here was having people fighting over various personal issues and possible title shots. It gave us a reason to care about what we were seeing and that kept things a lot more engaging. After that though, things slowed down a good bit and the action wasn’t quite as strong, but I’ll take half of a rather good show over nothing.

Results
Usos b. Matt Riddle/Kevin Owens – 1D to Riddle
Bayley b. Asuka and Rhea Ripley – Rose Plant to Asuka
Austin Theory b. Mustafa Ali via DQ when Dolph Ziggler interfered
OC b. Alpha Academy/Baron Corbin – Magic Killer to Gable
Dominik Mysterio b. Akira Tozawa – Frog splash
Alexa Bliss b. Nikki Cross and Becky Lynch – Man Handle Slam on the apron

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 28, 2022
Location: Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We’re done with Survivor Series and that means it is time to start the very long road to the Royal Rumble. That could include quite a few things, but we are almost guaranteed some kind of fallout from Sami Zayn officially declaring his allegiance to the Bloodline. Other than that, a lot of the show is wide open so let’s get to it.

Here is Survivor Series if you need a recap.

The Bloodline (minus Roman Reigns) is here and rather pleased with everything that happened on Saturday.

Here is Becky Lynch to get things going. She’s glad to be back but thinks she should be with the people. Becky goes into the crowd to high five some fans and meets some people named Bobby and Zachary (the latter of whom puts his arm around her, causing Becky to move away pretty quickly). Becky talks about how she has been gone for four months and is ready to start doing what the Man does. She can’t wait to take care of these new faces….and here is Bayley to interrupt.

Bayley is sick of hearing about Becky and doesn’t care what the fans think. Becky does NOT like Bayley disrespecting her new friends and the fight is teased, only to have Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky come down the steps to start the brawl. They fight up the steps and into the concourse, with Bayley getting involved as well. A merch stand is destroyed until referees finally get up there to break it up. This was a very different way to start the show and that is a GREAT change to see. It isn’t something you can do every week, but shaking things up a bit is a very nice idea.

We recap the return of Mia Yim to deal with Rhea Ripley.

Rhea Ripley vs. Mia Yim

Dominik Mysterio is here with Ripley. Mia knocks her to the apron to start and smiles a lot as things slow down. A leg trip sends Ripley face first into the mat and a Dominik distraction doesn’t do Ripley much good on the floor. Back in and Ripley hits a hard clothesline to take over before powering her down in a fairly impressive display.

Yim’s face is rammed into the mat a few times and Ripley starts yelling a lot. That’s enough for Yim to fight back up and kick her in the chest, only to have Eat Defeat blocked. Riptide is countered into a DDT to send Ripley outside so Yim pulls an interfering Dominik inside. Cue AJ Styles for the save so the referee throws it out at 7:02.

Rating: C. I get what they were going for here, as they didn’t want to have Ripley, who seems primed for a push towards the title, losing, but you also need Yim, who is here to deal with Ripley, to deal with Ripley. Ripley continues to look like a star and is starting to get the feeling for everything even more, making her a bigger highlight every week.

Post match the rest of the Judgment Day and OC run in for the big brawl, with OC cleaning house. Styles throws out the challenge for the big tag match so here we go.

OC vs. Judgment Day

The huge brawl starts on the floor on the floor until we settle down to Styles vs. Balor inside. Balor gets caught in the wrong corner and the OC gets to take turns beating on him, as tends to be the case. A quick escape lets Balor bring Priest in for the big man showdown with Gallows, meaning they trade shots to the head. Dominik offers a distraction so Priest can kick Gallows down and take over.

Gallows manages to get to the corner for the hot tag to Anderson for some house cleaning, including a backsplash to Balor. That’s broken up by Priest’s clothesline though and we hit the double arm crank. Dominik hits the slingshot hilo but it’s right back to Priest for a legdrop/backbreaker combination with Balor. Judgment Day, including Ripley, get in their shots on Anderson, who eventually jawbreaks his way out of Balor’s chinlock.

Anderson knocks Balor away again and the hot tag brings in Styles to clean house. The moonsault reverse DDT plants Balor out of the corner but Ripley makes the save. Styles grabs Ripley’s leg to block a kick before bringing Yim back in to wreck Ripley again. Everything breaks down and Yim dives on Ripley, leaving Priest to hit Gallows with South of Heaven. Styles hits Priest with the Phenomenal Forearm but Balor runs him down. Yim slams Balor but walks into Riptide to give Ripley the pin at 14:24.

Rating: B-. I’m hoping that this feud wraps up soon, as having them all fight against each other and one team winning is kind of a definitive result. It wouldn’t surprise me to see some big gimmick blowoff match, but Judgment Day winning here is likely a sign that the feud’s days are numbered. Again though, Ripley looks like the biggest deal on the team and good for her to get the win.

Earlier today, the Street Profits returned and are ready for…getting interrupted by the Alpha Academy. Chad Gable mocks the Profits’ catchphrase and announces that they’ll be having a match tonight. Works for the Profits.

Here is the Bloodline (minus Roman Reigns) for a chat. They celebrate their win, with Sami Zayn talking about how he has finally been accepted into the team. Sami talks directly to Jey Uso, saying the way he accepted Sami at the end of the match, that was UCEY. We get the big hug and celebration but Kevin Owens interrupts.

Owens still can’t get over what Sami did to him at WarGames. They have turned on each other so many times, but now Owens is just done with him. Sami says he doesn’t need Owens anymore, but Owens calmly says the Bloodline is never going to be Sami’s blood. Jey stands up for Sami, so Owens says they can do this later tonight. Challenge accepted. The eternal saga of Owens and Zayn still works and the appeal of the two of them fighting against the Bloodline together is rather strong.

We look at Damage Ctrl beating down Candice LeRae and putting her on the shelf last month.

LeRae is back and seems a bit nervous about her match with Dakota Kai, but she’s ready to fight. She takes the mic and reintroduces herself, promising to take Kai out tonight.

Matt Riddle and Elias are in the back and want to see how far the team can go, as Elias has never held gold. The Usos come in to mock them and a match seems to be teased for later.

Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy

The Profits are back and come through the crowd for their energized entrance. Ford and Gable fight over wrist control to start with Gable taking him to the mat with a chinlock. Ford fights up and hands it off to Dawkins, who is taken straight down as well. That doesn’t last long either as Dawkins fights up and runs Gable over with a clothesline. Everything breaks down and the Profits hit the stereo flip dives to the floor, sending us to the break.

Back with Ford trying a sunset flip but getting reversed into a northern lights suplex for two more. A DDT plants Gable though and a missed charge sends Otis into the post for a much needed breather. The diving tag brings in Dawkins to clean house as everything breaks down. Gable suplexes Dawkins for two with Ford having to make the save. Ford manages to slam Otis and the Cash Out finishes Gable at 12:04.

Rating: C+. The match was good but it feels like something I’ve seen them do a few dozen times now. The tag division continues to have such little depth and having these same teams fight each other over and over doesn’t help. Even though the Profits have been gone for awhile, they’re still fighting Alpha Academy and that is only going to get them so far.

We look at Austin Theory winning the US Title at Survivor Series.

Here is Theory for a chat to brag about his title win. Theory says he isn’t going anywhere and is now the face of Raw. Everyone is jealous of him being so much younger and better and the Theory Era has begun. The open challenge is on and here is Seth Rollins to interrupt. Rollins talks about how Theory lucked his way into the title and calls him “kid”. He wants a rematch for the title and calls Theory “kid” again, which is enough to accept the title, albeit on Theory’s terms.

We recap Miz vs. Johnny Gargano/Dexter Lumis.

Miz has a bag of money to put up against Dexter Lumis, but his hand is injured so the match can’t happen. Adam Pearce comes in to say no, Miz’s hand isn’t hurt, so the match is taking place.

Dexter Lumis vs. The Miz

If Lumis wins, he gets the money and a contract but if Miz wins, Lumis is gone. The brawl is on before the bell and they fight outside rather quickly. Miz gets knocked onto the barricade and we take a break. Back with….Miz holding Lumis head in a vice (as in the metal tool) but Lumis fights out and hits a spinebuster.

They fight over the barricade and Miz gets thrown into a TV. Miz is laid over a table and elbowed through it for the big crash. Back in and the Silencer and Skull Crushing Finale are both blocked, leaving Lumis to miss a charge into the corner. A rollup with feet on the ropes gets two on Lumis, who is right back with the Side Effect into the Silencer for the win at 9:42.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t wild on this match going in and then they lost me with the vice stuff. It was such a silly look and it took me out of anything they were doing. Sure it’s a silly feud, but you don’t have to go full on cartoon with it. At least now it should be over though and Miz can get on to something more important while Lumis….what the heck is he supposed to do anyway?

Post match Lumis gets the money and hands a bunch of kids $100 bills. Miz jumps him from behind and grabs the money, including from a kid (that’s some evil) but Johnny Gargano comes out with a superkick. The kid gets the money back in a nice moment.

We recap Becky Lynch vs. Damage Ctrl earlier tonight.

Candice LeRae vs. Dakota Kai

Joined in progress (with the opening shown in split screen) with the erst of Damage Ctrl banned from ringside. Candice rolls her up for two but Kai goes with the choking to cut it off. Back up and Kai hits a pump kick, only to have Candice knock her right back down. A missile dropkick gives Candice two and we take a break.

Back with Candice grabbing something like a German suplex for two but Kai kicks her out of the air. LeRae misses a Lionsault so Kai puts her up top. That’s broken up as well though and Mrs. LeRae’s Wild Ride (the middle rope swinging neckbreaker) is enough to finish Kai off at 12:28.

Rating: C+. It’s good to see LeRae getting a win as she needs to really be established. She hasn’t been around long in the first place and having her go away for a few weeks, likely to avoid the question of “why isn’t she in WarGames” didn’t help things. Now she can get a chance to show what she can do, which could be a nice addition to the division.

Jey Uso is warming up for the main event.

Long video on the WarGames matches.

Bianca Belair is happy with the win and Asuka agrees. Alexa Bliss says Becky Lynch was a great choice, but doesn’t seem overly enthusiastic.

Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso

The rest of the Bloodline is here too. They slug it out to start with Owens knocking him outside to take over early. Solo Sikoa offers a distraction though and Jey gets in a cheap shot as we take a break. Back with Owens’ Swanton hitting raised knees, allowing Jey to slowly hammer away. There’s a hard whip into the corner to drop Owens again and Jey is fired up.

Owens manages to reverse a whip into the corner though and now the Cannonball can connect. A hard whip into the corner flips Owens upside down though and Jey takes over again as we take another break. Back again with Jey hitting the pop up belly to back suplex into a neckbreaker and hammering away at a downed Owens. Jey takes him up top but gets reversed into the swinging fisherman’s neckbreaker.

They’re both down though, allowing Jey to come back with a heck of a superkick for another double knockdown. Another superkick gets two but the Samoan drop is blocked. The Stunner is blocked as well and Jey hits another superkick for another two. Owens winds up on the apron where Sikoa offers a distraction, only to have Jey miss the Superfly Splash. The Stunner finishes Jey at 22:18.

Rating: B. This match got some time and allowed both of them to showcase what they can do. If nothing else, the Bloodline taking a loss, even a minor one like this, feels like a big deal and now we might be getting a step closer to their decline. We’re still a LONG way off, but seeing them lose is something we haven’t seen very often and it could go somewhere down the road.

Overall Rating: B. The most important thing to be said about this show is that it was energized. There was very little on the show that dragged and most of the matches were good to rather good. Owens/Zayn felt like it got its big segment where Zayn has something to think about, plus Judgment Day got its major win over the OC. Good show here and I actually had a lot of fun with it, which isn’t something you can say about Raw very often.

Results
Rhea Ripley vs. Mia Yim went to a no contest when AJ Styles and Dominik Mysterio interfered
Judgment Day b. OC – Riptide to Yim
Street Profits b. Alpha Academy – Cash Out to Gable
Dexter Lumis b. The Miz – Silencer
Candice LeRae b. Dakota Kai – Mrs. LeRae’s Wild Ride
Kevin Owens b. Jey Uso – Stunner

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

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

AND

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

Survivor Series 2022
Date: November 26, 2022
Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Wade Barrett

It’s time for WarGames and no that still doesn’t feel right to say. We have a men’s and women’s version of the match here and that should make for a great core of the show. There are only five matches on the card but double WarGames is probably enough to carry things, especially with the Bloodline vs. Team Drew McIntyre as the likely headliner. Let’s get to it.

The opening video is a five minute Ozzy Osborne music video, with Ozzy saying Welcome To WarGames at the end. That works.

Team Belair vs. Team Damage Ctrl

Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Mia Yim
Bayley, Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai, Rhea Ripley, Nikki Cross

If you’re not familiar, we have two teams of five, with each team sending in a person for dive minutes. After that, the team who won the advantage coming into the match (Damage Ctrl in this case) will send in its second wrestler (standing in a mini cage with their teammates on the stage until their turn) for a three minute advantage. The teams alternate for three minutes until all ten are in, when it becomes first pin (erg) or submission to win.

Belair and Kai start things off with Belair throwing her around early on. A neck snap across the top rope gives Kai a breather but Belair drags her into the other ring and takes over. Kai gets in a few kicks to stagger her right back though and they head back into the original ring. The scorpion kick rocks Belair but she shoves Kai off without much trouble. Kai is the first one to go into the cage a few times, including off a toss powerbomb, until Iyo Sky is in for the advantage.

Belair gets in a shot but the double teaming gets the better of her, allowing Sky to hit the running knees in the corner. A double suplex gets Belair out of trouble for a second but a springboard missile dropkick puts her right back down. Asuka is in to even things up though and we go right to the Asuka vs. Kai slugout. It’s Asuka getting the better of things as Belair gets back up to make things even for a change. Asuka’s dropkick takes Kai down again until Nikki Cross is in for the villainous advantage.

Nikki spends about a minute throwing in weapons and slamming the door onto Asuka’s head before coming in. The beating is on, including several shots with Nikki’s jacket to Asuka and Belair. Nikki chokes Belair with a kendo stick until Bliss is in to even things up. Bliss cleans house until Kai and Sky are back up with stick shots of her own. Nikki uses the distraction to go up top and dive onto the huge pile (thankfully standing in the right spot) for the group knockdown and first high spot.

It’s Bayley in next and she brings in a pair of ladders, because WARGAMES needs to go TLC. Bayley finally gets in and goes smart by pinning Belair between the rings with a table holding her in place. More ladder shots abound until Mia Yim gets to come in and clan house, including freeing up Belair. Various weapon shots clean house until Kai drops Yim, leaving everyone down at the same time.

Rhea Ripley comes in to complete Team Damage Ctrl and everyone gets beaten up in a row. Yim is left alone in one ring for whatever reason, only to have her dive between the rings cut off so Kai can trashcan lid her in the head. Lynch comes in to complete the field, meaning falls can now take place, and cleans house without much trouble. Kai gets sent face first into a ladder and then into a garbage can, leaving Lynch to go to the other ring for the showdown with Bayley.

Ripley is back up to stare Lynch down though and a quick Riptide gets two, with Asuka making the save. A bunch of people pair off until Asuka mists Ripley. Bayley decks Asuka and Lynch before the Roseplant sends Lynch into the steel plate between the rings. Asuka and Sky go up top but get caught by a trashcan shot to the back. The Tower Of Doom is loaded up but Cross is back up to pull people off. Belair gives Bayley a scary powerbomb but thankfully she is still moving.

Sky moonsaults off the top of the cage onto Yim and Belair for the VERY nasty crash, with Belair coming up holding her leg. It’s Cross up next and she whips out some handcuffs to tie herself to Bliss. They go to the corner and knock each other down until Yim is driven through a ladder in the corner. We get the big Lynch/Belair vs. Damage Ctrl showdown and it’s the heroines getting the better of things. Sky and Kai are loaded onto a table as Bayley gets hit with the KOD into the cage. That leaves Lynch to go up top for the legdrop off the top of the cage through the table to pin Kai at 39:35.

Rating: B. There was almost no way that a team with Belair and Lynch was going to lose here so the ending wasn’t exactly in doubt. The match itself had the violence and the carnage (and the weapons, but those are just a standard these days). What mattered here was making the match feel epic and while almost forty minutes is WAY too long for WarGames, the match went by fast enough that it didn’t feel that long. Good opener, with Lynch feeling like her old self.

We look back at Sami Zayn lying to Jey Uso about talking to Kevin Owens last night.

Jey Uso wants to know what Roman Reigns is going to do about this. Roman says deal with it and win the match tonight. Jey leaves and, after a long stare, Reigns tells Heyman to get Zayn in here.

We recap AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor, which is a one on one match to represent OC vs. Judgment Day. Either way, this should be good stuff.

Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles

Dominik Mysterio/Damien Priest and the OC are here too. Feeling out process to start with Balor driving him into the corner for an actual clean break. Styles runs him over with a shoulder and some right hands stagger Balor again. Balor rolls through into a basement dropkick to take over though and we hit the abdominal stretch of all things. Styles eventually hiptosses his way to freedom and the basement forearm gets two.

The Styles Clash is blocked so Balor sends him to the apron, only to have his knee get snapped across the rope to slow him down again. Dominik and Priest offer a distraction so Styles can be sent onto the apron, meaning the big brawl is on outside. With everyone else in the crowd, Balor hits a Sling Blade but charges into a jumping enziguri.

Balor kicks him down again but Styles….whatever his version of Hulking Up is. Another knockdown gives Balor two though, even as you can see the welts on his back. Balor tries his own Styles Clash but Styles blocks, setting up an exchange of Pele Kicks for a double knockdown. Some knees to the ribs give Balor two and the fireman’s carry backbreaker gets the same.

1916 is countered though and Styles hits a moonsault….Nightmare on Helm Street for a change of pace. A 450 misses for Styles and Balor shotgun dropkicks him into the corner. The Coup de Grace misses though and Balor bangs up his knee again. The Calf Crusher goes on until Balor rams his head into the mat for the break. Balor sends him to the apron but gets caught with an enziguri, setting up the Phenomenal Forearm to give Styles the pin at 18:25.

Rating: B+. Yeah this worked and I don’t know why anything else would have been expected. This was a really simple concept: take two world class talents, give them time, and watch them have a great match. Both of them can still go with the best of them and while I’m a bit surprised Styles won (first singles win on pay per view in three years), it was really entertaining stuff throughout and a nice change of pace after WarGames

We recap Ronda Rousey vs. Shotzi for Rousey’s Smackdown Women’s Title. Rousey is the monster champion but Shotzi isn’t scared and is willing to come for the belt. To make it even more lopsided, Rousey has Shayna Baszler in her corner.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey vs. Shotzi

Rousey is defending with Shayna Baszler in her corner. They start fast with the ankle lock having Shotzi in trouble less than twenty seconds in. Shotzi reverses by sending her outside, where the suicide dive takes out Baszler instead. Back in and Rousey reverses a high crossbody into a kind of belly to belly to take over again. The ankle lock goes on again but Shotzi escapes for a second time.

That doesn’t work for Rousey, who hammers away against the ropes. They go to the apron and crash out to the floor, with Shotzi hitting a heck of a dive off the barricade onto Rousey and Baszler, taking out people behind them as well. Back in and Rousey grabs the ankle lock for the third time, only to switch into the armbar to retain at 7:12.

Rating: C. There was never any drama here as Shotzi isn’t going to be the person to take the title from Rousey. Shotzi gave it her all and that big dive was cool, but other than that, what was there to make me believe that Shotzi was a real threat. We are probably on the road to Rousey vs. someone a bit bigger for the title, bu Shotzi did put in some effort here.

Sami Zayn finally comes in to see Roman Reigns, who asks about Sami talking to Kevin Owens last night. Zayn did talk to him, so Reigns flat out asks him why he lied to Jey Uso. Sami says that he didn’t want to put anything on Jey’s plate before the main event. Owens was the one doing the talking and said Sami should turn on the Bloodline. Reigns says this is his blood and asks if Sami is with them. Sami insists that he is with the Bloodline and Reigns stares at him. They both stand and Reigns says let’s do it. They hug, but Reigns doesn’t seem entirely convinced.

US Title: Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory vs. Seth Rollins

Rollins is defending and Lashley sends Theory outside to start. A neckbreaker drops Rollins but it’s too early for the Hurt Lock. Theory pulls Rollins outside and sends him into the barricade, allowing him to actually hammer Lashley down back inside. Lashley shrugs that off and sends Theory outside again. This time Theory grabs a chair, only to have Lashley take it away.

Rollins is back with a knee off the apron to drop Lashley though and there’s a toss into the steps. Theory is back up with the steps to both of their faces and sends Rollins back inside. There’s the rolling dropkick to drop Rollins and Theory sends Lashley into the barricade for a bonus. Back in and Rollins slugs away at Theory, followed by a suicide dive to Lashley. The big running flip dive drops both challengers and the fans seem rather pleased with Rollins.

Back in and Rollins misses the Stomp, allowing Lashley to hit the spinebuster. The Hurt Lock goes on but Theory grabs a sleeper on Lashley to break it up. Rollins knocks Theory down but misses the Phoenix splash. Theory grabs a rolling Blockbuster on Lashley, who is right back with Hurt Lock.

The rope walk flip into a rollup gets two but Rollins Phoenix splashes them for the save. Rollins discus forearms Theory but Lashley Hurt Locks both of them at the same time. Since that can’t last long, Rollins breaks it up and Stomps Lashley but he has to superplex Theory. Rollins tries to roll into the Falcon Arrow but Lashley spears him down, allowing Theory to fall on top for the pin and the title at 14:49.

Rating: B. I wasn’t big on a lot of the match but they had some creative stuff in there. The ending made Theory feel more like he was thinking instead of coming in there and stealing the pin. Theory getting the title back is the right call and now he can hopefully get more of a proper push. Granted that was what seemed to be the case the first time, but at least he is getting somewhere.

Jey Uso asks Roman Reigns if Sami Zayn lied to him too. Reigns says he looked Sami in the eye and saw everything he needed to see. That’s good enough for Jey.

Team McIntyre vs. Bloodline

Drew McIntyre, Butch, Ridge Holland, Sheamus, Kevin Owens
Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn

Same rules as the women’s match. Butch and Jey start things off and stare at each other for most of the first minute. Jey finally goes after him and gets dropped with a clothesline. Butch goes after the fingers but Jey manages to get in a shot to the face for a needed breather. Things slow down but Butch stomps on the arm to slow Jey down again. The arm is tied around the rope and it’s Ridge Holland to put Jey down 2-1.

Jey manages a shot to Butch before Ridge can get here, leaving Ridge to get kicked in the ribs. The Brutes go high/low on Jey and it’s back to the hand. Ridge weakly twisted on the ankle at the same time until Sami is in to even things up. Zayn takes his sweet time to get in, burning off over a minute of the three minute period just coming to the ring. Butch is dropped in the corner as Reigns seems pleased that Jey and Sami are working well together. That lasts for all of a few seconds before Sami has to calm Jey down.

The delay lets Holland get up but he charges into the cage, allowing Jey to beat on Butch (favoring his arm) even more. McIntyre is in next and house is cleaned, albeit at a bit of a slow pace. The overhead belly to belly sends Sami flying and the sit up choke throw sends Jey flying, but off the top this time. There’s the Futureshock to Sami as Jimmy is in to even the score, but he has some tables as well.

Jimmy has to calm Jey and Sami down again, with commentary not being sure what Jey’s problem is here. The Bloodline beats everyone down until Kevin Owens (in a pretty sweet Dusty Rhodes shirt) unevens things again. Owens swings away with a chair but stops to have the staredown with Zayn. The slow beatings continue as the energy is definitely shifting down a bit until we get to the big finale.

Solo Sikoa is in next and gets to clean a bit of house. Owens can’t powerbomb Sikoa between the rings, as he is instead backdropped onto the plate between them. Sikoa superkicks McIntyre down into the corner and it’s Sheamus coming in to complete the good guys. The Bloodline comes back and everyone is down until Reigns comes in to complete the field. Everyone stands up for the big showdown visual, more or less rendering the last 28 minutes entirely worthless.

Reigns’ Superman Punch misses Sheamus, who ties him in the ropes for the ten forearms, only to have all of his partners do the same thing to someone else on the Bloodline. After twenty forearms each, Sheamus Brogue Kicks Sikoa but gets speared by Reigns for two. Sami yells at Butch but (seemed to be aiming for Butch but it’s not clear) gets superkicked by Jey. Not that it matters as the Usos have to give Butch a super 1D.

There’s the spear to send Holland through a table in the corner but McIntyre is back on Reigns. The powerbomb through the table is broken up by Sikoa, who Spinning Solos McIntyre through the table instead. Owens and Reigns slug it out with the superkick cutting off the spear. There’s the Pop Up Powerbomb into the Stunner but Sami grabs the referee to break up the pin.

Owens and Zayn stare at each other (while Owens has reigns covered for about a 19) and the fans chant for SAMI USO. Owens has to block a Jey superkick, allowing Sami to hit him low. Sami looks around at everything and might be second guessing himself. Reigns looks at Sami, who Helluva Kicks Owens. Sami and Jey look at each other, with Sami leaving Owens to get Superfly Splashed for the pin at 38:30.

Rating: B+. This is a weird match as the action was mostly there and the Sami drama was great, but as has been the case with almost every WarGames, it was WAY longer than it needed to be. The classic WarGames matches were about 21-25 minutes and this is so far beyond any of those times. Cut down the periods to two minutes instead of one and this gets WAY easier, just by shaving off about eight minutes.

As for the match itself, it was a lot of violence with one big move after another. The problem here though was that everything was waiting on Sami’s decision. It was the only thing that mattered in the match and there was only so much to get interested in until the ending. Sami going full Bloodline in a more serious way should take things in a different direction. Very good match, but trim off ten or so minutes and it’s that much better.

Post match Sami hugs Reigns and gets the big hug from Jey as he is officially accepted as part of the team. The Bloodline poses to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. The two big matches more than carried this and the weakest part of the show was a seven minute match that would have been perfectly fine on TV. What mattered most here was it felt like stuff was mattering after so many years of Raw vs. Smackdown with no stakes to be seen. The main event felt important and there was a logical title change in the middle. Very good show here, and WarGames makes a pretty awesome main roster debut.

Results
Team Belair b. Team Damage Ctrl – Legdrop off the cage to Kai
AJ Styles b. Finn Balor – Phenomenal Forearm
Ronda Rousey b. Shotzi – Armbar
Austin Theory b. Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley – Spear to Rollins
Bloodline b. Team McIntyre – Superfly Splash to Owens

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

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

AND

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

It’s time for Survivor Series and for the first time in years, there is a feeling of interest about the show. Instead of the completely dead in the water Raw vs. Smackdown Battle For Brand Supremacy, WWE has thrown their old ideas out the window and brought in a pair of WarGames matches. That alone should be enough to carry the show and….well there are only three more matches so WarGames is kind of carrying things. Let’s get to it.

AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor

I would have bet on this being the elimination match but instead we’ll just have Judgment Day and the OC at ringside to make things more crowded. Then again, I think I can go with the idea of Balor vs. Styles on a major show and likely getting a lot of time. That being said, Styles hasn’t won a singles match on pay per view in something like three years, so there might not be so much drama.

Judgment Day has dominated the feud so far and it makes sense for them to do it again here, so I’ll go with Balor. At the end of the day, the OC hasn’t felt important in the entire thing, even when Mia Yim returned. Balor winning will continue his rise and once this feud is over, it wouldn’t shock me to see him get his hands on some gold. For now though, he’ll win a good match against one of the best ever.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey(c) vs. Shotzi

This is a match that feels like a stepping stone in a bigger story. Rousey is MUCH better as a heel than she was as…whatever she was for all those months. Now the question is who can give her a real run for her money as champion. Shotzi is the latest person to try and while Shotzi has all kinds of charisma, that doesn’t exactly mean that she is ready to take the title.

In case it isn’t clear, I’ll be taking Rousey, as we build to what seems like a title match with Shayna Baszler. Shotzi is certainly someone who has come a long way in a short amount of time, but she isn’t ready to take down a monster like Rousey. This is going to be a match that gets more intense than you might expect, but at the end of the day, Rousey keeps going as champion and finds her next victim.

US Title: Seth Rollins(c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory

This is another match where it feels like there is something else going on instead of just the main story. While Rollins has been feuding with the two challengers at the same time, this has felt a lot more about Theory, at least in the last few weeks. Theory seems to be in the middle of a rebuild and now he needs to actually do something to get back onto the higher level after so much bad.

That being said…..yeah I think I’ll actually go with Theory winning the title. Rollins and Lashley don’t need to be champion while Theory has a long rebuild in front of him. This is a match where Rollins and Lashley can do most of the work and Theory can come in at the end to steal the title. It’s a tired cliché, but it is something that can work well, especially for someone like Theory.

Women’s WarGames

It’s still weird to see this on a WWE show but dang it feels cool. This match got turned upside down with the return of Becky Lynch this week on Smackdown. Lynch being added to the match is one of the biggest upgrades Team Belair to a much higher level. The talent is rather strong with both teams, but there is something about a pair of aces that puts one team ahead of the other.

Yeah I’ll go with Team Belair, as outside of a betrayal, I can’t imagine a team with Lynch and Bianca Belair losing to pretty much anyone. Go with what makes sense here and have Lynch and Belair get revenge on Damage Ctrl for putting Lynch on the shelf a few months back. It should be a hard hitting match, but there is pretty much just one way to go here given the lineups.

Men’s WarGames

Oh boy did this thing take a turn this week. The Bloodline has been so dominant for so long and it has seemed like it has all hinged on what Sami Zayn was going to do. The question becomes when that actually takes place, and now we might be ready to see it taking place. Zayn has already lied to Jey Uso about taking to Kevin Owens, but at some point the trigger actually has to be pulled.

If the Bloodline is ever going to lose a major match, it very well might be here so I’ll say that is what we see. Solo Sikoa getting pinned by Sheamus or Drew McIntyre isn’t going to hurt him so odds are that is how we go. Sheamus getting the Royal Rumble title shot would not be out of the question, but this is a story that could have all kinds of directions and that is a lot of fun to see.

Overall Thoughts

That is a very skinny card, but much like the Royal Rumble or most Survivor Series, there is only so much you can do when two matches are taking up twenty wrestlers. What matters here is WarGames, and if WWE manages to make the first runs go well, we should be in for a heck of a night. Bloodline and Damage Ctrl could be in for some rough matches, but at least we should have a pretty awesome show.

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Smackdown
Date: November 25, 2022
Location: Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, Rhode Island
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett

It’s the go home show for Survivor Series and we have a big time main event. This week it’s the Usos vs. Sheamus/Drew McIntyre for the WarGames advantage and what wouldn’t surprise me as a big preview for a future Tag Team Title match. Other than that, we’ll find out the final member of Team Belair, so let’s get to it.

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

Team Damage Ctrl is in the ring to start and Bayley doesn’t want to waste any time. She wants to know who the fifth member of Team Belair is right now, so here is Team Belair in a hurry. Belair doesn’t waste time and introduces the fifth member of her team: the returning Becky Lynch. The brawl is quickly on, with Team Belair clearing the ring.

Smackdown World Cup Semifinals: Butch vs. Santos Escobar

The rest of their teams are at ringside and Zelina Vega joins commentary. Escobar takes him down fast to start but gets pulled into an armbar for his efforts. That’s reversed into an armbar from Escobar as Vega is sounding very cocky. Butch fights up again and goes to the top, only to be shoved down onto the apron for a nasty crash.

We take a break and come back with Dunne hammering away and knocking Escobar off the top to the floor this time. Butch hits a great moonsault onto the rest of Legado. Stereo clotheslines put them both down and we see Team McIntyre and the Bloodline brawling in the back. Zelina gets on the apron for a distraction, allowing Legado to make a save so the Phantom Driver can give Escobar the pin at 9:03.

Rating: C+. Escobar winning is an interesting way to go as he continues to get a bit of a push around here. I’m not sure how far that is going to go for him but even a little shine is better than nothing. Butch is a far more made man than Escobar, but it’s still strange to see him losing after so much dominance earlier in his career. Good opening match and I think I like the result.

Long video on LA Knight vs. Bray Wyatt over the last two weeks.

Here is Bray Wyatt for a chat. He talks about everything he has gone through and how everyone wants to see the monster. Everyone wants to see the Fiend. That is not what he wants though, because he did not attack LA Knight last week. Uncle Howdy pops up on screen to show us clips of Wyatt’s past before saying everyone lies. So the split personality continues? I think?

LA Knight had a horrible Thanksgiving because of his injuries and now he has to hear Wyatt lie like this. When he gets the chance, he’ll beat Bray up. Yeah.

Hit Row vs. Viking Raiders

B Fab and Valhalla (Sarah Evans’ official new name) are the respective seconds. Adonis gets pulled into the corner to start and the double teaming clubbering is on. Ivar loads up a suplex but Adonis slips out and brings in Dolla to clean house. That doesn’t last long as Adonis comes back in, misses a dive, and gets Ragnaroked for the pin at 2:45. Pretty much a squash.

We look at Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley invading Rey Mysterio’s house and beating the daylights out of him in a rather effective assault.

LA Knight has been attacked again.

Smackdown World Cup Semifinals: Ricochet vs. Braun Strowman

Strowman powers him around to start but Ricochet turns up the speed. A quick dropkick gets Ricochet out of trouble and he knocks Strowman outside. That’s fine with Strowman, who whips him into the barricade, followed by the big toss back inside. Cue Imperium for a distraction though, allowing Ricochet to steal the crucifix pin at 3:46.

Rating: C. It was pretty much get rid of Strowman here or have him win the whole thing so this was the better of the two choices. Strowman vs. Gunther seems likely no matter what else they do so this way they can set up someone else to get there first. Strowman saves some face by losing clean and Ricochet gets a nice win for once, making this a nicely put together match.

Post match Imperium comes in to go after Strowman but Ricochet makes the save. Strowman has to save Ricochet though and Imperium bails, leaving Strowman to show respect and help Ricochet up.

We look back at Kevin Owens being revealed as the fifth man on Team Brawling Brutes for WarGames.

Sami Zayn is heading to the Bloodline’s locker room when Owens cuts him off. With Jey Uso listening at the door, Owens tells him to turn on the Bloodline before they can do it to him. Owens says see you tomorrow and leaves. Jey comes out and asks who Sami was talking to, but Sami says no one. Uh oh.

Becky Lynch wants to hurt Damage Ctrl for putting her on the shelf.

Shayna Baszler and Ronda Rousey jump Shotzi and Raquel Rodriguez in the back, with Rodriguez’s arm being crushed in an anvil case. Referees arrive just too late.

Post break here are Rousey and Baszler to gloat, only to have Shotzi want to do it alone.

Shozi vs. Ronda Rousey/Shayna Baszler

Shotzi charges in and tries to start fast but gets caught in an armbar over the ropes. Baszler adds her own armbar on the mat….and here is Rodriguez, favoring her arm, to make it an even match. Shotzi gets over to Rodriguez to clean house with one arm, only to have Baszler take her down by said arm. The stomp set up Rousey’s armbar for the win at 3:18.

Rating: C-. This was more of an angle than a match as Rousey and Baszler get to beat up Rodriguez to make up for her getting involved with them last week. Other than that, Shotzi gets to look like she is standing up to the bullies before she gets crushed by Rousey on Saturday. That is about as good as she is going to get and Rodriguez is probably set up as a future challenger.

Post break Shotzi swears vengeance.

Usos vs. Sheamus/Drew McIntyre

Non-title but for the WarGames advantage with the rest of the rest of the WarGames teams, minus Roman Reigns, at ringside. Sheamus throws Jey around to start and a double clothesline puts him on the floor. We get the big staredown on the outside and take an early break. Back with Sheamus being low bridged to the floor but he manages a knockdown back inside. The tag brings in McIntyre for some house cleaning, including a spinebuster for two on Jimmy.

Jey has to break up the Claymore attempt and Jimmy knocks Drew to the floor, setting up back to back Uso dives. McIntyre gets sent into the steps and we take a break. Back with Jey hitting the running Umaga Attack in the corner but McIntyre runs Jimmy over. The hot tag brings in Sheamus to clean house, including seventeen forearms to Jey’s chest.

There’s a knee to Jimmy’s face for two but Jey manages to knock Sheamus down. Sheamus pulls Jey off the top for a crash as everyone else brawls on the floor. McIntyre takes them out so Sami grabs a belt, which is taken away by Owens. The referee pretty easily sees Sami with the belt in the ring and that’s an ejection. The Brogue Kick finishes Jey at 17:18.

Rating: B. It would not surprise me a bit if this was a preview for a Tag Team Title match (it should be with the champs losing) but it is a little weird to see the good guys with the advantage going into WarGames. That isn’t how things usually go, but now we might be in for something all the more interesting with Sami Zayn possibly having some differing loyalties.

Overall Rating: C+. The main focus here was on the men’s WarGames match, but they also had something big with the return of Becky Lynch. I’m more interested in what is happening at Survivor Series than I was coming into this week’s show and that is the best sign from a go home show. The Bloodline saga could get a lot more interesting tomorrow if they go in a certain direction and now I want to see if that is what they do. If that is what WWE was hoping to accomplish tonight, they did it very well.

Results
Santos Escobar b. Butch – Phantom Driver
Viking Raiders b. Hit Row – Ragnarok to Adonis
Ricochet b. Braun Strowman – Crucifix
Ronda Rousey/Shayna Baszler b. Raquel Rodriguez/Shotzi – Armbar to Rodriguez
Sheamus/Drew McIntyre b. Usos – Brogue Kick to Jey

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

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Monday Night Raw
Date: November 21, 2022
Location: MVP Arena, Albany, New York
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

It’s the last Raw before Survivor Series and the card is mostly set. Both WarGames matches are almost entirely ready to go following the return of Kevin Owens on Smackdown. Tonight is going to be about finding the final woman in the other WarGames match and adding in some other stuff to the show. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here is Kevin Owens to quite the welcome. Owens says he is joining WarGames for the sake of one person and it’s not Sami Zayn. No matter what, he and Zayn are like brothers and they can deal with that later. No he’s doing this to remind Roman Reigns who he is. If it wasn’t for the Bloodline, the history making title reign would have been stopped earlier. Now he wants to take out the Bloodline so there is no one standing between him and the Universal Title.

Owens isn’t here alone tonight so here are the Brawling Brutes and Drew McIntyre (through the crowd, because it’s Survivor Series season). Sheamus talks about being ready for the big fight on Saturday and their fifth member is Kevin Owens. McIntyre talks about Reigns abusing his power and the numbers game, but all of that changes in WarGames.

Cue the Judgment Day to interrupt, with Dominik Mysterio telling them to go back to Smackdown and say hi to his deadbeat dad. Finn Balor is sick of AJ Styles but also hopes the Bloodline smashes everyone in the ring. Sheamus says that he and Balor lived ten miles apart in Ireland but they might as well be a million miles apart here. He calls Balor a “plastic paddy” (I think) but Balor describes himself as salty. The challenge is on for a six man and let’s do it.

Judgment Day vs. Brawling Brutes

The fight is on before the bell with the Brutes clearing the ring and we take a break. Back with Sheamus and Priest having a staredown and then slugging it out in the corner. Kevin Owens is on commentary and enjoys seeing Holland come in, only to get taken down by Balor’s suplex. Butch comes in but gets pulled out to the floor for an apron chokeslam from Priest as we take a break.

Back again with Butch fighting out of trouble by hitting an enziguri to Balor, but Dominik breaks up the tag attempt. Dominik hides behind Rhea Ripley on the floor but the hot tag brings in Holland without much effort. Sheamus chases Dominik up the ramp as the OC is here to cut him off. Back in the ring and Sheamus hits the twenty forearms to Dominik, setting up the Brogue Kick for the pin at 14:04.

Rating: C+. Pretty nice six man here with the OC vs. Judgment Day feud being tied in to make things more interesting. Other than that, it’s fine to have the Brawling Brutes, an established team, beat the Judgment Day as it isn’t like some thrown together group is taking them down. Good hard hitting opener, which shouldn’t be a surprise given who was involved.

Post match Sheamus and company clear the ring, with a Stunner dropping Balor.

Johnny Gargano is ready to take care of the Miz tonight and wants to do the right thing regarding Dexter Lumis. He and Lumis have an agreement to say out of each others’ business so things should be fine tonight.

Johnny Gargano vs. The Miz

Hold on though as the Miz is in street clothes. He has an injured hand (he chopped a cactus, because he is rich enough to own one in California) but worry not, because he has an opponent for Gargano.

Johnny Gargano vs. Omos

MVP is here with Omos. Miz is on commentary as Omos kicks Gargano outside and easily throws him back inside. Gargano gets dropped onto the apron but manages a quick shot for a breather. That’s enough for Miz to offer a distraction and Gargano sends Omos into the corner. Three basement superkicks set up a top rope…dive into a chokeslam to give Omos the pin at 3:05.

Rating: D+. What are you supposed to say about a match like this? They didn’t have much time and there is little that Omos can do aside from the big power spots. The good thing is that Gargano was there to bounce off of him and get in a few hope spots before falling short. That’s how it should have gone and it isn’t like losing to the monster is going to hut anything.

We look at Austin Theory and Bobby Lashley coming after Seth Rollins and the US Title. The triple threat title match is set for Survivor Series.

Rollins joins us in a sitdown interview and talks about how he’s looking forward to killing two birds with one stone. Theory and Lashley keep jumping him but he knows how to keep getting up. That’s what he’s going to do again and Theory can call Cody Rhodes to ask him about picking a fight with Rollins. They aren’t in WarGames but they’re going to be in a war because none of them like each other. Rollins is one of one and after Survivor Series, he will still be the US Champion.

Austin Theory watches what we just saw and says he is tired of this disrespect. He is a new man and he knows Rollins and Lashley will be watching when he takes out Mustafa Ali tonight.

Austin Theory vs. Mustafa Ali

Ali has taped up ribs coming in so Theory knees him in the tape and stomps away. The waistlock goes on but Ali is up with a knee to the face. Theory is sent outside but he cuts the dive off and sends Ali into the barricade. Back in and Ali hits a fast superkick for two but Theory knocks him into the corner. Ali is right back with a sunset bomb into a 450 but the bad ribs mean there’s no cover. A-Town Down finishes Ali at 5:05.

Rating: C. Ali’s losses are piling up and just pointing to the ribs as an excuse is only going to get him so far. I know Ali might not be the biggest guy, but you would think there would be something he could do other than lose over and over. Theory needs to get some wins together though and this was a clean pin, which is more than he did for most of his time as Mr. Money In The Bank.

Post match Bobby Lashley pops up on screen to say he’s coming for Theory right now.

Post break here is Lashley to say he’s surprised Theory is still here if he knows the pain that is coming for him. Theory talks about Lashley getting beaten up by Brock Lesnar and how he keeps failing over and over. The kid that Lashley and Rollins knew is dead and gone so the new Theory is coming for them at Survivor Series.

The fight is on with Lashley not quite being able to post him. Theory hits Lashley with a chair to no effect so Theory runs to the back. Once at the Gorilla Position, Theory jumps Mustafa Ali and throws him at Lashley before sprinting off. Ali shoves Lashley and gets taken into the arena for the Hurt Lock. Seems like a waste of a change of scenery.

Alpha Academy vs. Matt Riddle/Elias

Elias can’t get very far with a wristlock on Gable, who takes him down into an armbar. Back up and Elias clears the ring without much trouble and we take a break. We come back with Riddle getting two on Gable but a shot to the arm takes Riddle down. Otis and Gable take turns on the arm, with Gable hitting a belly to back suplex for two.

A dragon screw legwhip takes Riddle down again but he’s fine enough to get over to Elias without much effort. The assisted Broton hits Gable and Otis gets knocked to the floor. Elias’ dive off the steps is broken up though and Otis drives him into the barricade. Gable German suplexes Riddle onto the apron and we take another break. Back again with Gable driving Riddle face first so Otis can get two. Riddle fights up without much trouble though and it’s Elias coming in to clean house.

A hangman’s neckbreaker gets two on Gable but he hurricanranas his way out of a sitout powerbomb. Otis comes in for a reverse DDT and Gable adds a top rope headbutt for two more. Riddle makes the save and gets the tag, setting up the springboard Floating Bro onto the Academy. Back in and Elias plants Gable, allowing Riddle to hit the Floating Bro for the pin at 15:55.

Rating: C. This is a good example of a match that was more long than good. While not a terrible match by any means, they never got into any kind of a higher gear and it kind of kept going more than anything else. It’s nice to see slightly more serious Riddle, but the Alpha Academy going from something interesting to Gable doing his sound effect has taken away a lot of their steam.

JBL and Baron Corbin are playing poker again and complain about Akira Tozawa last week. Drew McIntyre come in so JBL can mock him, resulting in McIntyre challenging Corbin for tonight. McIntyre decks him and I think that’s a yes.

Video on the Men’s WarGames match.

Survivor Series rundown.

Baron Corbin vs. Drew McIntyre

JBL is here with Corbin, who bails to the floor to start. A cheap shot lets Corbin take over but McIntyre slugs away to come back. They head outside with McIntyre sending him over the barricade and then dropping him onto the announcers’ table. A JBL distraction lets Corbin get in another shot though and a corner clothesline has McIntyre in trouble.

McIntyre fights up and runs over Corbin in the corner but Corbin breaks up the Futureshock. Instead McIntyre hits a Michinoku Driver for two, only to have Corbin get in a shot of his own for a double knockdown. We take a break and come back with Corbin hitting a superplex for a delayed two, followed by the chokeslam for the non-delayed version of a near fall.

A torture rack dropped back into a slam gives Corbin two more and Deep Six is good for two more. Corbin yells at the referee but here is Akira Tozawa (now with Blond hair) to jump into JBL’s arms and steal his hat. That’s enough of a distraction for McIntyre to hit the Claymore for the pin at 17:41.

Rating: C+. And that is a good example of the problem with Corbin: you know almost exactly what you are going to get out of a Corbin match because he barely ever changes anything up. It’s the same offense in the same sequence with the same pretty good looking power moves. You know what he is going to do in any given match and the only question is how will the finish go. The surprise here was Tozawa, who seems like he is actually going to go at least a little somewhere out of last week’s random match and segment. Cool, as taking some of the talent you already have and doing something with them is often a wise move.

The OC is ready for Finn Balor on Saturday. Balor comes in to say he’s ready for Styles and indeed here is the Judgment Day to start the big fight. They brawl to the floor with the OC getting beaten up on and around a rental car. Security and referees finally get out there to break it up with the OC down.

Here is Team Belair for a pre-main event chat. Belair talks about how her team is ready for war and promises to reveal the fifth member….on Smackdown. Cue Team Damage Ctrl, with Bayley mocking the entire team, mainly because Belair couldn’t possibly find someone else to team with her. Asuka tells Rhea Ripley to get in there and we’re ready to go.

Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka

For WarGames control and everyone else has been sent backstage. Ripley powers her into the corner to start but Asuka is back up with some strikes to knock her to the apron. The running hip attack rocks Ripley again and it’s time for a rather long breather on the floor. Back in and Ripley pulls her down by the hair for some smacks to the back of the head.

A hard clothesline drops Asuka again but she’s back with a kneebar out of nowhere. That doesn’t work for Ripley, who rolls backwards and muscles her up for the escape. Ripley kicks her off the top and out to the floor as we take a break. Back with Asuka kicking away and grabbing a German suplex.

Ripley is back up and pulls her into the Prism Trap (I’ve missed that) but Asuka makes the rope. Asuka catches her on top and kicks her in the face for two but can’t follow up. An armbar has Ripley in more trouble but it’s Damage Ctrl appearing for a distraction. Bianca Belair and Alexa Bliss come out to even things up a bit as Ripley slips out. Riptide finishes Asuka at 16:16.

Rating: B-. These two hit each other rather hard and it made for a good main event style match. Ripley winning was the only way to go as having the good women control WarGames would make no sense. They kept the interference until the ending, which was nice as it let the stars involved do their thing for a long while before the screwy (as it should have been) ending.

Post match the big brawl is on with Mia Yim running in to brawl with Ripley over the apron. Asuka hits a big dive to leave everyone laying.

We run down the Survivor Series card again as the women seemed to wrap up a bit too early. The rundown goes on so long that the show cuts off and we’re done.

Overall Rating: C+. The best thing that this show did was make me care more about the men’s WarGames match. That seemed to be the goal of the show and they did it well enough. At the same time, OC vs. Judgment Day got a nice boost while being tied into the bigger story. Things got a bit dull in the middle, but the show did its important job while tying some stories together. That is more than some of the late McMahon shows can say so this is a step up in at least one regard.

Results
Brawling Brutes b. Judgment Day – Brogue Kick to Dominik
Omos b. Johnny Gargano – Chokeslam
Austin Theory b. Mustafa Ali – A Town Down
Matt Riddle/Elias b. Alpha Academy – Floating Bro to Gable
Drew McIntyre b. Baron Corbin – Claymore
Rhea Ripley b. Asuka – Riptide

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

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NXT
Date: October 18, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Booker T, Vic Joseph

It’s the go home show for Halloween Havoc and that means it is time for the final push towards the show. In this case that means we have some main roster stars in some Pick Your Poison matches for Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez. Other than that, we need one more night to set up the triple threat NXT Title match, which certainly needs the help. Let’s get to it.

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

Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez

The rest of Judgment Day is here with Ripley, who is Cora Jade’s pick to face Perez. The fans are glad to see Rhea and think she is going to kill Perez, rather enthusiastically really. Perez goes for the wristlock to little avail and the spinning headscissors doesn’t work. A chop just makes Ripley mad so she headbutts Perez in the ribs. Ripley forearms her into the back and is starting to look rather comfortable.

A quick hurricanrana sends Ripley outside but she moves before Perez can dive. Instead Perez tries another hurricanrana off the apron, earning herself a HARD face first drop onto the apron as we take a break. Back with Ripley holding her in a waistlock and driving in forearms to the back of Perez’s head. Perez fights up and fires off some kicks to the leg but an armdrag is blocked.

One heck of a missed charge sends Ripley shoulder first into the post, setting up Perez’s suicide dive. Perez slips out of a superplex attempt back inside and grabs a super hurricanrana for two. Another charge is countered into a faceplant for two and Ripley is stunned off the kickout. Riptide and Pop Rox are both broken up so Dominik Mysterio distracts Perez, allowing Riptide to give Ripley the pin at 12:47.

Rating: B-. Perez is looking more and more like a star every day as she is hanging in there with big names, from Bayley on Smackdown last week and Ripley here. Ripley winning, especially via cheating, is a fine way to go and she got to look dominant again in doing so. What mattered here was making Perez look good and they pulled that off rather well.

The OC aren’t sure about teaming with Cameron Grimes. Then Grimes pulls out a bunch of money and now they’re ready to go to the moon.

Here are Tony D’Angelo and Stacks, with the former having a mystery opponent. We’ll see who that is….after a break.

Grayson Waller is ready to get rid of Apollo Crews. Then Chucky from Child’s Play pops up on screen to taunt him about Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal. Waller is freaked out.

Stacks vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Now there’s a surprise and the fans are rather glad to see him. Stacks grabs a headlock to start and hammers away to little effect. Nakamura remembers that he’s fighting Stacks and kicks away without much trouble. Some right hands actually put Nakamura down though and the chinlock goes on. That’s broken up and Nakamura wins the strike off without much effort. The sliding German suplex gives Nakamura two but he can’t keep a cross armbreaker. Stacks is back up with another shot but Nakamura kicks him in the head. Kinshasa sends Stacks outside, followed by another to finish him off at 5:22.

Rating: C. Nakamura being back is a nice surprise, but it’s more than a little weird to see Stacks getting in that much offense on him. This actually wasn’t a squash, but rather Stacks being overwhelmed by someone on a much higher level. I’m not sure I get the story here, though hopefully it doesn’t involve Stacks being split off on his own.

Nathan Frazer and Axiom reminisce on their best of three series when Von Wagner, with Mr. Stone, comes in. Wagner mocks them and gets a match with Frazer as a result.

Sonya Deville vs. Alba Fyre

Deville has Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin with her. Neither can hit a kick to start so Fyre headbutts her into the corner. Deville pulls Fyre off the middle rope though and the crash is good for two. A faceplant drops Deville though and Fyre goes up top. That doesn’t work as she has to beat up Toxic Attraction, with Deville accidentally helping by kicking Dolin in the face. A rollup gives Fyre the pin at 2:09.

Post match Toxic Attraction gets back in to go after Fyre, with Mandy Rose making her return to say she she’s ready for Fyre. That’s enough for Fyre to come back with the bat on the other two, before shoving an invading Rose out to the floor.

Oro Mensah and Wes Lee are in the back when Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams come in to start a brawl. They fight into the arena and you know what that means.

Oro Mensah/Wes Lee vs. Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams

We’re joined in progress with Lee headlocking Williams, who fights up with some forearms. Hayes comes in and gets missile dropkicked down by Mensah. Williams trips Mensah down though and Williams gets to stomp away. That doesn’t last long and it’s Lee coming back in to strike away on Hayes. Everything breaks down and Hayes hits a top rope ax kick to finish Lee at 2:52. Short and to the point here, which was “these people are in a ladder match on Saturday so here they are”.

Post match the brawl stays on, with Nathan Frazer running in. Some dives leave everyone laying.

Schism doesn’t like Cameron Grimes running from them over to the OC. No one is stopping them of course.

Bron Breakker is ready to go through JD McDonagh and Ilja Dragunov. As for tonight, he is looking forward to being on the KO Show, because he knows something is going to happen.

Schism vs. OC/Cameron Grimes

Grimes throws Reid around to start and kicks him in the face so it’s off to Fowler, who has about the same luck. Fowler gets taken into the corner and Anderson comes in to work on the arm. Some elbows from Gallows make it worse but a blind tag brings in Reid, who knees Anderson from the apron. Anderson gets beaten down on the floor, meaning it’s time for some Schism hugs. Back in and Anderson wins a slugout with Reid, which is enough for the hot tag to Grimes. Everything breaks down and Schism is knocked outside and we take a break.

We come back with Grimes crossbodying Gacy for two but getting elbowed back down. Grimes can’t quite suplex his way to freedom but he can crawl through Fowler’s legs and bring Gallows in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Reid has to save Fowler from the Magic Killer. Gacy hits Grimes with a backbreaker but Anderson drops him with a neckbreaker. Grimes hits a Cage In and the Magic Killer finishes Reid at 11:56.

Rating: C+. Now LET IT BE OVER. There is no reason for Grimes to be dragged down any more than he already has been by this stupid feud and it needs to end. Gacy is fine enough as a midcard heel but Grimes is someone who could be a big deal in more than one place. That isn’t going to happen with Schism so move on already.

Veer Mahaan isn’t going to say what he said to Sanga last week. Sanga comes in and is ready to talk.

Video on Katana Chance/Kayden Carter vs. Zoey Stark/Nikkita Lyons.

We get the contract signing for the Women’s Tag Team Title match, with Lyons and Stark signing while saying they’re ready to take the titles. Carter and Chance sign as well, saying they’re a real team.

We get a split screen interview between Julius Creed and Damon Kemp, with Julius being ready to fight for his brother’s career. He isn’t intimidated by Kemp and is ready to take him out in an ambulance for what he did to Diamond Mine. Kemp says Creed may be great, but he’s also jealous. That has Julius chuckling, because Kemp isn’t willing to put in the work to be great. Kemp says this is about violence and not skill, but Julius promises to put Kemp in an ambulance on Saturday before storming off.

Shotzi is back to host Halloween Havoc again this year. The fans are rather glad to see her again and she is ready to be all weird and evil. She needs a co-host though so here is Xyon Quinn to say it should be him. Quincy Elliott is here to say the same, so let’s just have a match for the gig.

Quincy Elliott vs. Xyon Quinn

Joined in progress with Quinn hitting a clothesline as Shotzi sits in on commentary. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Elliott is back up with a running elbow. Quinn tries a Samoan drop but Elliott falls on him. Elliott’s splash misses though and Quinn tries for a chair, only to have Hank Walker cut him off. Back in and Elliott hits a splash, setting up a Banzai drop for the pin at 2:53.

Thea Hail is upset over her loss to Kiana James and freaks out in need of a rematch. Andre Chase says they’ll talk about it later and goes over the history of Halloween Havoc, with moments like Hulk Hogan beating Ric Flair, Goldberg vs. Diamond Dallas Page, Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero and Mandy Rose winning the NXT Women’s Title. Their homework is to watch Halloween Havoc, but Chucky pops up on screen to threaten them via swearing, because that is a teachable moment. Hail: “What the F***???” Chase and Bodie Hayward are stunned. As usual, funny stuff.

Pretty Deadly sign their contract for the Tag Team Title match next week. Edris Enofe and Malik Blade aren’t so sure that Pretty Deadly is leaving with the titles.

Cora Jade vs. Raquel Rodriguez

This is the other Pick Your Poison match. Rodriguez backs her into the corner to start so Jade chills on the top. Jade gets dropped face first onto the top turnbuckle and the chops against the announcers’ table make it worse. Back in and Jade manages to get in a few shots before grabbing the baseball bat. Rodriguez takes it away so Jade slaps her in the face. That’s enough for a bat shot to Jade and the DQ at 2:43.

Post match Roxanne Perez comes in and beats Jade up to send her running. Rodriguez puts Perez on her shoulder to celebrate.

Halloween Havoc rundown.

Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs are hosting a party in the back to watch the KO Show and put down some bets on what various people are going to say about Saturday. Sol Ruca walks by on her hands and it’s time to drink. This was a weird collection of cameos.

It’s time for the KO Show for the big finale. Without any introductions, here are Bron Breakker, JD McDonagh and Ilja Dragunov for a chat. Owens talks about how Shawn Michaels wanted him here, oddly enough to keep the peace. McDonagh is asked why he stirs the pot so much but McDonagh says Breakker and Dragunov are the ones who attacked each other last week. Dragunov doesn’t think much of Breakker and promises to take the title from him on Saturday. Breakker: “Over my dead body.”

Owens tries to calm things down, but he doesn’t want McDonagh as the NXT Champion. Owens: “I talked to his mom earlier and SHE doesn’t want him to be NXT Champion!” Dragunov says McDonagh can be great but NEVER a champion. Breakker wants Dragunov in the same category, but Dragunov brings up Breakker actually losing his title.

The challenge is on for right now so Owens takes his leave. Dragunov clears house….and Austin Theory comes out, points at the title, and holds up the briefcase to end the show. Now there’s a twist, and it might be a good thing for Theory. Better this than losing over and over on Raw/Smackdown and eventually becoming a lame champion who is seen as a failure when he doesn’t get over with the title. Good segment overall, as this match needs all the help it can get.

Overall Rating: C+. They were flying through this show and the guest stars didn’t exactly do much, which made the show a bit strange. I get that they were trying to hype up Halloween Havoc and fight back against AEW at the same time, but maybe advertise these names a bit better? The other thing here was that they were moving from one match to another as fast as they could here and little had a chance to set in. I’m not overly excited about Halloween Havoc, but the last segment did make me more interested in the main event. Pretty good show, but I’m not sure how much impact it had.

Results
Rhea Ripley b. Roxanne Perez – Riptide
Shinsuke Nakamura b. Stacks – Kinshasa
Alba Fyre b. Sonya Deville – Rollup
Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams b. Wes Lee/Oro Mensah – Top rope ax kick to Lee
OC/Cameron Grimes b. Schism – Magic Killer to Reid
Quincy Elliott b. Xyon Quinn – Banzai drop
Cora Jade b. Raquel Rodriguez via DQ when Rodriguez hit her with a baseball bat

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