IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: October 26, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

We’re on the way to Survivor Series, meaning that the rosters, which have now been together for all of a week and a half, will suddenly realize how much they can’t stand the people on the other show because of all of their newfound pride. I’m not sure how WWE is going to make us believe that the shows are invading each other when they work in the same building and the people have been appearing on the other shows since the Draft anyway, but this show isn’t the most logical. Let’s get to it.

Here is Hell In A Cell if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Randy Orton beating Drew McIntyre to win the Raw World Title.

Opening sequence.

Here’s McIntyre for a chat. He lost the title last night but he will be getting it back. The loss made him think of the movie Rocky, because Rocky got knocked down a lot but kept getting back up. McIntyre is going to get back up and keep going, but here are Miz and John Morrison to interrupt. McIntyre: “You just messed up.” They praise McIntyre for his title reign but say it’s really doing him a favor. Now he doesn’t have to worry about facing Randy Orton for the title, because Miz is Mr. Money in the Bank.

Miz even talks about beating Orton for the title when he first cashed in the title….right here actually. And it turns out that Orton is a guest on A Moment Of Bliss right here tonight! They hope McIntyre doesn’t take another 19 years to get the title shot but McIntyre headbutts Miz and suplexes Morrison. Miz breaks up the Future Shock though and the two of them get away, minus the briefcase. McIntyre does stomp on Morrison’s sunglasses though and says he has an idea to run by management.

We run down tonight’s three Survivor Series qualifying matches.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy

Before the match, AJ says he is 2-0 on Raw, so why is he in a qualifying match? Hasn’t he proven himself around the world? Does he have to prove himself to Adam Pearce and the rest of the jokers in the back? AJ should be the captain of Team Raw because he is the face that runs this place. He is still over Hardy using a knee brace to win a match and promises to make Jeff with he was still on the bottle.

We start fast with Jeff hammering away but stopping to dive onto Jordan, who catches him in the air and we take a break. Back with AJ hitting a brainbuster for two but the Phenomenal Forearm is broken up. The basement dropkick gives Hardy two of his own and there’s the slingshot dropkick in the corner for the same. AJ’s fireman’s carry backbreaker gives him a breather though and it’s the torture rack powerbomb for two more. Hardy fights back but has to stop to glare at Jordan, allowing AJ to catch him on top. AJ sends him into the buckle and the Phenomenal Forearm sends AJ to Survivor Series at 9;57.

Rating: C. This was more about making AJ look like a threat because of Jordan being out there with him and that’s fine. Hardy isn’t going to be hurt by a loss and AJ belongs on the team. The wrestling was completely acceptable because it was AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy but beyond that, the action wasn’t the point here.

Post match AJ and Jordan leave so here’s Elias to hit Hardy with another guitar.

R-Truth is ready for all of his challengers. He eats and sleeps dangerously so much that his name is R Franklin Dangerously Cobblepot Truth.

Susan G. Kommen video.

Lucha House Party vs. Akira Tozawa/Drew Gulak

Gulak and Dorado knock each other down to start and here’s R-Truth to walk around the ring. Tozawa rolls him up for two and everyone goes after Truth until Gulak grabs a rollup to actually win the tag match at 2:07.

Post match everyone tries to pin Truth but he runs off.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House where everyone is having a tea party. Ramblin Rabbit doesn’t understand any Bray is upset because Hell in a Cell is awesome. Cue Alexa Bliss with some special tea for Rabbit. It has strawberry, peach, cinnamon and a secret ingredient. Why yes, it is arsenic, and Rabbit dies again.

Bray thinks they’re all mad to come here because this is a wacky place. You need to let him heal you, so Bliss goes into her trance and says let him in. Rabbit tells Honey Bunny that he’s coming home and Bray beats him senseless as Bliss laughs. Bray is looking forward to seeing Randy Orton on A Moment Of Bliss tonight. BYE! Of note: this segment included camera shots of the non-existent crowd watching the screen. They felt the need to show monitors watching monitors. Twice. Think about that for a second and try to keep your brains in your skulls.

We look back at Braun Strowman beating Keith Lee last week with a low blow.

Keith Lee says there was nothing fair about last week and promises to show Braun a real monster next week. Tonight it’s about getting on the Survivor Series team though, because that’s what’s important around here.

Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler argue over who is the team captain. HEY! DID YOU KNOW THEY ARGUE A LOT??? BECAUSE THEY ARGUE A LOT! GET IT???

Here’s Elias for a song before his match. His new album is #2 on the charts so let’s get it to #1. The playing begins but there’s something else going on.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: Elias vs. Keith Lee

Lee runs him over to start and hits a running crossbody to put Elias on the floor. A Pounce sends Elias over the announcers’ table and we take a break. Back with Elias fighting out of an armbar and knocking Lee down. An elbow drop gets two but Lee is right back with a powerslam. Lee hammers away in the corner but Elias faceplants him down for two. Cue Jeff Hardy’s music for a distraction though and Lee is back with the Spirit Bomb for the pin at 9:58.

Rating: D+. Lee is now to the point where he needs interference to beat ELIAS in about ten minutes. Remember like two months ago when he was the unstoppable monster of NXT? Yeah forget all that, because now he is just another person in the overflowing midcard on Raw. It’s incredibly frustrating and really not that surprising, which is a lot of the problems in WWE in one situation.

Post match, Hardy breaks a guitar over Elias’ back.

The Hurt Business yells at someone for daring to go near their bathroom.

We recap Orton winning the title last night.

Orton doesn’t care who is coming for the title because there is only one Randy Orton and that means the same thing for everyone.

Long video on the Hurt Business vs. Retribution. I really wouldn’t advise reminding us of that.

Retribution vs. Hurt Business

Elimination rules. Before the match, MVP talks about how the Hurt Business has been taking the fight to Retribution as part of a deal with Raw. Once they are dispatched, it will be time to collect payment, and the Hurt Business wants to be paid in gold. Lashley and T-Bar get things going and they fight over the lockup to start. They slug away (sweet goodness with the camera cuts) until Lashley powers him down with a Downward Spiral. It’s off to MVP to hammer away as well but T-Bar gets in a shot to the ribs, allowing the tag to Mace.

The pounding continues and Slapjack hits a dropkick to the back of the head for two. MVP is back with a running boot in the corner and an exploder gets two. Cue Reckoning on the apron to…scratch herself a lot and shout GET OFF ME, suggesting that there are bugs all over her (or she’s a fan of Billy Kidman’s time in the Flock). The distraction lets Slapjack roll MVP up for the pin, but she keeps writhing around and freaking out as we take a break.

Back with Lashley waistlocking Slapjack as we see Reckoning admitting the whole thing was faked during the break, earning herself an elimination. The spear gets rid of Slapjack without much effort so it’s T-Bar in to beat on Lashley. They fight to the floor and that’s a double countout to get us down to Alexander/Benjamin vs. Mace/Ali. Alexander goes after Mace in a hurry but gets knocked into the corner.

Mace pounds away in the corner and hits a running splash but Alexander knocks Ali off the apron. A boot to the face staggers Mace and it’s the Neuralizer into Paydirt to finish Mace and get it down to 2-1. Cedric starts pounding on Ali, who manages a running kick to knock Benjamin off the apron. A big backdrop puts Ali down though and Alexander kicks him to the floor. That’s fine with Ali, who hits Alexander with the chair for the DQ at 13:49.

Rating: D+. This is the kind of ending that would usually be fine for a team like Retribution, but given that they have lost every match they have had so far, including some via clean submission, this is another nail in their already hole filled coffin. At least they didn’t save this for Survivor Series, because it would have been the biggest waste of time since Four Doinks. Nothing match, but the death of Retribution continues to be more sad than anything else.

Post match the Hurt Business chases Ali off.

Angel Garza hits on Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke and Nia Jax, who gets rid of them. With Garza gone, Jax/Baszler and Mandy/Dana argue over who the captains should be. Oh and watch the titles. Shayna can’t believe Nia seems interested in Garza. Jax: “Why not?” Are we really going to have to sit through this “I’M THE CAPTAIN” stuff for the next month again?

The Miz vs. Drew McIntyre

John Morrison is here with Miz and his distraction lets Miz go after the knee. That goes badly for Miz as McIntyre knocks him to the floor for the chop, only to get sent ribs first into the steps. Back in and Morrison’s cheap shot actually works, allowing Miz to hammer away. McIntyre doesn’t seem to mind and nips back up, only to have the Future Shock broken up. Morrison’s briefcase shot misses and Drew sends the briefcase flying. Back in and the Claymore finishes Miz at 4:13.

Rating: D+. Just a quick match here to show that McIntyre is still around. The match was a glorified handicap match anyway so McIntyre gets to look extra good in a short outing. It isn’t like Miz losing is going to hurt him whatsoever and the briefcase will keep him relevant for a long time to come.

New Day, dressed as the Street Profits (with Kofi getting a little groggy from the red solo cup), are ready for Survivor Series where it’s champions vs. champions. That means the Street Profits vs. the New Day, Asuka (who comes in) vs. Sasha Banks, Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns and, with the Hurt Business coming in, Bobby Lashley vs. Sami Zayn. MVP says they have their eyes on the Tag Team Titles too but Asuka starts the New Day Rocks dance to get rid of the Hurt Business.

Adam Pearce and Pat Buck are here to introduce the Raw women’s Survivor Series team: Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke and….hang on as Nia wants to announce the fifth member because she’s the captain. Not so fast because Shayna thinks she’s the captain, but Pearce makes a four way to crown the fifth member.

Lana vs. Lacey Evans vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross

It’s a brawl to start with Royce diving onto Cross and Evans as we take a break thirty seconds in. Back with Royce running Cross over for two but Cross is back up to dive onto Lana. Cross’ high crossbody gets two on Royce as we hear about Elias’ album reaching #1 on Apple Music. Lana comes back in (tripping over the ropes a bit on the way) and is promptly hit with the Woman’s Right to give Evans two. Lacey’s superplex attempt on Cross is broken up and Cross knocks Peyton down as well. The Tower of Doom works well enough though…and Lana steals the pin at 8:05.

Rating: D. And there it is, despite very little drama in the whole thing. Who else was going to win here? Lana is the spunky underdog of the team and in a normal promotion, she would make a big impact at Survivor Series. In other words, odds are she is eliminated in two minutes after Nia crushes her through a table again.

Post match Nia hugs Lana before driving her through the announcers’ table for the sixth time.

Randy Orton isn’t worried about the Fiend and Alexa Bliss coming after him on A Moment Of Bliss. If Fiend wants to get involved, Orton can introduce him to the RKO.

Mustafa Ali says Retribution isn’t a failure because they will win when everyone else suffers. Yeah no one believes you.

Survivor Series Qualifying Match: Sheamus vs. Matt Riddle

Riddle goes for the legs to start so Sheamus bails out to the floor. Back in and Sheamus grabs a headlock to take him to the mat but Riddle muscles him up into a gutwrench suplex. Sheamus hits the Irish Curse, only to have Riddle knock him outside for the flipping dive as we take a break. Back with Riddle winning a strike off and kicking Sheamus in the head. The Broton gets two but Sheamus is back up with a knee to the face for the same.

Sheamus goes up but Riddle catches him with a top rope exploder superplex. Riddle goes up this time but the Floating Bro hits knees. Another Irish Curse is countered into a rear naked choke, which is broken up as well. The Brogue Kick misses and Riddle grabs a bridging German suplex for two more. Riddle’s back gives out on the Bro Derek attempt though and Sheamus Brogue Kicks him for the pin at 12:48.

Rating: B-. I’ve been a Sheamus fan for a long time now but SHEAMUS??? Pinning Matt Riddle completely clean in a match with some stakes? This was a brutal and hard hitting match but they have these options and they picked Sheamus? For the life of me I don’t get this company at times and it can get rather head scratch inducing trying to make it work.

It’s time for A Moment Of Bliss with Randy Orton as the special guest. Orton isn’t interested in sitting so Bliss asks him if he was surprised about his win last night. Of course not, so Bliss asks about Orton and McIntyre burning the house down. Orton knows what that means and asks about the Fiend, but here’s McIntyre instead. The fight is on with a laughing Bliss sitting on the top rope.

The Claymore is loaded up but we’ve got the Fiend. Well at least the Fiend’s entrance, which Orton uses to escape. Orton knows what’s behind him though….and is actually smart enough to walk forward and fight with McIntyre instead of turning to face the Fiend. McIntyre is dropped onto the announcers’ table and Orton pounds away to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. Above all else, this show was miles better than last week and that’s what I needed out of it. There was a point to this and while I don’t get a lot of the booking choices, they did some things that made sense and advanced us towards Survivor Series. I still wouldn’t call it good as there were some bad matches, but you can see where they’re going for the pay per view. Just tighten some things up and get rid of some stupid ideas and we’ll be in for a pretty good show. This wasn’t great, but it was an upgrade and that’s what they were badly needing.

Results

AJ Styles b. Jeff Hardy – Phenomenal Forearm

Drew Gulak/Akira Tozawa b. Lucha House Party – Rollup to Dorado

Keith Lee b. Elias – Spirit Bomb

Hurt Business b. Retribution via DQ when Mustafa Ali used a chair

Drew McIntyre b. The Miz – Claymore

Lana b. Lacey Evans, Nikki Cross and Peyton Royce – Tower of Doom to Cross

Sheamus b. Matt Riddle – Brogue Kick

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: October 19, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Samoa Joe

It’s time for the first look at the new Raw roster as well as the go home show for Hell In A Cell. I like that a lot more than leaving the Cell as a lame duck show, but they are going to need to add some stuff to the card. We currently have one Raw match for the pay per view and that’s not going to be enough. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence, with a new theme song.

The announcers give an extended rundown of the card.

Here’s Alexa Bliss to say let him in. Cue the Fiend…and here’s Retribution as well. They surround Fiend and Bliss but the lights go off again and the two are gone. Cue the Hurt Business to clear the ring, with Cedric Alexander hitting the big flip dive to take it to a break.

Hurt Business vs. Retribution

Lashley takes T-Bar into the corner to start and hits a quick Downward Spiral. Slapjack comes in and gets taken down in a delayed vertical suplex so it’s off to Alexander. The beating takes Slapjack into the corner so MVP can stomp away. Slapjack is sent into the corner corner for some cheering from Mace and T-Bar, allowing Slapjack to wristdrag Alexander out of the corner.

Ali dropkicks Alexander in the arm and hits a running kick to the back of the head for one. Alexander gets sent face first into the top turnbuckle and Ali gets to taunt the rest of the team. They all head outside for the big staredown….and it’s the Fiend on the screen. Back from a break with Mace and Shelton Benjamin slugging it out until Shelton knocks him down hard. It’s back to Lashley to spear T-Bar but Ali makes the save. The Hurt Lock goes on and T-Bar taps at 10:58.

Rating: C. Do they really just hate this team? Who has the stable lose both of their first major matches, including one by clean tap out? This was another situation where you have to scratch your head, but at least….yeah I’m not sure what at least. I know it wasn’t a good idea, but if this is the best they can do, why are we wasting our time?

Post match the Fiend pops up again and lays out Retribution on his own. The Hurt Business stares at him and here’s Alexa on the screen to say LET ME IN in Fiend’s voice.

Here’s AJ Styles, with Jordan Omogbehin (the former Giant Ninja and Raw Underground bouncer) for a chat before his match. Before the match, AJ talks about how Raw finally drafted a true leader. Seth Rollins had his Messiah complex and Jeff Hardy was out here screwing something else up, so AJ knew it was time to reclaim the promised land. Last week AJ beat both of them at once and now it’s time to shepherd Raw into the future. Now it’s a new era and it belongs to the face that runs the place.

AJ Styles vs. Matt Riddle

The bell rings and Jordan won’t leave, so the referee starts counting. Jordan grabs his hand and eventually leaves on his own, meaning we can get going. AJ hammers away to start but gets knocked down by a single chop to the chest. That’s enough to knock AJ outside but Jordan trips Riddle down as we take a break. Back with Riddle in trouble but managing a kick to the face for a double knockdown.

The Broton hits raised feet but Riddle scores with the Final Flash. AJ is back with the Pele, which Riddle shrugs off and hits a German suplex. AJ’s fireman’s carry backbreaker gets two and they’re both down again. Riddle grabs a fisherman’s suplex into a small package for two but the Floating Bro is broken up. AJ shoves him out to the floor, where Omogbehin is waiting to stare Riddle down. That scares Riddle back inside for an enziguri and the Styles Clash for the pin on Riddle at 11:25.

Rating: C+. They beat each other up rather well here and I can go for Omogbehin and Styles as the new monster and wrestler. That’s the kind of thing that has worked for years and it will work well here too. Riddle losing is a little surprising but I could imagine a rematch next week, as there probably should be.

Video on Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre, at least since Clash Of Champions.

Drew McIntyre talks about how intelligent Randy Orton really is. McIntyre should have been done with him at Clash Of Champions but then Orton took out all of the legends. It was a smart move because Drew has a temper issue. Yeah Randy has more experience in the Cell, but Drew has more life experience than Orton could ever have. Orton has an interview later, and Drew might show up.

Women’s Title: Lana vs. Asuka

Lana is challenging and gets headlocked to start. Asuka runs her over and dances, setting up the Asuka Lock but Lana is in the rope in a hurry. A rollup gives Lana two and she kicks Asuka down for the same. Lana kicks her down again but the Asuka Lock retains the title at 2:16.

Post match here are Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler to jump Asuka and put Lana through the announcers’ table for the fifth time. Back in and Asuka gets to her feet to kick Shayna to the floor and escape.

Post break Nia Jax says that was teamwork even though she and Shayna Baszler don’t like each other. Shayna says she would have used a better word and more bickering ensues. Either way, they dominate and own the Women’s Tag Team Titles, so they own both women’s divisions. Cue Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke, with Shayna rolling her eyes. Hold on though as here are Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce as well. Peyton and Lacey get on the apron and bump into each other but we have a triple threat anyway. Actually hang on because let’s make it a four way.

Riott Squad vs. Mandy Rose/Dana Brooke vs. Peyton Royce/Lacey Evans vs. Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler

I believe this is non-title and everyone gets in the ring to go after the champions to start. Commentary isn’t sure if the titles are on the line either but eventually come to the conclusion that they aren’t. Everything heads to the floor and Royce dives off the apron, followed by Evans moonsaulting from the apron onto everyone. The Squad hit dives off the top of their own and the other six are down on the floor as we take a break.

Back with Peyton having to get Lacey’s attention for a tag but Liv knocks Lacey into the corner anyway. Ruby comes in but gets taken down for a right hand to the ribs. Mandy comes in but has to slip out of a slam from Nia. Dana comes in but she and Mandy are suplexed by Jax at the same time.

Mandy’s jumping knee drops Nia and Dana adds the Swanton for two with Shayna making the save. Everything breaks down and it’s Liv unloading in Nia. A running dropkick puts Nia in the ropes so it a Codebreaker into the Riott Kick for two on Lacey with Shayna making the save. Shayna Kirifuda Clutches Riott on the floor and it’s Nia tagging herself back in. The Samoan drop finishes Evans at 8:26.

Rating: D+. So you know the unstoppable monsters who can’t get along and have no competition? Well they just ran through the only other teams on the show and a makeshift team, all after wrecking Lana again. At least they don’t have Nia vs. Asuka again yet, but you can probably guarantee that it’s coming.

We look back at Jeff Hardy allegedly injuring Elias to put him on the shelf for five months. Then Elias returned last week with a big guitar shot to Hardy to cost him a triple threat.

Here’s Elias with a band for a concert. He talks about his album coming out next week and starts with a song called Amen. After the fairly catchy song, Elias says thank you and he loves none of us. Elias comes back out to do another song but gets cut off by a rogue guitar player. Of course it’s Jeff, who break the guitar and says he didn’t hit Elias with the car.

Miz and John Morrison are glad about what they have done to Otis because Mandy Rose is arm candy and you know what Otis is like around candy. Tucker comes in to say they’re not nice and a tag match is made for later.

Elias rants about his music being disrespected and wants Hardy on Sunday.

Sheamus vs. Kofi Kingston

Before the match, Xavier Woods rants about everything going wrong but Kofi tells him to breathe. Sheamus comes out to interrupt and of course he has something to say too. This is two thirds of the New Day and they’re both getting Brogue Kicked. New Day says the team isn’t broken up and promises to continue spreading their seed (Woods: “OF POSITIVITY!”) around WWE. They also mention that Big E. dropped Sheamus on a car while he was looking ashy on television.

We finally get going with an exchange of strikes until Sheamus gets knocked outside. Kofi’s dive is caught and he’s dropped face first onto the apron as we take a break. Back with Sheamus working on a chinlock and shouting a lot. The running ax handle sets up the ten forearms to Kofi’s chest. An Irish Curse connects as we see Big E. watching from the video crowd, which is apparently enough to spark Kofi’s comeback. Kofi fights back with the jumping clothesline into the Boom Drop, followed by the spinning high crossbody for two.

Kingston goes up again but dives into a spinning release Rock Bottom. The Cloverleaf goes on but Kofi reverses into a cradle for two. Sheamus gets his own two off an Alabama Slam and goes up, only to get pulled down with a super Russian legsweep for two more. The SOS is countered into a rollup but Kofi is right back with a crucifix for the same. Trouble in Paradise out of nowhere connects to give Kofi the pin at 13:05.

Rating: C. Decent match here, though it felt like they were told to go out there and fill in time. It also doesn’t help that you had Woods talking throughout the whole thing and getting more and more annoying throughout. These two can have a good enough match no matter what they’re doing and there were worse ways to use the time, but it was nothing that they haven’t done before.

We recap the opening, with both the Hurt Business and the Fiend beating up the Hurt Business.

Mustafa Ali says that the Fiend and the Hurt Business made a mistake. Ali’s power isn’t strength in numbers but rather in chaos. All he needs is a laptop, a cell phone or a secret and with one click, he can make anyone’s world come crumbling down. Over the summer while WWE couldn’t find a way to make a buck off someone like Mustafa Ali, he was watching everyone stab each other in the back to get ahead.

He was the Smackdown hacker and this sick place is infecting everyone with greed and corruption. Talented people are being left to die but Ali has united them and he promised that their truth will be heard. If you try to get in their way, they will shut you down. Good promo and reveal, so WHY DID YOU HAVE THEM LOSE EARLIER TONIGHT???

Titus O’Neil tries to join the Hurt Business and gets beaten down.

Miz/John Morrison vs. Tucker/???

Hold on because OF COURSE MIZ AND MORRISON HAVE TO TALK FIRST BECAUSE THIS IS A TALK SHOW THIS WEEK. Tucker comes out and….his partner is Otis in a mask as El Gran Gordo. Miz calls him out for the nonsense and Otis says Si Tucky. Miz says it looks like Otis ate Lucha House Party and rips on Otis for not being Money in the Bank material. He split up Heavy Machinery and Otis and Mandy because you can put a mask on a pig but it’s still a pig. The fight is on and we go to the back before the bell, because THIS NEEDS A COMMERCIAL BREAK.

Morrison takes Tucker down to start but he throws Morrison away, allowing the hot tag to Otis. A running clothesline puts Morrison on the floor and Miz charges into a boot to the face. Otis hits a bottom rope armdrag….and here’s R-Truth with the 24/7 Title to walk through the ring as Drew Gulak and Akira Tozawa follow him around. Lucha House Party follows as Otis hits a splash in the corner into the Caterpillar. The Vader Bomb pins Miz at 4:36.

Rating: D. I’m not going to go into some rant about how this was the dumbest thing ever because honestly, it wasn’t even that bad. This came at the wrong time after a show that has already done nothing to earn any kind of praise whatsoever and that’s not on the wrestlers. The Heavy Machinery vs. Miz/Morrison feud has been bad since the beginning, but this was far from some bottom of the barrel, worst thing I’ve ever seen deal. Just….stop talking so much already. Please.

Post break, New Day and Heavy Machinery celebrate as Mandy brings Otis a ham.

Here’s the Firefly Fun House with Bray Wyatt talking about how he’s sad to leave his friends on Smackdown. At least they have started on the fight foot, which includes clips of the attacks on Retribution. Ramblin Rabbit reveals that he is both a husband and a father so Bray promises to be a better friend. We get a montage of Ramblin Rabbit being murdered in various ways and Bray says the future is in their hands. Then Mercy the Muzzard eats Ramblin again. Someone knocks at the door though and it’s….Alexa Bliss, because the fun is just getting started. BYE!

Braun Strowman vs. Keith Lee

They go straight to the floor with Strowman running him over, only to have Lee come right back with shots to the ribs. Back in and Lee drives shoulders in the corner before running Strowman over again. Strowman comes back with a pretty low headbutt and a big boot for the pin at 3:16.

Rating: F. Strowman is big and strong and that’s the extent of his descriptions. Lee is someone who could be a star, so let’s job him out in three minutes because this show really is that stupid at times. I would say I’m sure Lee will be fine, but why should I keep kidding myself at this point?

Post match Lee kicks him low and says dont’ mess with him.

The Cell is lowered and here’s Randy Orton for a chat, because there was no way this show was ending with anything but talking. Orton sits in a chair in the middle of the ring and talks about all of his memories in the Cell. He remembers hurting Jeff Hardy and others, but all of his opponents were legends. That word interests him because there are legends and then there are legendary moments, like when McIntyre beat Brock Lesnar….and here’s Drew to interrupt. Orton says McIntyre can come on in so Drew grabs some bolt cutters and opens the door. Drew comes in and slams the Cell shut and the show goes off the air.

Overall Rating: D-. I hated this. Hated it hated it hated it hated it. I just spent three hours watching WWE saying Retribution means nothing because they’ve lost their first two matches (yes I’m sure they’ll be around and they’ll start winning), that Keith Lee isn’t as important as Braun freaking Strowman and TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK. We came into tonight with three matches for Sunday and we left tonight with three matches for Sunday. Oh wait: Elias vs. Jeff Hardy will probably be added too because that’s all they had time for.

This show felt like they had nothing planned and no idea what they were going to do for three hours (other than have Lana get beaten up again because HAHA HER HUSBAND WORKS FOR THEM NOW) so they just threw out whatever they could think of and hoped for average. We sat through five hours of the Draft and Smackdown came out with a pretty nice show. WWE knows how to do this kind of thing with little time to set it up and yet here we are, with one of the most annoying and worst shows I can remember in years. Bring on Sunday, because it can always get worse (and WWE will figure out how).

Results

Hurt Business b. Retribution – Hurt Lock to T-Bar

AJ Styles b. Matt Riddle – Styles Clash

Asuka b. Lana – Asuka Lock

Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler b. Riott Squad, Peyton Royce/Lacey Evans and Mandy Rose/Dana Brooke – Samoan drop to Evans

Kofi Kingston b. Sheamus – Trouble in Paradise

Tucker/El Gran Gordo b. Miz/John Morrison – Vader Bomb to Miz

Braun Strowman b. Keith Lee – Big boot

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: October 9, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s a special night as we kick off the 2020 Draft. The roster is broken up into two pools so if you don’t see a big name mentioned tonight, odds are they’re only going to be available on Monday. This is always worth a look and we have Sasha Banks vs. Bayley for the Women’s Title as a main event. Let’s get to it.

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

Stephanie McMahon is here to announce the picks.

To Raw: Drew McIntyre

To Smackdown: Roman Reigns

Raw: Asuka

Smackdown: Seth Rollins

Raw: The Hurt Business

Seth Rollins is a little heartbroken because he will miss Raw but now he never has to look at the Mysterio Family again. So we’ve seen our first miracle.

Big E. vs. Sheamus

Falls Count Anywhere. Sheamus starts fast with a Regal Roll for two but Big E. is right back with the spear through the ropes for two on the floor. It’s time for some weapons with Big E. pulling out a kendo stick, only to walk into a jumping knee. Sheamus ties him into the ropes and unloads with the stick before going underneath the ring for some more toys. The delay lets Big E. grab some duct tape and tie his feet together, meaning it’s Sheamus getting hit with the stick as we take a break.

Back with Sheamus’ feet untied and the brawl having moved backstage. It’s time to go over to catering, with Big E. getting covered in flour and eggs. With Sheamus’ back covered in welts from the sticks, they fight into the office area, where Big E. gets in some shots with a broom. A few trashcan shots keep Sheamus down and they go out into the parking garage. Big E. stops for some hand sanitizer but Sheamus gets in a tire iron shot.

White Noise through a windshield has Big E. in even more trouble and Sheamus throws him into the trunk. Sheamus tries to slam the trunk on Big E.’s arm but Big E. kicks his way to freedom. The Brogue Kick hits the trunk, which goes flying off the car. Now it’s Sheamus getting sent through a windshield, setting up a Big Ending from the hood of a car through a table for the pin at 14:44.

Rating: B-. They were going for the brutality here, but that only works so well when you have the eggs and flour in the middle. It got a lot more violent when things moved over to the parking garage though and Big E. felt like he got an important win. This could have been better though and it felt like they were trying to put in too much lighthearted material.

Post break, Big E. is interviewed about his match but here are Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods for the big return. Woods talks about how they need their Tag Team Team Titles back, though Big E. isn’t as into it (which may be due to the whole violent match he just finished thing).

Here’s Jey Uso for a chat. He wants to know what the stipulation is going to be for his match with Roman Reigns but there is no Reigns to speak of. Paul Heyman pops up on screen to say Jey can’t pick the time when Reigns appears, but Reigns (not here) applauds his ambition. Those who become too ambitious and want to come up against the champ will receive this, which sends us into a package on the Clash Of Champions match.

We pan over to Reigns sitting next to Heyman, who says his father taught him to only believe half of what you see in wrestling. As for what Jey just saw though, you can believe that. Reigns tried to help Jey and all he had to do was say the words. Jey had to acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief, so now we are going to have an I Quit match inside the Cell. Reigns just wanted to help Jey because he loves him, but after Jey quits, there will be consequences.

Commentary congratulates Stephanie for topping Forbes’ list of Chief Marketing Officers. Topping, coming in second place, apparently the same thing in WWE these days.

Time for more picks.

Raw – AJ Styles

Smackdown – Sasha Banks

Raw – Naomi

Smackdown – Bianca Belair

Raw – Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler (allowed to wrestle on all shows as Women’s Tag Team Champions)

I like that Naomi/Belair swap as Naomi needs a fresh start and Belair needs a start in the first place.

AJ Styles says he should have been the first pick for Smackdown but he wants to get away from that cheater Jeff Hardy and the neckbeard Sami Zayn.

Miz/John Morrison vs. Matt Riddle/Jeff Hardy

This was made on social media as Riddle said he wanted to team with Hardy just in case they switched placed. Riddle starts fast and knocks Miz and Morrison outside as we take an early break. Back with Morrison cranking on Hardy’s neck but Hardy gets over for the tag to Riddle. That means a quick Broton and, after knocking Morrison to the floor, the Bro Derek finishes Miz at 5:31. Nowhere near enough shown to rate and it didn’t do much in the time it had.

Post match LARS SULLIVAN returns and wrecks Hardy and Riddle. The destruction doesn’t take long and Miz gets beaten up as well.

More picks, with Lars Sullivan being added to Monday’s Draft pool.

Raw – Ricochet

Smackdown – Jey Uso

Raw – Mandy Rose

Smackdown – Dominik/Rey Mysterio

Raw – The Miz/John Morrison

Wait…..the ROLLINS FEUD COULD CONTINUE???? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME???? And Miz moves again! THE TRADITION CONTINUES!!!

The Mysterios are happy to be staying together and promise that it’s not over with Rollins. That’s not fair.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks

Bayley is defending and brings the chair with her. Banks goes after her before the bell and strikes away early, including a stomping in the corner. Bayley tries to leave but Banks grabs her by the hair and takes things back inside. The Bank Statement goes on but Bayley reverses into a rollup for two. Banks gets her own two off a rollup and it’s another Bank Statement, sending Bayley into the ropes again. That’s enough for Bayley, who grabs the chair and hits Banks in the ribs for the DQ at 2:28. That’s exactly what they should have done in this situation.

Post match Bayley misses a chair shot and gets sent face first into the chair. Bayley bails from the threat of more violence.

We look at Kevin Owens asking Alexa Bliss about the Fiend’s influence and getting Mandible Clawed for his efforts.

Alexa Bliss comes up to Kevin Owens and says let him in.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: New Day vs. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura

New Day, meaning Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, are challenging here. Woods starts running around Cesaro to start and slides between his legs, setting up a forearm in the corner. The Day Break connects for an early two on Cesaro and we take an early break. Back with Woods fighting out of the corner and hitting the Honor Roll on Cesaro.

Woods hits a dropkick through the ropes to Cesaro and a springboard DDT plants Nakamura. Kofi hits a tornado DDT to the floor but dives into Cesaro’s uppercut. The Cesaro Swing into the Kinshasa is broken up by Woods and there’s Trouble in Paradise to Cesaro. Nakamura kicks Kingston down for two but Woods makes the save. After dropping Nakamura again, Woods hits the springboard elbow for the pin and the titles at 8:22.

Rating: C+. Well dang man. I was getting into Cesaro and Nakamura as champions and now they lose them this fast? I’m really not sure what the point is in having New Day win the titles again, but we are long past the point where the titles mean anything for New Day. I’m not sure what they can do, but New Day is always at least worth a look.

Time for the final round of picks.

Raw – Kofi Kingston/Xavier Woods

Smackdown – Big E.

Raw – Dana Brooke

Smackdown – Otis

Raw – Angel Garza

You could feel the air going out of the building when the team was split up but….what else are they supposed to do together? If there has been a more successful trio in WWE history, they’re eluding me at the moment (they even beat Shield due to longevity and titles) but it’s not like they have anything left to do. It’s a risky move, but I can get the idea, especially if it means Big E.’s singles push is for real. That being said, Woods screaming “SAY E! SAY E!” after he and Kofi were moved to Raw was kind of heartbreaking.

Heavy Machinery is ready for Otis’ court case but Miz’s lawyer has filed a continuance so we’ll return to this later.

We look at the Women’s Title match from earlier.

Sasha Banks challenges Bayley to meet her in the Cell.

Next week on the Season Premiere: Roman Reigns defends against Braun Strowman and New Day’s final six man tag.

Kevin Owens vs. The Fiend

This is Fiend’s first ever match on television. Owens sends him straight into the corner to start and hits the Cannonball…but Fiend pops back up. The crossbody drops Owens to the floor and there’s a clothesline to turn him inside out. Back in and Fiend no sells another shot before knocking Owens outside again. Sister Abigail onto the announcers’ table has Owens down again and we take a break.

Back with Owens hitting three straight superkicks to knock Fiend down into the corner. Another Cannonball connects and Fiend stays down for a bit, setting up a third Cannonball. They head outside again with Owens hitting a DDT on the floor, followed by an apron splash. Owens hits the Pop Up Powerbomb through the announcers’ table but Fiend is right back up. The Mandible Claw goes on inside again so Owens hits a Stunner, which doesn’t break the hold. Owens is out at 9:59.

Rating: C+. This was much more an angle than a match as the idea was to reheat the Fiend. I’d call that a big success as Fiend looks unstoppable again (provided you don’t put him in there with someone who uses a spear). Owens has credibility and was easily dispatched, so what else can you ask for here? They did what they were trying to do and it worked out rather well.

Post match the lights go out and here’s Alexa Bliss to stare at the Fiend. They both look back at Owens and then stare at each other again to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. There are certain shows where your overall take is going to vary wildly and that is the case here. The wrestling was completely not the point on this show, as they were going for making a bunch of splashes. As a result, this came off more the post Wrestlemania show with returns, surprises and twists, all of which made the night fly by. I had a great time with this, if nothing else for the sake of it being so different. It may not have been a great wrestling show, but it was an entertaining night and that’s what you have to do sometimes. I can see people not liking it and I won’t argue that, but I had a good time.

Results

Big E. b. Sheamus – Big Ending through a table

Matt Riddle/Jeff Hardy b. Miz/John Morrison – Bro Derek to Miz

Sasha Banks b. Bayley via DQ when Bayley used a chair

New Day b. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura – Springboard elbow to Nakamura

The Fiend b. Kevin Owens – Mandible Claw

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: October 2, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We are past Clash Of Champions and the pretty amazing moment between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso in the main event. Reigns wants to be acknowledged as the Tribal Chief of the Anoa’i Family and beat his family to get what he wanted. Even Paul Heyman seems scared of what he has done and now we will get to see where things are going. Let’s get to it.

Here is Clash Of Champions if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Reigns destroying Jey until Jimmy Uso came down to throw in the towel.

Here are Heyman and Reigns for Reigns to be officially crowned Tribal Chief. Heyman, sounding shaken, says it’s time for the crowning, but Reigns says he wants to hear Jey Uso acknowledge him. Cue Jey to say he doesn’t know Reigns, who showed his true colors on Sunday. Jey did as well though, because Reigns beat him up. Reigns won’t break his spirit though, and if Jimmy didn’t throw in the towel, Jey would be champion.

Reigns says if Jey wasn’t proud of what he did, Clash was the worst night of his career, both professionally and personally. That’s not what he wanted to do going into that match because he was trying to help Jey. All he wanted to do was put his name in the main event for once. He loves Jey more than Jimmy does and all Jey had to do was acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief.

All he wanted was to represent the family to the fullest, but Jey disrespected him. Jey broke his heart and even now, Jey can’t look him in his eyes. If Jey wants another shot, sure he can have it. We’ll do it at Hell In A Cell, but it will have the highest stakes in WWE history. Reigns hugs him and whispers something in his ear that the microphone doesn’t entirely pick up and walks off with Heyman.

Jey cuts him off though and says whatever the stakes are, Reigns is on. Cole implies that the match is going to be inside the Cell but neither Jey nor Reigns said that. With Reigns and Heyman gone, here is AJ Styles to say it doesn’t matter who gets the most chicken bones at the end of the table. AJ says Jimmy is the better athlete anyway and Jey is just the runt. Jey knocks him outside and hits a dive off the announcers’ table.

Jey Uso vs. AJ Styles

AJ starts with the trash talk (in the loudly mic’d up ring) but gets kicked down. A headbutt to the chest connects but AJ avoids a charge in the corner. Some kicks to the back and chest set up the jumping knee to Uso for an early two. Uso gets catapulted throat first into the bottom rope but he’s fine enough to counter the Styles Clash. AJ gets sent outside again but he’s fine enough to cut off a dive with a kick to the head. There’s a suplex to put Jey onto the announcers’ table and we take a break.

Back with Jey fighting out of a chinlock and grabbing a neckbreaker for two. The superkick is cut off though and AJ grabs the fireman’s carry backbreaker for his own two. Uso kicks him to the floor and hits the big dive but the Superfly Splash hits knees. Jey breaks up the Phenomenal Forearm though and hits a low superkick to set up the Superfly Splash for the upset pin at 10:46.

Rating: B-. This is a heck of an upset win for Jey but it isn’t the biggest stretch in the world and that’s one of the better things about being such a successful tag wrestler. No Jey hasn’t done these things on his own, but he has had success elsewhere so this isn’t coming completely out of nowhere. Good match too, which shouldn’t be a surprise given who was in there.

Post match Jey looks serious and keeps saying “I’m gonna get him.”

We look at Sami Zayn winning the ladder match.

Sami as both Intercontinental Titles and says he knows people are expecting him to gloat. Tonight is a whirlwind of emotions though and at the top of that list is resentment and anger. Initially his anger was against the fans because no one said a word when he was stripped of the titles. When AJ won the fraudulent title the fans cheered and then they just accepted it when he lost it to Jeff Hardy. As the only one around here with any principles, Sami throws the new title in the trash.

We recap Miz and Morrison trying to get Otis to hand over the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Next week: Otis defends himself in court. Oh sweet goodness.

Otis vs. John Morrison

Otis slugs him down to start and runs him over with a clothesline for a bonus. A pop up faceplant drops Morrison again and Otis throws him down with a suplex. The Caterpillar into the Vader Bomb finishes Morrison at 1:39. Well that was efficient.

Big E. says that with the Draft looming, he wants to face Sheamus in a Falls Count Anywhere match next week.

Sheamus vs. Shorty G.

Shorty sends him into the post and gets two off a German suplex to start. The moonsault misses though and the Brogue Kick drops Shorty. Another finishes him at 53 seconds. Of all the people being treated as stupid jobbers, Gable very well might be the most frustrating one I’ve seen in years.

Here’s Raw’s Kevin Owens (in a Street Profits shirt) for the Kevin Owens Show. Since this might be his new home after the Draft, he thought he should get used to this place so he’s here to talk to Alexa Bliss. Owens talks about how he has seen this change in Bliss’ attitude and anger, which reminds him of what he sees in Aleister Black. Bliss doesn’t know what he means and asks about Owens changing as well.

Owens says this is about her changing and asks to understand about the darkness taking over her. In a rather out there voice, Bliss talks about being in his (the Fiend’s) presence and how you feel like you’re on pins and needles. When he looks at you, it’s like you can’t look away. Owens would not know what that is like though, as Owens says we’re not talking about Black anymore. He says it’s like Bliss is brainwashed, and she says that’s true.

All of the lies have been washed away and she has been cleansed by him. Owens: “He’s here isn’t he?” Bliss: “He’s everywhere. I can hear him now. Let him in.” The lights go out and here’s the Fiend for the Mandible Claw to Owens as Bliss looks on. Fiend reaches his hand out to Bliss, who slowly takes it in a pretty creepy moment.

King Corbin/Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Matt Riddle/Lucha House Party

Before the match, Riddle talks about how this might be his last chance to team with his Lucha Bros. Kalisto isn’t there, though the rest of the House Party doesn’t seem to mind. Nakamura strikes away at Dorado to start but gets caught with a dropkick. Cue Kalisto though and we take a break. Back with Metalik being stomped down in the corner and Cesaro coming in for the delayed suplex.

Nakamura grabs a front facelock but Metalik hits a tornado DDT, allowing the hot tag to Riddle to forearm away at Corbin. There’s a t-bone suplex to Corbin into the Broton. The running kick to the chest gets two with Nakamura making the save. The Golden Rewind hits Nakamura but Cesaro comes in to uppercut Riddle for two. Metalik nails the big running flip dive to Cesaro but Kalisto kicks Dorado in the head by mistake. Riddle is right back up with a Final Flash to Cesaro, setting up the Bro Derek for the pin at 6:43.

Rating: C. That was a bit of a weird ending as they did the Kalisto miscommunication and then Riddle just pinned Cesaro a few seconds later. I guess we need to save him pinning Corbin for the epic trilogy match, or maybe they want to just keep Corbin looking strong because….he’s Corbin I guess. At least Riddle got the pin though.

Long recap on the fallout from Bayley attacking Sasha Banks.

The mystery woman is Carmella, who says she danced around forever and it didn’t get her anywhere. Now she is the princess and untouchable, unless she doesn’t want to be.

Here’s Sasha Banks for a chat. Banks talks about how she thought Bayley would have grown a backbone over the years but that hasn’t happened. Next week, it’s Bayley vs. Banks for the Women’s Title and Bayley knows what happens when there is no one there to save her. The neck brace comes off and Banks says Bayley doesn’t stand a chance, b****. I’d like to think that’s going to be shenaniganzy.

Next week: the Draft, Bayley vs. Banks for the title, Sheamus vs. Big E. in a falls count anywhere match and Owens vs. Fiend.

Intercontinental Title: Sami Zayn vs. Jeff Hardy

Sami is defending and has taped up ribs. Jeff gets knocked into the corner to start and Sami stomps away, only to have Jeff get in a kick tot he ribs. The turnbuckle pad got ripped off somewhere in there but Jeff avoids being sent into the steel. There’s a backdrop to Sami to send him outside and a baseball slide sends him into the announcers’ table. Jeff misses Poetry In Motion against the barricade though and we take a break.

Back with Sami putting on a chinlock and shouting about Jeff’s title reign being a fraud. Sami heads to the middle rope for an elbow to the back of the head for two as frustration is starting to set in. With Sami going up again, Jeff follows him up and grabs a top rope superplex for the double knockdown. The Twist of Fate is countered into a backslide for two and the Blue Thunder Bomb is countered into a sunset flip for a near fall.

Sami suplexes him into the corner and now the Blue Thunder Bomb connects for two. Jeff knocks him down again but the Swanton hits knees (with one possibly hitting Jeff in the head). The Helluva Kick misses and Jeff loads up the Whisper in the Wind but Sami pulls him down, sending Jeff face first into the exposed steel for the pin at 14:11.

Rating: B. This is the kind of thing that people forget WWE can offer. They have an insanely deep talent pool, and when they cut away all of the nonsense and bad writing and angles and just let their really good wrestlers have a pretty long TV match, you get good results. It was a very nice wrestling showing between two people who know exactly how to have this kind of a match and I had a good time with the whole thing. Nicely done, and do it more often.

Overall Rating: B-. There were some parts on here which weren’t the best, but those matches were kept very short, leaving us with a pretty solid show. You had two good matches and some stuff was set up both for next week and at the pay per view. This was an efficient use of two hours which even expanded up to downright entertaining at times. Just like the main event, the show felt like it stripped away so much of the boring and downright stupid stuff that you get on Raw, leaving more or a wrestling show. WWE can still do these things rather well and if they just went that way, we would all be much happier.

Results

Jey Uso b. AJ Styles – Superfly Splash

Otis b. John Morrison – Vader Bomb

Sheamus b. Shorty G. – Brogue Kick

Matt Riddle/Lucha House Party b. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura/King Corbin – Bro Derek to Cesaro

Sami Zayn b. Jeff Hardy – Hardy fell onto the exposed turnbuckle

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: September 25, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

It’s the go home show for Clash Of Champions though the Smackdown side of things might not interest you the most. The blue main event for Sunday’s show will feature Roman Reigns defending against Jey Uso, which kind of slows down the interest that the show is going to have. Maybe the last show before Sunday can help things out. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory of Road Warrior Animal.

Here are AJ Styles, Sami Zayn and Jeff Hardy for a Championship Ascension ceremony to set up the ladder match. Corey Graves, the emcee, explains the match and says there is no champion’s advantage. AJ says Jeff must think the title feels heavy because it’s the last time he’ll be holding it. As for Sami, why are you here? He took six months off to grow a neck beard and still thinks he’s champion.

Sami accuses AJ of being stupid for winning a tournament and calls Jeff’s title a shampionship. Jeff: “Sami, Sami shut up man.” Hardy actually agrees with Styles when he says Sami has no claim to the title. The belts are hung but Sami drives the ladder into their heads and beats on Jeff, with AJ making the save. Cue Adam Pearce to make the scheduled Sami vs. Jeff match a triple threat with AJ also involved. We’ll do that next.

AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn vs. Jeff Hardy

Non-title. Sami gets sent to the floor so AJ can hammer on Hardy. That doesn’t last long as Sami comes in to jump AJ and then send Hardy outside. AJ is right back with a chinlock on Sami but Jeff is back in with a dropkick for the save. Jeff uses Sami for a springboard to splash Styles in the corner but Sami breaks up the Swanton by knocking him to the floor.

Styles follows with a slingshot forearm and we take a break. Back with the Tower of Doom being broken up and a triple slugout starting. Sami hits a running boot to each of them but AJ nails a Pele. AJ is back up with the Phenomenal Forearm to Jeff but Sami throws him outside and steals the pin at 12:02.

Rating: C. Not only is it winning a match via pin to set up a match that has nothing to do with pins, but it’s the most basic ending to a triple threat that you can find in WWE. Oh and for a bonus, the champ gets pinned. The wrestling was fine, but it feels like the kind of thing that we’ve seem time after time. Kind of like ladder matches in general, as WWE (counting NXT) has run an average of about a ladder match a month for the last year.

Post match AJ jumps Sami and climbs the ladder to pick up both titles.

We recap Miz/John Morrison threatening to sue Otis over the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Otis doesn’t buy this and doesn’t trust Miz’s lawyers so he’s keeping the briefcase. Miz and Morrison come up with the former saying that he is going to take everything, including Otis’ mama’s double wide. More threats are made, with Miz bringing up Mandy Rose being sent to Raw. Otis goes for Morrison’s throat and referees break it up. Is anyone ever going to explain why Otis and Mandy, who work in the same company, in the same city, in the same building, but on different shows where wrestlers seem to come and go as they please, is a big problem?

We look at Bayley attacking Sasha Banks twice in a row.

Here’s Bayley, with the chair that started it all, to have a seat for a chat. Bayley doesn’t have time for the fans booing because the champ’s time is important. She has business to tend to on Sunday because Nikki Cross is waiting for her. Why is Cross thinking it should be different just because there is no Sasha? Bayley looks at the chair and says she is retaining the title. Bayley: “Right Sasha?”

Gran Metalik vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

The rest of Lucha House Party and Cesaro are here too. Graves gets straight to the point by saying that singles matches have almost no bearing on tag team wrestling. Metalik misses a superkick to start but sends Nakamura outside. That’s fine with Nakamura, who sends him hard into the barricade, followed by a hard ram into the turnbuckle back inside. Metalik sends him outside and hits the big flip dive, followed by a slingshot hilo for two back inside. The moonsault misses though and Nakamura pulls him off the ropes. The reverse exploder into Kinshasa finishes Metalik at 4:17.

Rating: C. I was worried they would do something like have Metalik get the cheap pin here, which would be a bit too much to take. Granted when you have commentary saying that the match doesn’t mean anything for Sunday, you kind of have to wonder why we’re supposed to be interested. The match was fine as Metalik is talented, but it didn’t exactly draw me in.

Post match Cesaro comes in and lays out Lince Dorado as Kalisto looks on. After Cesaro and Nakamura leave, Kalisto gets in but gets yelled at by the rest of the team.

Jey Uso wants Roman Reigns to come deal with things.

Video on Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns, including clips of them growing up and members of the Anoa’i Family commenting. Rikishi and Sika talk about watching their sons growing up and Jey is ready to fight his family to be champion. Jey says Reigns used to be a puppy and both dads say their kid will win. This was a really good idea and as usual, WWE knows how to produce a video.

Here’s Jey Uso for a chat. We see a clip from last week’s street fight, where Jey pinned King Corbin and then picked up the Universal Title. Reigns didn’t like the pin or what happened after the match, giving him a big glare to end the show. Uso wants Reigns out here now, but we see Heyman and Reigns in the back sitting in silence.

Heyman finally comes out of Reigns’ locker room and says the world should get to see these two face to face in the ring. Here’s where everyone has it wrong though: it’s on Reigns’ time, not Uso’s. That will happen tonight, but on Reigns’ time. Uso isn’t happy with that and says he’ll man up at Clash and tonight. Welcome to the Uso Penitentiary.

We recap Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin.

Corbin is ready to make Riddle say Bro, but with meanings involving all kinds of pain.

King Corbin vs. Matt Riddle

We get an inset promo from Riddle, who says he can’t wait to throw down and show Smackdown the difference between a stallion and a jacka**. Riddle starts fast and hammers away but Corbin catches him on the way inside. Corbin powers out of what looked like a Kimura and hits a hard elbow for two. A kick to the face sends Corbin outside though and Riddle throws him over the announcers’ table as we take a break.

Back with Riddle grabbing a triangle but Corbin powers out in a hurry. Corbin’s running right hand drops Riddle again and he can barely get back up. It’s just a ruse though as Riddle catches him with a jumping knee to the face. The Broton into another knee gets two so Riddle tries the Bromission. That’s broken up as well and Corbin hits the Deep Six but the End of Days is countered into another knee to the face. The Floating Bro hits knees though and End of Days finishes Riddle at 11:23.

Rating: C+. Was anyone asking for this to continue? I’m not sure, but WWE had the chance to set up a trilogy and all it took was Riddle losing clean to Corbin of all people. I’m sure we’ll have a third match at some point, but it’s not like Riddle had any momentum going after beating Corbin in the first place.

Post match Riddle says losing sucks but it isn’t stopping the stallion. He is going to keep going until Smackdown is the Bro Show.

The mystery woman puts on her jewelry and makeup. She also writes UNTOUCHABLE in lipstick on her mirror and takes a picture of it.

Alexa Bliss vs. Lacey Evans

Fallout from last week when Bliss took Lacey out after a match. In an inset promo, Alexa calls Lacey a Karen without calling her a Karen. Bliss rolls her up for two to start but Lacey knocks her down. Lacey sends it into the corner and throws the napkin at her, followed by the slingshot dropkick for two. We hit the cobra clutch for a bit but Bliss comes right back by cranking on the arm. Hold on though as the Fiend’s laugh is heard and we take a break.

Back with Evans stomping away and tying up Bliss’ legs for a forearm to the face. Bliss gets sent into the corner and a nasty slingshot dropkick puts her on the floor. Back in and Lacey gets two as we cut to a crowd shot (possibly so Bliss can fix her gear). Bliss makes the comeback with a basement dropkick but Evans cranks her down by the arm. Evans misses the double jump moonsault (Bliss had moved before the second jump) and we have the Fiend’s red light. Bliss snaps and unloads on Evans for the DQ at 10:50.

Rating: D. These two didn’t even seem to be in the same book out there for a lot of this, but some of that is due to trying to cram in a little too much. They did the Fiend’s voice and then did the light, all so Bliss could snap. On top of that, Lacey is now a former Marine, a tough mom, a southern belle, and now Karen. Pick two of those at most and calm down.

Post match, Alexa hits Sister Abigail on the floor and Fiend’s voice says let me in.

Here are Reigns and Heyman for the big closing. Before Heyman can get very far, here’s Uso to interrupt. Reigns cuts him off and says this family needs him to be the tribal chief. That’s why he’s keeping the title on Sunday and he walks away. Jey asks what if Reigns is wrong. Why can’t Jey be the Big Dog and provide for his family and kids as Universal Champion?

For his whole life, it has been Reigns as the star and the man. Whenever anyone talks about Jey, they ask which one he is. On Sunday, Jey is going to the top. Uso goes to leave but Reigns pops back up with a Superman Punch. Reigns screams at him about feeding the entire family with the title. Jey can take the payday and the whipping that comes with it, but he’s never taking the title from Reigns. He is never taking Reigns’ place at the head of the table. This was more incredible stuff from Reigns, as it tends to always be these days.

Overall Rating: D+. The wrestlers were trying, but this came off like a show that did not matter in the slightest. It was a bunch of middle of the road stuff, including a match where commentary said it didn’t matter with regards to Sunday. This felt like a show where they took the week off and threw whatever they had out there to fill in the time. Uso vs. Reigns has actually been set up well though and I’m more than a little impressed with how they have turned what should be a two minute squash into something interesting. Well done there, but the rest might as well have been Main Event.

Results

Sami Zayn b. AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy – Phenomenal Forearm to Hardy

Shinsuke Nakamura b. Gran Metalik – Kinshasa

King Corbin b. Matt Riddle – End of Days

Lacey Evans b. Alexa Bliss via DQ when Bliss attacked Evans

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

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

It’s the show after Summerslam and we get two big deals in one tonight. First of all, Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman are making their first comments since the revealed their alliance last week. In addition to that we have a four way match to determine the #1 contender for Reigns’ Clash Of Champions title defense. Let’s get to it.

Here is Payback if you need a recap.

Here are Reigns and Heyman to get things going. Heyman says as soon as you thought he was out, Reigns pulled him back in. Reigns is the one corrupting him and pulled Heyman back in from the ocean of obscurity. Now he is back on the island of relevancy because they did the same thing to Heyman that they did to Reigns. What happened to the thank yous and the appreciation?

Reigns over delivered during his life threatening illness and no one offered him any thanks. When Reigns needed some time off, they made him give up his title. A Fiend or a monster isn’t born to reign. Imagine turning on Fox News and seeing an interview with a growling man as champion. Roman’s reign as your champion has always been defined as what WWE wants you to like: family, tradition and legacy. Tonight there is a four way to crown a new sacrificial lamb.

Heyman isn’t going to say their names because he’ll let Anderson Cooper and Carmella’s latest boyfriend handle that. Heyman is outside council to your Undisputed Universal Champion, Roman Reigns. Roman says he is a man of his word and did exactly what he said he was going to do: he signed the contract, wrecked the other two and left as Universal Heavyweight Champion. He’ll face whoever wins tonight and all he has to do is show up and win. Really, really good stuff here as Heyman sounded ticked off and Reigns sounded like the serious monster that he has needed to be for years now.

Post break Jey Uso comes up to Reigns in the back and congratulates him. Heyman leaves and Jey asks what the deal is with Heyman and Reigns. Roman says he’s got this and Jey accepts, even saying he’s got Reigns’ back if he ever needs it. Reigns leaves and seems rather distant, which Jey notices.

Miz/John Morrison vs. Heavy Machinery

Otis runs Miz over to start and Tucker comes in for the standing double splash. Miz and Morrison are knocked to the floor and we take a break. Back with Tucker diving over both of them and making the tag off to Otis. House is cleaned but the Flying Chuck hits Otis to take him down. Morrison hits the Moonlight Drive on Tucker on the floor but Otis starts gyrating off Miz’s kicks. Miz is knocked down to set up the Caterpillar and a Vader Bomb (that’s better as he needed a new finisher) finishes Miz at 8:06.

Rating: D+. It’s kind of amazing how far Otis has fallen in the last few months and so much of that has to do with the crowd. It isn’t all from the crowd though, as some of it is over him not exactly feeling like a threat to the World Title. Can you imagine him cashing in the briefcase and actually being a real World Title contender at this point? Granted there very well could be some shenanigans to get it to someone else, and really, there almost has to be.

Post match, Morrison steals the Money in the Bank briefcase and celebrates with it.

Big E. and Drew Gulak are having a birthday party for the returning Xavier Woods and tell Lucha House Party to stay away from the cake. Big E. is ready to become #1 contender but someone comes up to say Woods has arrived. With the cake in hand, Big E. goes out to find him but gets jumped by Sheamus, who takes him down with a Brogue Kick. White Noise onto the windshield of a car likely writes Big E. out of the #1 contenders match.

Post break Big E. is injured and has to go to a local medical facility. Sheamus comes in and says that is tough to watch but he can’t take his eyes off of it. With Big E. being loaded up on the stretcher in the background, Kayla Braxton asks if Sheamus set this up because of the Payback loss. Sheamus claims self defense and thinks Big E. just got distracted by the idea of seeing Woods again. If you want to be Universal Champion, you need to be focused at all time. Now Sheamus has to go because he has a triple threat to get ready for.

Bayley and Sasha Banks are ready to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles back but Banks doesn’t like Bayley being asked about tapping out twice in a row. Banks talks about how great Bayley is and promises to get the titles back.

Adam Pearce says the four way is still on and the replacement will be named tonight. Heyman comes up and wants to talk to Pearce about something.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Sasha Banks/Bayley vs. Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler

Jax and Baszler are defending and we get an inset promo from Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro, talking about how this is going to be a car crash. Cesaro calls out Nakamura for being insensitive after what happened to Big E. They raise a toast anyway. The champs are sent outside for double baseball slides but Bayley and Banks get caught. Despite them locking hands, the champs swing them into the barricade a few times as we take a break.

Back with Bayley in trouble as Banks seems rather concerned. Jax grabs a chinlock before it’s off to Baszler to crank Bayley’s arm back for a nasty visual. Bayley gets over for the tag to Banks and it’s a Backstabber into the running knees in the corner to Jax. The top rope Meteora gets two and everything breaks down. Jax is sent to the apron where Bayley hits a Stunner onto the middle rope so Bayley can hit a powerbomb to the floor. Bayley suplexes her way out of the Kirifuda Clutch and it’s time to beat on Jax in the corner.

The Backstabber hits Baszler and Bayley starts going up but Banks covers for two instead. Now Bayley can hit the elbow for two more but Banks’ running knees only hit the post. Back in and Baszler takes out the bad knee. A spinning toehold is countered into a small package for two but Baszler is right back up with a shot to knock Bayley off the apron. Baszler stomps at the knee and tries a Muta Lock, only to have Bayley come back in for the Bayley to Belly for the save.

Banks grabs the Bank Statement instead of tagging and it’s Jax coming in to break things up. Jax gets the tag and tries a Stretch Muffler but Banks reverses into a sunset flip for two. Bayley saves Sasha from a super Samoan drop and a double powerbomb hits Baszler. Jax hits a middle rope crossbody for the double pin to retain at 15:38.

Rating: B-. They did a really good job here of making you think that the match was over and then finding a way to keep it going. The action was intense here too and the knee injury was a fine way to keep things going. I’m not wild on Jax and Baszler as champions but they had a rather solid match here so fair enough for one night.

Post break Banks is taken away in an ambulance.

Here’s Sami Zayn for a chat. Sami does not like not being mentioned as Intercontinental Champion. He hijacks the headset and talks to the production truck for not including the fact that he is Intercontinental Champion. Apparently it wasn’t in their notes, but here’s Jeff Hardy to interrupt.

Hardy says all Sami had to do was ask for a title shot but Sami says it should have been Sami who was asking. Cue AJ Styles to say he’s back and healthy so Jeff says he’s ready to defend. AJ jumps Hardy and the fight is on with Sami joining in. AJ hits Hardy as well but Hardy gets back up, with AJ being sent outside. The Helluva Kick hits Hardy and Sami bails.

Jey Uso is replacing Big E. in the #1 contenders match.

Tucker can’t find Miz and Morrison to get the briefcase back. Otis is cool with it because he keeps the Money in the Bank contract in his mini lunch box. Tucker is happy but want to know what’s in the briefcase. As luck would have it, Morrison is ready to open the briefcase at that time and finds….a stapler, some Q-Tips and a sandwich.

Jey Uso thanks Roman for getting him in the match but Roman says it was Heyman’s doing. Reigns wants Jey to win one on his own and wishes him luck.

Riddle comes out for the main event and charges at Corbin’s throne on the stage to start the fight early. Sheamus and Jey come down and the brawl is on in the ring and on the floor. We take a break before the bell rings and come back with….the Firefly Fun House.

Bray knows that you are down in the dumps just like He is because He lost his favorite toy again. It’s cool though because next week a brand new friend is coming to the Fun House. BYE!

Alexa Bliss comes up to Nikki Cross in the back and doesn’t know what came over him. With Ramblin Rabbit in the background, Bliss hugs her and walks off.

Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin vs. Sheamus vs. Jey Uso

For the shot at Clash and we’re finally ready to go about ten minutes after Riddle’s entrance. It’s a brawl to start with Jey superkicking Corbin to the floor and Sheamus hitting a backbreaker on Riddle. Jey comes back in for the save but gets knocked down, leaving the big guys to brawl. Riddle gets in as well and it’s a double charge in the corner to Sheamus and Corbin.

They come back with the Irish Curse and Deep Six for a double two, followed by Sheamus running Corbin over. We take a break and come back with Sheamus hitting the forearms to Jey’s chest but Riddle is back up with strikes of his own. An exploder suplex into the Broton has Sheamus in trouble but he pulls Riddle into the Cloverleaf. Jey makes the save and hits some running Umaga Attacks to both of them in the corner.

Corbin gets in a cheap shot on Jey but Riddle and Sheamus throw Corbin over the barricade. Jey dives onto Sheamus and Riddle for the double knockdown but Corbin is back up to throw Uso into the video screens. The other three get back in and Sheamus Brogue Kicks Corbin. The Bro To Sleep sends Sheamus outside and it’s the Floating Bro to Corbin. Jey comes back in with the Superfly Splash to Riddle for the pin at 13:18.

Rating: C. Well it wasn’t expected. I’m not exactly going to believe that Jey Uso is actually getting the title shot until I hear the bell ring and I’m also not sure that the match is going to last more than about fifteen seconds if it does take place. The match was good enough and the ending was a surprise, though I’m not entirely convinced that it’s lasting, which is fine too. That being said, you have Riddle, Sheamus and Corbin in there and Riddle takes the fall?

Post match Jey says he made the family proud too and is ready to take Roman to the Uso Penitentiary.

Overall Rating: B-. The word here is energy, as the show felt like it was doing a lot of stuff that mattered (not everything mind you, but a good deal of it). Heyman and Reigns had a good promo to start, the Bayley/Banks angle was good and they threw in a big curve ball at the end. I liked the show more than I have liked Smackdown in a long time and that’s a nice thing to be able to say. Good start to the Evil Reigns era and now we get to wait and see what comes next. The fact that I want to see what that is makes this a success.

Results

Heavy Machinery b. John Morrison/The Miz – Vader Bomb to Miz

Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax b. Bayley/Sasha Banks – Double middle rope crossbody

Jey Uso b. Matt Riddle, King Corbin and Sheamus – Superfly Splash to Riddle

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: August 28, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the fallout show from Summerslam and the go home show for Payback, meaning that we have a lot to cover in one single night. That could mean for a pretty busy evening, including the three way contract signing between the Fiend, Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman. let’s get to it.

Here is Summerslam if you need a recap.

We open with a look at Roman Reigns returning on Sunday and attacking new Universal Champion the Fiend and old Universal Champion Braun Strowman.

Agent Adam Pearce is in the back and talks to security about how they need to work together tonight because this is going to be tricky. Pearce goes into Vince McMahon’s office and, after being turned down for a handshake, fist bump and elbow bump, is told he has to get all three people to sign the contract. Vince even gives him a special uniform to wear, though we don’t see what it is.

Here’s new Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy but AJ Styles cuts him off in a hurry. AJ calls Jeff out for cheating last week and talks about the doctor clearing Jeff last week. That same doctor won’t let AJ wrestle tonight, which Jeff says is a shame because it was Open Challenge time….to anyone but Styles. AJ goes after him and gets punched down as we take a break.

Intercontinental Title: Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Hardy is defending and Styles is on commentary, still ranting about last week. Nakamura starts on the arm but Jeff starts hammering away on the arm as well. An atomic drop into a Hennig necksnap gets two but Nakamura starts going after the knee. We cut to an inset interview with Cesaro, who says he stepped away for a second and Nakamura ran in to get the title shot. That makes him more impulsive, not more ambitious. Cesaro sounds bitter, as they can’t possibly be already teasing a breakup angle.

Back to full screen with Nakamura staying on the knee, which AJ describes as poetry in motion. Nakamura kicks at the chest, which Cole says could lead to Nakamura’s first Intercontinental Title. Man he was champion earlier THIS YEAR. You called the matches where he won and lost the title, which he held for over six months. Anyway, Hardy gets in a few shots and throws Nakamura outside, plus into Styles, as we take a break.

Back with Jeff hitting the legdrop between the legs and the Whisper in the Wind connects. Hardy comes up favoring his knee though and Nakamura hits the sliding German suplex. Kinshasa is cut off by the Twist of Fate, with Styles ranting about Jeff using the knee brace. The Swanton retains the title at 13:01.

Rating: C. Take two guys who know how to do a lot of things in the ring and give them some time for a perfectly fine match. AJ and the knee deal will be fine enough to set up a rematch and there’s nothing wrong with that. If nothing else, a ranting AJ is always worth a look and listen so this should be fine.

Post match Hardy limps up to the stage….and here’s Sami Zayn for the first time since Wrestlemania, complete with his own Intercontinental Title. Zayn talks about how he’s the real champion and an AJ distraction lets Zayn kick Hardy in the face.

Post break Sami is in the back, where Kayla Braxton asks why he jumped Hardy. Sami talks about how he has been gone for months and has seen Hardy and Styles running around with his title. He is from Montreal and, switching to French, talks about how he is a true intercontinental man.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House with Bray being glad to be back here with all of his friends. Bray thinks something is missing and thinks of a variety of evil things, before holding up the Universal Title. Neither of those nasty monsters can take it away this time either. We get serious for a second, with Bray saying it has been a long time since he has seen Roman. The doorbell rings and it’s Adam Pearce dressed as a mailman. Postman Pearce needs the contract signed for Payback and Bray agrees, knowing that it means signing some death warrants. Bray signs and Pearce leaves, with Bray saying let him in.

Video on Matt Riddle vs. King Corbin.

Here’s Matt Riddle for a chat. He recaps the King’s Ransom idea and thinks Corbin is just hiding from him. Why not come out here and do something about it right now? Post break Riddle is still in the ring and here’s Corbin to answer the challenge. He accepts the challenge….on behalf of Shorty G., who jumps Riddle from behind to start in a hurry.

Matt Riddle vs. Shorty G.

Gable starts fast with a tiger suplex for two but Riddle flips out of Chaos Theory. A knee to the face and the Bro Derek finishes Gable at 1:28.

Post match Corbin jumps Riddle and the brawl is on with Corbin bailing outside in a hurry.

We look at Miz and Big E. arguing about Big E.’s singles run on Talking Smack.

Big E. argued with Miz, John Morrison and Sheamus earlier today backstage but Heavy Machinery came in to set up a six man later.

Heavy Machinery and Big E. now have a Money in the Bank lunchbox with sausage inside. Bayley and Sasha Banks come in to say that looks like some men playing with their meat. Bayley says some people can only handle a Tag Team Title, which doesn’t sit well with Banks.

Adam Pearce (no longer the Postman) can’t get an answer from Roman Reigns.

Corbin says he’s beating Riddle up at Payback.

Here are Sasha Banks and Bayley for a chat. Bayley talks about how rough of a week this has been for them because of all their title defenses….but they’re amazing so it’s not something to worry about. Bayley slips up and mentions that Sasha lost her title on Sunday, which was just a mistake. Banks isn’t happy but Bayley takes responsibility for it, as she shouldn’t have let the whole thing get started. As her best friend, she should have remembered that Banks can never successfully defend a Raw title.

Noting Banks’ cow style pants, Bayley says we have to moooove on, meaning they can’t lose on Sunday. Banks agrees, and says they are still best friends, but here are Nia Jax (great, on this show too) and Shayna Baszler to interrupt. The week is about to get even worse and even though they can’t stand each other, it’s worth putting up with her to beat up Banks and Bayley. The champs are being held down by one loss and they’re leaving as Tag Team Champions on Sunday.

Pearce still can’t find Reigns or Strowman, with Drew Gulak wanting to find Strowman as well. Gulak sees Strowman and hits him in the back with a chair, which Braun doesn’t seem to notice. Gulak throws the chair to Pearce, who has to calm Braun down in a hurry. The only way he’s signing is if Strowman can get Gulak in the ring right now. Sounds like a plan to Pearce.

Cesaro says Nakamura needs to be in his corner tonight when Sami Zayn comes up to sing Reunited And It Feels So Good. Nakamura isn’t pleased with Zayn for not even calling over the last four months and Cesaro points out that they have won the Tag Team Titles with Zayn being gone. Zayn says it was all part of the plan and puts his title next to theirs, but Cesaro says they were in mid-conversation. It was a private conversation and they would like to finish it. Zayn takes the hint and leaves, though he doesn’t seem happy.

Drew Gulak vs. Braun Strowman

Strowman is in street clothes. There’s the beal across the ring and a running splash in the corner, followed by another splash to Gulak’s back. A backsplash sets up some forearms to the chest and the running powerslam finishes at 2:37.

Post match, Strowman signs.

The Lucha House Party isn’t cool with each other as Kalisto asks Lince Dorado to stay back here and watch how it’s done. Kalisto leaves and Cesaro and Nakamura run over Dorado and Gran Metalik.

Cesaro vs. Kalisto

Kalisto is alone while Cesaro has Nakamura with him. An early headscissors staggers Cesaro but he catches a springboard with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for one. Cesaro cuts off a comeback attempt and hits a jumping elbow for two. A dropkick to the knee and a pop up DDT from Cesaro’s shoulders give Kalisto two. Cesaro is sent face first into the bottom buckle but Nakamura gets on the apron. Cue Lucha House Party to take care of him but Cesaro rolls Kalisto up for the pin at 3:18.

Rating: C-. It was fun while it lasted, which isn’t surprising given who was in there. I’ve always liked Kalisto and it’s nice to see him getting something of a story. On top of that, it’s also rather nice to see Cesaro and Nakamura back on the same page, as I really don’t want to see them split up already.

Post match the House Party is ready to come to blows but Kalisto hugs both of them.

Pearce goes in to see Vince, telling him that he has 2/3 signatures. Vince wants the third, and says Pearce needs to knock Reigns’ door down.

Nikki Cross is holding a coffee mug, which was the first gift that Alexa Bliss ever gave her. Tamina tells her it’s ok but here’s Bliss, with her hair up differently. She is ready to change it up even more but Nikki thinks it would look like the Fiend. Bliss freaks out and slams the mug down to smash it to pieces.

Miz, Morrison and Sheamus have a plan for their six man: don’t let the their opponents in the ring. Sheamus doesn’t like it and says just follow his lead.

Pearce goes to see Reigns, who wants to read the contract first.

Heavy Machinery/Big E. vs. John Morrison/The Miz/Sheamus

Otis knocks Morrison out of the corner to start and hits a corner splash to bring in Big E. and Tucker. The triple gyrating sets up a running shoulder to Morrison in the corner to give Tucker two. Everything breaks down and Tucker hits a dropkick to Sheamus on the floor, followed by a big boot to Miz. Back in and Tucker runs Morrison over for two….with Sheamus ringing the bell.

We take a break and come back with Tucker fighting out of a chinlock but getting cut off from a tag attempt. The referee won’t let Sheamus come in as he didn’t see a tag though, meaning Morrison is back in to miss the Moonlight Drive. Tucker sends Morrison into Sheamus to knock him off the apron, sending Sheamus into a big rant. Sheamus walks out and it’s off to Big E. to clean house with the belly to belly suplexes.

There’s the Warrior Splash for two but Miz snaps Big E.’s throat across the top. The Rock Bottom out of the corner hits Miz but Morrison cuts Big E. off. Otis comes back in for the double Caterpillar, which only hits Morrison. Miz grabs the Skull Crushing Finale on Otis, only to walk into the Big Ending to give Big E. the pin at 12:02.

Rating: C-. So the solution to getting rid of Big E.’s reputation as a trios guy is to put him in a six man tag. Or to have him beat Miz and Morrison again, which he has already done since the singles run began. I’m not sure what Big E. is going to be able to do, but it seems like WWE didn’t exactly have an idea for him when this run started.

Reigns won’t sign but promises to be at Payback to win the title back. And that’s a spoiler…..as Paul Heyman is next to him. I don’t say this very often with WWE these days but WAIT WHAT??? That got me and it got me in a big way. As soon as Reigns said it my head popped up and I was actually surprised by what they showed. Nice job. Now follow up on it.

Overall Rating: C. That ending alone is enough to make me like this show as it’s the first time that a story has actually surprised me in a good while. They were teasing a heel turn on Sunday and this is about as guaranteed of one as you can get without actually doing it. The rest of the show was your usual “oh dang we have a show on Sunday” episode, which gets annoying in a hurry but they’re so used to it by now that they can pull it off.

Results

Jeff Hardy b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Swanton

Matt Riddle b. Shorty G. – Bro Derek

Braun Strowman b. Drew Gulak – Running powerslam

Cesaro b. Kalisto – Rollup

Big E./Heavy Machinery b. Sheamus/John Morrison/The Miz – Big Ending to Miz

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: August 7, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

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

We open with a recap of the Swamp Fight, including Alexa Bliss appearing to tempt Braun Strowman, plus the whole murdering thing. Then Bray Wyatt said Fiend wanted the Universal Title, so Fiend attacked Bliss using the “follow the flying fingers” technique to set up the Mandible Claw.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House, with Bray saying everyone has been sliding into his DM’s over what happened last week, but it was all Braun’s fault. See, Braun has something that HE wants and HE will be here tonight, with someone Braun cares about. Braun should just give HIM what HE wants, or we’ll see what HE is capable of.

Matt Riddle vs. Sheamus

Riddle goes for the grappling to start and Sheamus has to go to the ropes to get out of a choke. Sheamus muscles him down with a headlock takeover but Riddle is back up with the striking. A knee to the ribs takes Riddle down though and we hit the armbar. That’s reversed into a Fujiwara armbar with Riddle cranking on the fingers for a bonus. That’s broken up as well and Riddle sends him to the apron, with Sheamus snapping the back of Riddle’s neck over the rope. There are the ten forearms to the chest but Riddle knocks him off the top and we take a break.

Back with Riddle fighting out of the chinlock but walking into a trio of Irish Curses. The chinlock goes on again but Riddle comes up with a kick to the head and the running forearms in the corner. The suplex out of the corner sets up the Broton for two but Riddle has to bail out of the moonsault. White Noise gives Sheamus two The Brogue Kick is countered into a rollup for two and Sheamus misses a charge into the post. Riddle kicks at the chest on the floor but gets sent hard into the barricade. Cue Shorty G. to jump Riddle from behind for the DQ at 12:20.

Rating: C. It was nice to have a hard hitting match but as soon as you remember that this is a stepping stone towards a King Corbin match, the interest falls away. Riddle getting to work with some bigger names helps a lot and as long as he beats Corbin at Summerslam (egads), he’ll be fine. Sheamus is a good choice as the heel gatekeeper and it worked here.

Post match Riddle fights back and sends G. into the announcers’ table. A whip into the step sets up a big kick to the chest and G. is left laying as Sheamus is annoyed. Riddle leaves so Sheamus Brogue Kicks G. twice for costing him a match. This seems like the “HAHA YOU THOUGHT GABLE WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING!” moment.

Post break, Corbin is talking to a woman named Sarah when Sheamus comes up to complain about Corbin’s goon costing him a match. Corbin doesn’t like the threat and offers to cave in his skull later.

It’s time for the Dirt Sheet, with John Morrison saying he is more underground than anyone else around here. We see a clip of Sonya Deville attacking Mandy Rose last week and cutting her hair. Back in the arena, Miz and Morrison’s mics start going out, with Morrison saying Retribution isn’t booked tonight. Anyway, they have a special guest tonight, as Mandy Rose’s hair joins us via satellite. And yes, it is a wig with googly eyes.

Miz and Morrison handle the voices, talking about how the hair never left Mandy’s head before, but lately it has had to deal with Otis’ ham fingers. Miz and Morrison: “Can we get a HAIR YEAH? HAIR YEAH!” The hair has an agent now and that’s it for her. Cue Sonya Deville as the in-person guest, and she gets to rant about doing what she promised to do by making Mandy as ugly on the outside as she is on the inside. Sonya yells at Mandy to come out here and prove her wrong and isn’t surprised when no one comes out.

Now, it’s true that Mandy has talent, because she won a Bumpy Award for making out with Otis. Yes, she won an award for making out with a dude. Sonya agrees that they are starting to look like a couple, with Morrison saying it’s a couple of ogres. Cue Heavy Machinery to clear the ring in a hurry. The Sonya stuff was good as she continues to be very solid on the mic, but that hair thing is the latest entry in the “HOW MUCH DID FOX PAY FOR THIS?????” sweepstakes.

Lince Dorado vs. Cesaro

Cesaro wastes no time in throwing him around and hitting a hard clothesline. Dorado snaps off a headscissors though and Cesaro heads to the floor as the lights flicker. Graves thinks it’s Retribution, but maybe it’s that you’re in the same building that had power issues four days ago? A running flip dive is pulled out of the air by Cesaro and it’s a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker to keep Dorado in trouble.

The jawbreaker gets Dorado out of a chinlock and the Golden Rewind (which Cole didn’t know) sets up the Super Crazy trio of moonsaults. The third is broken up but Dorado settles for a hurricanrana into a near fall. Cesaro has had it though and hits the Neutralizer for the pin at 4:17.

Rating: C-. Not the worst power vs. speed match but I’m not sure if this is the best way to get us towards the House Party vs. Cesaro/Nakamura for the Tag Team Titles. That being said, I didn’t need to see Cesaro lose to Dorado to get there, so at least they are letting the champ look strong for a change.

Otis shakes some things in the back but has to stop to answer a question about his match with Miz and Morrison tonight. He likes jokes, but Miz and Morrison’s have crossed the line. Tucker says Miz and Morrison can’t let it go, but disrespecting Mandy is too far.

And now, the Fiend. After his entrance and a break, we see Alexa Bliss sitting in front of him and looking scared. Fiend goes to the corner and crawls over to her, with Bliss rubbing his face. Strowman’s voice comes up to pull the Fiend away and he pops up on the screen. Strowman says this wasn’t going to work because all he cares about is destroying the Fiend. He tried to fight it but gave into the evil within and is fulfilling his destiny. Strowman is the thing that nightmares are made of and he is the monster. Fiend can have whatever he wants because at Summerslam, he is facing the monster. Strowman says let him in.

As usual, Strowman cannot talk to save his life and might as well be reading off the cue cards. I’m not sure if this was the end of the Bliss aspect of the story, but if that is the case, it feels like another case of setting something up and then changing their mind AGAIN, possibly because it could have been interesting and that cannot happen.

Jeff Hardy vs. King Corbin

Hardy forearms him in the head to start and hits the basement dropkick into the splash for two. The Twisting Stunner is countered and Corbin hits a hard clothesline for his own near fall. Corbin starts mocking the fans before taking his time sending Hardy outside. Hardy gets beaten over the announcers’ table for two and the chinlock goes on. Back up and Corbin does the slide under the corner but Hardy cuts him off and sends him into the Plexiglas. That just earns Hardy the Deep Six for two and a hard knee puts Hardy back on the floor. Cue Sheamus to kick Hardy for the DQ at 5:27.

Rating: C-. The match was fine enough but it goes to show you how Corbin continues to not be able to do anything above just ok most of the time. That was the case the whole time here, as Hardy is the kind of person who can draw some good stuff out of anyone, but give him someone to work with here. It wasn’t the worst, but it was just there and forgettable.

Yelling ensues post match.

King Corbin vs. Sheamus

Yes it’s the rare MORE CORBIN show as we get two Corbin matches in a row! Joined in progress with Sheamus knocking him down and hitting a knee to the ribs. The ten forearms to the chest connect and Sheamus knocks him to the floor. Sheamus sends him into the announcers’ table a few times as Corbin is rocked around the ring.

Back in and Corbin grabs a side slam for two and it’s time for the right hands to the head. Corbin knocks him into the corner and the chinlock goes on again. Sheamus muscles him up but can’t hit White Noise. Instead it’s a clothesline but here’s Matt Riddle for a distraction, setting up the Brogue Kick to finish Corbin at 5:20.

Rating: C. I liked it better than the previous match, though I’m not sure where this is going. Unless it’s a four way to get the next Intercontinental Title shot, or if Corbin finds another goon, it kind of leaves things in a weird place with three people who don’t like Sheamus and Riddle and Hardy. That being said, I can go with a bunch of people wanting to beat up Corbin, as long as Corbin isn’t around that long.

Bayley and Sasha Banks aren’t sure about Asuka, but Banks calls Bayley her role model. That has to be put on hold though as they are summoned to the ring for a video confidence with Stephanie McMahon.

Big E. talks about all of the wacky things that he has done and now it is time to see what could have been. He will give this all he has and gets Kayla Braxton to say NEW DAY ROCKS.

Bayley and Sasha are in the ring and Stephanie joins them via video conference. Stephanie congratulates them for winning all of the gold, minus NXT. They’re thrilled with this and just wanted to be role models for little girls, like Stephanie’s daughters. Stephanie doesn’t like some of the things they have done, but the two of them have gotten attention, including hers.

Stephanie wants to see them be challenged though, and that’s why Sasha will be defending the Raw Women’s Title at Summerslam. But against who? Well it could be Asuka, but we’ll see about that later. As for Bayley, she gets to defend against the winner of next week’s Triple Brand Battle Royal, with women from all three brands fighting for the title shot. That’s what’s best for business, much like hearing Stephanie’s theme song as her video ends.

Miz and Morrison aren’t sorry for what they said because sometimes, good comedy offends. It’s called gamesmanship and facing Otis is like playing chess against a pot bellied pig. What’s he going to do? Eat them?

Miz/John Morrison vs. Heavy Machinery

Sonya Deville is here with Miz and Morrison. Tucker takes Morrison down to start and rides him without much effort. A big clothesline takes Morrison down again and the lights flicker some more. Otis comes in for the Ode to the Bushwhackers and Tucker adds the Cannonball off the apron as we take a break. Back with Miz kicking Tucker in the face and handing it off to Morrison for some forearms to the head. Otis offers a distraction but Tucker gets DDTed by Miz anyway.

Morrison gets in another shot to the face as Sonya has walked all the way over to Otis’ corner before realizing she needs to go back a bit. Tucker gets in a quick sit onto Miz though and the hot tag brings in Otis to clean house. Morrison gets tossed around and there’s the Caterpillar for two with Miz breaking things up. A missed charge sends Tucker into the Plexiglas but here’s Mandy, now with shoulder length hair, which somehow confuses Cole, to brawl with Sonya. That’s enough for a no contest at 8:45.

Rating: D+. Otis continues to feel so out of place with the briefcase and if the Fiend winds up as champion, I can’t even imagine how weird that is going to be. The match was your run of the mill Smackdown tag match with a lame ending, but at least the people not in the match got in the ring to call for the ending this time. Sonya continues to be more of a star than anyone else, and the hair vs. hair match, or whatever they have, could be a good use of Summerslam time.

Post match the brawl stays on with Sonya spearing Mandy down and continuing to look like a far bigger star.

Post break, the women are being held back but the lights go out again. In the arena, here’s Retribution with a bunch of weapons and they all stand in the ring. Commentary gets chased off and one of the masked men gets in the cameraman’s face, shouting that it’s their house now. The camera crew all runs off and Retribution goes beyond the Plexiglas and beats up some NXT wrestlers, including grabbing a woman by the leg and surrounding her.

A kick to the ribs (from a Retribution member who appears to be a woman with long red hair) takes the woman down and they head back inside, still shouting that this is theirs. They turn over the announcers’ table and bust out the spray paint, which they put all over the Plexiglas. The Smackdown log on the ring skirt is covered up and they all celebrate in the ring. The fifth member whips out a chainsaw and they cut the ring ropes up to end the show. It was quite the moment, but they didn’t have any ties or matching colored shirts so it could only be so chaotic and violent.

Overall Rating: C-. The Retribution deal at the end was certainly something to catch your attention, but it came on the same show as Strowman ranting off cue cards and the wig with the eyes. I do like the four way feud (or whatever it is) though as it gives some people something to do. Tie in the Intercontinental Title somehow and you have something.

What matters here is that while they had a few things to try and shake things up, it felt more natural than Raw. It is a little better to have some wrestling matches and a little different kind of feud than a random underground fighting club. Then again Smackdown has a tendency to be more of a wrestling show than a storyline one, but having more than half of the matches end in a DQ or no contest isn’t the best idea. Not the worst show, but the two big bad parts really hurt things.

Results

Matt Riddle b. Sheamus via DQ when Shorty G. interfered

Cesaro b. Lince Dorado – Neutralizer

Jeff Hardy b. King Corbin via DQ when Sheamus interfered

Sheamus b. King Corbin – Brogue Kick

Miz/John Morrison vs. Heavy Machinery went to a no contest when Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose brawled

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: July 31, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

Summerslam is getting closer and closer but at the same time we have a lot to do on the way there. That includes a pair of title matches this week as AJ Styles defends the Intercontinental Title against Gran Metalik and Nikki Cross gets another shot at Bayley’s Smackdown Women’s Title. Let’s get to it.

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

Bayley is ready to beat Nikki Cross again and Sasha Banks laughs a lot.

Nikki says her confidence was in the gutter after Extreme Rules but last week she beat Alexa Bliss, who is better than Bayley and Banks.

Big E. says Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston are in his heart and mind. Tonight, Miz feels the power.

Miz isn’t worried about Big E. having a singles career. John Morrison thinks it sounds like a bad spinoff.

Lacey Evans is ready for the nasty Naomi.

Naomi promises to make Lacey feel the glow.

Gran Metalik wants the Intercontinental Title (in Spanish).

AJ Styles is ready to teach Metalik a lesson.

We go to the Firefly Fun House where Bray Wyatt has a snorkel because he was looking for Braun Strowman. Though maybe the alligators have already eaten Braun. All Bray ever wanted to do was save Braun but now HE is awake and HE wants something Braun has. Until HE gets it, none of you are safe. Let him in.

Intercontinental Title: AJ Styles vs. Gran Metalik

Metalik is challenging and has Lince Dorado with him. AJ drives him into the corner to start and we’re at an early standoff. Some kicks to the ribs take Metalik down and Styles sends him face first into the buckle. There’s a suplex for two and AJ whips him hard into the corner but misses an elbow.

Metalik sends him outside and cuts AJ off at the legs. A running hurricanrana off the apron takes AJ down and we take a break. Back with Metalik hitting a high crossbody but a monkey flip is blocked. AJ starts in on the leg by cranking away on the mat, including a half crab to send Metalik to the rope.

Metalik slips out of the fireman’s carry neckbreaker and snaps off a tornado DDT for a hotter than expected near fall. There’s the rope walk dropkick for two more but AJ is right back with the Phenomenal Blitz. The Phenomenal Forearm misses though and Metalik hits an enziguri for the double breather. Metalik walks the ropes again but AJ knocks him out of the air. The Calf Crusher makes Metalik tap at 14:24.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of thing I can go for: have AJ Styles working with some random wrestler and getting a good match out of him. Metalik can do some good stuff on his own, but Styles is the kind of guy who can do whatever he wants with anyone and make it look easy. Nice stuff here and a perfectly fine match to open the show.

Post match Dorado checks on Metalik and gets taken out with the Styles Clash.

King Corbin comes up to Shorty G. and talks about how overlooked Gable has been. All of the short jokes were there to motivate him, and he can do that against Matt Riddle tonight. Gable seems to think about things. As usual, it’s amazing how much all of the energy that opener put together goes away as soon as Corbin shows up.

We look back at the bar fight last week.

Here’s Hardy for a chat. Jeff has not felt this good in a long time and knows that, as a fan shouts, Sheamus sucks. Last week was a reminder that he is on the right path. It’s true that he is an alcoholic but he is also a loving husband and a WWE star. That is what makes him never want to let anyone down again and he is fighting the struggle every day. Cue King Corbin to say enough about the sobriety stuff.

What is going on around here? Hardy is standing in the ring talking about how tough things is so suck it up and deal with it. Corbin has to deal with that idiotic Matt Riddle who can’t keep his shows and tonight he has to face Drew Gulak. Hardy says maybe Corbin is the real problem but Corbin thinks Hardy is more concerned about sitting in a circle, talking about the twelve steps and collecting coins. Gulak jumps him from behind and we’re off. Well after a break that is. So yeah, Corbin is now in two stories at once, assuming we’re not counting Gulak as a third.

Drew Gulak vs. King Corbin

Joined in progress with Gulak working on the arm and throwing Corbin down. A stomp to the arm sets up the hammerlock as Corbin is sent into the corner. Corbin right hands him out of the corner though and Gulak is rocked in a hurry. It’s off to a half crab on Gulak, with Corbin turning it into the middle of the ring.

That’s reverses into a YES Lock but Corbin gets out and reaches the rope. Some running dropkicks have Corbin in trouble and Gulak adds a top rope clothesline for two. Corbin is back with Deep Six but here’s Matt Riddle for a distraction, setting up a small package for two. Not that it matters as the End of Days finishes Gulak at 5:12.

Rating: C. And yes of course we keep Corbin going because he must be on the show no matter what happens. Corbin continues to do his thing and if we have to see him, I would rather have him in the ring than on the microphone, though it is the lesser of two evils at best. Gulak continues to be a great hand in the ring and that isn’t a bad spot to have.

Post match Riddle runs in and goes after Corbin but Shorty G. runs in with a suplex to Riddle and a smile to Corbin.

Big E. vs. The Miz

John Morrison is here with Miz while Big E. is alone, as commentary makes very clear. Miz gets driven into the corner so Big E. can hit the hip swiveling. Then it’s a fireman’s carry into more swiveling, setting up the spanking abdominal stretch. Miz gets out and slaps him in the face for some reason, which doesn’t go well. They head outside with Miz being sent into various things but Morrison hits a flipping kick off the steps.

Miz gets in a kick to the face and it’s a top rope ax handle back inside. Big E. powers out of a chinlock and sends him to the apron for a clothesline. The apron splash misses though and we take a break. Back with Big E. fighting out of another chinlock but getting kick in the face for two. Big E. is back up again with some belly to belly suplexes into the Warrior Splash. The Big Ending and Skull Crushing Finale are blocked so Miz hits the DDT for two more. There are the YES Kicks but Big E reverses one into a failed powerbomb attempt.

Miz kicks the knee out and kicks away at it in the corner. Some running knees are countered into a not great Rock Bottom out of the corner but the spear through the ropes is countered with another knee. Morrison gets on the apron for a kick to the head though and the Skull Crushing Final gets two. Miz grabs the Figure Four but Big E. gets over to the rope. Morrison teases another kick but gets caught this time for an ejection. Miz panics for a good while and gets rolled up for two, followed by a Stretch Muffler of all things to make Miz tap at 14:00.

Rating: C-. They needed to cut some of the time out of this as Big E. didn’t quite look like a breakout star. The idea of him being out there on his own makes sense, assuming you ignore his Intercontinental Title, NXT Title, and long successful run as part of the New Day. They’re treating him like some rookie who has never done this before and that doesn’t exactly fit anything about him. I liked the ending, but this needed to be about five minutes shorter.

Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura are celebrating when Lucha House Party comes in. They seem interested in a title shot but Cesaro makes fun of Metalik for choking.

Sheamus talks about making the mistake of fighting Jeff Hardy in a bar. No matter how many bottles Sheamus broke over his head, he knew Hardy was fueled by alcohol. Hardy is no longer his problem and that’s bad news for Smackdown. Now, he is the locker room’s problem.

Lacey Evans vs. Naomi

Before the match, Lacey promises to make everyone feel sorry for Naomi when she beats her again. Lacey takes her into the corner to start and goes to tie Naomi’s hair around the rope. That’s broken up as Naomi tries a hurricanrana, earning herself a powerbomb. Naomi’s back is bent around the post with Lacey pulling on the hair, followed by a hard posting.

Lacey traps the hair in the steps but Naomi beats the count and knocks her outside again. Naomi tries a sliding….I want to say sunset bomb or Canadian Destroyer but she loses Lacey on the flip and sends her flying instead, with Cole even asking what the heck that was. Back in and Lacey ties the hair into the ropes again but this time Naomi comes out with a backslide for the pin at 3:18.

Rating: D. I’d love to know who the producer was for this because they probably need to be demoted. It felt like they had about five ideas but none of them were developed and it turned into a mess. Lacey trying to tie the hair up over and over was as close as they got to a point, but the big spot was so horribly botched and I’m still not sure why I should care about Lacey being mad over a karaoke contest. Naomi and Lacey could both be developed into something, though it isn’t happening like this.

Otis and Mandy Rose are here and have plans for a date, with Mandy making some suggestive statements involving food. They’ll be ready in a few minutes but Sonya Deville looks on.

Post break Sonya jumps Mandy and covers her face with makeup. She cuts off a bunch of Mandy’s hair too while screaming about wanting to ruin Mandy’s life. Sonya grabs some electric clippers but referees come in for the save.

After a quick chat from commentary on what we just saw, Heavy Machinery comes in to check on Mandy. Miz and Morrison come int o ask where the adults are because Mandy now looks like a soccer mom. Miz: “Rest asheered, we will take care of this.” Morrison: “Don’t cut it short.” Otis glares them off.

We recap Bayley vs. Nikki Cross, which included Bayley beating her at Extreme Rules and injuring her ribs.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Nikki Cross

Bayley is defending and Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss are the seconds. Cross starts fast by knocking Bayley around and hitting a monkey flip. The Purge is broken up so Nikki slams her head first into the mat over and over. Bayley is back with a shot in the ropes but Nikki sends her outside in a crash as we take a break. We come back with Bayley running Nikki over and sending her into the buckle. A belly to back suplex drops Nikki on her head for two but a shot to the throat gets her out of trouble.

There’s a tornado DDT for two on Bayley and a reverse DDT onto the apron has her in more trouble. Back in and Nikki gets two off a Regal Cutter but Bayley snaps her throat first across the rope. Bayley goes over to the announcers’ table to mock Nikki’s dance for reasons of general cockiness, allowing Nikki to take her down by the leg. A dropkick through the ropes takes Sasha down and they fight over some rollups for two each. Bayley pops back up and hits the bulldog driver to retain at 10:30.

Rating: C+. They were just starting to cook and then Bayley finished her in a hurry to retain. It didn’t last long but they had me believing they might pull the surprise for a bit. That’s hard to do given how dominant Bayley has been but they need to have someone give her a real challenge because you can only do these same things over and over so many times.

Post match Bayley and Banks leave and the copyright comes up but we stay with Bliss trying to help Nikki up. Nikki says no and shoves her down before leaving on her own. Cue the Fiend of all people to kneel next to Bliss and hold out his hand, which she looks at while shaking her head. Fiend Mandible Claws Bliss to end the show. If we have to do this one more time, that’s a different enough way to go to make it more interesting.

Overall Rating: C. This was a show where they were trying hard and coming close to making it work but then something cut it off. Whether it was Corbin or the Naomi vs. Evans match or reminding us that Hardy is an alcoholic every few segments, this show had a lot of speed bumps and couldn’t overcome all of them. The good stuff was good though, with some solid matches and the potential of Big E. getting his singles push (just don’t have him beat Morrison next week and burn off more of his solo time) being highlights. I liked the show, but I could have liked it a lot more without the issues.

Results

AJ Styles b. Gran Metalik – Calf Crusher

King Corbin b. Drew Gulak – End of Days

Big E. b. The Miz – Stretch Muffler

Naomi b. Lacey Evans – Backslide

Bayley b. Nikki Cross – Bulldog driver

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Main Event
Date: July 23, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: MVP, Tom Phillips

It’s time for the weekly recap show of all of the events that don’t have the kind of audience to warrant a recap in the first place. WWE at least has Summerslam to set up in the next few weeks, but after that I’m not sure what they are going to be able to do. Hopefully things can be fine enough for an hour here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bianca Belair vs. Jessi Kamea

Belair powers her into the corner without much effort to start and tells Jessi to bring it on. A quick flip over Jessi sets up a running shoulder to put her down and we hit the cravate. Jessi’s dropkick doesn’t have much effect so Belair fires off shoulders in the corner. There’s a splash to the back but Jessi drives her into the corner. That’s fine with Belair, who sends her into the corner again and hits the KOD for the pin at 4:31.

Rating: D+. What were you expecting from this one? They did their thing for a few minutes and Belair won with her finisher. That’s all you’re going to get out of a match like this and Belair continues to be way too talented for this show. Jessi has been around a few times now and this is about as far as she has gotten so far. I can’t say I’m surprised.

We get some quick promos from AJ Styles and Matt Riddle before their Intercontinental Title match.

From Smackdown.

Intercontinental Title: Matt Riddle vs. AJ Styles

Styles is defending and we get the Big Match Intros. Riddle blocks an early Irish whip attempt and hits the rolling gutwrench suplexes to put AJ on the floor. A running knee puts AJ down again so he rips off the announcers’ table, only to get kicked in the head. We take a break and come back with AJ still in trouble as commentary thinks he’s off his game tonight.

AJ manages a belly to back faceplant to drop Riddle though and it’s time for the forearms in the corner. Some shots to the leg have Riddle in trouble and we hit the chinlock. Riddle powers up and drives him into the corner, setting up the running backsplash. The Bro To Sleep into the Final Flash connects for two and we take another break.

Back again with AJ hitting a clothesline out of the corner but Riddle strikes away without much trouble. Riddle charges into a superkick though but AJ can’t hit the Styles Clash. Instead Riddle hits a ripcord knee to the face, only to miss the Floating Bro. A brainbuster gives AJ two but he has to fight out of the Bro Derek. They strike it out with AJ reversing a Pele into the Calf Crusher. Riddle reverses that into a Bromission attempt but can’t quite get it on. Instead, AJ reverses into a cradle for the clean pin at 18:07.

Rating: B. I’m not wild on the 50/50 booking, though losing a clean fall to AJ Styles is far from some career killer. Riddle has gotten a good start to his run on Smackdown, but I’m worried about the double hit of losing here and then having to feud with Corbin for weeks on end. I know he had frostbite on his feet, but that isn’t the kind of heat he needs.

Post match AJ shakes Riddle’s hand but here’s Corbin from behind to beat Riddle down.

We look at Bayley trying to cheat Asuka out of the Raw Women’s Title at Extreme Rules.

From Raw.

Here are Bayley and Sasha Banks for a chat. Banks says she has this and explains her version of what happened last night. Asuka intentionally tried to blind the referee with the mist and Bayley just borrowed his shirt. Bayley did it because she’s a role model and now they have all the gold. A celebratory dance breaks out but here are Asuka and Kairi Sane.

Sasha was not ready for Asuka last night and the title is still hers. Banks says come get it so here they come. Hold on though as Stephanie McMahon pops up on screen to say Banks isn’t the Raw Women’s Champion. The title is on the line next week and Sasha can lose via pinfall, submission, countout, DQ, or with Bayley interfering. I’m assuming that counts for Asuka as well, but since Stephanie didn’t say it, it isn’t gospel.

Bayley vs. Kairi Sane

Non-title. Sane slugs away to start but Bayley comes back with some shots of her own. That earns her a hip attack to the floor, only to have Bayley come back in and stomp away in the corner. The chinlock doesn’t last long on Sane so Bayley snaps off a suplex for two. Sane drapes her on the top rope though and hits a top rope double stomp to the back, sending Bayley outside in a heap.

We take a break and come back with Bayley unloading in the corner. This is so fascinating that we cut to the back for an interview with Shayna Baszler, who says her interest in the match is like a shark seeing prey. Back to full screen with Sane reversing a suplex into a DDT for a breather. The Sliding D connects but Bayley grabs an armbar over the ropes in the corner.

Sane sweeps the leg and goes up top for an Alberto double stomp into a near fall. The spinning backfist into the Interceptor drops Bayley again but the Insane Elbow misses. Another Interceptor is cut off with a knee to the face. Bayley drops her with a suplex but misses her own top rope elbow. The Bayley to Belly is loaded up instead but Sane reverses into a rollup for the pin at 15:38.

Rating: B-. Given all of the rumors of Sane leaving WWE soon, this is quite the surprising result. That being said, it can also offer to shake things up a bit. I can’t imagine Sane taking the title from Bayley or anything like that, but it is a good idea to give Bayley something to do while they figure out her next big challenger. Good match too, with the surprise ending helping things.

Video on Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler from Extreme Rules.

Riddick Moss vs. Humberto Carrillo

Moss powers him around to start and then cranks on Carrillo’s arm. A headlock gets Carrillo out of trouble for a bit so Moss blasts him with a shoulder. Back up and Carrillo hits a running dropkick to send Moss outside, only to have the suicide dive countered with a drive into the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Moss hitting a backbreaker into a fall away slam. The chinlock goes on for a bit until Carrillo fights up for an enziguri. A standing moonsault sets up a crossbody for two on Moss. Carrillo hits a sunset flip for two more but Moss is right back with the neckbreaker for the pin at 9:37.

Rating: C-. Main Event continues to be one of the most confusing shows I can remember. Carrillo is still part of a fairly big story on Raw but here he is losing to Riddick Moss (again) on Main Event. That doesn’t even make bad sense, and it is another good example of how much of a mess WWE is these days.

We look back at Eye For An Eye.

Videos on Big Show and Randy Orton’s careers.

From Raw.

Big Show vs. Randy Orton

Unsanctioned so anything goes. Show knocks him into the corner in a hurry and hammers away at the arm. The spear sends Orton outside but cue Angel Garza and Andrade to jump Show. They whip him into the steps but the Viking Raiders run out to break up the Punt attempt as we take a break. Back with an unset table in the ring and Orton kicking at the leg. Show hits a chokeslam for two but the threat of the KO Punch sends Orton outside.

Back in and Show knocks him down again, this time putting Orton on the table. A Vader Bomb only hits table though, allowing Orton to hit the RKO for two. Orton isn’t happy, so he blasts Show in the back with some chair shots, leaving the referee to discard the pieces of the broken table. Another chair shot to the back sets up a top rope hanging DDT and a second RKO finishes Show at 13:45.

Rating: C. That’s all you could have expected it to be and that’s fine. Orton got in there and wrecked Show, which was exactly what he should have done. Show is expendable and Orton is probably about to headline Summerslam. What more can you expect from a match that was designed to accomplish one single goal?

Orton Punts Show to wrap things up.

Overall Rating: D+. WWE is just such a mess right now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. That’s a major problem and Main Event is a good illustration of the whole thing. The original matches either aren’t good or don’t jive with the main roster booking (If Moss can beat Carrillo, why can’t he get on Raw?) and the recaps just show you how bad things are at the moment. Run of the mill Main Event here, which doesn’t say much.

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

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

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