Monday Night Raw
Date: March 20, 2023
Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We are less than two weeks away from Wrestlemania and the show is mostly together. That means this week is going to be about firming up everything that is already set for the show, which will include some Roman Reigns. Other than that, it might be time to add in one or two more things, as WWE does on occasion. Let’s get to it.

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

Here are Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to get things going. They think the fans might like them before Sami goes into a talk about how he was wrong for a long time. They have always used each other to get to the next level but they have always done it as brothers. Owens has always said that Zayn is the best he has ever been in the ring with and that’s what made it harder watching him in the Bloodline. It’s time to take the Bloodline down though….so let’s look at that Wrestlemania sign.

Cue the Usos to say Owens and Zayn are just going to stab each other in the back. Zayn says Jey wants to stab Roman Reigns in the back, so we get straight to the Wrestlemania challenge. Jimmy says no, but Jey wants the chance to end the Zayn/Owens problem, so let’s do the brother vs. brother title match. The fight is on with the Usos being cleared out, only to grab chairs.

Cue Roman Reigns and the rest of the Bloodline arriving, which makes the Usos leave. You knew this match was coming but they took their time to get here, which is not a bad idea. The fans want to see the match and that is one of the hardest things to do with any match, let alone one of the bigger ones on the Wrestlemania card.

Montez Ford vs. Austin Theory

Non-title and Angelo Dawkins lets Ford do this one on his own. The fans want the smoke but have to settle for Theory shouldering Ford down and mocking his dance. Theory gets in a big beatdown in the corner but Ford is back up with some stomps of his own. A running clothesline puts Theory on the floor and there’s the toss over the barricade. Ford sits on some fans at ringside and we take a break.

Back with Ford hitting a high crossbody and a running uppercut to drop Theory again. Ford throws in a You Can’t See Me before hitting the standing moonsault for two. A DDT sends Theory outside and there’s the big running flip dive. Back in and Theory gets in a quick dropkick, setting up A Town Down for the pin at 8:45.

Rating: C+. Letting Ford rub elbows with a champion is an interesting idea as he continues to look ready to break out on his own. Theory wasn’t going to lose so close to Wrestlemania though and he shouldn’t have, so burning off a Ford loss might be a bit of an odd way to go. It makes sense after last week, but Ford should be better protected if he’s going to get a shot on his own.

Post match Theory says he’ll make John Cena believe in him at Wrestlemania.

Roman Reigns doesn’t seem pleased with the Usos but Jimmy Uso says he’ll never forgive Sami Zayn for causing trouble with Jey. Jimmy says they’ve got Zayn and Owens at Wrestlemania, with Reigns saying he hopes so. Reigns asks for the room to be cleared….except for Jey.

Post break (and what I’m guessing was a rousing spelling bee), Reigns says Jey went off for weeks and now he’s back making decisions. Should Reigns believe him? Jey says he’s Bloodline, which is all Reigns needed to hear. Reigns says he loves him and Jey leaves. Paul Heyman comes back in and Reigns says he got the answers he was looking for, while looking a bit serious.

The men’s four way showcase tag match will include the Street Profits, Braun Strowman/Ricochet, the Alpha Academy and the Viking Raiders.

Chelsea Green interrupts Adam Pearce, who isn’t happy with Carmella not being available tonight. Instead, Piper Niven will be her partner tonight. Pearce reminds her that he is the same manager over and over so Green wants to be in the Wrestlemania match. Threats ensue.

Video on Omos vs. Brock Lesnar, complete with various measurements of Omos’ gigantic hands and reach.

Omos vs. Mustafa Ali

Dolph Ziggler is watching in the back as the chokebomb finishes Ali at 55 seconds.

Post match MVP promises that Brock Lesnar will far Omos at Wrestlemania.

Logan Paul is on the way to the ring and blows off Miz on the way.

It’s time for Logan Paul and Impaulsive TV. Paul knows that no one but his dad and that one fan with a sign for his energy drink like him. No one here is going to respect him, but who cares, because it isn’t his fault that they can’t see the talent in front of them. He is a 360 degree entertainer and mocks the St. Louis Rams for heading to Los Angeles. Paul is looking forward to being with the Rams in Los Angeles at Wrestlemania on April 1, his 28th birthday.

We look at Paul knocking Seth Rollins out last week a few times, complete with Rollins’ head turning into a clown as we see the punch land over and over. Paul’s mic goes out and we see Seth Rollins (in a leopard print suit) in the control truck. Rollins asks how we’re going to save this edition of Impaulsive TV….so he plays his own music and comes to the ring.

Cue Rollins, with Paul talking over the fans singing along in a funny bit (Paul: “No one told me St. Louis was tone deaf. Your outfit is stupid.”). The fight is on fast and they go over the announcers’ table, with Rollins getting the better of things. Rollins dives off the top onto some security (that was a nasty landing) but Paul knocks Rollins out again. They’re doing a good job of making Paul feel like a real threat to Rollins at Wrestlemania and that right hand is getting over.

Now available: Wrestlemania the Musical, starring the Miz.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Johnny Gargano

Damien Priest and Dexter Lumis are here too and Gargano has bad ribs after being attacked on NXT. Gargano starts fast and hammers away with left hands in the corner. The rolling kick to the head and running hurricanrana put Dominik on the floor, setting up the suicide dive (which made good contact). The ribs are banged up though and Dominik drops them onto the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Dominik staying on the ribs until Gargano suplexes his way out of trouble. A missed charge in the corner lets Dominik roll him up for two but the referee sees the feet on the ropes. The Lawn Dart into a basement superkick gives Gargano two but Dominik knocks him off the top. Dominik hits the frog splash for the pin at 10:15.

Rating: C. Dominik stays warm on the way to a probably match with Rey Mysterio at Wrestlemania and he beat a bit of a name on the way there. Gargano on the other hand just feels stagnant and seems to be living off of the reputation he built in NXT. It doesn’t help that he has been kind of floating around since returning to the main roster, but maybe that can be fixed after Wrestlemania.

Post match Dominik grabs the mic and talks about Rey Mysterio turning down his Wrestlemania challenge. Dominik isn’t done yet though and promises to not stop until he gets what he wants. This Friday, the entire Mysterio family will be live in Las Vegas, as in the same family that kicked him out of the group chat. Dominik: “That’s ok though because the Judgment Day group chat is much better.” He’ll be asking his mom for permission to face Rey at Wrestlemania, if she’ll let Rey’s testicles out of her purse.

Paul Heyman sends the Usos to the jet for seafood, because Roman Reigns is giving them the night off. Solo Sikoa doesn’t get to though, as Roman Reigns wants to see him.

Edge is in a room full of candles and talks about what a hostile man that he is. He has been taken into the Cell by the Deadman himself. We get part of the 23rd Psalm with Edge talking about how he is the valley of the shadow of death. So at Wrestlemania, bring the Demon to face the Devil. Edge’s delivery was good but the candles/Bible quotes/everything else felt almost cliched here. At least it gives Balor a reason to bring back the Demon.

Here is Rhea Ripley for a chat. She doesn’t want to live in the past like Charlotte, who keeps talking about what happened three years ago at Ripley’s first Wrestlemania. That was when she was trying to make a name for herself and earn respect. When Charlotte hears the name Rhea Ripley, she begins to question everything. Ripley: “Don’t WHAT me. You’re all pathetic.”

Charlotte has to admit that it is over for her and when she sees Ripley holding the title up, she’ll know her insecurities were true. She won’t respect Ripley, but she will fear her. Cue Damage Ctrl of all people, seemingly offering help with Charlotte. Ripley doesn’t need it, but Bayley says this is their show. Threats are made and Ripley is game, even if she isn’t in her gear. Bayley is in her gear though and we’re ready to go.

Bayley vs. Rhea Ripley

The rest of Damage Ctrl is here too. Ripley sends her into the corner to start but gets tossed to the apron. A Stunner over the apron sends Ripley to the floor where she blocks the dropkick under the bottom rope. Bayley is fine enough to send her into the post, only to have Ripley hit a flip dive off the apron to drop Bayley for two back inside. A hard knee to the face gives Ripley two but some interference breaks up Riptide. Cue Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus and Lita (with Becky carrying a big bag of popcorn) as we take a break.

Back with the Bayley to Belly hitting for no cover, as Ripley plants her with a belly to back faceplant. Bayley hits a running knee to the face though and they’re both down. Ripley kicks her down out of the corner though and the Prism Trap sends Bayley to the ropes. The others get in a fight at ringside, leaving Ripley to hit Riptide for the pin at 10:43.

Rating: B-. You can tell when wrestlers are a cut or two above the people around them and that is the case here. Ripley feels ready to break out to the next level and Bayley is one of the most established names in the women’s division. Becky and company coming down with the popcorn was a little weird, but at least they helped cost Bayley the match.

Chad Gable finds Otis getting a manicure and a facial and wants him ringside later. Otis seems game but Maxxine Dupri comes in to say Otis has a hand modeling gig. Otis leaves with….Gable actually.

This week’s Wrestlemania trailer: Drew McIntyre and the Brawling Brutes in the 40 Year Old Virgin, with Ridge Holland getting his overly hairy chest waxed. These still aren’t really funny.

Chad Gable vs. Ricochet

Otis and Ricochet are here too. Gable wrestles him to the mat to start as Otis keeps looking at his freshly manicured nails. Back up and Ricochet starts flipping away before dropkicking Gable into the corner. A super hurricanrana is blocked though and Gable….kind of release AA’s him down. Gable hits a top rope clothesline for two as we take a break.

We come back with Ricochet hitting a running shooting star press. Gable muscles him up though and hits something like a Razor’s Edge Dominator (that could be a finisher for someone) for two. Gable suplexes him for the same but here is Maxxine Dupri to take Otis to the back. Ricochet reverses Chaos Theory into a standing Sliced Bread, setting up the shooting star press for the pin at 10:35.

Rating: C+. The still frustrating thing about the way WWE uses Gable is he can go in the ring. I’m not at all saying he should be some kind of a next big thing, but giving him nothing to do but put others over for a long time has taken a lot away from him. Just seeing him having something fresh to do with Otis recently has helped, but it’s still not quite enough.

Bianca Belair/Asuka vs. Chelsea Green/Piper Niven

Belair drops Green for the moonsault but Asuka tags herself in and the heroes clear the ring. We take a break and come back Niven taking over on Asuka. Everything breaks down though and Niven misses a charge in the corner allowing Belair to hit an impressive KOD for the pin at 6:36.

Rating: C-. I’m still not sure what the appeal is to having these matches where half of them take place during the break. Belair vs. Asuka still feels like a pretty weak Wrestlemania match, even if the actual product will work well. They need something to bring the interest up and Belair looking scared of Asuka isn’t doing it.

Post match Asuka takes out Belair. At least that’s taking a side instead of just looking at each other.

Here is the Bloodline (Roman Reigns/Paul Heyman/Solo Sikoa) for a chat. Reigns asks for acknowledgment but cue Cody Rhodes to cut him off. Rhodes wants to know why he is a problem and tells Heyman to stop, because he’s talking to the Tribal Chief. Reigns says the problem is what Rhodes represents and makes fun of his daddy for being a professional rassler.

Let’s look at Rhodes’ track record: he didn’t want to be Stardust so he ran away. Then he started a promotion and he couldn’t get over in it so he ran away. Then he got over and his body gave out so he ran away. Rhodes keeps talking about finishing the story at Wrestlemania but that’s not what’s going to happen. The real choice is April 3, when Rhodes isn’t the champion. Reigns hopes Rhodes will do something that makes his daddy happy and not run away.

Rhodes says what Reigns said is true, but what he did when he ran away helped every locker room make a lot more money. Yeah his daddy was a wrestler and Cody wanted to be a superstar but maybe it’s true that he’s just a runaway violent professional wrestler. No one needs to bring up his father one more time because he isn’t going to show up with a Bionic Elbow. Cody’s brother works elsewhere so all you have is him.

Instead let’s talk about Cody’s Cuban mother who would tell him to knock Reigns out and then hit him again for good measure. Let’s talk about April 3, which is when Reigns is going to wake up and remember how to lose. And then Jey is going to leave him too. Then Jimmy will be gone, and all that is left will be Solo, who Rhodes knows isn’t ready.

Sikoa will leave him too and Heyman will become an advocate again. That leaves Reigns without a family, a Roman with no more reigns and a chief without a tribe. Reigns leaves and Cody mocks Sikoa for following him before kicking Sikoa in the face. Reigns stops Sikoa from using the Samoan Spike to end the show. That was kind of a weird ending, and this one, while full of big shots at Rhodes, didn’t land nearly as well as their Smackdown faceoff.

Overall Rating: C+. This show did some good stuff and helped firm up some of the other stuff for Wrestlemania, but it seems they’re readying the point where there isn’t much left to say in some of the matches. The show is either set or mostly set and that doesn’t leave much to be done. They only have the big hard sell Raw left and that should be ok as long as nothing goes too far down next week.

Results
Austin Theory b. Montez Ford – A Town Down
Omos b. Mustafa Ali – Chokebomb
Dominik Mysterio b. Johnny Gargano – Frog splash
Rhea Ripley b. Bayley – Riptide
Ricochet b. Chad Gable – Shooting star press
Asuka/Bianca Belair b. Piper Niven/Chelsea Green – KOD to Niven

 

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Smackdown
Date: September 16, 2022
Location: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

As has been said multiple times lately, and then everything changed. Over the course of the week, Roman Reigns started focusing on Logan Paul, which seems to be a likely Crown Jewel main event. That is the kind of thing that seems hard to fathom, but here we are with a big segment needed to make it work. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Logan Paul to get things going. After commentary recaps Paul’s issues with Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman this week (Reigns went on Paul’s podcast and had an interview, then after Reigns left, Paul said he could beat him), Paul says he has done it again, meaning he has made someone mad.

We get some hardcore WHATing before Paul talks about how he has challenged people like Floyd Mayweather before, so tomorrow there is going to be a press conference in Las Vegas. If Reigns is man enough, he can show up and meet him face to face. Cue the Bloodline, minus Reigns, with the returning Paul Heyman getting to say exactly what you would expect. Heyman gets inside, as per Logan’s invitation, and tells the team that he has this. He sees Logan as one of the few non-WWE guys who could be a Paul Heyman Guy. Logan is the one who stood up to fight Mayweather and never went down.

Logan asks what Heyman is getting at so Heyman praises the Paul Brothers’ fighting abilities before suggesting that Logan is in over his head. That doesn’t shake Logan, who asks what Heyman is afraid of with a press conference. Yeah Reigns would probably smash him, but what if Logan hit that one lucky shot and won the Undisputed Universal Title? That makes Heyman back up a bit, so he has Solo Sikoa get in the ring.

Logan thinks he could knock Heyman out before Solo could get in the ring, so Sami slides in first. Sami thinks Reigns should have let him handle things, so Heyman throws the mic down and says do it. Logan drops him with one shot, drawing in the Usos and Sikoa to chase him off. Cue Ricochet for his scheduled match. Logan vs. Reigns is an out of nowhere match that needed to be set up fast. They did what they could here but there are only so many ways to make it work and I don’t think it quite came together, especially with all the focus on the boxing stuff.

Ricochet vs. Sami Zayn

Sami works on the arm to start and wristlocks him to the mat. The chinlock is quickly reversed into a headlock as Cole actually name drops Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Ricochet fights up and knocks him to the floor but Sami is right back in with a shot to the face. A middle rope elbow to the head sets up a chinlock but Ricochet fights back up again. What looked like a springboard is broken up, sending Ricochet ribs first as we take a break.

Back with Sami going up top but getting dropkicked out of the air for a crash. Ricochet starts kicking away and hits a running hurricanrana into a high crossbody for two. The Recoil is blocked and Ricochet’s standing moonsault hits knees, causing Heyman to make a mess of the announcers’ table. A superkick looks to set up the frog splash but Jimmy Uso offers a distraction, allowing Zayn to hit the Blue Thunder Bomb for….nothing due to Logan Paul.

The Benedryller is broken up but Ricochet knocks Jey Uso off the apron again. Sami snaps off a half and half suplex but Jey’s angry charge distracts the referee. That’s enough for Zayn to yell at the Usos, allowing Ricochet to hit a big dive onto them. Back in and the shooting star press finishes Zayn at 13:06.

Rating: C+. These two know what they’re doing and as usual, it is always nice to see Ricochet getting a win where he can. That hasn’t happened often enough for a very long time but it’s working more in recent weeks. Throw in Zayn getting to do some more stuff and this was rather nice to see, especially with the time they had.

Post match the Bloodline looks ready to strike but Madcap Moss runs down with a chair to cut it off.

Karrion Kross and Scarlett are looking forward to choking out Drew McIntyre so he’ll stay down. McIntyre fought, but like everyone else, he eventually went down. Kross is going to leave him in an endless loop of suffering.

The Dupris introduce the Maximum Male Models with their Back To School Collection, but Braun Strowman runs in to take them apart (with Mace giving a great OH NO look when the music hit). The powerbomb plants Mansoor hard but cue the Alpha Academy to go after Strowman. Otis manages a World’s Strongest Slam but Strowman pops back up. The Academy wisely runs.

Here is Damage Ctrl for a chat. Bayley laughs about being back and introduces the rest of the team as the new Women’s Tag Team Champions. That means they can go anywhere they want, which Bayley describes as power. They took the titles and put Aliyah on the shelf. Cue Raquel Rodriguez to call them powerless bullies.

Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez

The rest of Damage Ctrl is here so Rodriguez goes outside to throw Kai into Sky. The distraction lets Bayley get in some shows of her own though and the stomping ensues outside. Back in and Bayley is knocked into the corner, setting up a big boot to drop Bayley again. The Vader Bomb elbow is broken up via a distraction though and Bayley ties Rodriguez’s leg in the ropes.

A running knee to the tied up knee gives Bayley two and a running clothesline to the back of the head gets the same. Rodriguez fights back up with some fall away slams so the rest of the team offers another distraction. That’s fine with Rodriguez, who slams Kai onto Bayley to set up the corkscrew Vader Bomb elbow. Sky rakes the eyes though and it’s the Rose Plant for the pin at 6:26.

Rating: C. It’s weird to see Rodriguez lose but it did take three people and a bunch of cheating. That’s a good enough way to protect her, which is a good idea given what kind of a force she has been lately. Bayley seems set to go after Bianca Belair so Rodriguez is going to need a partner not named Aliyah to go after the Tag Team Titles, at least in theory.

Post match the beatdown is on until Shotzi runs in for the save.

We get a sitdown interview with Ronda Rousey, who wasn’t worried about Liv Morgan last time and still isn’t this time. Liv comes in and sits down, where she says that Rousey uses more useless words than anyone else. Rousey doesn’t buy it but Liv says she is the only person to beat her twice. Liv is used to the lack of respect and knows she has to do it again, so let’s make it an Extreme Rules match. Rousey says it’s Morgan’s funeral and leaves. I’ll take it over a straight match.

Drew McIntyre is on the commentary table to say Karrion Kross has his attention. It seems that if Kross isn’t jumping him from behind, he won’t face McIntyre like a man. McIntyre says the only countdown Kross needs to worry about is 3, 2, 1, lights out. It was short and to the point, but having McIntyre pop up and stand on the table made it feel more spontaneous, or at least different.

The Usos fire up Solo Sikoa, but he says he has this because Jey Uso was off earlier. Sami Zayn can come though.

NXT North American Title: Solo Sikoa vs. Madcap Moss

Sikoa, with Sami Zayn, is defending. Feeling out process to start until an elbow to the face drops Moss. Back up and Moss runs him over as well, setting up a running clothesline to put Sikoa on the floor. Sami offers a distraction though and Sikoa whips Moss into the barricade to take over. They get back inside where Sikoa can hit a spinwheel kick, followed by some glaring.

A belly to belly plants Moss again and the running hip attack connects, but Moss fights up and hits his forearms to the face. Something like a Rock Bottom gives Moss two, followed by Sikoa’s Samoan drop for the same. Moss grabs a fall away slam but Sami pulls Sikoa to the floor. The chase is on, allowing Sikoa to hit a superkick into a swinging Rock Bottom for the pin at 10:51.

Rating: C-. This picked up a bit near the end but it was clear that neither was ready to lead a match. They’re both athletic and can do the moves, but they don’t quite seem to know when or where to do them. It was disjointed rather than bad and that often shows just as much if not more, which was the case here.

Hit Row vs. New Day vs. Brawling Brutes vs. Imperium

For the #1 contendership with B Fab, Gunther and Sheamus at ringside.. During the entrances, we’re told that Erik of the Viking Raiders has suffered a foot injury, hence the team’s absence. Butch and Kaiser slug it out to start before going outside for the brawl. Top Dolla throws Ashante Adonis onto the two of them, setting up back to back flip dives from New Day to send us to a break.

Back with Kaiser putting Butch in a neck crank but Butch escapes and starts twisting on the fingers. Holland comes in but gets caught in Imperium’s corner, with Vinci armdragging him into an armbar. That’s broken up though and Dolla comes in to suplex Holland. Adonis comes in for an assisted splash and we hit the chinlock. Holland fights up so Kofi tags himself into pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and Imperium hits their double dropkick in the corner as we take another break.

Back again with Holland fighting out of trouble, allowing the hot tag to Woods to clear out Imperium. Holland is back in to clothesline Woods but Butch tags himself in and gets to clean house as well. Dolla kicks him down before putting Butch and Woods on his shoulders, plus catching Kofi in a World’s Strongest Slam at the same time.

All three are planted but Holland comes in with an Alabama Slam for two. Kofi hits a heck of a suicide dive onto Dolla, leaving Kofi to hit the top rope splash to Adonis’ back, with Butch having to make a save. Imperium breaks that up and drops Kofi with the Imperial Bomb but Holland tags himself in to steal the pin at 18:55.

Rating: B. This was the kind of insanity that you are supposed to get with a match like this and that was a good thing. It felt like there were multiple times where any team could win and it’s nice to have that kind of drama. The Brutes winning is a surprise and while I can’t imagine them taking the titles, they’re fresh challengers for the Usos so it’s a step up.

Overall Rating: C+. The main event helped and while I wasn’t wild on the Logan Paul stuff, it is something different as they take a side tour on the road to Extreme Rules. This was an easy to watch show save for maybe Moss vs. Sikoa, which wasn’t even that bad. The main thing continues to be a slightly different way of presenting the show and that is what WWE has been needing for far too long now.

Results
Ricochet b. Sami Zayn – Shooting start press
Bayley b. Raquel Rodriguez – Rose Plant
Solo Sikoa b. Madcap Moss – Swinging Rock Bottom
Brawling Brutes b. Imperium, New Day and Hit Row – Imperial Bomb to Kingston

 

 

Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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

AND

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