Monday Night Raw
Date: January 2, 2023
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We are inching closer to the Royal Rumble and that means it is time to start setting up the show. With so many wrestlers needed to get into the Royal Rumble matches, there are only going to be so many spots left for other matches. At the same time though, only one person has been announced for either Royal Rumble so they might want to start picking up the pace. Then again, they might want to have a lot of surprises this time. Let’s get to it.

We open with the Bloodline (minus Roman Reigns/Paul Heyman) wrecking havoc at ringside. Sami Zayn says they’re taking over tonight but here is Kevin Owens to interrupt. Sami calls this a hostile takeover but Owens says he wants to punch Zayn in the face. Cue Adam Pearce and company to tell Owens that this isn’t happening tonight or all year. Security goes after the Bloodline but gets dropped, drawing Owens into the ring. Some low level stars run in to go after the Bloodline and the team is chased off. Pearce says if the Bloodline is here, they’re going to be in a match tonight.

Bianca Belair is ready to face Alexa Bliss, no matter what kind of Bliss she is.

Post break the wrestlers who chased the Bloodline off want some matches, with Elias demanding a fight against Solo Sikoa. Works for Adam Pearce, as does the Street Profits/Kevin Owens vs. the Usos and Sami Zayn in a six man tag.

Women’s Title: Alexa Bliss vs. Bianca Belair

Belair is defending and wastes no time in hitting Bliss in the face to start. They head outside with Belair sending her into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Belair running her over with a shoulder and telling Bliss to bring it on. Bliss sends her into the corner, takes a bow, and stomps away.

Belair is back with some right hands and muscles Bliss up with a suplex to block a DDT attempt. Some forearms to the back have Bliss rocked but she sends Belair to the floor, setting up the running flip dive off the apron. We take another break and come back again with Bliss putting on a chinlock.

With that let go, Bliss’ standing flip dive is countered into a rollup but Bliss counters the KOD. Belair muscles her down into a backbreaker and hammers away in the corner. Bliss gets smart by pulling her out to the floor by the hair….where there is a man in a Bray Wyatt style mask. That’s enough of a distraction for Bliss to throw her back in….but there is another man in a Bray Wyatt mask (different hair).

Then the Bray logo pops up on screen and Bliss beats up the referee. There’s no bell yet so Bliss beats up Belair too and sends her into various things. There’s a DDT onto the steps and Belair (with her busted open) is mostly out. Bliss hits another DDT onto the steps and referees come out. The bell never rang but we’ll say the match was thrown out at 18:00.

Rating: C+. This was getting good before the ending, which wound up being more Bliss storyline stuff. You can only get so far with that as this was her big chance and now it’s just another version of Bliss gets upset and goes violent, which has kind of been shoved into the ground. The match was working fairly well, but you can only go so far when it seems like it is setting something else up. That seems to be the case with a lot of Bliss matches/moments, and it needs to go somewhere soon.

Post break, here’s everything you just saw.

Austin Theory is ready for Seth Rollins because he is the future and Rollins is the past.

Elias vs. Solo Sikoa

Street fight. Elias promises to show Sikoa what WWE stands for and we’re ready to go, with music themed weapons at ringside. Sikoa powers him into the corner to start and hits a hard clothesline to take over. They head outside with Elias missing a guitar shot but sending Sikoa right through a drum kit. A drum cymbal to the head knocks Sikoa silly and we take a break.

Back with Elias being sent into a speaker near the entrance, followed by some mic shots to the head. They get inside again with Elias’ electric keyboard shot being shrugged off, allowing Sikoa to grab a Samoan drop for two. Another keyboard blast gives Elias two and some tambourines to the head send Sikoa into the corner.

A musical celebrity (Hardy, who sings the Royal Rumble theme song) gives Elias a guitar but Sikoa hits a superkick. Hardy gets in and hit guitar shot to the back has no effect. That’s enough for Hardy to run off, leaving Elias to hit the jumping knee. A top rope guitar shot is Samoan Spiked out of the air, leaving Sikoa to Spinning Solo Elias through a piano for the pin at 14:21.

Rating: C-. This was a good bit longer than it needed to be and it felt like they were just filling in time for a good chunk of the match. Again, part of the problem with the Bloodline is that it is hard to buy the members in any serious danger save for any major opponents. That isn’t going to be the case with Elias, making this a bunch of goofy weapons shots until a big weapons spot to end the show.

We look at John Cena and Kevin Owens defeating Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn on Smackdown.

Street Profits/Kevin Owens vs Bloodline

The brawl is on before the bell with the non-Bloodline taking over. We get the official start with Jimmy getting a shot on Dawkins, allowing Sami to come in for a front facelock. That doesn’t last long either as it’s off to Owens, who takes over on Jey while yelling at Jey. Ford is up but doesn’t want to tag in as he is worried about Bianca Belair. Owens gets stomped down in the corner and we take a break.

Back with Ford coming in off the hot tag to clean house, including a standing moonsault for two on Zayn. Everything breaks down and Dawkins runs Jey over in the corner. Ford is back with the running flip dive onto Jimmy and Zayn but here is Solo Sikoa to take Dawkins out. Owens goes after him but gets superkicked, leaving Zayn to Helluva Kick Ford for the pin at 11:40.

Rating: C. This got going and I could buy Owens and the Profits as a bigger threat to score an upset here. It was also nice to have Ford be upset about something that happened earlier in the show, as he should have been. There is no reason to have him be all normal so well done on some logic. Sami gets a win back to keep the team happy, but Roman Reigns is going to be waiting on him.

Post match the beatdown stays on but Sheamus and Drew McIntyre run in for the save. Now they feel like a threat to the Usos this week on Smackdown.

AJ Styles is confirmed to have a broken ankle, meaning he will miss the Royal Rumble.

Chad Gable vs. Dexter Lumis

Otis is here with Gable, who runs away from Dexter to start. After hiding behind Otis doesn’t work, Gable grabs a hot shot for a breather and starts in on Lumis’ arm. A northern lights suplex gives Gable two but Lumis is back with a takedown of his own. Gable grabs a German suplex and sends Lumis outside, where Lumis gets posted. Otis misses a clothesline into the post though, leaving Lumis to counter La Majistral into a cradle for the pin at 4:09.

Rating: C. This version of Gable continues to be a chore to watch, which is a shame as he is a rather talented star. That being said, watching him in the same role week in and week out gets old fast as they have cranked the annoyance up as far as it can go. Gable needs something other than the one note catchphrase because he is too good to be stuck with it. Lumis getting a more normal win is a good thing for him, as this was more of a way to keep him active.

Video on Cody Rhodes’ return last year, including the injury which took him back out of action. More on this later.

Here is Damage Ctrl for a chat. Bayley brings up the team starting here at Summerslam so it is nice to have one good thing come out of this city. However, we need to talk about the Iris elephant in the room. Bayley beat Becky Lynch, which brings out Becky to tell Bayley to shut up. Becky talks about Bayley having to get out of someone’s (unnamed) shadow and now she has own team. It is going to be a matter of time before the rest of Damage Ctrl turns on her but Bayley rolls it off. The challenge it out for tonight but Bayley shuts that down too. Instead, Becky can just fight the rest of the team, 2-1. Sure.

Becky Lynch vs. Damage Ctrl

Non-title and Bayley is at ringside. Becky Stunners Sky over the middle rope to start and nails an enziguri to drop her for two. Kai comes in and gets legdropped, followed by a running forearm in the corner. A kick to the face staggers Lynch though and Sky sends her into the apron on the floor. The double teaming is on, including Sky front facelocking Becky on the floor. Cue Michin to join Becky though and the hot tag brings her in to start the house cleaning.

We take a break and come back with Sky Crossfacing Michin, who powers up and kicks Sky into Kai for a tag. A neckbreaker drops Sky so Kai grabs Becky’s ankle…and Michin makes the tag anyway. Everything breaks down and Becky hits a missile dropkick. A double superplex hits Kai with Sky having to make the save. Becky goes outside to deal with an invading Bayley, leaving Michin to Eat Defeat Kai. That leaves Michin down long enough though for Sky to hit Over the Moonsault for the in at 13:40.

Rating: C+. They got going near the end and the finish felt like Michin got caught rather than getting beaten. The match worked well too as you don’t want Lynch hanging with the champs that long. This should keep us on the way towards a major Becky vs. Bayley showdown and that has all of the potential to steal whatever show it is on.

Seth Rollins is ready for Austin Theory.

Alexa Bliss, with what looks like some dried paint on her face, says she has control of Bianca Belair.

We look at Dominik Mysterio being arrested on Christmas Eve for invading the Mysterios’ house.

Dominik Mysterio, having since been bailed out of jail by Rhea Ripley, talks about how prison is an absence of feeling. This isn’t a game to him and he’s just getting started, so he’ll see Rhea Ripley soon. This is a different way to go for Dominik and the more of his own character he can develop, the better.

Video on Bronson Reed.

US Title: Austin Theory vs. Seth Rollins

Theory is defending. Rollins grabs a headlock to start before clotheslining Theory outside. A knee to the face rocks Theory again and we take a rather early break. Back again with Rolling firing off the fast chops but Theory gets in a shot of his own. The rolling dropkick to the back gives Theory two and he hammers away with left hands. A clothesline sets up a chinlock on Rollins to keep him in trouble. They head outside with Rollins being rammed into the announcers’ table a few times as we take a break.

Back with Rollins Hulking Up and hitting a backbreaker for two. Rollins catches him on top but Theory slips out of a suplex. The brainbuster onto the knee is reversed into a small package to give Rollins two more. The buckle bomb is broken up as well and Theory goes up, only to get superplex into…well nothing actually as Theory reversed into a brainbuster own for two.

They trade kicks to the face until an enziguri drops Theory. Rollins can’t follow up so it’s a double breather. Back up and Rollins wins a strike off, setting up the missed Stomp. Theory tries to leave but gets caught, allowing Rollins to hit a superkick back inside. The frog splash gives Rollins two but Theory shoves him into the referee. Rollins’ knee gives out as he escapes a suplex, though he’s fine enough to hit a Pedigree for a delayed two from a second referee. Theory tries to send Rollins into the referee again, allowing the low blow to cut Rollins off. A chop block sets up A Town Down to retain the title at 22:15.

Rating: B. This felt like a major main event but more importantly it felt like a huge win for Theory. At some point you need to pull the trigger on him and that might be what they are doing here. The fact that it came after what felt like a showdown makes it even better, and now hopefully we get to see where this is going, as Theory could be getting a rocket built for his back.

Overall Rating: C+. The main event boosted up a lot of this show, which was built around long matches. That’s a good thing in theory, but it only gets them so far when the matches are hit and miss. What does help this show is how energized it felt, as it came off like stuff was happening throughout. The only cold match was Lumis vs. Gable and they were in and out in less than eight minutes. It’s not a great show, but there was enough to make me want to see what happens next.

Results
Alexa Bliss vs. Bianca Belair went to a no contest when Bliss attacked the referee
Solo Sikoa b. Elias – Spinning Solo through a piano
Bloodline b. Street Profits/Kevin Owens – Helluva Kick to Ford
Dexter Lumis b. Chad Gable – Rollup
Damage Ctrl b. Michin/Becky Lynch – Over The Moonsault to Michin
Austin Theory b. Seth Rollins – A Town Down

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 14, 2022
Location: KFC Yum Center, Louisville, Kentucky
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We are less than two weeks away from Survivor Series and that means it is time to start building some things up for the show. While we have a few matches, the real focus is going to be on WarGames. It looks like Raw will only be supplying the women’s match and more of the lineup needs to be locked in. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here is Seth Rollins to get things going and we see a package on Austin Theory’s failed cash in last week. Last week, he put out an open challenge and now there are people coming out of the woodwork for a shot at the title. Rollins talks about the cash-in and the fans say THAT WAS STUPID. Rollins is ready to defend against Finn Balor tonight but here is Bobby Lashley to interrupt. Rollins isn’t worried and brings up the loss to Brock Lesnar, so here is Mustafa Ali to interrupt. Lashley tosses him out with ease so Ali jumps on him again, only to be thrown right back to the floor. That’s not enough for Lashley, who says ring the bell.

Mustafa Ali vs. Bobby Lashley

Ali charges at him to start and gets knocked outside. Lashley gives him the posting and the spinning Big Ending connects back inside. A pair of spinebusters drop Ali but he says bring it. Lashley jumps over a charge in the corner and grabs a tornado DDT for a breather. And then the spear turns Ali inside out, setting up the Hurt Lock to finish at 4:23.

Rating: C-. This was little more than a squash with Ali trying what he could but getting run over almost every time. I’m not sure why WWE feels the need to crush Ali over and over but that’s what he had to deal with again here. The match was a way to make Lashley look great, but I’m not sure why Ali needed to be the sacrifice.

The OC is happy to have Mia Yim, with AJ Styles challenging Finn Balor for Survivor Series. Tonight though, Mia Yim is returning to the ring.

Mia Yim vs. Tamina

Tamina jumps her to start and hammers away as Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio come out to watch. Yim fights up and grabs a quick Eat Defeat for the pin at 1:54.

Post match Ripley teases the big brawl but walks away instead.

Matt Riddle says Elias is off doing his rock star thing and getting them their gig. Chad Gable comes in for some SHUSHING and brags about Otis’ win last week. The SHUSH vs. the bongo deal was about as annoying as you could imagine.

Damage Ctrl comes up to Mia Yim in the back and teases violence, but the OC comes in with the beer for the celebration.

Matt Riddle vs. Chad Gable

Otis is here with Gable. They grapple to start until Gable dragon screw leg whips him out of the corner. Another one slows Riddle down again but he’s back up with a kick to the chest. Riddle goes up top but Otis messes with the steps for a distraction, allowing Gable to grab a release German superplex to drop them both.

We take a break and come back with Riddle striking away, including a jumping knee to the face. There’s an overhead belly to belly into the running backsplash sets up a powerbomb for two on Gable. A triangle choke is broken up so Riddle grabs a hanging DDT instead. Gable is back up with a backslide and puts his feet on the rope, with Otis holding on, for the pin at 9:49.

Rating: C+. This was mostly good stuff, though the ending was kind of weird to see. Riddle has fallen a pretty long way in the last few months, as the lack of Randy Orton is hurting him a lot. The Alpha Academy winning a match, even by cheating, feels weird and I’m not sure what the point is in having them beat Riddle. We’ll get a rematch I’m sure but dang that was out of nowhere.

JBL and Baron Corbin are winning at poker and don’t like being offered Kentucky bourbon. Akira Tozawa sits down to gamble, despite not knowing any of the rules. JBL: “Your money is good here!”

It’s time for MizTV, with Miz as the guest and Byron Saxton asking the questions. Miz has a statement about the Dexter Lumis situation: he regrets paying Lumis, but all he wanted was empathy. Miz has been in WWE for 18 years and he has worked so hard without ever getting so much as a cheer. All he wanted was for people to care about him, but here is Johnny Gargano to cut him off. Gargano says Miz wasn’t depressed because Maryse posted pictures of their vacation in Cabo over the weekend.

Miz says he was depressed in his hotel room but Gargano mocks Miz’s sweater (Miz: “IT’S A CARDIGAN!”) and calls him Mr. Rogers. Miz is ready to move on but Gargano wants Miz to pay Lumis what he is owed. It’s cool though because Gargano has an idea: in two weeks, it’s Miz vs. Lumis and if Lumis wins, he gets Miz’s money and a contract. Miz says beating Lumis will be AWESOME. Then a cameraman pops up and it’s Lumis, who steals Miz’s sweater as Miz runs to the back. This was rather bad, but Miz did make the cardigan work.

Earlier today, Dominik Mysterio mocked Shelton Benjamin, who threatened him with a beating. Damian Priest got in between them and we get Dominik vs. Benjamin later tonight.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Shelton Benjamin

Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley are here too. Dominik bails to the floor to start but a Judgment Day distraction lets him get in a few cheap shots. Benjamin punches him down without much effort and Dominik bails to the floor again. Back in and Dominik tries a 619 but gets caught in a powerslam. A t-bone suplex has Dominik on the floor for the third time so Benjamin finally goes after him. The ankle lock goes on back inside but Benjamin gets rolled into the corner. Dominik goes straight up and hits a frog splash for the pin at 4:59.

Rating: C. This wasn’t a great match, but Dominik as the pest is a much better use of him going forward. He isn’t going to get anywhere based on his own abilities so having him do something like this is the right way to go. Not a terrible match and I can go for more Shelton, even though he is out there as a jobber.

Austin Theory says he didn’t fail last week because now he feels more alive than he ever did. That briefcase was an anchor around him but he was trying to make the most of an opportunity. Cue Dolph Ziggler to say it was the worst cash in ever but Theory doesn’t want to hear it from him. This is Theory’s time, but Ziggler doesn’t seem to buy it.

Video on WarGames.

Dana Brooke vs. Iyo Sky

The rest of Damage Ctrl is here with Sky and we get an inset promo from Brooke, who promises to never give up. Sky wastes no time in kicking her down and hitting a springboard missile dropkick. Brooke fights up but gets dropped again, allowing Sky to pose near the ropes. Back up and Brooke grabs a DDT but the handspring elbow is countered into a release German suplex. Running knees in the corner sets up Over The Moonsault for the pin on Brooke at 3:13.

Rating: C. Commentary was getting to the point with Brooke here: she’s trying, but at some point you have to win something. That has haunted her throughout most of her career, as she doesn’t really do anything outside of stuff like the 24/7 Title. Sky wasn’t going to lose here and Brooke tried, but she was in over her head.

Post match Mia Yim comes out to join Team Belair in WarGames.

Tozawa has cleaned out JBL and Baron Corbin. The villains try to cheat but Tozawa doesn’t fall for it.

Austin Theory vs. Dolph Ziggler

Theory takes him down to start and chokes on the rope, allowing for some trash talk. Back up and Ziggler charges into an elbow for two but he slips over Theory in the corner. Theory blasts him with a clothesline and sends Ziggler shoulder first into the post though and we take a break.

We come back with Ziggler hitting the running DDT but getting caught in a torture rack powerbomb for two. A Town Down is reversed into a sleeper but Theory slips out as well. The Fameasser gives Ziggler two, only to have Theory send him shoulder first into the post. Ziggler reverses another whip though and hits the Zig Zag for a rather near fall.

Back up and Theory forearms him in the face before hitting A Town Down….for no cover. Instead he hits a second one and stomps away before taking Ziggler outside for a whip into the steps. Theory rams him into the announcers’ table enough times to draw a rather violent DQ at 14:33.

Rating: C+. This started rather slowly but then they got going near the end. That being said, it was more about the Theory angle than the match itself. Theory going all angry is a different direction, but having it be against Dolph Ziggler isn’t exactly helping him. Cut a few minutes out of the beginning and it’s better, but Ziggler has a firm ceiling these days and that was on display here.

Post match Theory destroys Ziggler and sends him over the barricade to keep up the beating until agents break it up.

Rhea Ripley joins Team Damage Ctrl.

Baron Corbin vs. Akira Tozawa

JBL is here with Corbin, who shoulders Tozawa down to start. A chokeslam is countered into a DDT and a missile dropkick gets one on Corbin. They head outside with Corbin sending him into the steps, only for Tozawa to come back with a top rope headbutt to a standing Corbin back inside. Tozawa tries it again but dives into End of Days for the pin at 3:31.

Rating: D+. I have no idea what they were going for with the angle and the match, as Tozawa beat Corbin in poker and then had him in trouble here. The action was ok, but then you realize that it’s Tozawa giving Corbin a run for his money. Of all the people on the roster for something like this, Tozawa? How long has it been since he meant anything anywhere? Really not seeing what they were trying to do here but it didn’t quite work.

We look back at Austin Theory snapping.

Team Belair is ready for a singles match next week against Team Damage Ctrl. Damage Ctrl is all about games but Team Belair is all about war.

The Alpha Academy comes in to brag about their win but Seth Rollins dances by while singing shush. Ok then.

Finn Balor accepts AJ Styles’ Survivor Series challenge. For tonight though, he’s winning the US Title.

US Title: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

Rollins is defending and gets taken down into an early chinlock. With that broken up, Rollins sends him outside for a heck of a dive as we take a break. Back with Balor knocking Rollins into the corner and mocking the conducting the fans motion. The abdominal stretch goes on but Rollins slips out and slugs away. Balor gets knocked outside for a suicide dive into the barricade but the Sling Blade is cut off back inside. Rollins kicks him down and hits a frog splash for two as we take another break.

We come back again with Rollins swinging Balor into the barricade but Balor hits a running dropkick to send him into the barricade as well. Back in and Rollins grabs a sitout powerbomb for two but Balor knocks him down again. Rollins catches him on top with a superplex but the Falcon Arrow is countered into 1916, leaving Balor rather frustrated. The Pedigree and Buckle Bomb are blocked and Rollins is right back with the Falcon Arrow for two.

The Stomp is loaded up but here is the Judgment Day for a distraction. Balor sweeps the legs and hits the jumping double stomp but here is the OC to take out Judgment Day. The shotgun dropkick sends Rollins into the corner, only to have AJ Styles break up the Coup de Grace. Rollins hits the Stomp to retain at 20:02.

Rating: B. This was the best part of the show as you had two guys who know how to work that kind of a match. At the same time, the ending with that much chaos and the referee being fine with the whole thing was a bit much to take. It does move us towards Styles vs. Balor at Survivor Series, but they went a few steps too far with the interference. Anyway, good match, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

Post match Austin Theory runs in to beat up Rollins. The beatdown is on with Theory hitting a belt shot to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. What was this show? This felt like they dipped into the Vince McMahon playbook for some reason, with a bunch of weird choices and only a handful of decent matches. They did advance Survivor Series a bit and the show wasn’t a disaster, but it was one of the least interesting shows since McMahon left. Hopefully this is just a misfire, as it felt like a major step backwards after weeks of much better stuff.

Results
Bobby Lashley b. Mustafa Ali – Hurt Lock
Mia Yim b. Tamina – Eat Defeat
Chad Gable b. Matt Riddle – Backslide with feet on the ropes
Dominik Mysterio b. Shelton Benjamin – Frog splash
Iyo Sky b. Dana Brooke – Over The Moonsault
Dolph Ziggler b. Austin Theory via DQ when Theory attacked Ziggler on the floor
Baron Corbin b. Akira Tozawa – End of Days
Seth Rollins b. Finn Balor – Stomp

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 7, 2022
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena At City Plaza, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We’re done with Crown Jewel and now it is time to get ready for Survivor Series. There weren’t many developments this weekend but we get to find out where some of these stories are going on the way to WarGames. I’m curious to see who is going inside the cage and maybe we find some of that out this week. Let’s get to it.

Here is Crown Jewel if you need a recap.

Here are the Usos and Solo Sikoa to get things going. We see a photo of the Bloodline celebrating at the end of Crown Jewel with the Usos promising to beat New Day for the titles on Smackdown. Cue New Day to interrupt with Xavier Woods promising to get the titles back on Friday. The Usos praise New Day’s history and there’s nothing wrong with being the #2s.

Woods calls out the Usos for being coddled in a famous wrestling family, which sends Jey into a rant about the pressure that comes with being part of a legendary family. Woods rants right back about what it means to have pressure, because New Day knows what it’s like to sit in catering, wondering if you’re getting fired or building a YouTube channel so someone will notice you at work. Jimmy brings up breaking Woods’ crown before Jey says there would have been no Kofimania without the Usos forfeiting in the gauntlet match (now there’s a call back).

Kofi’s kids wouldn’t be running around the ring at Wrestlemania so stay at home with them on Friday. Kofi talks about how much the record means to New Day and they’re going to fight to keep it like no other. Cue Matt Riddle, with bongos, to interrupt and this better be good. Riddle offers New Day a hit of the bong, which they accept, but Jimmy is the only Bloodline interested. Jey isn’t impressed though so let’s have a six man tag. This was a really good serious segment and while I get that they needed a sixth, Riddle was his usual goofy self and it brought things down a bit.

Matt Riddle/New Day vs. Solo Sikoa/Usos

Riddle suplexes Jimmy to start and it’s time for the Unicorn Stampede. Woods comes in to work on the arm but Jey enziguris Riddle. Sikoa takes Riddle down in a crash to the floor and we take a break. Back with the Usos hitting a double spinebuster on Riddle and Sikoa kicks him in the ribs. Riddle manages a quick suplex and jumping knee to Sikoa, allowing the tag to Woods to pick up the pace. A basement clothesline and splash get two on Sikoa, followed by a high crossbody to put him down again.

There’s the Boom Drop but Trouble In Paradise is broken up. New Day gets taken outside for some rammings into the announcers’ table as we take a break. Back with Sikoa countering a sunset flip with a legdrop but he runs into a raised boot in the corner. A tornado DDT gets Kofi out of trouble and it’s a double tag to Jey and Riddle.

House is cleaned with a pair of Brotons and a powerbomb to Jimmy. Jey is back up with a pop up neckbreaker for two on Riddle, who pulls him into a triangle choke. Jimmy makes the save with a Superfly Splash for two, with Kofi breaking it up as well. Kofi’s dive to the floor is up off but Riddle is back up with a Floating Bro to Sikoa on the floor.

Jimmy dives onto Riddle and knocks the top of the announcers’ table off in the process. Back in and Riddle catches Jimmy with a kick, setting up the hanging DDT. Sikoa tags himself in as Riddle hits the RKO on Jimmy, leaving Sikoa to come in for a Spinning Solo and the pin on Riddle at 20:52.

Rating: B+. This got its time and picked up a lot of steam along the way. By the end, it was all about the chaos and for a TV match, I was rather impressed. The Usos and New Day are always worth watching, but there is something nice about not having the challengers pin the champions to set up their title match. Sikoa gets a big win over a former champion and it worked out very well. Heck of a match.

Long video on Crown Jewel.

Here is JBL to mock Pennsylvania for losing the World Series to a team from Texas before interrupting Baron Corbin.

Baron Corbin vs. Cedric Alexander

For some reason and JBL is on commentary. Corbin knocks Alexander around without much trouble and more hard shots have him down again. Alexander manages a Neuralizer to send him to the floor but Corbin is right back in with the End of Days for the pin at 2:18. Simple and effective.

Here is Seth Rollins for the United States Title Open Challenge. Cue the Judgment Day and Rollins is more than a bit confused. Finn Balor gets in the ring to say that Rollins once cost him gold so now he is costing Rollins gold. Cue the OC to interrupt for the staredown, with Rollins slipping away. Styles says this isn’t over because there is always the Rhea Ripley Problem. They still haven’t found anyone, but someone found the OC. We hear a fight on the floor and….Mia Yim is back! Ripley is down and the big beatdown is on with the OC (and/with Yim) standing tall.

Seth Rollins says we’ll still have the Open Challenge.

Elias vs. Otis

Chad Gable is here with Otis. Elias’ shoulder doesn’t work to start and Otis knocks him hard into the corner. An attempt at a slam doesn’t work for Elias but he avoids a charge into the post. Back to back jumping knees to the face drop Otis but Elias has to knock Gable down. Otis uses the distraction to hit the World’s Strongest Slam for the pin at 2:59.

Judgment Day isn’t worried about Mia Yim because she solves NOTHING. The team goes to leave when Rhea Ripley runs into Bianca Belair for some sneering.

Here are Bianca Belair, Asuka and Alexa Bliss for a chat, but first we see a clip of the three of them almost getting into a fight with Damage Ctrl in the parking lot earlier today. They aren’t impressed but here is Damage Ctrl to interrupt. Dakota Kai said Bianca Belair still hasn’t beaten Bayley but Asuka rants in Japanese.

Sky yells right back and the argument is on. Sky: “B****!” The big fight is on until Bianca says this is WAR, so this is ending at WARGAMES. Cue Nikki Cross to jump Belair form behind and the big brawl is back on. Damage Ctrl and Cross beat them down, with Bayley saying she’ll see Bianca at WarGames.

Austin Theory vs. Shelton Benjamin

This is the result of Theory not wanting Benjamin’s advice earlier today. Feeling out process to start with Benjamin blocking a ram into the corner. Theory punches him down but gets pulled into the ankle lock. That’s broken up so Benjamin snaps off a German suplex for two. Back up and a rake to the eyes slows Benjamin down, setting up A Town Down for the pin at 2:43.

Here is Miz for a chat before his match with Johnny Gargano. Miz rants about how Gargano’s video about his relationship with Dexter Lumis is false. He can’t believe that anyone would believe those sources, but his own father believes Gargano! Miz has been in discussions for a film version of the REAL story but here is Gargano to interrupt. Before the match, Gargano needs to tell the truth and blow the whistle on himself.

When he did his interview last week, he wanted Miz to tell the truth and actually pay Dexter Lumis, but that didn’t happen. Therefore, he needed some extra evidence and he did something a little deceitful to get it. Gargano hired someone to do it, and it turns out that the producer Miz met with over the movie was a private investigator….and she had a hidden camera on. Miz looks terrified as Gargano pulls out a universal remote to run the Titantron, which shows Miz telling the investigator that everything Gargano said is true.

Miz quit paying because Lumis went nuts, but since it went under, why should Lumis be paid? If nothing else, Lumis should be paying him since he wasn’t doing anything three months ago. Miz looks near tears as we’re ready to go. I’ve liked the feud and story but this was bad even for a corny wrestling angle.

Johnny Gargano vs. Miz

Gargano starts fast by dropkicking him to the floor and hitting the running kick from the apron. Some chops on the floor has Miz in trouble and Gargano holds the ropes to avoid a dropkick back inside. Gargano goes after the arm but Miz is back with a kick to the ribs to slow him down. A running kick to the chest gives Miz two and we hit the chinlock.

Back up and Gargano hits what might be a low blow, setting up a jumping neckbreaker for two. A superkick knocks Miz off the apron and there’s the slingshot dive to drop him again. Miz is fine enough to drop him over the barricade though and we take a break. Back with Gargano hitting a Backstabber out of the corner for a double knockdown. Gargano faceplants him for two but Miz left hands him on the apron.

The slingshot spear gives Gargano two but Miz’s short DDT gets the same. The Skull Crushing Finale is countered into a rollup for two, followed by a kick to the head for two more. There’s a suicide dive to send Miz into the announcers’ table but Miz is pulled underneath the ring. He comes out with a turnbuckle rod and tells the referee to check, allowing Miz to hit Gargano with a turnbuckle rod for the pin at 15:50.

Rating: B-. This was a very Gargano style match with all of his usual stuff, plus a screwy ending. It was a match that you knew was coming after last week, but if they’re having the long form match here, I’m not sure how much more need there is for them to fight again. Lumis is probably going to be back soon and that will get Miz’s focus, leaving Gargano without anything to do at the moment. For now though, it was a pretty action heavy match, but the angle before it was rough.

Post match Lumis comes out to chair Miz down and have a glaring seat.

Damage Ctrl recruits Nikki Ash for WarGames. She laughs and says it’s time to play, which seems to be a yes.

24/7 Title: Dana Brooke vs. Nikki Cross

Dana is defending and Damage Ctrl is here, with Bayley on commentary. Nikki wastes no time in taking her down for a cross arm choke before ramming her face first into the mat. The Purge gives Nikki the pin and the title at 2:01. Total squash.

Post break, Damage Ctrl and Cross are walking through the back, where Nikki throws the 24/7 Title in the trash. Please be the end of the thing.

The OC officially welcomes Mia Yim to the team and she is ready to pick up the tab tonight. Then she’ll deal with Rhea Ripley.

Here is Seth Rollins to issue the open challenge again. First though, he brings up ten years of Rollins in WWE, earning himself a nice chant. With that out of the way, he’ll need an opponent, so here is Mustafa Ali on the Titantron. Bobby Lashley jumps him from behind, talks about wanting revenge on Seth, beats up Ali for trying to accept the challenge again, and then promises to take the title back. It was going to be one of them and the two attacking each other was clever.

US Title: Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley

Rollins is defending and gets clotheslined over the top before the bell. The brawl is on with Rollins cutting off the spear through the barricade with a superkick. Lashley is back up to hammer away and Rollins gets posted hard. There’s the spinebuster through the announcers’ table and Rollins is left laying with no match.

Post match Lashley leaves…..and here is Austin Theory with the briefcase? Post break we have a cash in and I guess this is legal.

US Title: Seth Rollins vs. Austin Theory

Theory is challenging and hits Rollins in the face for two. Rollins is back with an attempt at a Pedigree but gets reversed into one of his own for two. Theory gets knocked outside but rolls back in for a powerbomb and a near fall but the Stomp is countered into A Town Down….and Bobby Lashley pulls the referee out at two. After yelling at Lashley that he ruined it, Theory gets wrecked and posted hard a few times. The Hurt Lock leaves Theory out cold on the floor and Lashley leaves. Theory beats the count back in but gets Stomped to retain Rollins’ title at 4:58.

Rating: C. The match was immaterial as it was a few traded sequences and then Lashley doing his thing. What matters here is that the briefcase is gone and that is great to see. Theory wasn’t going to become the World Champion and it would have been a waste of time seeing him try to cash in on Reigns. Going after the US Title is a smart way to go, though him losing the match was a bit of a surprise. As a bonus, this opens up a new direction for the briefcase, so maybe it can get more interesting for once.

Overall Rating: B. This show was a mixture of good action and good structure. There were some rather good matches, with that opener getting pretty near excellent. What made this show work better though as a mixture of long and short form stuff. It kept the show moving and that is how to prevent the normal boring feeling setting in. Rather nice show here and the road to Survivor Series begins with a hot start.

Results
Usos/Solo Sikoa b. Matt Riddle/New Day – Spinning Solo to Riddle
Baron Corbin b. Cedric Alexander – End Of Days
Otis b. Elias – World’s Strongest Slam
Austin Theory b. Shelton Benjamin – A Town Down
Miz b. Johnny Gargano – Turnbuckle rod to the head
Nikki Cross b. Dana Brooke – Purge
Seth Rollins b. Austin Theory – Stomp

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

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Monday Night Raw
Date: October 31, 2022
Location: America Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

We’re on the way to Crown Jewel but first we need a big stop for Halloween. This is going to include the traditional Trick Or Street Fight, this time between Matt Riddle and Otis, but also an appearance from Roman Reigns. Hopefully it involves the Bloodline and not Logan Paul, but we might not be that lucky. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bianca Belair vs. Nikki Cross

Non-title. Belair drives her into the corner to start so Cross sticks her head out and shouts at Belair to hit her. That’s fine with Belair, who hammers away but gets taken outside for a tie up in the ring skirt as we take a break. Back with Belair managing a suplex but favoring her leg.

Said leg is fine enough to hit the handspring moonsault but Cross grabs a choke. They crash out to the floor to break it up but here are Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai to distract the referee, allowing Bayley to sneak in and post Belair. Cross beats up Damage Ctrl but walks into the KOD to give Belair the pin at 9:26.

Rating: C. Kind of a weird match here as Cross is back but has already lost her first match. The good thing about Cross is she is the kind of agent of chaos who can lose matches and still be enough of a force that it doesn’t really matter. You don’t need her to beat Belair of course, but the result was a bit disheartening.

Post match Damage Ctrl comes in for the beatdown but Asuka and Alexa Bliss return for the save.

We look back at Brock Lesnar returning and going after Bobby Lashley.

Asuka and Alexa Bliss have Bianca Belair’s back but also want a Tag Team Title match tonight.

We get a split screen sitdown interview with Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley…..minus Lesnar. Lashley talks about being ready to prove he is more than just a Lesnar knockoff but here is the real Lesnar in the arena. Lesnar gets to the point: he isn’t here for an interview but rather for a fight, so here comes Lashley. The fight is on in the aisle with wrestlers and referees trying to split them up. Even HHH comes out but Lesnar can’t be held back. They’re finally separated after a big man brawl.

Austin Theory vs. Seth Rollins

Non-title and the result of Rollins not having the best things to say about Theory on commentary last week. Rollins sweeps the leg down to start and grabs a headlock. It’s too early for a Pedigree though and Theory bails out to the floor. Rollins heads outside and gets rammed into things to put Theory in control as we take a break.

Back with Rollins hitting a suicide dive, followed by the basement superkick for two. Rollins loads up the Pedigree but gets reversed into a brainbuster onto the knee for two more. A standing Blockbuster gives Theory two and the fans think this is awesome. A Town Down is broken up but Theory blasts him with a superkick and a forearm for the double knockdown. With nothing else working, Theory tries his own Pedigree but gets reversed into the Stomp to give Rollins the pin at 14:50.

Rating: B. This was a heck of a match and the kind of match that Theory has been needing. No he didn’t win, but he was able to feel like he fit in with one of the biggest stars in WWE today. They were trading one big move after another and it made for a rather good match. I could still go for Theory winning one of these big matches, but I’ll take this over him losing every time.

Here are Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman for a chat. The fans chant UCEY but Reigns assures them that Jey Uso will be a much more ucey man soon. That brings Reigns to Crown Jewel, where he is facing someone with two matches under his belt. Reigns laughs off the Logan Paul threat but Heyman sounds a bit more worried. Cue the Miz, who says he knows Logan Paul better than anyone and offers an alliance with Reigns. All Reigns has to do is help Miz against Mustafa Ali and he’ll teach Reigns everything there is to know about Logan Paul. One Superman Punch later and Reigns says he isn’t interested.

Post break, Miz is in the trainer’s room and doesn’t want Johnny Gargano’s video on Miz and Dexter Lumis airing. Mustafa Ali comes in to comment on the rather small size of Miz’s testicles.

Karl Anderson vs. Damian Priest

The rest of the OC and the Judgment Day are here too. It’s a brawl to start and they head outside, where a Judgment Day distraction lets Priest get in a cheap shot. We come back with Anderson fighting up but a Rhea Ripley distraction lets Priest take him down again. The Reckoning is loaded up but Anderson reverses into a cradle for the pin at 7:15.

Rating: C. A lot of this match was during the break but it was nice to have the OC get a win before what is likely going to be a bad loss at Crown Jewel. A member of Judgment Day losing to a fluke rollup isn’t going to hurt him that much, even if it is to someone other than AJ Styles. Still though, not much of a match here but the result was the right call.

Post match the brawl is on with Ripley being left alone for the Judgment Day but AJ Styles and Anderson can’t do anything. The rest of Judgment Day gets back up and the big beatdown is on.

MVP laughs off the idea of Braun Strowman beating Omos at Crown Jewel. MVP will be at Smackdown with a surprise for Strowman.

Here is JBL to suck up to the Texas fans by listing off various Texas sports teams and legends. Then he insults kids who go door to door begging for food on Halloween, which is what this safe space generation doesn’t need. No one here in this arena deserves to be called a Texan. As for everyone here, get on your feet for Baron Corbin!

Cue Corbin, to thank everyone for spending their last dollar to come spend every last dollar they have and the truth is…..and cue R-Truth. This would be cowboy R-Truth, complete with a horse between his legs. JBL calls Truth a buffoon but Truth wants to know what is up with the costumes. The fight is on and JBL throws his hat at Truth, allowing Corbin to hit the End of Days. At least it wasn’t a match.

Nikki Cross is with Damage Ctrl.

Matt Riddle vs. Otis

This is a Trick Or Street Fight (meaning a bunch of pumpkins and various Halloween things are around the ring) and Riddle, with Elias, is dressed as Ezekiel. Chad Gable is here with Otis and….they’re Chippendale Dancers, ala Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley from Saturday Night Live.

They fight to the floor early and take a rather quick break. Back with Otis working on a neck crank but Riddle is back with a knee. Otis runs him over and hits a Worm but Riddle is back up with a candy corn kendo stick. A World’s Strongest Slam plants Riddle but Elias sends Gable through a table. The distraction lets Elias put a pumpkin on Otis’ head, setting up the RKO to give Riddle the pin at 7:38.

Rating: C. This was another quick match that didn’t do much but the weird thing was the Halloween theme after an otherwise mostly serious show. I get the idea of having the Halloween match and that’s cool, but it’s still something that feels like it belongs on another show. For now though, Riddle getting a nice win is good for him and it isn’t like Otis has anything to lose. Even with a pumpkin on his head.

Bayley gives the rest of Damage Ctrl a pep talk.

Miz vs. Mustafa Ali

Miz is a big banged up after Reigns hit him in the face earlier but he’s fine enough to sucker Ali in to stomp away. Ali threatens a shot to the face and rolls Miz up for two. The rolling neckbreaker gives Ali two but he has to bail out of the 450. Miz rakes the eyes and sends him face first into the buckle as we take a break.

Back with Ali shrugging off the YES Kicks so Miz plants him with a DDT for two. Ali sends him outside and hits a dive before they fight over the announcers’ table. Cue Dexter Lumis to go after Miz before security chases him off. That lets Ali knock Miz down and hit the 450 for the pin at 10:04.

Rating: C. So Ali wins but it doesn’t really feel like it means anything for him. Instead, it comes off as the next chapter in the Miz vs. Dexter Lumis deal, which isn’t the best way to go. I’ll take it over Ali coming up this short again though, which has happened far too often over the last few months. Make these wins feel like they matter and we could actually get somewhere with him.

And now, WWE Investigates, looking at Dexter Lumis and the Miz. Byron Saxton talks to Johnny Gargano, who claims to have bombshell news. Gargano talks about knowing Lumis for years, including various clips of The Way’s wacky antics. Then Lumis lost his job and fell on hard times. We get a re-enactment of Lumis as an artist on the street, with Miz offering him $10,000 to fake the whole stalking ordeal for….some purpose.

Gargano even produces a recording of Miz talking to Lumis (who doesn’t talk) about the whole plan. Gargano shows clips, suggesting that Miz is just doing this for attention. Then somewhere, at least Gargano thinks, Miz stopped paying Lumis and the whole thing fell apart, with Lumis wanting his money. This was certainly a way to go and it’s actually a way out of explaining the whole nutty deal so I’ll take it. I’m not sure if it’s the most logical or even a good way to go, but this should be better than some of their other ideas. I think.

Crown Jewel rundown, with Bray Wyatt announced for an appearance.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Damage Ctrl vs. Alexa Bliss/Asuka

Bliss/Asuka, with Bianca Belair, are challenging and Bayley is here with the champs. Bliss stomps Sky into the corner to start and the fight is on fast but Sky is back up with a dropkick to the ribs. Kai comes in to stay on the ribs but Bliss fights up and brings Asuka in to clean house. A quick suplex drops Kai and a clothesline cuts her off again.

The champs are knocked outside but Kai is able to dropkick Bliss down as well. Asuka kicks away at Sky but gets taken down with a dragon screw legwhip as we take a break. Back with Asuka rolling Sky up for two and the hot tag brings in Bliss to clean house. Bliss Code Reds Kai out of the corner for two and it’s back to Asuka. Sky crushes her in the corner, setting up the springboard missile dropkick for two.

Asuka Codebreakers her out of the air and grabs the Asuka Lock, but the distracted referee doesn’t notice the tap. Bayley and Belair fight onto a box near the timekeeper’s area, where a Bayley to Belly sends Belair through a table. Back in the ring and Kai kicks Asuka in the face, only to get sent into the steps by Bliss. Asuka kicks Sky in the head and Bliss goes up top for Twisted Bliss and the titles at 16:21.

Rating: C+. This was a perfectly nice match which got some time and ended with a surprise title change. At the end of the day, it isn’t like Damage Ctrl needed to have the titles and the change is a good thing. Bliss and Asuka get to come back and get their revenge plus the titles, making this a rather logical way to go.

Pyro goes off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. It wasn’t a great Raw and other than one or two spots, the Halloween aspect was barely a factor. That being said, I’ll take what we got over a bunch of lame Halloween jokes (ala a Halloween party). They do really need to get past the Logan Paul stuff though, as it comes off as such a lame detour from what could be a lot of good options otherwise. Outside from that, Crown Jewel is set and we should be in for a nice show. That was mostly the case here, but other than the Rollins vs. Theory match, you’re probably better off just looking at a recap.

Results
Bianca Belair b. Nikki Cross – KOD
Seth Rollins b. Austin Theory – Stomp
Karl Anderson b. Damian Priest – Rollup
Matt Riddle b. Otis – RKO
Mustafa Ali b. The Miz – 450
Asuka/Alexa Bliss b. Damage Ctrl – Twisted Bliss to Sky

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

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AND

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Monday Night Raw
Date: October 3, 2022
Location: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
Commentators: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

It’s the go home show for Extreme Rules and the show is mostly set. However, it still doesn’t feel like there is anything that stands out as a main event. I would assume it’s going to be the Fight Pit between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle, but the card feels like it is lacking something even if there isn’t much room for anything else. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here is Judgment Day for a chat before their match. Finn Balor is ready to beat Edge so badly that Edge will quit right then and there. Damian Priest promises to take out anyone who comes for them. Dominik gets the mic and is greeted by a WHO’S YOUR DADDY chant. He hates Rey Mysterio and says he has a new family now, thanks to the Judgment Day. Balor says he could have taken Edge out last night, corrects himself to say last week, and offers one more olive branch. Cue AJ Styles to interrupt though and we’re ready to go.

Judgment Day vs. AJ Styles/Rey Mysterio

It’s a brawl before the bell with Judgment Day being cleared out and we take a break. We come back joined in progress with Priest sending Rey into the corner so Balor can hit Two Amigos, followed by the Eddie Dance, and a Third Amigo, because we can’t go more than a few weeks without an Eddie reference. A trip to the floor sees Rey get dropped onto the announcers’ table and Finn grabs a chinlock back inside. Rey slips away though and the tag brings in Styles to clean house. Balor low bridges Styles outside and we take a break.

Back with Priest escaping a Calf Crusher attempt but getting atomic dropped. Rhea pulls Rey off the apron though and Dominik gets in between them, with Dominik dropping to his knees in a funny bit. We cut away from Rhea hitting Rey, only to show it on a replay in what seems like a production gaffe. Back in and the Coup de Grace finishes Styles at 10:42.

Rating: C+. The Judgment Day story isn’t the most interesting but the talent involved in this match is enough to make it watchable. There is a good chance that they will be involved in WarGames (it’s either them or the Bloodline) but I’m not sure who could face them at the moment. For now though, they were a good way to use the first half hour of Raw.

Post match AJ blames Rey for not being there and shoves him down. Rey leaves and Judgment Day comes in to beat Styles up.

Bobby Lashley is happy to be US Champion for three months and he’s ready for anyone to come after the title next week. Cue Mustafa Ali of all people to say he wants a chance right now. Lashley blows him off so Ali spins him around and pokes at his chest. That’s enough for the opportunity.

Sami Zayn and Jimmy Uso/Solo Sikoa are in the back with Sami telling a story about a couch being on fire (it has a happy ending). Jey Uso comes in to be all serious and say they’re here to tell everyone that Roman Reigns will be here next week for the season premiere. They run into the Street Profits, who aren’t that impressed.

Bobby Lashley vs. Mustafa Ali

Non-title. Lashley throws him around to start and hits a running shoulder in the corner. The delayed vertical suplex connects but Ali slips out of a powerslam attempt. A superkick staggers Lashley and the tornado DDT sends him outside. Ali’s suicide dive sends Lashley into the announcers’ table but he blasts Ali hard as we take a break.

Back with Lashley sending him into the corner and hitting the Downward Spiral for two. Ali shoves him off the top though and hits a 450 onto Lashley’s arm to take a limb away. Lashley is fine enough to hit a one armed spinebuster for two and Ali is sent head first into the post. That works so well that Lashley does it again before sending him HARD over the barricade. A dive gets Ali back in at nine so Lashley spears him inside out. The Hurt Lock knocks Ali out (though he doesn’t tap) to give Lashley the win at 11:26.

Rating: C+. This felt like a way to make Ali feel like a tough guy, but there is little reason to believe that he is going to become a star again. For some reason WWE will bring him back, build him up for a week or two at best, and then drop him entirely. This was a good performance from Ali, but I have no reason to believe that it is going anywhere.

Post match Lashley seems to be going to help Ali up but Seth Rollins comes in for a Stomp. Another Stomp onto the title leaves Lashley laying. Rollins throws in a Stomp to Ali on the floor. Lashley vs. Rollins continuing could be interesting so this should work.

Post break, Rollins is still in the ring and we see a clip of his brawl with Matt Riddle after the show went off the air. He is ready for Riddle on Saturday and we see a video on the Fight Pit (a cage with a platform around the top where the wrestlers can walk/fight). With that out of the way, Rollins is ready to face Riddle right now.

They aren’t allowed to fight tonight but Riddle is ready to kill him on Saturday. They argue over whose side guest referee Daniel Cormier will be on before Rollins reminds Riddle that he can’t see his kids anymore. Rollins mentions child support but Riddle….insults his breath. We get more serious with Riddle bringing up Rollins’ lack of titles. Oh and he hasn’t main evented Wrestlemania (eh….), but his wife sure has. Cormier pops up on screen to introduce himself and say he respects them both. That aside though, he’s calling it down the line. Cormier didn’t get much of a reaction, but he is a good fit for the spot on Saturday.

Candice LeRae gets a pep talk from Asuka/Bianca Belair/Alexa Bliss. As they are talking, another QR code pops up.

Miz is on the phone and wants guarantees that Dexter Lumis is out next week because it’s his birthday celebration. Lumis opens the door behind him but Miz misses it. Oh and he’d also like to know where Tommaso Ciampa is.

Dakota Kai vs. Candice LeRae

The rest of Damage Ctrl is here with Kai. LeRae takes her down by the arm to start before a Hennig necksnap gets two. A basement kick to the chest sends Kai to the apron, where LeRae sends her into the buckle. Kai gets taken out with a quick dive and we take a break. Back with Kai kicking LeRae in the face, setting up the Kawada kicks to make it worse. A Scorpion kick staggers LeRae but she gets up a shot to the face out of the corner for a breather.

Something like a Black Widow has Kai in trouble but she drives LeRae into the corner to break it up. Kai goes up but gets caught with a German superplex (ouch) for two. That’s enough to draw Iyo Sky up for a distraction, allowing Bayley to drop LeRae right into Kai’s rollup for the in at 10:42.

Rating: C. I’m a bit surprised that the newcomer LeRae took a fall here until you realize that Kai is a newcomer as well. Yeah she has a title, but she has only been on the main roster and back in the company for a little over two months. The match was decent like you would expect from LeRae and Kai, but LeRae losing so soon is a little weird to see.

Johnny Gargano runs into Miz, out cold on an anvil case. Gargano pokes him in the side and Miz awakens….with a drawing of himself and Dexter Lumis on his chest. Miz runs off.

Bayley is excited to sign a contract with Bianca Belair tonight and implies bad things are coming.

Commentary acknowledges the passing of Antonio Inoki.

Otis vs. Johnny Gargano

Chad Gable is here with Otis and Austin Theory is on commentary. Gargano forearms away to start but gets dropped with a shot to the face. An over the shoulder backbreaker has Gargano in more trouble until he slips out and forearms away again. An enziguri rocks Otis but he’s right back with a t-bone suplex to drop Gargano in a hard landing.

The Vader Bomb misses so Gargano strikes away, setting up a heck of a DDT. A low superkick gets two on Otis, who rolls outside so Gargano hits a big dive. Then Gargano pauses to beat up Theory, followed by a tornado DDT off the apron. Theory gets in a briefcase shot though and a World’s Strongest Slam finishes for Otis at 5:32.

Rating: C+. Otis gets some serious protection around here, from being able to knock Braun Strowman down to beating Gargano. I can see the potential in him as a monster, but there is only so much you can do as the second of someone whose entire deal is being an obnoxious guy who makes annoying sounds. Good big vs. little match here, though the result is a bit weird.

Post match the beating is on but Braun Strowman runs in for the save and we ring the bell for Strowman vs. Gable (scheduled for tonight).

Braun Strowman vs. Chad Gable

Strowman throws Gable over the top to start and we take a break ten seconds in. Back with Strowman having been knocked over the announcers’ table during the break (by Otis, who was ejected) and then getting posted to make it worse. Gable manages a rather impressive German suplex for two as we see Omos and MVP watching in the back. A cross armbreaker over the ropes is broken up with straight power so Gable goes for the eye to break him up. A dropkick to the knee takes Strowman down again but Gable misses the moonsault. Strowman boots him in the face and hits the powerbomb for the pin at 7:04.

Rating: C. WWE has a very weird style of monstering with Strowman since he got back. He’s winning, but people are getting in a lot on him, including Gable and Otis in particular. It’s a weird way to go and feels like they don’t know which version of Strowman they want to use. Gable’s suplex looked good, but if he is only going to be a comedy goof, I’m not sure why they let him do it to someone like Strowman.

Bobby Lashley swears vengeance against Seth Rollins.

Corey Graves is in the ring to emcee the contract signing between Bayley and Bianca Belair. Bayley says that despite not having the rest of Damage Ctrl out here, she is having a great day. She signs and promises to make history on Saturday because the ladder is symbolic of her entire WWE career. Bayley has had to climb the ladder throughout her time in WWE and at one point, she was Belair. They even had the same ponytails! Once upon a time, those Bianca Belair signs were BAYLEY signs, but then thin*gs changed.

Belair finally cuts off the rant and signs as well (with the contract having a QR code on the back). Belair talks about how Bayley is showing the world the real her and how it took her a whole year to come up with a plan. You can plan on calling her champ after Extreme Rules, but Bayley points to the rest of Damage Ctrl being with her on Saturday.

We see Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai beating up Asuka and Alexa Bliss in the back, which is enough of a distraction for Bayley to get in a cheap shot. Belair fights her off and runs to the back, where Asuka has a chair wrapped around her leg and the glaring Bliss wants Sky tonight. Nice segment here as Belair was a lot more serious in a big moment.

Angelo Dawkins vs. Solo Sikoa

The rest of the Bloodline (minus Roman Reigns of course) is here with Sikoa and Montez Ford (whose foot/ankle is in a cast) is with Dawkins. They start fast with Dawkins sending him outside, where Sikoa grabs a chair. The rest of the Bloodline cuts him off and we take a break. Back with Dawkins fighting out of a nerve hold but walking into a Samoan drop.

Another Samoan drop gets two and the nerve hold goes on to keep Dawkins down. A belly to belly suplex plants Dawkins again and there’s the running Umaga attack in the corner. Dawkins is back up with a kick to the head to cut Sikoa off though and the comeback is on. There’s the running spinning splash in the corner and the Silencer drops Sikoa for two.

Sami Zayn and Jey Uso get on the apron for a distraction/argument though, meaning Sikoa’s superkick gets a VERY delayed two. Back up and Dawkins knocks Sikoa outside, where a big flip dive drops the Bloodline. Sikoa uses the distraction to hit the spinwheel kick and Spinning Solo for the pin at 12:07.

Rating: C. There was a lot going on here and Sikoa getting another win is a smart move. Sikoa needs to be established, but more importantly they continued with the issues between Jey Uso and Sami Zayn. That is one of the most interesting things going in WWE at the moment and I still want to see where the whole thing goes. For now though, hopefully Ford gets better soon, as the team is better than Dawkins on his own.

Austin Theory is happy with Otis and promises to take out Johnny Gargano on Smackdown. The banged up Chad Gable approves.

Edge says that since he has come back, he has basically been Adam as the veil of the character has been taken away. He was told that he could never wrestle again and it was not his choice. Now he has decided to make it his choice but now he is 46 years old and this is taking its toll on his whole family. He didn’t have a family before and now his daughters can see how tough it is on him.

That brings him to Judgment Day, who keeps coming back no matter how often he beats them. His back is against the wall and that makes him dangerous. You can ask Foley, Taker and Orton what that means, because he is coming out swinging. Finn Balor better be ready for war, because Edge is. This was a “look at the camera and talk” promo and it worked very well.

Alexa Bliss vs. Iyo Sky

Bianca Belair, Dakota Kai and Bayley are here too. Bliss starts fast and hammers away before but gets taken down with a dragon screw legwhip. Back up and Bliss kicks her down, setting up a flip splash for two. Kai manages to get in a throat snap across the ropes though and a running dropkick on the floor drops Bliss as we take a break.

Back with Kai in trouble but managing to hit a quick butterfly backbreaker. The moonsault misses though and Bliss grabs a DDT. Twisted Bliss connects so Bayley distracts the referee, drawing Belair over for the fight. Belair gets sent into the steps but it’s a big dive from Bliss to take them all down. Back in and Sky runs Bliss over, setting up the moonsault for the pin at 9:14.

Rating: C+. I liked it well enough, but they have been putting the women in the final spot of the show for a long time now and it doesn’t feel like it is because they are the biggest deal on the show. It was a nice match with Bliss being aggressive and the numbers game costing her though, and Sky hitting that moonsault is always nice to see.

Post match the beatdown is on but Asuka, with a kendo stick, limps down for the failed save attempt. The ladder is brought in and crushed around Bliss’ ribs and the long form beatdown is on. Damage Ctrl climbs the ladder and poses with the titles.

Quick Extreme Rules rundown.

Damage Ctrl is still posing to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This was one of the most “right in the middle” shows I can remember from any promotion in a long time. All of the matches were in the same range and while there were some good promos, Extreme Rules just isn’t feeling big. The fact that I’m only somewhat sure of what the main event is going to be should tell you a lot about the pay per view. This show didn’t make me want to see it that much more, and while it was completely ok, there was nothing on here that you really need to see.

Results
Judgment Day b. AJ Styles/Rey Mysterio – Coup de Grace to Styles
Bobby Lashley b. Mustafa Ali – Hurt Lock
Dakota Kai b. Candice LeRae – Rollup
Otis b. Johnny Gargano – World’s Strongest Slam
Braun Strowman b. Chad Gable – Powerbomb
Solo Sikoa b. Angelo Dawkins – Spinning Solo
Iyo Sky b. Alexa Bliss – Moonsault

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: September 12, 2022
Location: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, Jimmy Smith

We are less than a month away from Extreme Rules and Raw could use some matches on the card. There are already some feuds going here and we should have a few things ready to go sooner than later. As for tonight though, this is all about the Edge/Rey Mysterio vs. the Judgment Day, because this story is still going. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Seth Rollins to get things going and the fans seem to approve. Rollins dubs himself the host for the evening and talks about how he is in Riddle’s head. Now Riddle wants a rematch, but since Rollins isn’t interested, it’s time to move on. Rollins hasn’t been a champion in far too long, but here is Riddle to start the fight fast. They fight into the crowd with Rollins managing a rake to the eyes and run off.

Riddle gives chase but here is Judgment Day to interrupt. Damian Priest says he, Rhea Ripley and Riddle go way back. They talk about how Riddle has never gotten his chance before and think he would fit in well on the team. Riddle appreciates the offer but passes, earning a threat from Balor. The fight is on and we’ll do this after the break.

Finn Balor vs. Riddle

Joined in progress with Riddle rolling some gutwrench suplexes and hitting a Broton. Balor starts going after the knee, including pulling it off the middle rope to send Riddle’s head into the buckle. The chinlock doesn’t last long but Balor neckbreakers him right back down to cut off the comeback. They fight to the apron with the reverse DDT planning Riddle as we take a break. Back with Riddle hitting a release fisherman’s suplex for a much needed breather. Riddle sends him outside and hits the kick to Balor’s chest, setting up the springboard Floating Bro onto Balor and Priest.

Back in and Priest offers a distraction so Balor can hit the Nightmare On Helm Street. Cue Rey Mysterio to post Priest and fight with him into the crowd so things are even again. A Bro To Sleep into a German suplex gives Riddle two but the Floating Bro hits knees. Balor misses the Coup de Grace and Riddle is back with the hanging DDT. Cue Rollins for a distraction, allowing Balor to hit 1916 and the Coup de Grace for the pin at 13:33.

Rating: C+. There was some interference, but Riddle needs to win a match of note sometime soon before he falls even further. The good thing is that very well could be at Extreme Rules, as you can all but pencil in Riddle vs. Rollins II in some kind of a big violent match. Other than that, Balor is probably heading for a showdown with Edge and that should work well when we finally get there.

Post match Rollins comes in for a Stomp to leave Riddle laying.

Bayley and Damage Ctrl aren’t happy with Bianca Belair, Raquel Rodriquez and Aliyah, but all will be made right tonight.

Dominik Mysterio is tired of just being Re Mysterio’s son and says Edge got what he deserved. Tonight, he’ll finish Edge for good, because he’s tired of living in Rey’s shadow. Rhea Ripley pops up to whisper in his ear, causing Dominik to say he isn’t a little boy anymore, but rather a man. Ripley smiles.

Video on Johnny Gargano.

Austin Theory doesn’t think much of Gargano and is looking forward to Chad Gable beating Gargano tonight. Gable comes in to say after tonight, it’s Johnny SHUSH!

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Damage Ctrl vs. Aliyah/Raquel Rodriguez

Aliyah/Rodriguez are defending and Bayley is here too. Rodriguez and Kai start things off with Rodriguez using the power to take over. Aliyah comes in for a clothesline and splash in the corner before it’s back to Rodriguez to run Kai over for two. Rodriguez launches Aliyah over the top and onto both champs as we take a break.

Back with Aliyah coming in and hiptossing Sky as Bayley isn’t pleased at ringside. Aliyah gets sent into the corner for the running boot to the face and seems to be favoring her arm. Kai comes back in to pull on both arms as Bayley says stick to the plan. Aliyah fights up and hits a double neckbreaker to get herself out of trouble.

The hot tag brings in Rodriguez to clean house but Aliyah is right back in. Sky hurricanranas Rodriguez outside, leaving Aliyah to hit a springboard X Factor for two on Kai, with Bayley putting the foot on the ropes. Rodriguez goes after Bayley, leaving Sky to moonsault down onto her. The Kairppractor finishes Aliyah for the pin and the titles at 12:09.

Rating: C. They more or less telegraphed this ending the second Aliyah and Rodriguez won the titles in the first place. Rodriguez more or less was the team as Aliyah can’t do much of anything on her own, so getting rid of Rodriguez pretty much guaranteed new champions. Damage Ctrl should have been the champions in the first place but at least we only had to wait for two weeks.

Rey Mysterio tries to talk Dominik Mysterio out of his match with Edge because it is a point of no return. They can still be family and fox all of this but Dominik won’t say anything. Rhea Ripley pops up to say Dominik is a man and doing what he wants, leaving Rey distraught.

Johnny Gargano vs. Chad Gable

Otis is in Gable’s corner. They go to the mat to start with a grapple off going nowhere. Gable takes him down by the arm but gets reversed into a headlock. Back up and a running hurricanrana into a crucifix gives Gargano two, setting up a front facelock. Gable gets up and hits Gargano in the face to take over, setting up a waistlock. Gargano knocks him to the floor though and hits the running dive to take Gable down again as we take a break.

Back with Gable working on the leg, which he banged up during the break. Gargano manages to send him to the corner though and the slingshot spear gets two. Gable is fine enough to pull him into the ankle lock though, followed by something like a Razor’s Edge Dominator for two. The moonsault misses so Gable settles for a nasty wheelbarrow suplex for two more.

What looked to be a top rope headbutt misses though and Gargano pulls him into the Gargano Escape. That’s reversed into another ankle lock, which Gargano breaks up as well. The American Automatic gets two and Gargano is back up with a discus lariat to leave them both down. Gargano sends him outside for a dive onto Gable and Otis, setting up One Final Beat (slingshot DDT) for the pin at 13:50.

Rating: B-. Gargano is back and that’s a good thing, though he wasn’t quite as sharp as he was at his best in NXT. That being said, he’s going to be fine as he has the Theory match all but guaranteed for down the road. Then you have Gable, and my goodness he better be grateful that he is this good in the ring. The SHUSH thing has turned him into another joke character, but it does get better when he’s in the ring and gets to show what he can do. And it’s still better than being called Shorty G.

Post match Otis goes after Gargano, who hits two superkicks and runs off. Theory pops up with a briefcase shot to drop Gargano though, meaning it’s selfie time.

Post break Theory is in the ring to ask if he disappointed the fans. Gargano needed someone to show him how this works but here is Kevin Owens to interrupt. Before Owens can say anything, Theory cuts him off and says he is sick of people interrupting him. He is too good to have this keep happening and he is going to take over this entire industry. Theory says he has done more in a few months than Owens has done in five years, but that’s too far for Owens.

That doesn’t work for Owens, who points out that Theory has had everything handed to him. Sure Owens’ Universal Title was handed to him, but that’s the only similarity between them and thank goodness for that. Owens says there have been a lot of guys like Theory to come along and a lot of them have failed. Then you have people like Owens and Gargano who have come along and you can count their success on one hand. They are the heart and soul of this business but people like Theory are the appendix of this business: completely disposable.

Owens doesn’t see it in Theory but begs him to prove him wrong. Theory needs to let his passion loose and get better every time he is in front of these people. That is how you prove him wrong and become the face of WWE. Theory says he’s just better than Owens, who decides to hit him in the face to get the point across. The brawl is on and referees/agents have to fail at keeping them apart. Theory, with his forehead and nose busted, gets away, with Owens saying that was just the beginning. This was a heck of a segment with Owens speaking from the heart as only he can.

Here is Bianca Belair for an open challenge. She announces said challenge, even though it was made clear before the break. Cue Sonya Deville to say she remembers what Belair did to her and that is why she isn’t Raw Women’s Champion. Belair: “This is an open challenge, not an open mic.” She wants a referee down here.

Raw Women’s Title: Sonya Deville vs. Bianca Belair

Belair is defending. They go with the grappling to start until Deville takes her into the corner and fires off the kicks to the ribs. A clothesline out of the corner gets Belair out of trouble and a suplex into a handspring moonsault gives her two. Sonya is sent outside and avoids a moonsault, setting up a heck of a clothesline as we take a break.

Back with Deville being sent into the corner, setting up the chinlock. Belair is sent outside and into the announcers’ table, setting up another chinlock back inside. A rollup gives Belair two but Sonya is back up with I think a middle rope knee for two of her own. Belair powers up and uses the corner to flip out of a dragon sleeper. The KOD retains the title at 12:07.

Rating: C. Well, at least it wasn’t a returning Carmella. Belair vs. Bayley is another match that is all but locked in already so there isn’t much of a reason to get worried about Belair possibly losing her title. Bayley should be all but ready to win the thing as Belair has gotten her two big Wrestlemania wins and is pretty much set for the rest of her career. Let the best woman in WWE get back to the top where she belongs.

Post match here is Bayley to say Belair has a big fat ego. Bayley says the match can happen later, but here are Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai to surround Belair. The brawl is on but Alexa Bliss and Asuka run in for the save. Well good thing Damage Ctrl got to win earlier, because they looked pretty lame here.

Omos vs. Cash Morazi/Ryan Tombs

Graves wants to call them Thing 1 and Thing 2 as the destruction is on. A double shoulder drops them and something like a cobra clutch has Morazi flailing. For some reason Tombs makes the save so Omos beats them up again. Two chokeslams set up the double pin at 1:38. It’s as good as any other way to keep Omos on TV.

Rey Mysterio tries to talk Edge out of the match but Edge says this has to happen.

We look back at Seth Rollins and Riddle earlier tonight.

Rollins declares himself the face of the show but Bobby Lashley comes in to say not so fast. Lashley mocks Rollins’ colorful gear but doesn’t see any gold, which determines the power around here. The title match is set for next week. Now there’s a fresh match that feels big and hasn’t been run into the ground before.

We get a special interview with Miz and Maryse at their home, with the kids running in for a cameo. Maryse comes in and mocks Miz for being scared about Dexter Lumis, who she guarantees will never be here. With Maryse gone, Miz refuses to talk about Lumis and refuses to talk about what Lumis did to him. Miz and Maryse leave to go to a premiere and Lumis is in their house, where he draws a picture of Miz and Maryse with their daughters. And Lumis is the good guy in this right?

Dominik Mysterio vs. Edge

Rhea Ripley is here with Dominik. Edge knocks him into the corner to start and this a headbutt as Dominik is in early trouble. Dominik is sent outside for a pep talk with Ripley, which goes badly for him as well. Some forearms do nothing for Dominik as Edge throws him back inside, only to have Ripley trip Edge down. Dominik sends him into the steps and we take a break.

Back with Dominik working on the knee, setting up the Three Amigos (which do not go very well. Dominik goes up top, does the Eddie dance, knocks Edge off, and hits the frog splash for two. Edge sends him shoulder/head first into the post and the comeback is on, including the Edge-O-Matic for two. The spear is loaded up but gets reversed into the half crab. That’s broken up and Edge ties him in the ropes and hammers away, only to have Rey run in and cut off the spear attempt. Edge shoves him away so here is Damian Priest to pull Rey outside. With Rey thrown over the announcers’ table, Finn Balor runs in for the DQ at 15:03.

Rating: D+. This was a rough sit and it made me feel sorry for Dominik all over again. Dominik is far from some colossal disaster in the ring and he can do his moves (well most of them at least) decently enough. The problem is that is the end of his talents. He doesn’t have charisma, he doesn’t show much fire, and most of what he does in the ring is flat out copying Rey or Eddie. I don’t want to see him in the ring and I have no interest in his issues with Rey and Edge. Making this the main event was a rough watch and odds are it is going to continue for whatever reason.

Dominik isn’t horrible at what he does, but he needs to get FAR away from Rey and wrestle on a show where he can get experience at a lower level. Throwing him straight into the WWE fire didn’t help him and while the Tag Team Title win with Rey was a genuinely nice moment, there is nothing there for him to make something like this work. Let him go somewhere else and find his own way, because this is crippling his career.

Post match the big beatdown is on, with a bunch of chair shots to Edge’s leg and the Coup de Grace to make it worse. Judgment Day poses to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to make of this show, as WAY too much of it was focusing on Edge/Rey vs. Judgment Day, which hasn’t been interesting in a long time. Rollins vs. Riddle seems set for Extreme Rules and odds are Riddle costs him the match with Lashley next week. Other than that, there wasn’t much to see here and some of the momentum is starting to slip. Certainly better than the Vince shows, but they need to move on from this Dominik obsession fast because it’s dragging everything else down.

Results
Finn Balor b. Riddle – Coup de Grace
Damage Ctrl b. Raquel Rodriguez/Aliyah – Kairopractor to Aliyah
Johnny Gargano b. Chad Gable – One Final Beat
Bianca Belair b. Sonya Deville – KOD
Omos b. Cash Morazi/Ryan Tombs – Double pin
Edge b. Dominik Mysterio via DQ when Finn Balor interfered

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: August 8, 2022
Location: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

This could be a very interesting show, as we are coming off last week’s pretty awesome episode, but now the question is how they follow it up. They certainly don’t need to have some big moment or debut/return, but keep up the energy and put on a good show and they should be fine. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Bayley/Iyo Shirai/Dakota Kai coming together at Summerslam and running some roughshod last week.

We get the brackets for the Women’s Tag Team Title tournament:

Tamina/Dana Brooke
Iyo Sky/Dakota Kai

Alexa Bliss/Asuka
Nikki Ash/Doudrop

Raquel Rodriguez/Aliyah
Xia Li/Shotzi

Nikkita Lyons/Zoey Stark
Natalya/Sonya Deville

That’s a heck of a lot better than I would have bet on.

Here are Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai for a chat. Bayley: “DING DONG!” Bayley can’t believe that she’s getting this kind of a reception when the fans need her. They are here to save this women’s division and the role model needed to do something. Bayley says they are here to bring back the hunger and get rid of Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair. She mentions Iyo Sky and Dakota Sky (Bayley: “YEAH I KNOW I SAID IT WRONG!”) and talks about how bad things have gotten, but here are Alexa Bliss and Asuka to interrupt.

Bianca Belair joins them, with Asuka dancing to Belair’s music (and ducking a pony tail whip). Bliss threatens Sky and Kai because she and Asuka will be waiting on them in the next round. On top of that, Belair isn’t worried about Bayley, and they can have that six woman tag right now. Bayley laughs that off and the match is on for Clash At The Castle instead. That’s good for Belair and the fight is on right now. Everyone brawls into the crowd and Bliss gets in a dive off the barricade to take everyone down. Energetic opening segment if nothing else.

Angelo Dawkins vs. Seth Rollins

Montez Ford is here too. Rollins knows him into the corner to start but Dawkins jumps over him and hits a nice dropkick. Back up and Dawkins scores with the jumping back elbow, which sends Rollins outside (where Ford….I’m not sure what he does, but he shakes a lot and yells at Rollins). There’s a Pounce to send Rollins over the announcers’ table and we take a break.

Back with Rollins drawing Ford into the ring with a chair, which is enough to earn Ford an ejection. Dawkins uses the distraction to jump Rollins and send him outside for the big running flip dive. Back inside and the Silencer drops Rollins for two but he’s right back up with a forearm to the back of the neck. The Stomp misses though and Dawkins hits a Sky High for a close two. Another Sky High is loaded up but Dawkins reversed into a Pedigree for the pin at 8:34.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of match that suits people like Dawkins and Rollins well. They’re both athletic and can work a fast paced match, making this one of the better ways they could have gone. The Profits losing to Rollins is hardly some horrible fate but it seems that there might be bigger things afoot for at least one of them in the future.

Post match Rollins goes after Dawkins again but Ford runs in for the save. I could see this setting up a Ford vs. Rollins rematch on the bigger stage.

Recap of Edge returning last week and promising to take out Judgment Day, followed by the team going after the Mysterios. Rhea Ripley accidentally caused Dominik Mysterio to get speared by Edge to add in some conflict.

Edge comes up to the Mysterios and says he has their backs against Judgment Day tonight. Rey can go with that, but Dominik doesn’t buy it. Rey says he’s known Edge for 20 years and he’s family, but Dominik says he’s known Rey for 25 and walks off.

Ciampa is asked about his United States Title match but Miz cuts him off and doesn’t like the word phenomenal being used. Miz rants about AJ Styles for a bit before Ciampa says believe in him, just like Harley Race, his trainer, did. Race passed away about three years ago almost to this day and he is dedicating his win to Race, whose Starrcade 1983 robe is behind him. Tonight Bobby Lashley will feel his sacrifice and he has already lost.

Ezekiel vs. Kevin Owens

Owens rushes him to the floor to start and hits the apron powerbomb. The referee calls for medics and we’ll call this a no contest at about 1:00 (the ending bell never rang).

Ezekiel is taken out on a stretcher.

Finn Balor vs. Rey Mysterio

Only Damian Priest is at ringside. Before the match, Finn Balor declares himself to be danger and promises to show that to Rey tonight. Priest isn’t worried about Edge and says he’ll take care of him in two weeks in Edge’s hometown of Toronto. We cut to the back, where Rey tells Edge that Dominik will come around.

After a break, we actually start the match and Rey takes over early on by taking Balor down with straight speed. The top rope seated senton sets up the hurricanrana into the corner. A crossbody misses for Mysterio though and Balor kicks him in the ribs for two. Balor mocks Eddie Guerrero’s Three Amigos as I try to remember the last Mysterio match without an Eddie reference. Rey reverses the third suplex into one of his own, followed by the sitout bulldog for two. The 619 hits Priest by mistake though and Balor posts Rey as we take a break.

Back with Rey going after Priest and getting dropped as a result. Cue Edge to take out Priest, leaving Rey to grab a Code Red for two. The 619 is blocked with a clothesline and it’s the shotgun dropkick but the Coup de Grace misses. Rey loads up the 619 again but here is Rhea Ripley carrying a destroyed Dominik Mysterio. The distraction lets Balor hit 1916 into the Coup de Grace for the pin at 13:52.

Rating: C+. It’s nice to see Balor win a match but I’m still trying to figure out why I’m supposed to care about Dominik. He has never done anything significant without his dad being involved and he isn’t exactly likable in the first place. Seeing Ripley beat him up is a funny moment and I don’t see myself feeling sympathetic for him anytime soon. That being said, it was nice to see Balor actually get a win for a change, as it feels like it has been awhile.

Dana Brooke/Tamina are ready for the first round of the Women’s Tag Team Title tournament. Bayley and company come up to laugh at them, while promising not to take the 24/7 Title. Tamina gets in Bayley’s face and…no.

Women’s Tag Team Title Tournament First Round: Dakota Kai/Iyo Sky vs. Dana Brooke/Tamina

Bayley is here too. Kai and Brooke start things off but Tamina comes in rather quickly to clean house. Sky and Shirai are sent outside for a big dive from Brooke as we take an early break. Back with Kai cranking on Brooke’s arms before Sky and Kai hit back to back kicks for two.

Brooke fights out of a chinlock and dives over for the tag off to Tamina to start the house cleaning. Sky and Tamina slug it out until Tamina hits a superkick into the Samoan drop for two. Bayley has to pull Sky out of Kai’s way of Brooke’s dive against the barricade, leaving Tamina to load up the Superfly Splash. Sky gets her knees up but Tamina puts the brakes on, only to get kicked in the face by Kai. The moonsault gives Sky the pin at 10:01.

Rating: C+. The match was good enough and Sky’s moonsault is always impressive, but it’s a little much to buy Kai and Sky needing ten minutes to beat Tamina and Brooke. No they haven’t been above NXT, but the top of NXT is a heck of a lot better than….whatever level Brooke and Tamina are on. It never got too ridiculous, but this should have been more of a dominant win.

Kevin Owens is leaving and doesn’t like being asked for a comment. Unlike Ezekiel, he knows who he is, and since there are a lot of eyes on this show, he is here to remind people who he is. This is still the Kevin Owens Show. During the segment, there were a bunch of people (including Doudrop and Nikki Ash) looking at a car that had crashed in the background. Neither the people nor the car were ever referenced.

Video on the United States Title, I believe the same one from last week.

United States Title: Ciampa vs. Bobby Lashley

Ciampa, with Miz, and wearing the Harley Race robe, is challenging. After the Big Match Intros, Lashley runs him over to start and hits the delayed vertical suplex. A spinning back elbow to the face looks to set up the spear but Ciampa bails outside. Miz’s distraction fails as Lashley knocks Ciampa off the apron and then rams him into Miz as we take a break.

Back with Ciampa holding a chinlock until Lashley fights up and hits the spinning Big Ending for two. The spear connects but Miz puts Ciampa’s foot on the ropes. Cue AJ Styles to chase Miz out of the arena and Ciampa gets two off a small package. Lashley loads up the Hurt Lock but Styles and Miz run back in for a distraction.

Ciampa uses said distraction to send Lashley into an exposed buckle and the post for a VERY close two (I bought that one). The Hurt Lock is loaded up but reversed into the Gargano Escape (Graves: “Sometimes you gotta do it yourself!”). That’s reversed into what looked to be a powerslam, only to have Ciampa send him outside. Back in and Willow’s Bell connects for two more but another running knee is countered into the spinebuster. The Hurt Lock retains the title at 12:52.

Rating: B. Dang I was buying those near falls and they pulled me way into this. Lashley retaining the title is a fine way to go and it was nice to see something like the old Ciampa here instead of the same loser we have seen for so long. Great match here and one of the better WWE TV matches in a good while.

Miz and Styles brawled backstage during the break and had to be separated. They’ll face off later tonight, No DQ.

Omos vs. Andrea Guercio/Spencer Slade

General destruction sets up the chokebomb to finish Guercio at 1:39. The best part here was Graves talking about how the jobbers were going to be destroyed from the opening bell and throughout the match.

Seth Rollins isn’t worried about Riddle being back for an interview next week. He mocks Riddle’s catchphrases and dubs himself the gatekeeper of this industry. If you want to know what is so bad about him, just ask Dana White. He’s still Seth Freaking Rollins.

Chad Gable vs. Dolph Ziggler

Otis is here with Gable. They go technical to start with neither being able to get very far. Ziggler can’t quite get a backslide and gets caught with the American Automatic. A dragon screw legwhip takes Ziggler down and Gable start going after the leg. The moonsault misses though and Ziggler is back with the DDT for a delayed two. Gable grabs the ankle lock and Ziggler can’t roll out of it, instead having to kick Gable in the face. The superkick doesn’t work as the leg gives out though and Gable powerbombs him back into the ankle lock. Ziggler breaks it up this time and manages to hit the superkick for the pin at 6:34.

Rating: C+. It might not have been the most well received match but this was logical and fairly well done. Ziggler tried to wrestle with him but was in over his head against a former Olympian. That left Ziggler to have to escape and wait for an opening, which he used to pull off the come from behind victory. I liked this, and it worked out well.

Nikki Ash and Doudrop are ready for Asuka and Alexa Bliss next week.

Asuka and Alexa Bliss are ready for Nikki Ash and Doudrop next week. Bayley and company come up to mock them as the wrecked car from earlier is loaded up on a truck. Then some cops come running from the car and by the women.

Miz vs. AJ Styles

No DQ. Styles starts fast and knocks him outside to take over. A kendo stick and a chair don’t work for him though, so it’s time to grab a table. Miz hits a dropkick through the ropes (with the camera oddly cutting away before contact) and puts the table back under the ring. The kendo stick works for Miz and he hammers on AJ, who manages to fight back and take it outside. Styles loads up something on the announcers’ table but gets backdropped onto the floor for a crash as we take a break.

Back with Styles pulling out the table but taking too long and getting kendo sticked down. Styles manages to take it away and unloads on Miz, including a low blow. Miz gets in another shot and loads up the Skull Crushing Finale but Styles slips out and hits the Phenomenal Forearm….for two as Ciampa comes in for the save.

That doesn’t go well for Ciampa, who gets knocked off the apron and through the table at ringside. That’s enough of a distraction for Miz to get two but Styles hits him in the face. Another Phenomenal Forearm is loaded up but Miz throws the chair at Styles’ head. The Skull Crushing Finale gets two so Styles hits him with the chair, setting up the Styles Clash for the pin at 12:34.

Rating: B-. They were starting to cook near the end here and I was liking a lot of what was going on. What mattered here was having Styles overcome the odds and get a win instead of losing over and over. Styles is someone who could be a big enough deal around here and a lot of that comes from winning a few matches every so often.

As Styles is celebrating, cops are seen arresting someone in the front row. Styles looks over at them….and that appeared to be Dexter Lumis they were arresting. Commentary says Lumis’ name as Styles celebrates to end the show. When is the last time when Raw ended without things being all wrapped up?

Overall Rating: B. It might not have been as good as last week’s show, but the main thing here was the energy. There was nothing really close to bad and that Lumis deal at the end has me interested. That Lumis/car story has me intrigued and that is a nice feeling. It’s the kind of a story that has me wondering where things are going and I haven’t felt that on Raw in a long, long time. Pretty awesome show here and that’s two in a row, which hasn’t happened since I don’t know when. Good stuff.

Results
Seth Rollins b. Angelo Dawkins – Pedigree
Kevin Owens vs. Ezekiel went to a no contest when Ezekiel couldn’t continue
Finn Balor b. Rey Mysterio – Coup de Grace
Dakota Kai/Iyo Sky b. Tamina/Dana Brooke – Moonsault to Tamina
Bobby Lashley b. Ciampa – Hurt Lock
Omos b. Andrea Guercio/Spencer Slade – Chokebomb to Guercio
Dolph Ziggler b. Chad Gable – Superkick
AJ Styles b. The Miz – Styles Clash

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

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AND

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Monday Night Raw
Date: June 20, 2022
Location: Pinnacle Bank Arena, Lincoln, Nebraska
Commentators: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

We are less than two weeks away from Money in the Bank and that means we are probably in for some qualifying matches. Those can make for some interesting showdowns, though I’m not sure I would get my hopes up for that around here. On top of that, Riddle gets to deal with the fallout of losing to Roman Reigns on Smackdown. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Tim White.

Here is Bianca Belair for a chat. After getting in her catchphrases, she says that the match with Rhea Ripley isn’t happening….for now. So who gets the title shot at Money in the Bank instead? Tonight we have five women competing, in the form of Alexa Bliss, Liv Morgan, Carmella, Asuka and Becky Lynch, in a fatal five way match to see who gets the shot. All five competitors come out one by one to say they should get the title shot while also taking shots at each other. Belair says she is ready for a fight so let’s have the match. Standard revolving door intro as the women continue to be catty to each other.

Alexa Bliss vs. Liv Morgan vs. Asuka vs. Becky Lynch vs. Carmella

One fall to a finish. Bliss and Morgan trade rollups to start and then roll around the ring on a small package attempt. Carmella comes back in to cover both of them until Asuka comes in to miss a bunch of strikes to the face. A spinning backfist drops Carmella but Becky trips Asuka to the floor. Bliss’ running Blockbuster gets two on Carmella, who rolls Bliss up and yells at her. Back in and Morgan sends Carmella into the corner before going up, only to be shoved onto the pile. Corey: “Who is headed to Money in the” and we go to a break.

Back with Becky escaping the Asuka Lock and hitting the Manhandle Slam on Asuka. Bliss comes off the top for the save and gets her own two with Morgan and Carmella making their own save. Becky drops Morgan but gets pulled to the floor by Asuka for the save. Bliss tries Twisted Bliss but hits raised knees, only to have Carmella superkick Morgan for the pin at 12:23.

Rating: C-. So they’re just punting on the title match? I’m not sure why Ripley is out but Belair could probably wrestle herself to a more interesting match than anything Carmella is going to be able to offer. Carmella hasn’t been around since Wrestlemania but now she gets a title match because someone is out? I know Becky and Asuka vs. Belair have been done but….Carmella? It’s almost like having such a shallow women’s division can cause problems.

Post match, Becky Lynch is yelling about not being at Money in the Bank. Post break, Becky is still yelling and eventually gets a Money in the Bank qualifying match against Asuka for later tonight. Becky is not pleased, though she might not be as surprised if she had read the official Raw preview that advertised Lynch vs. Asuka in a qualifying match.

Here is Vince McMahon for a chat. This week marks the 1517th episode of Raw, continuing its role as the longest running weekly episodic show in history. For that, Vince thanks the fans for being there for them. Twenty of those years have been dominated by John Cena, who is back next week. End of speech, though Vince does trip a bit on the way out of the ring. Now that felt like trolling.

Video on Roman Reigns vs. Riddle on Smackdown, with Reigns retaining but getting taken out by the returning Brock Lesnar after the fact. Reigns vs. Lesnar, Last Man Standing at Summerslam.

Here is Riddle for a chat before his Money in the Bank qualifying match. Before the match, Riddle talks about swearing vengeance against Roman Reigns for injuring Randy Orton. He got THIS close on Smackdown but a big spear was enough to beat him. Now Riddle can’t challenge for the title again, but he can win Money in the Bank and cash in to end Reigns’ reign of terror. We hear about the other participants, with Riddle wanting to hit Seth Rollins with a ladder for what he did to Cody Rhodes.

Cue Omos and MVP to interrupt, with MVP suggesting that Riddle is REALLY high right now if he thinks he has a chance against Omos. Tonight, Riddle is going to have a bad comedown when Omos slams him down. Riddle likes the joke but promises to take Omos down with an RKO, which is spelled with three letters.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Riddle vs. Omos

Riddle has taped up ribs but charges at him to start, setting up some rapid fire kicks in the corner. Omos takes him down with a side slam and hits a running elbow to crush Riddle. The logical bearhug goes on for a good while until Riddle fights out again. Some running shots in the corner are cut off by a toss across the ring but Riddle gets his feet up in the corner. The Floating Bro staggers Omos but the RKO is countered into the chokebomb for the pin at 3:51.

Rating: C-. These losses with Riddle trying so many of Orton’s moves and mannerisms could be leading somewhere, as I could see Orton being sick of Riddle losing using his stuff. Throw in Riddle dedicating a huge match to Orton and then losing and some seeds are being planted. Riddle vs. Orton is a huge match if that is where they want to go, and waiting so much longer makes it worth the effort. Or RKBro is back as the most over act on Raw. Kind of hard to lose either way there.

Post match Omos lays Riddle out again and leaves, with Seth Rollins coming to the ring. Rollins kicks him to the floor and laughs at Riddle for losing back to back matches. He promises to win the briefcase and cash it in on Roman Reigns, who has been ducking him since the Royal Rumble. The speech takes so long that Riddle gets back in, only to get kicked in the ribs and Stomped.

Here is Theory, on the pose down platform from last week, for a chat. After looking at a recap of Theory spraying baby oil on Bobby Lashley to blind him last week, Theory brags about how great he is and how no one can touch him. Next week is the twenty year celebration of John Cena but Cena’s time is up and Cena’s time is now. Theory does some poses but Lashley pops up behind him. Theory loads up the selfie and sees Lashley, who blinds him with the baby oil. The spear cuts Theory down and Lashley promises to take the US Title. Good segment here, as that selfie thing is a good way to go for Theory.

We recap Edge being thrown out of the Judgment Day a few weeks back.

Theory is annoyed about Bobby Lashley, who doesn’t deserve a US Title match. However, Adam Pearce has ruled that if Lashley can win a gauntlet match tonight, he gets the title shot at Money in the Bank. Three opponents to be named.

Jey Uso vs. Angelo Dawkins

Before the match, the Usos promise to keep smashing people and the Street Profits want to fight. Dawkins sends him into the corner to start for a spinning splash. Jey low bridges him to the floor though and there’s the suicide dive. Some right hands rock Dawkins and we take an early break. Back with Jey hitting a pop up neckbreaker for two but walking into the Silencer. A superkick drops Dawkins so Jey goes up top, only to dive into a Sky High for the pin at 7:20.

Rating: C. Not much to this one again and that isn’t surprising. It’s the same idea that we have seen time after time as WWE’s ability to book a tag feud continues to be more or less horrible. This does give the Profits a bit of momentum, but it isn’t like this is some great idea. Just get on with it and give us what should be a nice tag match at the pay per view.

We see Elias in the back playing guitar when Ezekiel comes in to say Elias is his #1 fan. They sit on a couch together, with Elias talking about going around the world, writing songs and playing shows. Elias says he is a changed man and won’t be insulting Nebraska when he goes out there. He is proud of what Ezekiel has done and hits the Walk With Elias catchphrase. They seem cool with each other, despite sitting on very opposite ends of the couch for no adequately explained reason.

Here is Elias in the ring for a concert. After hitting the catchphrase, Elias is ready for a song about Ezekiel but here is Kevin Owens to interrupt. Owens doesn’t buy any of this and accuses them of FAKING THE VIDEO. Owens: “I SAW A MOVIE WITH A T-REX IN IT LAST WEEK!” Ezekiel pops up on screen to say that they are different people and wishes Elias luck with the concert. Owens is a little bewildered and Elias sings about how he is back for one night and Owens is a liar. That’s enough for Owens, who goes after Elias but gets beaten down. The guitar to the back sends Owens bailing.

We cut to the back where Owens falls through the curtain and explains how Elias did all of that and blames Elias for everything. He wants to face Elias, Ezekiel or their younger brother Elrod next week….so here is Ezekiel to accept the challenge. Owens is so mad that he…sits down in a chair. Owens: “ELROD!!!”

Gauntlet Match

Bobby Lashley has to beat three opponents in a row to win here. First up it’s Chad Gable, who gets taken down to the mat without much effort. Back up and Lashley sends him flying with a suplex, followed by a running forearm to knock Gable outside. Gable gets posted and then rather delayed vertical suplexed back inside. The spear is countered into an ankle lock though and Lashley is in trouble. Back up and Gable hits the moonsault, only to have Lashley pop up and grab the Hurt Lock for the tap at 5:42.

Otis comes straight in to jump Lashley though and sends him into the barricade. A splash on the floor crushes Lashley and we take a break. Back with Otis grabbing a neck crank but missing a Vader bomb. The Downward Spiral plants Otis but he fights out of the Hurt Lock. Instead, Lashley hits the spear but Gable comes in for the DQ at 14:22 (total). The beatdown is on until Theory is the third man. Theory hammers away and loads up the A Town Down but Lashley reverses into a cradle for the pin at 16:44.

Rating: C. This is a great example of WWE overthinking something and screwing it up without needing to. You could have gotten the same result and more or less the same match by having this be a handicap with Otis and Gable instead of Theory. Have Theory jump in after the match and get speared or something, which gives you the same ending and no pinfall on the champ. But why do that when you have one idea and insist on running with it?

Bianca Belair isn’t surprised about Carmella getting the title shot and lists off her catchphrases until Carmella jumps her from behind. Belair is so annoyed that she gets up and stares.

It’s time for MizTV, with special guest AJ Styles. After Miz mocks Styles’ theme song, Miz talks about how Styles has been on a losing streak in recent weeks and calls AJ a failure. Miz insults the University of Nebraska but AJ sucks up to them, saying this is Cornhusker country. AJ thinks Miz must be annoyed with his popcorn sized testicles, but Miz insists that this WILL NOT become a thing. He brags about all of his success until AJ talks about how he has had some issues as of late. The brawl is on with Ciampa coming in to knock AJ outside. I like the visual, but do something with Ciampa other than having him start then lose.

Ciampa vs. AJ Styles

Miz is on commentary and Ciampa jumps Styles to start, setting up a running knee to the head. The chinlock goes on but Styles is back with the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two. Ciampa is back with a right hand but the Fairy Tale Ending is countered with a backdrop. The Phenomenal Forearm finishes Ciampa at 4:19.

Rating: C. Another match that should have been better and treated as a big deal but why do that when you can have Ciampa lose again? I know it’s a bunch of backstage politics nonsense, but you look around at the roster and decide that an NXT legend who looks great and can go isn’t worth anything? It’s another case of WWE not just accepting what is right in front of them and that is really, really frustrating.

Post match Styles lays out an invading Miz and steals his sunglasses.

Veer Mahaan talks about how awesome he is and promises more destruction. Fear him. I fear anything involving Veer so they’re off to a good start.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Becky Lynch vs. Asuka

Becky jumps her on the stage but Asuka tries the armbar at the bell. That’s broken up but so is the Disarm-Her, allowing Asuka to kick away. They head up top with Becky knocking her down, only to get caught with a running kick to the face. Becky kicks her outside though and we take a break.

Back with Asuka hitting the hip attack and grabbing the ankle lock. With that broken up, Asuka hits a missile dropkick for two before they head to the apron. Becky stomps her way out of a powerbomb attempt but gets kneed out of the air for the double knockdown. They both beat the count back in, where Asuka blasts her with a kick to the head for the pin at 12:14.

Rating: B-. As usual, there is one match on this show that works because you have some talented people get in the ring and have their match. The problem again though is this is burning through another match between two of the top women in the division when you didn’t need to. Asuka vs. Becky is a big match, but not so much when it has been done so many times.

Becky freaks out to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. This was a good example of a show where the majority of the show wasn’t so much bad, but rather a mixture of frustrating and boring. There was very little on this show that would make me want to see either next week’s show or the pay per view. You had a champion getting pinned when he didn’t need to, a bunch of rematches, a tag match between singles wrestlers and Ciampa losing again. It feels like they were playing Bingo with the most annoying and tried and false ideas that they have over and over again. Nothing show, and that’s a bad sign on the way to Money in the Bank.

Results
Carmella b. Becky Lynch, Asuka, Liv Morgan and Alexa Bliss – Superkick to Morgan
Omos b. Riddle – Chokebomb
Angelo Dawkins b. Jey Uso – Sky High
Bobby Lashley won a gauntlet match last eliminating Theory
AJ Styles b. Ciampa – Phenomenal Forearm
Asuka b. Becky Lynch – Kick to the head

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

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AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: June 13, 2022
Location: Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
Commentators: Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, Jimmy Smith

It’s the first Raw without Cody Rhodes in a bit and that doesn’t exactly leave us with a ton of options. The biggest problem would seem to be the lack of a main event star around here, but maybe we can find someone in the Money in the Bank qualifying matches. Let’s get to it.

Here is last week’s show if you need a recap.

We open with MizTV with special guest Paul Heyman. Miz talks about the Money in the Bank ladder match and puts over how important the briefcase can be, including his two wins. Heyman says that the percentages don’t matter because whoever wins is going to lose to Roman Reigns.

We hear about Reigns vs. Riddle on Friday, so here is Riddle to discuss various testicles. Riddle is ready to win the title on Friday but Heyman doesn’t think Riddle is even going to win tonight. As for Friday though, he can win, or he can never have another title shot ever. Heyman brings out the Usos but here are the Street Profits to uneven the odds.

Jimmy Uso vs. Montez Ford

Feeling out process to start with Jimmy knocking him down and getting a bit cocky. Back up and Ford takes him down with an armbar but Jimmy sends him to the apron and snaps off a suplex to put Ford in even more trouble. We take a break and come back with Jimmy staying on the ribs with a waistlock.

Ford flips out and starts kicking away, including a step up enziguri for two. The spinebuster gets two more on Jimmy but he’s right back with a pop up Samoan drop for the same. Ford is back up with a super hurricanrana to catch Jimmy on top but the frog splash hits knees, allowing Jimmy to get the pin at 12:51.

Rating: C. This was a nice singles match from both though the ending was only so good. I’m not entirely sure I can buy a countered splash as enough for a pin but it does make the impact of the splash look that much better. Ford getting a single match sounds like a good idea, though I’m not sure he’s ready for the singles push that people have been wanting for a long time.

We recap Seth Rollins showing respect to Cody Rhodes last week and then attacking him with a sledgehammer anyway.

We get a sitdown interview with Seth Rollins, who is asked if he feels any remorse over what he did. Of course not, because Rollins sees Cody as a virus. Sometimes you have to take matters into his own hands, like Rollins has a sledgehammer in his own hands. As for tonight, he wants to qualify for Money in the Bank and suggests using that sledgehammer on AJ Styles. Cue Styles to forearm Rollins, saying that was for Cody.

We look back at Dana Brooke beating Becky Lynch last week.

24/7 Title: Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke

Brooke is defending but gets jumped before the bell. Becky beats her down and says this isn’t about the 24/7 Title because she is tired of the disrespect. She thinks she should just win that Money in the Bank briefcase but for now, she’ll go after Brooke again. Cue Asuka for the brawl and Becky is cleared out. No match.

Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Alexa Bliss/Liv Morgan vs. Nikki Ash/Doudrop

Nikki now has new black and gold gear. Bliss takes Ash to start but it’s quickly off to Doudrop, who isn’t having anything of a headscissors. A backsplash crushes Bliss for two and it’s back to Nikki to hammer away. Nikki’s running bulldog is countered and it’s off to Morgan to clean house. Morgan hits a middle rope dropkick for two on Doudrop, allowing the tag back to Bliss for the running Blockbuster. Ash makes a fast save and everything breaks down, with a side slam/reverse DDT combination getting two on Bliss. The fight goes to the floor but Bliss grabs a DDT to finish Ash at 4:21.

Rating: C-. Not terrible here, but the important part is getting two potential Money in the Bank winners to qualify at the same time. There were a lot of spots to fill and now they have two more covered in the span of one match. That is more than you get most of the time, even if there was little doubt given who was on the other side of the ring.

We recap the Judgment Day shakeup from last week with Finn Balor knocking Edge out and seeming to take over.

Kevin Owens vs. Ezekiel

Owens knocks him into the corner and hits a Cannonball, setting up the Swanton for two at twenty seconds. Ezekiel is back and knocks Owens to the floor to take over, setting up a spinebuster for two back inside. That lets Ezekiel go up but Owens rolls away, which means Ezekiel goes outside with him.

An AA onto the steps knocks Owens silly and we take a break. Back with Owens holding a chinlock until his backsplash only hits Ezekiel’s raised knees. Ezekiel hits a running splash in the corner, followed by a jumping knee to put Owens on the floor again. Owens gets in a shot of his own but stops to yell at commentary, meaning Ezekiel wins by countout at 8:31.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one as the structure was all over the place, with Owens starting so fast and then losing when he got too annoyed. The problem was that Ezekiel got in a bunch of offense in the middle and it wasn’t close to a squash. The action was ok, but the match wound up being a mess.

Post match Ezekiel says he wants Money in the Bank, but before that there is next week….and Elias will be back.

Video on John Cena visiting a non-verbal refugee in the Netherlands.

MVP vs. Cedric Alexander

Omos is here with MVP. Before the match, MVP says Alexander needs to learn that he is down here and Omos is up here, with the Money In The Bank briefcase. Cedric knocks him down to start and there’s the springboard Downward Spiral for an early two. An Omos distraction lets MVP hit a clothesline and Ballin gets two more. The Playmaker gives MVP the pin at 1:31.

AJ Styles is ready to beat Seth Rollins in a Money in the Bank qualifying match.

Rollins dedicates his match to Cody Rhodes.

Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles

Styles slugs away to start and grabs some early rollups for two each. Rollins gets in a shot of his own but AJ sends him outside, setting up the slingshot forearm to the floor to drop Rollins again. Styles gets sent over the announcers’ table though and we take a break. Back with Styles striking away, setting up the belly to back faceplant for two. The low superkick gives Rollins the same but the Stomp is countered into the Calf Crusher.

That’s broken up but AJ grabs it again, this time sending Rollins over to the ropes. Back up and Rollins hits a discus forearm, only to have his buckle bomb countered into a suplex into the corner. Rollins is fine enough to hit the Buckle Bomb but the frog splash only hits mat. The Styles Clash is loaded up but Rollins reverses into a sunset flip for the pin at 15:11.

Rating: B. We’ll call this another case of “what were you expecting”. These two could probably have a very good match in their sleep and that is what they did here, with Rollins winning to get back on track and Styles putting over someone else who is already a big star. That is kind of Styles’ thing as of late but at least Styles is done with Edge for the time being.

Riddle vs. Ciampa

Miz is on commentary. Riddle takes him down into a cross armbreaker to start, only to be sent into the corner for his efforts. Ciampa comes back with a shot of his own but has to escape Bro Derek. Another shot runs Riddle down but he wins a strike off and hits the Orton scoop powerslam. The hanging DDT gets the same but Ciampa grabs an ankle lock. The running knee to the face gives Ciampa two but Riddle hits his own knee. The RKO finishes Ciampa at 4:35.

Rating: C. What is Ciampa supposed to be in WWE? He is a big enough star that he is consistently on Raw and some people seem to think something of him, but he has been treated as a loser for weeks. What was the point in bringing him up if this is the best they have for him? Other than crushing another HHH guy of course.

Bianca Belair is sick of Rhea Ripley and promises to shut her up at Money In The Bank. Judgment Day pops up on screen to recap getting rid of Edge and seems rather happy with it. Ripley promises to take the Women’s Title from Belair.

Theory is ready to beat Bobby Lashley in a pose down tonight.

John Cena is back in two weeks.

Chad Gable vs. Mustafa Ali

Otis is here with Gable, who takes Ali down without much effort. Ali hurricanranas him into an armdrag but he misses a charge into the middle buckle for a nasty crash. The bow and arrow hold goes on but Ali slips out without much trouble. Gable misses the moonsault though, allowing Ali to hit a running clothesline. The tornado DDT connects but Otis offers a distraction, allowing Gable to hit Chaos Theory for the pin at 3:44.

Rating: C+. I’m glad to see Ali back on TV but I don’t think there is any reason to believe that things are going to get better for him than this. WWE is not going to give Ali much of a chance to do anything after his disagreement with the company and while it is sad, it certainly isn’t that surprising. I mean, he’s losing to Gable on Raw. How much worse can it be?

We look back at Veer Mahaan taking out Dominik Mysterio.

Veer Mahaan vs. Rey Mysterio

Dominik is here too. Rey goes for the leg to start but gets taken down with a single shot. Veer sends him chest first to the floor for the crash, followed by the chest first whip into the corner back inside. A missed charge sends Veer into the post and out to the floor, where he beats up Dominik for fun. Back in and Veer spins him into a faceplant, setting up the Cervical Clutch to make Rey tap at 3:39.

Rating: C. If there is a point coming to this seemingly never ending feud, I’m not seeing it. Mahaan has wrecked both Mysterios multiple times now but for some reason we are seeing it again and again. How long are they supposed to do it before WWE gives up? So far it has been two plus months, so I guess about that long plus.

And now, a pose down between Bobby Lashley and Theory. They both get to do the same three poses, with Theory looking fine but being outmatched. Lashley wins, but Theory sprays baby oil in his eyes and dropkicks him. This could have been a segment at 9:14 on any given week and far from the closing of Raw.

Overall Rating: C-. This was right back to the norm for Raw: a bunch of stuff that we have covered before without anything that you really need to see. Couple that with a pretty dreadful last half hour and there was no reason to care about this show. Money in the Bank got a little build, but I still have no idea why I should want to see a bunch of qualifying matches for a ladder match for a title shot that might not have happened a year from now.

Results
Jey Uso b. Montez Ford – Countered frog splash
Liv Morgan/Alexa Bliss b. Doudrop/Nikki Ash – DDT to Ash
Ezekiel b. Kevin Owens via countout
MVP b. Cedric Alexander – Playmaker
Seth Rollins b. AJ Styles – Sunset flip
Riddle b. Ciampa – RKO
Chad Gable b. Mustafa Ali – Rolling Chaos Theory
Veer Mahaan b. Rey Mysterio – Cervical Clutch

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

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

AND

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

Monday Night Raw
Date: May 16, 2022
Location: Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia
Commentators: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

We’re in for a big grudge match with Omos vs. Bobby Lashley inside a cage. This is the third match between the two of them after they split the first two, though I’m not sure if it’s the best idea with the Cell pay per view a few weeks away. Other than that, we will probably get another push towards the Usos vs. RKBro on Friday, which will totally be the big conclusive ending. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of Omos vs. Bobby Lashley.

Here’s what’s coming on the rest of the show.

Omos vs. Bobby Lashley

Inside a cage with MVP in Omos’ corner. Before the match, MVP runs down the history and goes over the ways you can win the match (pinfall, submission, escape) before promising a lot of violence. Hold on though as Cedric Alexander jumps Lashley from behind in the aisle and the big brawl is on. We take a break and come back with the opening bell, as Lashley hammers away until MVP gets in a cheap shot from the floor.

Lashley grabs a choke anyway but Omos hits him in the chest to break that up. Another MVP cheap shot lets Omos choke away and then take it into the corner for a running splash. MVP tries to interfere again but Lashley grabs him by the arm for a ram into the cage. The spear takes Omos down for two and Lashley elbows him in the face. Lashley looks ready to finish but has to cut off Cedric Alexander, who is pulled down into the cage. Omos boots Lashley in the face and throws him through the cage, allowing Lashley to step outside and win at 7:32.

Rating: C-. This felt like the last third (or even half) of a cage match but they were so rushed through everything that almost nothing had a chance to make an impact. They had a seven minute match with multiple interferences and a screwy finish. I know they’re a bit rushed, but could you slow down at least a little bit? The ending was a good way to protect Omos, but Lashley was going even with him throughout at worst so I’m not sure how much the protection helps anyway.

Long recap of Mustafa Ali vs. Miz/Theory.

Theory vs. Mustafa Ali

Non-title….and Theory says hang on a second. He thinks we need a special referee for this match, so here is Miz to replace the referee already in the ring. Hold on again though as Theory is using Vince McMahon’s advice of “expect the unexpected”. Therefore, Ali has a different opponent.

Veer Mahaan vs. Mustafa Ali

Miz is guest referee. Ali goes after him to start but gets knocked away. Some superkicks stagger Veer so Theory trips Ali up (Miz doesn’t mind). Veer gets low bridged to the floor and some dropkicks make it worse, but Miz gets in the way of Ali’s dive. Miz shoves Ali and the distraction lets Veer hit the Million Dollar Arm. The Cervical Clutch finishes for Mahaan at 2:47, as Ali’s punishment continues.

Post match the beating continues but the Mysterios run out for the save and knock Mahaan off the apron. The throw everyone else in the pot feud continues.

Becky Lynch has seen Sasha Banks and Naomi leaving the building before the Six Pack Challenge. Lynch is going to just be the new #1 contender and takes the night off, but Adam Pearce makes Lynch vs. Asuka for the #1 contendership tonight instead. So they advertised a Six Pack Challenge and then changed it inside of 50 minutes. That’s a new mark even for them.

Riddle vs. Jimmy Uso

Jey Uso is here with his brother but there is no Randy Orton because of a family commitment. Jimmy starts with the kicks but gets caught in a triangle choke to the floor. A Jey distraction breaks up the apron kick though, meaning Riddle kicks Jey instead. Jimmy gets in a dive and Riddle is sent into the steps as we take a break. Back with Jimmy hitting another enziguri, setting up the running Umaga Attack for two.

The chinlock goes on but Riddle is back up with a few shots of his own. As the Countdown To Cody clock comes up (before his ten o’clock appearance), the pop up Samoan drop gives Jimmy two. Jimmy goes up top but has to break up the super RKO attempt, only to have the Superfly Splash hit knees. A rollup has Riddle in trouble but the referee catches the interference, earning Jey an ejection. Riddle small packages Jimmy for the pin at 10:32.

Rating: C+. I wasn’t all that interested when the match was another tag match preview between two singles wrestlers but at least it wound up being pretty good. Riddle beating the Usos on his own doesn’t exactly make the Usos look great, but maybe they have something better planned for Smackdown. I still don’t buy the titles being unified on TV, though Friday should have the big fight feeling.

Video on AJ Styles/Finn Balor/Liv Morgan’s lack of luck against the Judgment Day.

Earlier today, Morgan was upset about Rhea Ripley when Los Lotharios came in to offer her a spot in the Kiss Cam. That’s a no, but AJ Styles and Finn Balor came in to chase them off. The guys offer her a spot in their corner tonight but she’ll think about it.

The Judgment Day is rather happy with how everything is going but Edge knows that there are some people who want in. They know everyone wants power, so anyone who wants to come in and move to the next level is welcome. It could even be you, AJ Styles. They could use his athleticism, so join him on top of the mountain. Either be by their side or at their feet, because they aren’t stopping.

AJ Styles/Finn Balor vs. Los Lotharios

Liv Morgan is here with Styles and Balor, apparently having made up her mind at some point today, because saying “I’m in” was too much to ask. Humberto actually stomps Styles down into the corner to start and it’s off to Angel to pound on the back. The abdominal stretch goes on, with Humberto getting in a kick to the ribs for a bonus. Styles fights up and brings in Balor to clean house, setting up the double slingshot dives to send us to a break.

Back with Humberto working on a half crab before Angel comes in for a double half crab. Styles powers out and brings in Balor to clean house. Angel actually cuts that off with a superkick and hands it back to Humberto. The moonsault hits raised boots (with Humberto taking a huge bump off the impact) and it’s the shotgun dropkick to Humberto in the corner. AJ Phenomenal Forearms Angel and it’s the Coup de Grace to finish Humberto at 9:15.

Rating: C+. Los Lotharios are a good team most of the time but in this case, they went with the right call of having AJ and Balor take them down. There is almost no way to imagine a midcard team beating a pair of former World Champions so don’t bother going nuts with it. At least it should be good when Balor or Styles joins up with Edge and company.

Too Sweeting ensues after the match.

Kevin Owens, in a Sami Zayn Forever shirt, meets the Alpha Academy, who has the results of Ezekiel’s DNA tests. They open the envelope….but the results have been contaminated by the presence of BARBECUE SAUCE on the sample. Otis is immediately blamed but Gable tries to keep things calm. Next weeks, Gable promises to expose Ezekiel for the fraud that he is. Tonight though, Gable is going to beat it out of him in the ring. Owens: “THAT’S WHAT YOU SAY EVERY WEEK!”

We recap Sonya Deville losing her job as a WWE boss last week, followed by losing to Alexa Bliss in about thirty seconds.

Alexa Bliss vs. Sonya Deville

Deville gets slapped in the face to start as the match has already lasted longer than last week’s. Bliss takes her down with a legsweep but misses the standing moonsault. A running knee gives Deville two and the chinlock goes on. Another running knee blasts Bliss so Deville goes to unhook a turnbuckle pad. The distracted referee misses Deville hitting a clean spinebuster but runs over for a delayed two. Bliss hits a DDT for the pin at 4:01.

Rating: C-. They had a bit of something here with the delayed cover, but it’s hard to get into the idea of Deville being screwed over. She was more interesting when she was serious a few years ago, and the idea of her getting what happened to her over and over again is only going to get so much of my attention. The match itself wasn’t great, but Bliss is still probably shaking off some ring rust.

Post match Deville yells at the referee and then slaps him.

We recap Seth Rollins attacking Cody Rhodes and Stomping him on the announcers’ table.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat. He has been told that Seth Rollins is not here tonight but he hopes that Rollins is listening. Last week, Rollins poured gasoline on the fire but the reality is that Rollins is his own biggest threat. Rollins has built his own purgatory and wants to pull Rhodes down in with him. We flash back to 2011, when Rollins arrived with the rest of the Shield, with Rhodes as one of the bitter guys in the back. Rollins went on a rocket to the top by shattering the glass ceiling, which Rhodes never knew was there in the first place.

Rhodes’ story is a little different. He lost a lot and worked his way up, even if he was looking at the lights most nights. Now he has a second chance, and he isn’t taking it for granted. Rollins isn’t denying him a second chance so Rollins will have to kill him. So let’s run it back one more time…..inside the Cell. Rollins, who seems to be backstage, pops up to say Rhodes is nuts because anyone inside that Cell with him is changed. The match is on. I’d again like to point out that Rhodes has looked and sounded like a star since he returned. That makes all the difference in the world.

Asuka is giddy about getting to face Becky Lynch tonight.

Ezekiel vs. Chad Gable

Kevin Owens is on commentary and Otis is in Gable’s corner. Before the match, Owens doesn’t want to see a photo of Ezekiel and Elias together. Gable takes him down by the arm to start but Ezekiel is back up with an armdrag. That doesn’t work for Gable, who wants some SHOOSHING, only to have Ezekiel come back with a Gory Stretch. Gable slips out and gets into the ropes, with Ezekiel being sent outside.

Otis drives Ezekiel into the apron and we take a break. Back with Gable working on the arm but Ezekiel comes up with a clothesline. A spinebuster gets two and the jumping knee gets the same. Gable sends him into the corner for two but Ezekiel comes out with a kick to the chest. Otis’ distraction lets Gable grab a rollup, which is reversed into another rollup to give Ezekiel the pin at 10:59.

Rating: C. The more I see of Ezekiel, the more I like him. It isn’t like Elias was tearing the house down every week in the ring so there isn’t much of a bar to clear. Ezekiel had a perfectly watchable match here and is different enough than Elias to make it a bit more interesting. Not exactly a classic, but Ezekiel is an interesting enough change of pace for the time being.

R-Truth finally serves Akira Tozawa with his divorce papers and then runs off. Dana Brooke comes in to thank Truth for serving Reggie last week, but Truth wants to consummate with the 24/7 Title. Dana runs off and bumps into Carmella. Insults ensue, including Dana saying Carmella hasn’t mattered since the Guy With No Chin was here. Truth runs up and asks Carmella for help getting the title back. Sure, but she wants Dana Brooke when the time is right. As we continue adding people to this thing.

Here is Lacey Evans, who is introduced as a mother, daughter, Marine and more. Evans puts over the military and thanks them for everything they do. She is proud of what she has done and knows she has a long way to go, but no one in the back is any better than she is. I’m still not sure what they’re doing with Evans and I don’t think WWE does either.

Riddle is ready for the Usos.

The Usos are ready for Riddle.

Becky Lynch vs. Asuka

The winner gets a shot at Bianca Belair, at ringside, at Hell In A Cell. Becky starts fast but gets caught with the running hip attack on the apron. They go to the floor, where Becky hits a suplex into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Asuka getting two off a backslide and kicking Becky in the head. A knee to the face sets up a German suplex and a sliding knee gives Asuka two.

Becky gets in a running shot of her own for two and frustration begins to set in. A rollup is countered into the Asuka Lock but Becky flips backwards for the cover to escape. The cross armbreaker sends Becky to the ropes so she heads outside to yell at Belair. Asuka follows her out, earning herself a whip into Belair. That’s enough to bring Belair to the apron, allowing Becky to grab Asuka’s umbrella. That takes a bit too long though and it’s the green mist into a buzzsaw kick to give Asuka the pin at 9:52.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have time to get great here but it was a good win to build Asuka back up and get her ready for the title match next month. Becky’s slide continues, but she is so far and away established as a top star that it doesn’t matter. This felt like a big enough main event, though I could go for the pay per view version again.

The referee doesn’t seem interested in the fact that Lynch is green to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This wasn’t exactly a strong show but the whole ordeal with Naomi/Sasha Banks walking out kind of turned parts of the show upside down. They started moving towards the Cell, but I still don’t know what the biggest match on the show is supposed to be. That is the problem with the lack of a World Champion, though it is likely to stay that way for a long time to come. For now, this worked well enough, even if nothing was exactly a show stealing classic. They still don’t have the terrible stuff and that is an important level to reach.

Results
Bobby Lashley b. Omos – Lashley escaped the cage
Veer Mahaan b. Mustafa Ali – Cervical Clutch
Riddle b. Jimmy Uso – Small package
AJ Styles/Finn Balor b. Los Lotharios – Coup de Grace to Humberto
Alexa Bliss b. Sonya Deville – DDT
Ezekiel b. Chad Gable – Rollup
Asuka b. Becky Lynch – Kick to the head

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