I hate having to do this but I just do not have the time to do a full on preview for the show in my usual format. It’s this or nothing this time so here’s a short form version:

Rhea Ripley retains over Becky Lynch. Ripley has held the title for a year and doesn’t feel anywhere near ready to lose it yet.

Gunther retains over Sami Zayn. The pieces are there, but I don’t think they pull the trigger on Gunther just yet.

The Tag Team Titles are split, with DIY and New Catch Republic (due to a lack of anyone else) getting a set each.

Jey Uso b. Jimmy Uso. Why in the world would it be anything else?

Bianca Belair/Naomi/Jade Cargill b. Damage CTRL. Did I mention the JADE CARGILL part? There is zero chance she’s losing her first Wrestlemania match.

Santos Escobar/Dominik Mysterio b. Rey Mysterio/Andrade. Yeah they did the angle on Smackdown, but why in the world would you have Rey beat Dominik two years in a row?

Bloodline b. Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins, setting up Bloodline Rules for Cody’s big title shot. I like the idea of him winning straight up, but having Cody overcome ALL of the odds is a better story.

Wrestlemania XXXVII Night Two
Date: April 11, 2021
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Attendance: 25,675
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Samoa Joe, Byron Saxton
America the Beautiful: Ashland Craft

It’s the second night of Wrestlemania, because Wrestlemania needs to be a two night show. There are some big things this time too, including Roman Reigns defending the Universal Title against Daniel Bryan and Edge, Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens and MORE TAMINA/NATALYA! Let’s get to it.

Ashland Craft sings America the Beautiful. I’m not sure who she is but I was told she’s the new voice of country and WWE wouldn’t lie to me.

Opening video. It’s the same one as yesterday (albeit with some different clips), making it three airings if you watch all three parts on Peacock.

Here are Titus O’Neil and Hulk Hogan, this time dressed as pirates, to welcome us to the show. They agree that it’s hot but they both look good so it’s time to hype up the card. A bunch of pirate jokes don’t go very well so Titus switches to hyping up the Fiend vs. Randy Orton. They both say arrrrrgh a lot to wrap it up.

We recap Randy Orton vs. the Fiend. Orton burned the Fiend alive at TLC (because that’s what you do in an inferno match, so Alexa Bliss popped in as the female Fiend to go after Orton and bring back the Fiend, because this story needs to keep going. Fiend looks like even more of a slasher villain now and it’s time for the big showdown.

Randy Orton vs. The Fiend

The burned Fiend walks through the back and transforms into the regular version. Sure why not. LET ME IN flashes above the Titantron and now it’s Alexa Bliss as the female Fiend to the Firefly Funhouse theme. As she gets to ringside, there is a huge jack-in-the-box, with Bliss cranking the handle so the Fiend can pop out. Fiend dives off the box and clotheslines Orton to start. Orton’s neck gets twisted around but the threat of what looked like a Punt from Fiend sends him bailing outside.

Fiend shrugs off the belly to back onto the announcers’ table and puts on the Mandible Claw as they get back in. The hanging DDT connects but it’s too early for the RKO. Instead a charging Fiend is sent into the “box like structure” (oh that’s a famous one), setting up another hanging DDT.

That doesn’t do much again as Fiend hits a clothesline and hammers away, only to miss the backsplash. The RKO is countered into the Mandible Claw, with Fiend switching to load up Sister Abigail. Then fire shoots up from the posts and Bliss, with black goo on her face, is sitting on the box. Fiend reaches out to her and gets RKOed for the pin at 5:52.

Rating: D. I’m not sure if it’s as bad as the bugs on the mat at Wrestlemania XXXIII but this was another really bad idea, as Fiend’s stuff gets so over the top that it makes no sense and it just more dumb than anything else. If you want to do Wyatt vs. Orton then do Wyatt vs. Orton, but stop making it feel like I’ll get my answers if I read three tie-in comic books that come out two years from now.

Post match Orton leaves and the lights go out. Back up and Fiend/Bliss are gone, which, save for a one off appearance tomorrow on Raw, was it for Wyatt in WWE. After this, thank goodness.

Titus O’Neil and Hulk Hogan are in the back with Eric Bischoff when Bayley interrupts. She shakes Bischoff’s hand and praises his podcast before offering him a spot on Ding Dong Hello. Bischoff says he would like to have Bianca Belair on his podcast, maybe with Sasha Banks. Bayley isn’t impressed and says they’re nothing compared to him. Bischoff and Hogan suddenly remember that they need to look at a boat and Titus goes with them. Titus to Bayley: “Sorry. Hall of Fame stuff.”

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax vs. Tamina/Natalya

Tamina/Natalya are challenging after winning a gauntlet match yesterday. Baszler and Natalya go technical to start and that means an early standoff. Natalya tries a Sharpshooter but Baszler goes straight to the ropes, meaning it’s Jax coming in to shove Natalya down. Jax wants and gets Tamina though, giving us some of the cheering that led to Tamina being more of a thing in 2021.

An exchange of headbutts let them glare at each other so Tamina hammers her up against the ropes. Natalya comes back in with a double backdrop but Baszler comes in off a blind tag. Baszler has to small package her way out of a Sharpshooter attempt so Natalya goes with the release German suplex. Natalya catapults her into a superkick from Tamina (that was nice) but Baszler slips out of a slam. The rights and lefts rock Natalya for a change and a hard knee to the face knocks her silly.

Everything breaks down and Jax slams Tamina on the floor. We settle down to Baszler cranking on Natalya’s knee and you can hear the silence spreading. The stomp on the leg (“gnarly” according to Graves) allows Jax to come back in and lift Natalya up, with Baszler adding a running knee for two. Back up and Jax’s running shoulder hits the post but Tamina is STILL down on the floor. Natalya shouts COME ON YOU GUYS to try and wake the fans up a bit but Jax spinebusters her for two with Tamina making the save.

Tamina comes back in to clean a few rooms until Baszler kicks her legs out. The Kirifuda Clutch is blocked so Tamina goes up, where Baszler kicks her in the head to cut off the Superfly Splash. Everything breaks down and Jax dives off the top to crossbody Natalya and Tamina. The TAMINA chants start up and she plays Lex Luger Jax’s Yokozuna on an awful slam for two.

Tamina misses the Superfly Splash though and they’re both down again as this just keeps going. Natalya, looking close to death, gets the tag and basement drops Jax to (very slowly) set up the Sharpshooter. Granted it doesn’t matter as Baszler made a blind tag and Kirifuda Clutches Natalya to retain the titles at 14:15.

Rating: F. The only word I can think of here is failure, as we are now about fifty minutes into the show and the place was eerily quiet for some parts of this match. To take the second show with fans in over a year and have them go silent less than an hour into the night says that you have accomplished none of your goals. This was long, not good (at one point Tamina messed up A TAG by moving her hand and starting to come in before Natalya had tagged her) and then gave us an anticlimactic ending as the champs retain. Natalya and Tamina would get the belts in about a month anyway, making this all the dumber.

We recap Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens. Zayn has gone off the deep end, suggesting that there is a conspiracy against them because THEY are all out to get him. Owens can’t get behind it but offers to Stun some sense into him. Zayn has Logan Paul here as his guest as Owens continues to think Zayn is nuts. They did a nice job of having Zayn sound completely off his rocker for this and my goodness it’s cool to see Owens vs. Zayn at Wrestlemania.

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

JBL is guest commentator and Zayn brings out Logan Paul as his special guest. Zayn charges right at him to start and it’s a Pop Up Powerbomb three seconds in, with Zayn rolling outside. The apron powerbomb is broken up and they head back inside with Owens dropping him ribs first onto the top rope. A running corner clothesline rocks Zayn, who is bumping all over the place for Owens.

The Cannonball connects, allowing JBL to get in the Otto Wanz reference that he makes every time someone uses a Cannonball. They head to the apron and Zayn manages a brainbuster, which is quite the scary spot and comes pretty early in the match. The Michinoku Driver (Cole: “Blue Thunder Bomb!” Graves: “It’s a Michinoku Driver Cole. I’m gonna save you from the internet.”) gives Zayn two and he puts Owens on top. Owens fights out with right hands and the headbutt, setting up the frog splash for two.

A pumphandle driver onto the knee gives Owens two more but Zayn is back up with the exploder suplex into the corner. Another brainbuster gives Zayn another two and he hammers Owens down. They head up top and Owens reverses into the swinging superplex for the double knockdown. Some running clothesline in the corner rock Zayn but he’s right back with the Helluva Kick. Another Helluva Kick is cut off by a superkick, followed by a second one to make Paul cringe. The Stunner gives Owens the clean pin at 9:24.

Rating: B-. It felt like they were just getting in every signature move they could here and that was ok, as this was all about this match making it to the biggest stage in the world. That is something that would have felt like a dream back in the day but here they are. It’s a cool story and they made it work, with the first good match of the night as well.

Post match Paul checks on Zayn, who yells at him due to reasons of insanity. Paul shoves him so Zayn walks away, leaving Paul to raise Owens’ hand. A Stunner abounds.

Riddle is on his scooter in the back and runs into Great Khali. That means a pitch for giant scooters but Khali just stares at him. Rob Van Dam comes in and Riddle is impressed, with Van Dam translating Khali’s words as business advice. Van Dam has his own rolling papers and gives them out before hitting his catchphrase. HOW DO YOU SCREW UP VAN DAM MEETS RIDDLE???

Get vaccinated.

US Title: Sheamus vs. Riddle

Riddle is defending and they’re fighting because Sheamus beat him up with his scooter. They go straight to the brawling with Riddle striking away in the corner. Sheamus powers his way out of a choke and drives Riddle into the corner for some elbows to the face. The swinging release Rock Bottom (which isn’t usually a Sheamus move) gets two but the Irish Curse seems to wake Riddle up.

The armbreaker over the top rope has Sheamus in trouble but he reverses into the forearms to the chest. Back in and Sheamus goes up top, only to get belly to belly superplexed back down for a big crash. Riddle is back up with a Broton into a Jackhammer (Goldberg is not pleased) for two. With that not working, Riddle loads up a slingshot something, which is cut off with a hard knee.

They head to the apron with Riddle grabbing a German suplex. The springboard Floating Bro takes Sheamus down again and Riddle is rolling. Back in and Sheamus has to power out of a triangle choke into a powerbomb for two of his own, with Riddle switching the cover into a rear naked choke. It’s Sheamus going up so Riddle follows him, only to get pulled into White Noise. Middle rope knees give Sheamus two more so Riddle tries a springboard moonsault..which is Brogue Kicked out of the air (nice timing) for the pin and the title at 10:52.

Rating: C+. Time has helped this one a bit as Riddle was about to move on to RKBro, but this was a deflating loss as Riddle hadn’t been champion very long and then lost to Sheamus. The show continues to limit how much good it can do, though at least this one came after a pretty physical match. It isn’t like Sheamus as US Champion is a bad thing, but taking it from Riddle at Wrestlemania? That feels like a Fastlane kind of title match.

We look at Bad Bunny’s debut last night.

We recap Big E. vs. Apollo Crews in a Nigerian Drum Fight for Big E.’s Intercontinental Title. Big E. won the title on Christmas night but Crews turned heel and beat him up, because Big E. as a beaten down champion is the way to go. Then Crews embraced his Nigerian heritage and became little more than a caricature, only to have Big E. beat him at Fastlane. Therefore, we needed a rematch with a bunch of drums because culture.

Intercontinental Title: Big E. vs. Apollo Crews

Hometown boy Big E. is defending in a Nigerian Drum Fight, meaning anything goes and there are a bunch of drums around ringside. As a bonus, Wale raps Big E. to the ring to really make it feel special. Big E. starts fast with a kendo stick but gets a gong knocked out of his hands. Crews is back with some stick shots of his own so Big E. spears him through the ropes to take over.

The steps are set up at ringside, only to have Crews hit a Death Valley Driver onto the apron. That lets Crews lay Big E. onto the steps to try and slam the steps onto him but the steps only hits steps. Big E. is back up with a Rock Bottom off the apron onto the steps but instead of covering, let’s set up a table in the ring. The delay lets Crews hit a kick to the head and beat on him with a kendo stick, only to miss a frog splash through the table. Big E. hits the Big Ending, so here is a monster in a military uniform to come in and beat Big E. down. Crews is laid on top to win the title at 6:50.

Rating: D+. The drums were barely used as this was every other weapons brawl with kendo sticks, a table and the steps. Then the monster comes in to save Crews and win him the title, because Big E., in his hometown and with someone rapping him to the ring, had to lose the title to Apollo Crews here. They couldn’t do this at Smackdown or at Backlash or anything like that, but this show right here under these circumstances. After Riddle lost the US Title in the previous match. Say it with me: because WWE.

We look back at last night’s show, because Wrestlemania needs filler (possible because two of the five matches so far haven’t broken seven minutes). This eats up the better part of five minutes.

Hey! The media LOVED night one!

Get vaccinated!

Hall of Fame video, as this seems to be an intermission without being an intermission. This is the 2021 Class though, as 2020/2021 were inducted in the same year.

Here is the class in the stadium:

Rob Van Dam (nice reaction)
Molly Holly (long overdue)
Great Khali (sure why not)
Ozzy Osbourne (not here)
Eric Bischoff (that’s bizarre)
Rich Hering (longtime WWE employee, Warrior Award)
Kane (the big finale and again, well deserved)

Batista was scheduled to be in but didn’t appear here, as he will be inducted at some point in the future.

We recap Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley for Asuka’s Raw Women’s Title. Bianca Belair went after the Smackdown Women’s Title so Asuka needed a challenger. Game on.

Raw Women’s Title: Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley

Ripley is challenging and gets played to the ring, because this show needs something else to drag it out. After the Big Match Intros, Asuka hits a dropkick to the back and a rollup gets a fast two. Another dropkick into the corner angers Ripley even more, only to have her charge get sent face first into the buckle. They head outside with Asuka’s pop up knee going somewhere in the vicinity of Ripley’s face.

Back in and Asuka hits a hard kick to the back, which is enough to make Ripley take her down and hammer away. The bodyscissors goes on with Ripley hitting her in the back and even messing with the rainbow hair. A series of clotheslines keeps Asuka in trouble but she pulls Ripley down into a kneebar. With that broken up, Ripley sends her into the corner but stops to jaw with some fans. Asuka shoves her off the top though and there’s the missile dropkick to put them both down.

Another trip up top is broken up for Asuka and Ripley drops her face first onto the apron. Asuka is fine enough to catch her with a DDT off the apron and out to the floor, which is good for two because modern wrestling is stupid. Some Kawada kicks wake Ripley up and she grabs the Prism Trap. That’s reversed into an armbar, which is countered with a hard swing into the corner to rock Asuka again. Another armbar goes on but Ripley fights out again. A running kick to the head is quickly countered though and Riptide connects for the pin and the title at 13:37.

Rating: C+. They were having a good, hard hitting match but then that DDT off the apron took me out of it. That was one of the most ridiculous non-finishes I’ve seen in a long time, as there was no reason to have someone be back in the ring within the next month, let alone win the match. Ripley getting the title was a good call in the end, but come up with less infused with dumb way to get there.

Get vaccinated!

We look back at Randy Orton vs. the Fiend, because that needs to be revisited.

Titus O’Neil and Hulk Hogan thank the fans for watching. Bayley comes out to complain about not getting respect and her lack of pyro. Cue the Bella Twins to get in her face, but Bayley reminds them that John Cena isn’t here tonight. The Bellas beat her up and get booed out of the stadium.

Here’s what’s coming on Peacock.

The next pay per view is Wrestlemania Backlash, because two nights just isn’t enough.

We recap Edge and Daniel Bryan challenging Roman Reigns for the Smackdown World Title. Edge had to retire because of his neck injuries but came back and won the Royal Rumble to earn his title shot. Then Bryan said he wanted to be in the match and made Reigns tap at Fastlane, but the referee didn’t see it. Edge interfered and cost Bryan the match, so let’s make it a triple threat.

Smackdown World Title: Edge vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns

Reigns, with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso, is defending and Edge gets a heck of a reaction with probably the loudest pop of the weekend. Bryan gets knocked into the corner to start so Reigns starts unloading on Edge. That’s broken up by Bryan who fires off the European uppercuts, only to be sent outside. Jey adds a superkick and sends Bryan into the steps, leaving us with Edge vs. Reigns for the time being.

It’s time to go outside with the announcers’ table being loaded up but Bryan breaks that up with a suicide dive. Edge takes out Jey and then sends Reigns into the apron and barricade over and over. A posting drops Reigns so Edge heads back to Uso. The Edgecution onto the steps knocks Uso silly so here are the medics to take Uso out. That leaves Edge to roll Bryan up for a pair of near falls back inside but Reigns is back up to fight over a suplex on the apron.

Bryan pulls Reigns to the floor and there’s the missile dropkick to Edge back inside. Reigns is back in to take both of them down, which is enough for him to want some acknowledgment. Edge gets in an Edge-O-Matic on Reigns but he’s right back up with the Superman Punch. The spear is countered into a sunset flip for two as Heyman is getting worried. They both try spears and collide in the middle for a double knockdown. Bryan is back in with a Swan Dive to Reigns for two, followed by the YES Kicks to both.

The big one gets two on Reigns so Bryan grabs the YES Lock, drawing Edge over for the save. That earns Edge a YES Lock of his own but this time it’s Reigns making a save of his own and unloading on Bryan with right hands. They go back outside with Reigns (slowly) powerbombing Bryan through the announcers’ table but taking too long to pose, allowing Edge to spear him off the steps.

Edge sends him back inside and grabs some chairs but switches to the Crossface instead. The piece of the chair makes the Crossface worse but here is Bryan to come in and block the tap. Bryan adds a YES Lock while the Crossface is still on so Edge and Bryan exchange headbutts to break the double hold. That goes to Bryan as well, so he stomps on Edge’s neck, while shouting about how bad it is.

The running knee is loaded up but Edge spears Bryan down and then does the same to Reigns, with Bryan having to pull the referee out at two. With the normal stuff not working, Edge grabs some chairs and unloads on both of them. The Conchairto crushes Bryan but Uso is back in for the save. Reigns is back up and it’s a Conchairto to Edge, setting up the double pin to retain the titles at 22:42.

Rating: A-. This was so far and away the match of both nights that it isn’t even a fair comparison. It felt like a major showdown with Edge and Bryan getting close to being able to make Reigns work hard. The ending might have been a bit cliched with Uso interfering to keep the title, but dang it was fun with some clever spots and a lot of effort throughout. Awesome main event and the big saving grace of a pretty awful night.

The Bloodline poses to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This is a show where the wrestling wasn’t the point. The main event was great, but there was so much downtime and so much stuff that felt like it was there to anger the fans rather than make them happy. You have two popular champions lose their titles, whatever that box thing was, and a nearly fifteen minute Natalya/Tamina match. I’m not sure how this was supposed to be a happy show, but it was almost painful to watch at times.

Overall Overall Rating: C+. The first night was a lot better than the first, but this whole thing felt like it would have been better off as a long one off show. It came off like WWE was trying to fill in time far more often than they needed to here and it made the show feel long. Other than the main event and maybe one or two other matches, you could cut off the second night almost entirely. Overall it’s good, if nothing else because they had fans back, but this really needed to be trimmed down.

Ratings Comparison

Randy Orton vs. The Fiend

Original: D
Redo: D

Shayna Baszler/Nia Jax vs. Tamina/Natalya

Original: D
Redo: F

Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens

Original: B-
Redo: B-

Riddle vs. Sheamus

Original: B-
Redo: C+

Apollo Crews vs. Big E.

Original: C+
Redo: D+

Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley

Original: B-
Redo: C+

Edge vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns

Original: A-
Redo: A-

Overall Rating

Original: B-
Redo: C-

Overall Overall Rating

Original:
Redo: C+

That Women’s Tag Team Title match was a big downgrade and what was I thinking on Crews vs. Big E?

 

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Wrestlemania XXXVI Night Two
Date: April 5, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield

It’s the second half of one of the weirdest shows ever and I’m not sure what that is going to mean. Even a year later, this show is mostly forgotten outside of the main event and I’m curious to see how the rest of it holds up. I was actually surprised by some of what’s on the card as it has completely escaped me over the last year. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Natalya vs. Liv Morgan

You know, you don’t have to have a Kickoff Show match if this is as good as you can get. Natalya headlocks her down to start but lets it go for an early standoff. A rollup gives Morgan two and she gets some sarcastic applause for a bonus. Morgan ducks a clothesline with the Matrix and rolls her up for two more, allowing her to get in her own sarcastic applause.

Natalya is right back with her belly to back drop into the step over basement dropkick for two more. The surfboard goes on and Morgan screams a lot but she avoids a charge in the corner to grab another rollup. A Codebreaker gives Morgan two and Natalya’s sitout wheelbarrow faceplant gets the same. The Sharpshooter attempt is countered into a step up enziguri and Morgan grabs another rollup for the pin at 6:22.

Rating: C-. This was as interesting as it was going to get with Morgan trying one rollup after another to little avail until the ending. Morgan always seems like someone they want to push to the moon but can’t figure out how to get there. This win isn’t going to be some game changer, but at least they gave her something, even if this was nearly depressing as a way to start the night.

Stephanie McMahon gives us a quick welcome.

We get the same still pretty great pirate parody opening video.

Rob Gronkowski talks about knowing a thing or two about dropping the hammer on a championship Sunday.

NXT Women’s Title: Charlotte vs. Rhea Ripley

Ripley is defending and it’s a shame that she didn’t get the big moment after the pretty cool video of her walking into the empty Raymond James Stadium. We get the recap video after Charlotte’s entrance, as Charlotte won the Royal Rumble and Ripley threw her hat in the ring, meaning it was time for Charlotte to go after the NXT Women’s Title again. Ripley looks a bit weird in blue tights but Wrestlemania has had some strange choices over the year.

Charlotte takes her down to start and we hit the trash talk in a hurry. Ripley seems to be favoring her knee as they lock up and Charlotte drives her into the corner. The chops, with more trash talk, have Ripley in more trouble but she comes out with the Riptide for a quick two. That’s enough to send Charlotte outside for a breather so Ripley follows her out with an elbow to the face.

A flip dive off the steps takes Charlotte down again and Ripley sends her face first into the mat back inside. Ripley gets two more off a snap suplex and it’s time to kick Charlotte in the back. The bodyscissors stays on the ribs but Charlotte gets in a shot to the leg for a breather. Another kick to the knee has Ripley in trouble and Charlotte twists it around to make things even worse.

The leg is wrapped around the post but Ripley comes back with a belly to back faceplant. Ripley is back up with some good knees to the face, setting up a dropkick to a kneeling Charlotte. A lot of shouting at the knee drives Ripley on but Charlotte sends her to the apron for another kick to the knee. Ripley catches her on top for an electric chair faceplant but Charlotte hits her in the face. The knee to the knee in the corner misses though and Ripley scores with a missile dropkick, which bangs up the knee even more.

Charlotte is back up with a chop block but Ripley grabs the legs for the Prism Trap (such a cool name). That’s reversed into a Boston crab but Ripley powers out into a pinfall reversal sequence. Back up and Ripley scores with a big boot for two and frustration is setting in. Ripley takes her up top but gets shoved down, only to get the boots up to block the moonsault. Charlotte hits a spear for two so it’s time for the Figure Eight for the tap and the title at 20:27.

Rating: B+. This felt like a battle and a struggle, which is exactly how it should have felt. They made it feel important, but I really can’t get behind the idea of Charlotte winning here. It’s like she came in and showed NXT how little they mean compared to the main roster. Charlotte has won everything there is to win in WWE, so why did she need to win this too? Ripley needed this win a lot more than Charlotte, but that has never stopped WWE before.

Long video on night one.

Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley

Lana is here with Lashley and this might be the greatest example of “what a difference a year makes” in recent memory. Black has horns on his shoulders because of course he does. Lashley powers him around to start and then does it again to make his point clear. A leg dive doesn’t work for Black as Lashley supelxes him down and hammers away.

Lashley misses a charge and falls out to the floor but Black misses the middle rope moonsault, earning himself a suplex. There’s a running shoulder to the ribs in the corner, setting up a neckbreaker to drop Black again. Black knees his way out of the delayed vertical suplex but Lashley snaps off a powerslam for two more.

Now the suplex can connect for two but Black is back with kicks to the legs. Another kick puts Lashley on the floor and now the middle rope moonsault connects. Back in and Lashley hits a crossbody of all things for two but Lana gets on the steps for no logical reason. The Dominator is loaded up but Lana demands a spear….which charges into Black Mass to give Black the pin at 7:16.

Rating: C. Not a bad back and forth match here but the ending didn’t do it many favors. Lana and Lashley was an idea that went on too long and pretty much never worked but WWE didn’t seem to get the idea for a good while. Then there’s Black and egads what happened with him? He had a nice push in the spring and summer but then it just all fell apart later on, because WWE. I don’t get it either, because he just pinned a big star clean here and then WWE just gave up.

Bayley and Sasha Banks aren’t worried about the five way tonight. They are united to keep Bayley’s Smackdown Women’s Title because they are best friends. Bayley leaves but when asked if she wants to win the title, Banks says we’ll see.

We look at Mojo Rawley winning the 24/7 Title last night.

Rob Gronkowski wants the 24/7 Title.

We recap Otis vs. Dolph Ziggler. Otis and Mandy Rose seem to have a thing for each other but Ziggler doesn’t get it. Then he and Sonya Deville got together to split them up before they could get together, with Mandy getting together with Ziggler instead. The Smackdown hacker intervened and shows the plot, meaning Mandy and Otis can be on the same page once Otis deals with Ziggler. Yeah this was kind of nuts but it was funny and oddly charming.

Otis vs. Dolph Ziggler

Sonya Deville is here with Ziggler, who is chased outside before the bell. Otis splashes him in the corner to start but Ziggler is right back with a superkick to the floor. A posting gives Ziggler two back inside and we hit the choke. There’s a dropkick for two more and the choking moves to the ropes this time. The jumping elbow sets up something like a rear naked choke, which Otis breaks up in a hurry. Otis starts the jiggling and hammers away, including the running clotheslines.

A slam lets Otis step on Ziggler’s back and a whip into the corner puts Ziggler down again. Otis sends him outside for a whip into the barricade, followed by a posting for a bonus. Back in and a pop up World’s Strongest Slam has Ziggler in trouble and Sonya demanding that he get up. A Sonya distraction lets Ziggler get in a low blow and they’re both down for a bit. Cue Mandy Rose (you knew this was coming) to slap Sonya and hit Ziggler low, setting up the Caterpillar to give Otis the pin at 8:09.

Rating: C-. The match was nothing beyond a Smackdown level match but I was stunned by the result. I really would never have bet that Otis would have beaten Ziggler so well done on the surprise ending and going the right way. There was no logical reason for Ziggler to win here, which was exactly why I would have expected it. Otis and Mandy were never going to be a long term angle, but for a one off moment, this was very well done.

Post match Otis picks Mandy up and they have their first kiss, which would have been a great moment with a crowd.

We recap Edge vs. Randy Orton. Edge returned in the Royal Rumble for the huge surprise, where he eliminated Orton. This made Orton ask if Edge wanted to reunited Rated RKO one more time, only to surprise Edge with a big beatdown. With Edge gone, Orton gave his wife Beth Phoenix an RKO, which was treated like the worst thing ever, because Beth went from a Hall of Famer to a damsel in distress. Orton explained that he was doing this to save Edge from turning into what Orton had become, even if it meant ending his career all over again. Makes wrestling sense and it set up a Last Man Standing match, so who am I to complain?

Edge vs. Randy Orton

Last Man Standing and dang it must be awful for Edge to put in all that work and his Wrestlemania entrance is in front of an empty building. Orton runs in from behind (thanks to the classic cameraman disguise) with the RKO and the referee has to ask Edge if he wants to do this. That’s an of course so Orton hits another RKO for an early nine. They head outside with Orton hitting him in the face with the camera for seven so let’s go backstage.

It’s off to the gym first with Orton using a strap from a gym machine (in a moment whose accidental significance went completely over my head live) to choke him but Edge gets back up and hits him with a chain. Edge hammers him onto a table and then into a chair to pound away even more. We go aerial as Edge grabs a machine and uses it to pull himself up and land on Orton in the chair. Edge shouts about nine years but gets whipped into a wall to put him down.

Orton can’t quite crush him with a sled so Edge sends him into some equipment. They fight into a rather narrow hallway where Orton goes face first into a garage door. That’s only good for six though as Edge wants to beat him up some more. It’s back into the arena now with Orton throwing Edge into the barricade. Edge uses said barricade to pull himself up at nine so it’s time to go backstage again, this time to the office area. They take turns ramming each other into a board room table until Edge sends him face first into a wall.

Orton is thrown onto the table and Edge pulls himself up on the….whatever the chain link stuff is above the table to drop an elbow. We lose a cameraman so another has to run in to catch them in a storage room. Orton staggers away with his left arm pretty banged up, but he is able to knock Edge onto an anvil case. They go through more stuff with Edge finding some chairs, which Orton throws away in a hurry. A whip into a bunch of stuff gives Orton nine and they wind up in what loos like an interview area.

Edge gets in a few more shots of his own, including a kick to the ribs, and they’re both down for a breather. With Orton knocked onto a table, Edge climbs a ladder onto a scaffold and drops a huge elbow through Orton through said table for a double eight. It’s time to stagger around some more, this time with Orton’s shoulder bleeding. Orton sends him into more equipment for another eight and then takes him onto the back of a covered pick up truck.

The hanging DDT onto said cover gives us another double eight and they climb onto the top of a big production truck. Edge cuts off a Punt with the spear for nine but another spear charges into an RKO. With Edge getting up again, Orton drops down and grabs some chairs to take back to the top of the truck. Orton sounds like he mentions Edge’s daughters but the Conchairto is countered into a standing choke. That’s enough to knock Orton out but Edge says stop counting. The Conchairto crushes him for good and Edge wins at 36:40.

Rating: B-. I liked this one way more the first time around as this really did feel long here. They had some good violence and beat each other up but you easily could have cut out ten plus minutes and done the same thing. You also get into the same problem that so many Last Man Standing matches have, in that you spend so much time waiting on the counts that the match loses a lot of steam. I still like it, but cut this stuff down.

Back in the arena, Mojo Rawley runs from the menagerie of numskulls but Rob Gronkowski dives off a balcony onto the pile to win the title. Apparently this took HOURS to film as Gronkowski wouldn’t do it, even after Vince McMahon himself demonstrated the dive (the video released of Vince doing it is kind of awesome).

Raw Tag Team Titles: Austin Theory/Angel Garza vs. Street Profits

The Profits are defending and Theory is a last minute replacement for an injured Andrade, just to hammer home how messy this show is. Zelina Vega is here with the challengers too. Dawkins headlocks Theory to start and then runs him over with a shoulder. The champs start taking turns on the shoulder but Theory sends Dawkins outside. That means Garza can hit a superkick, allowing him to come inside and TAKE OFF HIS PANTS.

Some kicks to Dawkins’ ribs set up a seated abdominal stretch but Dawkins flips out without much trouble. Ford comes in to clean house and there’s the big flip dive onto Theory (and Dawkins by mistake). Back in and Garza kicks Ford down, setting up a Lionsault for two. The Wing Clipper is countered with an enziguri though and the hot tag brings in Dawkins. Theory catches him with a quick TKO but Ford comes in with the frog splash to give Dawkins the retaining pin at 6:23.

Rating: D+. There was a very firm limit to what they could do here with no real feud between one of the teams hadn’t even been together for a week and they didn’t even have seven minutes to do their thing. It felt like a Raw match and in this case, that is about as good as you could have expected. The Profits were brand new champions here and as usual, there weren’t exactly a ton of teams for them to challenge them. Take away one of the only ones around and how good could this have been?

Post match the beatdown is on but Bianca Belair runs in for her debut and takes out Vega.

Titus O’Neil has taken over hosting duties, meaning he says he’s hosting.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Lacey Evans vs. Tamina vs. Naomi

Bayley is defending under elimination rules and Naomi’s entrance is still cool even in an empty arena. Everyone goes after Tamina to start because it is Wrestlemania season and therefore she matters again. With Tamina knocked to the floor, the other four pair off until Bayley and Banks double team Evans for two. The mini tag match breaks out with Lacey and Naomi hitting stereo dropkicks for stereo near falls.

Tamina (sorry, the POWERFUL Tamina) gets back in to wreck everyone and gets a few near falls. Bayley and Lacey are kicked to the floor, leaving us with a Team BAD reunion, assuming more than about 4% of the audience actually remembers that weird trios period at the start of the Women’s Revolution. Tamina gets double teamed down and it’s a parade of finishers to get rid of her at 6:26 (because Tamina is Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania).

With the unstoppable monster stopped, Bayley starts beating on everyone else with the trash talk thrown in for a bonus. Naomi comes back in to beat up Bayley and Banks at the same time, including a Rear View to Banks and a middle rope kick to both. That’s about it for the Offense though as the Bank Statement makes Naomi tap at 10:15. Bayley: “DANCE TO THE BACK!”

Bayley and Banks double team Lacey, including something like a double powerbomb for two. A running knee (Bayley: “THIS IS FOR SUMMER”!, meaning Lacey’s daughter) hits Banks by mistake and the cracks seem ready to form. The distraction lets Lacey hit the Woman’s Right to finish Banks at 13:26 (with Cole’s call being heard on the replay, because the building is that quiet).

So it’s one on one with Evans hammering away and grabbing a neckbreaker for two. Bayley sends her shoulder first into the post though and the stomping ensues. More shouting and right hands in the corner have Lacey in trouble but she gets up a boot to cut Bayley off. The slingshot Bronco Buster connects and the double springboard moonsault gets two. Cue Sasha with a Backstabber to Lacey though, allowing Bayley to hit the bulldog driver to retain at 19:18.

Rating: C. It worked well, even after the awesome force that is Tamina was gone. At least these four have some backstories and characters so it is a little bit better than having five random people in there doing all of their spots as fast as they can. Bayley retaining is fine enough, as she has a tendency to do well at Wrestlemania, though Lacey winning the title would have been a nice feel good moment.

Wrestlemania 37 is in Los Angeles. I’m sure.

We recap John Cena vs. the Fiend in the Firefly Funhouse Match. Cena returned a few weeks ago and didn’t a Wrestlemania match but the Fiend showed up to point at the sign (because THE FIEND has to point at the sign) and the challenge was on. Bray Wyatt then explained that this is fallout from Cena beating him at Wrestlemania XXX, which is what send Wyatt completely over the edge and led to the creation of the Fiend. It makes enough sense and that’s all it needs to do for the most part.

John Cena vs. The Fiend

Cena does his full entrance and we cut to the Funhouse, where Wyatt says Cena will be fighting himself. Cena follows him through the door and I guess we’ll say the match starts there. With Cena standing in the dark, Puppet Vince pops up to ask if Cena has the ruthless aggression to be a star. If not, he’s fired. Bray appears in the ring and calls out someone for a fight and here’s Cena in his 2002 gear to say RUTHLESS AGGRESSION (ala his debut against Kurt Angle) but he can’t hit the slap on Bray. Wyatt: “You can look but you can’t touch!”

Bray disappears and we hit the Saturday Night’s Main Event intro (yeah don’t bother to try and make sense out of some of the pieces of this). Bray does a Hulk Hogan impression (behind a piece of the big blue cage of course) and talks about how his partner Johnny Largemeat is all about the muscles. Cena, lifting weights, comes in and does a Hogan/Randy Savage hybrid impression. He lifts so much his arms won’t come up anymore and now it’s off to the Dr. of Thuganomics Cena.

Wyatt and Cena are in the ring again with Cena realizing that he can only speak in rhyme. We get a Husky Harris joke and Cena talks about taking chances. That’s too much for Wyatt, who calls Cena a bully to takes others’ weaknesses and turns them into jokes. Cena throws the nuts at Wyatt, who knocks him out with a chain. Now it’s cult leader Wyatt and we go to the Wrestlemania XXX match, which Wyatt calls his grandest failure. Back in the ring now, with Wyatt saying it is time to rewrite his own story.

Bray hands Cena a chair (again ala Wrestlemania) and tells Cena to fix his mistake. This time Cena swings….and now we’re on Nitro, with Bray as Eric Bischoff to introduce the Hollywood Hogan version of Cena. Puppet Vince: “IT’S SUCH GOOD S***!” Cena freaks out and realizes he is beating up Huskus the Pig. The Fiend pops up behind him for the Mandible Claw and, after hearing Cena calls Bray overhyped and privileged, Sister Abigail finishes at about 13:30.

Rating: A+. This is one of those things that was amazing live and then it gets even better when you have a chance to think about the thing. This was a huge deconstruction of the entire John Cena legacy, down to what would have happened if he had finally turned heel like so many people wanted him to.

It turns into a What If/Road Not Taken idea and that is amazing to see, as Cena really does have a detailed and incredible rise to the top. Wyatt sees him as a fraud who has done everything he can to hold others, including Wyatt himself, down and he needed to avenge his Wrestlemania XXX loss. This was outstanding and one of the most well thought out and incredible ideas that I’ve seen WWE ever present, and I’m probably missing big parts of the whole thing.

Titus O’Neil isn’t sure what he just saw.

We recap Drew McIntyre vs. Brock Lesnar. McIntyre was the Chosen One but screwed up and got fired, so he reinvented himself and came back to WWE as a man. Then McIntyre won the Royal Rumble, eliminating Brock Lesnar in the process. Cue the title match, as McIntyre is finally ready to achieve his destiny.

Raw World Title: Drew McIntyre vs. Brock Lesnar

Lesnar is defending and for once, Paul Heyman doesn’t’ handle his introduction. Drew hits the first Claymore for the first two count at 17 seconds. Another Claymore is countered into the German suplex, followed by a second for a bonus. There’s the third and McIntyre is in trouble. The F5 gets one (that’s Drew’s thing) and another gets two. There’s a third F5 for another near fall (Heyman: “He’s really good. Hit him again! He can’t keep kicking out all night!”) but McIntyre escapes the fourth. Three straight Claymores make Drew champion at 4:32.

Rating: C+. It was fun and energetic but I’m completely over watching this style. It has been done to death and I could go for something fresh. Is it asking too much for a ten minute match instead of ten finishers in four minutes? McIntyre winning was the only way you could go here as Lesnar has been champion for so long recently that it no longer has any impact. This went as it should have, but egads find a better way to do them.

McIntyre celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I liked this one better than the first night by a good stretch as the matches certainly felt bigger. The main event and some other things came off like they belonged on Wrestlemania, but there are still things that make this show feel like absolutely nothing. Again though, you can only put so much of that on WWE as they were up against the wall and had to do a lot of things at the last minute. It was good if you give them a lot of breaks and really, how can you not with a show like this?

Overall Overall Rating: C+. Of course this didn’t feel like Wrestlemania and that is because it barely was Wrestlemania. The problem is that with so much build and setup for the whole thing, WWE absolutely had to do something, especially if television was going to continue as usual. No it isn’t good by comparison to other Wrestlemanias but nothing was the same around this time. Things would get better going forward but this was still the dark ages of the pandemic. They did what they could here and in that regard, this show worked out as well as it could have.

Ratings Comparison

Liv Morgan vs. Natalya

Original: D+

2021 Redo: C-

Charlotte vs. Rhea Ripley

Original: C+

2021 Redo: B+

Aleister Black vs. Bobby Lashley

Original: D+

2021 Redo: C

Dolph Ziggler vs. Otis

Original: D+

2021 Redo: C-

Randy Orton vs. Edge

Original: B

2021 Redo: B-

Street Profits vs. Angel Garza/Austin Theory

Original: D+

2021 Redo: D+

Bayley vs. Sasha Banks vs. Naomi vs. Tamina vs. Lacey Evans

Original: D

2021 Redo: C

John Cena vs. The Fiend

Original: N/A

2021 Redo: A+

Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre

Original: D

2021 Redo: C+

Overall Rating

Original: C-

2021 Redo: B-

Overall Overall Rating

Original: C

2021 Redo: C+

That’s one of the biggest changes I can remember having as the matches almost all went up and then the overall rating barely goes up. This was hardly a normal show though so the drastic swing a year later isn’t surprising.

Here is the original review if you are interested:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2020/04/05/wrestlemania-xxxvi-night-two-the-wwe-psyche/

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.

Wrestlemania XXXVI Night 1
Date: April 4, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield, Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton
Host: Rob Gronkowski

A year has passed since this show and it still does not seem real. Aside from the main event, this show has almost been erased from history as it is barely ever discussed whatsoever. The Coronavirus wiped everything out and the show was moved to the Performance Center, making it feel like a show that they had just to say they had it. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Cesaro vs. Drew Gulak

Their respective friends (Shinsuke Nakamura/Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan) are feuding so these two are having a match as well. Yeah it’s weak but what else are they supposed to do? Cole is calling this one on his own and it sounds so strange. Gulak goes for the arm to start but a short armscissors is countered into a powerbomb. They head outside with Cesaro getting in another shot but the arm is banged up.

An armdrag on the bad arm sets up a whip into the steps but Cesaro uppercuts him out of the air for two. A Fujiwara armbar is broken up so Gulak settles for two off a sunset flip. Cesaro boots him in the face and loads up a torture rack airplane spin (with no hands at one point for a crazy visual) before just dropping Gulak for the pin at 4:27.

Rating: C. The match was fine but EGADS this is bizarre. It’s like we’re watching a training session that was recorded and they slapped a Wrestlemania logo on the thing. It was watchable enough and would have been acceptable as a warmup but I can’t believe that this is Wrestlemania. Of course it isn’t on WWE given the circumstances but my goodness this is weird and that isn’t likely to change over the course of the show.

Stephanie McMahon welcomes us to the show and says that while this is going to be the most different Wrestlemania ever (due to the current circumstances, with no mention of the virus, which was a weird WWE thing for a LONG time).

Rather than someone singing America the Beautiful live, we get a montage of previous performances. Fair enough and actually a pretty cool idea.

The opening video continues the pirate theme but someone doing a pretty bad Jack Sparrow impression cuts it off, saying it sounds like they are starting at the end. He says the video isn’t trying and calls for the “classic movie trailer voice”. The trailer voice is cut off by the Sparrow impression (which is how he refers to it) but the video still doesn’t work, so he says go to the shots of our heroes looking all serious. These people are larger than life and are marred by the work of hundreds of days and nights.

This is their quest for gold, glory and immortality. Tonight, forget EVERYTHING you know because fate leads the way, and fate can surprise us. History waits for no one and tonight, their chance to shape history begins right now. The traditional montage takes over from here. I love pirate movies and while this was pretty much a parody of the idea, it makes me wonder how good the real thing would have been with the WWE budget behind a pirate themed show.

Host Rob Gronkowski (erg) welcomes us to the show and does some fine script reading as he talks about how this is a two night event. He talks about being able to start a party on a Saturday night, even if that might be a little difficult in a mostly empty building. Mojo Rawley joins him because you need the hype here. Gronk gives him some pretty lame chops and we’re off to the first match.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross vs. Kabuki Warriors

The Warriors (Asuka/Kairi Sane) are defending and commentary points out that they took the titles from Bliss/Cross back in October. This is their first title defense since DECEMBER, because the titles really don’t mean much in WWE. Asuka and Bliss get things going with a lot of laughing but it’s off to Sane without any contact. Sane shoves Bliss around a bit, drawing Bliss back up to knock Sane down. That sets up the double knees to the ribs and a tag off to Cross, who is taken into the champs’ corner.

Some forearms stagger Asuka though and Bliss tags herself in. That means a baseball slide can knock Sane outside, followed by a flip dive from the apron. Back in and Asuka punches Cross in the face, allowing the tag back to Sane. Everything breaks down again with the Warriors taking over on the floor. Back in again and a bulldog into a basement dropkick rocks Cross but Sane gets a bit cocky.

That means Cross can kick her away, allowing the tag back to Bliss. House doesn’t have time to be cleaned though as Asuka offers a distraction, allowing Sane to catch Bliss in the ropes. The Alberto double stomp gets two and Bliss is in trouble, despite Cross trying to get….well no one here to clap. The referee yells at Asuka, allowing Sane to snap Bliss’ neck across the ropes.

Bliss forearms Asuka in the face so Asuka kicks her head off. Another shot from Bliss allows the hot tag to Cross, meaning it’s a lot of screaming as she forearms and bulldogs Sane. A high crossbody gives Cross two but Sane gets in a cheap shot from the apron. The Reckoning gets two on Asuka with Sane breaking it up off a top rope elbow (and possibly with a camera edit because that count looked ready to go down before Sane appeared).

Asuka tries the Asuka Lock on Cross but Bliss breaks it up with Twisted Bliss. Back up and Asuka hits a Codebreaker on Cross but the Insane Elbow is broken up. Instead it’s a powerbomb/top rope forearm to knock Cross silly….for two. Nikki avoids a charge to send Asuka into the post. The Reckoning sets up another Twisted Bliss for the pin and the titles at 15:11.

Rating: C. That was a lot longer than I would have bet on but the title change was the right way to start. If nothing else, just so Bliss can do her pose with a title again. You can only have the Warriors hold the title so long before it stops meaning anything due to a lack of defenses. I can’t imagine this makes a huge difference, but it was the right move here.

Sami Zayn brags about taking the Intercontinental Title from Braun Strowman, even though people thought it was inevitable that Strowman would destroy him. Tonight, people think it is inevitable that Daniel Bryan will take the title from him, but we’ll see about that.

King Corbin vs. Elias

This is fallout from Corbin knocking Elias off a platform here in the arena. That should have, you know, broken most of his bones, but instead it put him out for eight days. Corbin insists that Elias isn’t here but the comeback is here before the referee can even start to count. Corbin goes outside to start the fight in the aisle so Elias blasts him in the back with the guitar.

Elias sends him into various things and they head inside for the opening bell. An elbow to the face gives Elias two and it’s time to choke near the ropes. Corbin tosses him over the top and wants the countout but settles for right hands to the ribs back inside. The slide underneath the rope in the corner clothesline gets two on Elias and it’s time to hammer on Elias’ bad shoulder (because he has a bad shoulder after crashing off the balcony last week).

Said bad shoulder goes into the post for two and Corbin yells at the referee, which you can hear a lot more of in the empty arena. Back up and Elias sends him shoulder first into the post to even things up a bit. A kick out of the corner sends Corbin into another corner and Elias hammers away. Elias has to roll through the top rope elbow and charges into Deep Six for two. Back up and Elias nails a jumping knee to the face but gets sent throat first into the ropes. A rollup with feet on the ropes gives Corbin two but the referee catches the cheating and yells a lot. Instead Elias grabs a rollup and tights for the pin at 8:52.

Rating: C-. That’s one of the least interesting matches I can remember in a long time, but what were you expecting given who was in there? It’s bad enough that Elias’ big revenge was a rollup pin after getting beaten down for a few minutes, but the fact that it came over Corbin made things even worse. Just not an interesting match and it would have felt a lot better as the nothing Kickoff Show match instead.

We recap Shayna Baszler vs. Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Title. Becky Lynch has been champion for about a year and is out of people to face. Baszler showed up from NXT and….bit Becky’s neck for some reason, drawing a bunch of blood. Then Baszler demolished the Elimination Chamber match to become #1 contender (in other words she beat up a bunch of losers and Asuka), setting up Lynch’s biggest challenge in a long time. Lynch reminding Baszler that she beat Ronda Rousey to get the title was a great response and this was a heck of a build.

Raw Women’s Title: Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler

Lynch is defending and drives to the arena in a semi truck because…something about the Man I guess? They go straight to the slugout to start and the threat of the Kirifuda Clutch sends Becky bailing out to the floor. Baszler is sent into the steps to put her in trouble, followed by a missile dropkick back inside. Lynch comes up favoring her back but hammers away in the corner anyway.

A hard knee rocks Lynch but she slips out of the Kirifuda Clutch to grab a rollup instead. Baszler grabs a cutter for two but can’t hit a running knee. They fight to the apron with Lynch talking trash as they forearm it out. Lynch Rock Bottoms her onto the apron for two and the champ looks a bit surprised.

Baszler slams her off the top and grabs a quickly broken cross armbreaker. Instead Baszler puts on her own Disarm Her but Lynch is out in a hurry. This time Lynch grabs the Disarm Her on the ropes, only to have Baszler knock her off the rope for a big crash. Baszler picks her up for a hard swing into the announcers’ table (geez that always looks rough) before throwing it back inside. The Kirifuda Clutch goes on but Lynch backflips over for the pin to retain at 8:32.

Rating: C. Yeah I’m not sure I get this one, as Lynch was ready to lose the title and Baszler seemed primed to take the thing from her. Throw in the Lynch was about to go on maternity leave (fair enough that she didn’t know it at this point) and there was no reason to not switch the title here. It seemed that they were setting up a submission rematch, but at some point you need to just change the title and be done with it, which should have been the case here.

Intercontinental Title: Sami Zayn vs. Daniel Bryan

Bryan, with Drew Gulak, is challenging and Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura are here with Zayn. Rob Gronkowski and Mojo Rawley do the YES chant from the balcony, which just looks sad with two people in there. Sami bails straight to the floor and then does it again to get in Bryan’s head. Back in and the third exit ensues, which finally causes Bryan to go after him, only to have Cesaro and Nakamura get in the way.

Gulak dives onto the two of them and hammers away, meaning Gulak and Zayn get to have their own staredown. Bryan finally gets his hands on Zayn thanks to a suicide dive and it’s time to crank on the leg. Zayn is sent outside again for another suicide dive, followed by a missile dropkick back inside. Bryan slaps him in the face and shouts that Zayn is the loser because he hasn’t beaten anyone.

The running dropkick in the corner might have Zayn crying (JBL: “You shouldn’t be crying at Wrestlemania.”) but he cuts Bryan’s charge off with a shot of his own. Back up and Bryan hits the running clothesline, followed by the rapid fire strikes. Hold on though as Bryan needs to go after Cesaro and Nakamura, only to dive into the Helluva Kick to retain Zayn’s title at 9:18.

Rating: C. Another rather disappointing match here but again, it’s kind of hard to complain about much on this show. The biggest problem continues to be the lack of time, as you can only make a match feel so big in just over nine minutes. It’s also another situation where the title should have changed hands, as Zayn went home because of the virus (fair) and had to vacate the title without wrestling again in nearly six months.

Smackdown Tag Team Titles: John Morrison vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Jimmy Uso

Morrison is defending for Miz and John Morrison and this is a ladder match. Injuries and virus concerns took away enough of the partners that this is as good as we can get here. Everyone misses a kick to start and Morrison and Kingston both stick the landings on a monkey flip attempt, meaning it’s an early standoff.

Everyone goes out to grab a ladder (Morrison gets the only regular sized one) and they all climb up, with Jimmy being knocked down and coming up clutching his knee (always a good sign). He’s fine enough to get to his feet but Kofi dives off the ladder to take him down. Morrison is right there to go after Kofi but they both miss kicks and takedowns. Kofi knocks Jimmy off the ladder but Morrison takes him down as well, meaning Jimmy has to make a save of his own.

A springboard lets Kofi dropkick both of them through the ladder (cool), only to have Morrison clear the ring again. Morrison stabs Jimmy in the knee with the ladder but Jimmy sends him face first into the ladder in the corner. That’s fine with Morrison, who knocks him onto the ladder and hits a corkscrew flip to crush Jimmy again. Kofi is back up with a springboard hurricanrana to pull Morrison off of the ladder, because of course he can do that.

After knocking Jimmy outside, Kofi hits a big dive over the top to take Morrison down again. Jimmy tries to run the barricade so Kofi throws the ladder at him for another knockdown. It’s time to bridge the ladder between the ring and the apron, which never winds up going well. Jimmy is laid on said ladder but Morrison walks the rope to get from one corner to another and Spanish Fly Kofi off the top.

That leaves Morrison down so Jimmy can hit a Superfly Splash to crush him all over again. Kofi and Jimmy climb the same ladder (with Kofi climbing from inside because he’s a bit unique) and Jimmy gets knocked off in a heap. Morrison gets knocked down as well and Kofi comes off with the jumping double stomp to make it worse. Back up and Jimmy bridges the ladder between the rope and the standing ladder (uh oh) and then sends Kofi face first into the bridged one.

Morrison gets superkicked out of the air so Jimmy goes up another ladder, only to be shoved down. It must have been quite the fall as he went down with his feet facing the entrance and landed with his head facing the entrance. Or maybe WWE just needs better editors. Morrison throws a ladder out and goes up, only to have Kofi climb the same ladder. Jimmy is back in to climb another ladder and they all get a hand on the titles. A double headbutt knocks Morrison down….and he comes up with the titles for the win at 18:33.

Rating: B. This was the big spotfest match that you knew was coming here at one point or another on the show and there is nothing wrong with that. They did their thing all over the place here with one crazy spot after another. That’s how a match like this is supposed to be and it was as fun as you could have imagined a triple threat match for the Tag Team Titles would be. Granted there is one thing wrong with the match, which would be the horrible knee injury that Jimmy suffered, which would keep him out of action for over a year.

We recap Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens. Rollins is doing his evil messiah deal and Owens doesn’t want to hear it, nor does he want to deal with the beatdowns Rollins and company have given him. Grudge match time.

Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins

Dig that KO Mania IV shirt with the Andre the Giant/Hulk Hogan style as Owens continues an awesome tradition. After a quick bit of hiding in the ropes, Rollins starts the slugout and it goes about as badly as you would go. Owens hammers him down, shrugs off a kick to the face, and hits a hard clothesline. There’s a backsplash to crush Rollins but it’s too early for the Cannonball.

Some chops have Rollins in trouble on the floor but he manages a backdrop on the apron to avoid a rather painful powerbomb. A Falcon Arrow on the apron plants Owens again as Rollins is already focusing on the back. Rollins hits a hard suicide dive to knock him into the barricade and he does it again for a bonus. Back in and Rollins keeps the trash talk up but misses a pair of Stomps. Owens doesn’t miss a DDT though and a superkick lets him hit the Cannonball.

The Stunner is countered and Rollins nails an enziguri, only to have Owens nail a rebound lariat for another knockdown. A superplex is loaded up but Rollins blocks it, setting up the buckle bomb. Some superkicks rock Owens, who is still fine enough to hit a pop up sitout powerbomb for a close two. They go outside and Rollins blasts him in the head with the ring bell for the DQ at 10:09.

And no this isn’t what we’re doing because Owens says let’s keep it going with no countout or DQ. That’s fine with Rollins and the bell rings, allowing him to hit a jumping knee to the face. Rollins takes it outside again and sends him into various things, followed by a steps shot to the face.

A bunch of chair shots have Owens in big trouble but he comes up with a HARD bell shot to the head. With Rollins mostly done, Owens climbs onto the big WRESTLEMANIA sign and dives off, though he is nice enough to ask if Rollins thinks this is a Wrestlemania moment. Back in and Rollins tries to talk his way out of trouble, earning himself a Stunner for the pin at 17:15.

Rating: B-. I didn’t remember liking this one all that much but they beat each other up rather well and it was entertaining enough. The bell to the head sounded great and the violence was good, once you got part the pretty worthless pause in between the falls. Owens can brawl with the best of them, but unfortunately he got hurt here too and would miss time of his own, because this show is cursed.

R-Truth comes up to Mojo Rawley and Rob Gronkowski and complains about being 24/7. I think you know what happens here and Rawley celebrates with the title.

Paul Heyman scares the heck out of Charly Caruso and talks about how great how sure he is that Drew McIntyre is losing. Brock Lesnar is going to destroy McIntyre and leave him a broken man because Lesnar is the most awesome fighter ever. He gets the message across with a bit more emotion as you might guess.

We run down the night two card.

Smackdown World Title: Braun Strowman vs. Goldberg

Goldberg is defending and there is no recap because there is no story. Goldberg won the title in Saudi Arabia so he could lose to Roman Reigns here, but then Reigns pulled out due to the Coronavirus concerns (again, fair). After about twenty seconds of staring each other down, Goldberg kicks him in the ribs and hits an early spear.

Strowman is back up so Goldberg hits two more spears for a near fall. Make it four, but the Jackhammer is countered into a powerslam. We’ll make that two powerslams and the third sets up a fourth to make Strowman champion at 2:11. The entire match was three moves and one of them was a kick to the ribs.

Wrestlemania XXXVII is in Los Angeles. Just like it was in the Memorial Coliseum in 1991.

We recap AJ Styles vs. The Undertaker. Styles didn’t like Undertaker being a broken shell of himself so he insulted Undertaker the man, including Undertaker’s wife. This did not wind up going well and for the first time, it seems that this is Mark Calaway fighting instead of Styles, which should make things all the more interesting. Oh and they’re in boneyard to make things a little spicier/more cinematic.

Undertaker vs. AJ Styles

The hearse rides into the boneyard and the druids pull out the casket, which of course has Styles in it for a chuckle worthy moment. In a bit cooler moment, we get Biker Taker again, riding to the boneyard to Now That We’re Dead by Metallica. AJ wastes no time in talking trash, asking if Michelle McCool knows Undertaker is out this late. Undertaker knocks a brick out of his hands and the fight is on, with Undertaker dragging him around. He even calls AJ Alan to make it more freaky.

AJ is sent into the closed casket but Undertaker’s punch goes through the hearse window (cue the Goldberg flashbacks). He is fine enough to throw him through the windshield and they fight on top of the hearse, with Undertaker still getting the better of things. Undertaker hammers away while yelling at AJ to not talk about his wife and then quotes Clubber Lang by saying he has a lotta more. AJ gets smart by throwing dirt in the eyes and then trying to punch Undertaker into a grave.

It turns out that standing in front of someone who can’t see and talking a lot makes you easy to punch so Undertaker drills him in the jaw. That’s enough to knock Undertaker into the grave but the Good Brothers show up, complete with imitation western music. Undertaker goes after them….and we’ve got druids for some reason. They don’t really do much good though, as they stand there while Undertaker goes in a circle punching them. Now Undertaker can beat up Gallows and Anderson in peace, including beating on them with the handle of a shovel.

AJ is back with a tombstone (the stone, not the move) though and shatters it over Undertaker’s back. That means trash talk from AJ and weird sounds from Undertaker….and they are both knocked through the wall of a shed. Undertaker wheezes and backs away, allowing AJ to break a shove over his back to knock him into a grave. With Undertaker down, AJ jumps in the dump truck (or whatever you call it)….and Undertaker appears behind him in a big ball of light. Eh it’s not that insane really.

AJ runs off (as you should) and climbs onto the roof of the barn so Undertaker shoots fire out of the roof foo. Cue Gallows and Anderson so Undertaker beats them up again and throws Gallows into the abyss. A Tombstone onto the roof drops Anderson and Undertaker says it’s just him and AJ. For some reason AJ swings at him and gets chokeslammed off the roof and through a big piece of wood. Undertaker climbs down and asks AJ what his wife’s name is. Or maybe AJ can tell Undertaker how old he is.

AJ is out on his feet as Undertaker picks him up and talks about how AJ is tougher than he gave him credit for. It’s time to go to the grave and AJ says he’s sorry. Undertaker wants to know what for and then picks AJ up by the throat. AJ begs him not to bury him and Undertaker hugs him while saying AJ put up a great fight. Then Undertaker boots him into the grave and fills it in with the dirt. The gong sounds and we’ll say that’s the match at about 19:12 (your individual times may vary).

Rating: A. Yeah this is still great and is the pinnacle of the cinematic stuff. It doesn’t get too goofy (I mean, Undertaker stuff is weird by definition) and it felt like two guys having a fight. AJ being all cocky and sure of himself until he finally realized what he was up against is a classic Undertaker story and it worked well here. Above all else, this felt like Undertaker having one last brush with greatness before hanging it up and I can see why he was ok with this being the big ending. Go out doing something different and special, which is what he did here. I loved this when I watched it and still do here, so well done.

AJ’s gloves hand sticks out of the grave as Undertaker gets on his bike, throws up the fist to make the fire go off again. Undertaker’s symbol goes up on the barn wall and he rides away to end the show. And to end Undertaker’s career it seems, as he has not wrestled since and announced his retirement at Survivor Series about seven months later.

Overall Rating: B-. Like I said at the beginning, this show has kind of been forgotten and it is easy to see why. I’m not sure how you could expect anything else here, as the show was cobbled together from whomever was left and they did what they could to still have a Wrestlemania. It’s a Wrestlemania in name only for the most part, but it isn’t like they had any control over the thing. What we got was good enough, but don’t expect this to be anything more than an historical curiosity, because it doesn’t feel like Wrestlemania.

Ratings Comparison

Drew Gulak vs. Cesaro

Original: C

2021 Redo: C

Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross vs. Kabuki Warriors

Original: C

2021 Redo: C

Elias vs. King Corbin

Original: D

2021 Redo: C-

Shayna Baszler vs. Becky Lynch

Original: B-

2021 Redo: C

Daniel Bryan vs. Sami Zayn

Original: C+

2021 Redo: C

Jimmy Uso vs. John Morrison vs. Kofi Kingston

Original: B

2021 Redo: B

Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins

Original: C

2021 Redo: B-

Goldberg vs. Braun Strowman

Original: N/A

2021 Redo: N/A

Undertaker vs. AJ Styles

Original: A+

2021 Redo: A

Overall Rating

Original: C

2021 Redo: B-

Mostly in the ballpark, but it’s not like this is a show that is going to feel the same after a year.

Here’s the original review if you’re interested:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2020/04/04/wrestlemania-xxxvi-night-one-broken-undertaker/

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: April 1, 2024
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

It’s the last Raw before Wrestlemania and the big names are in town. This week will see the Rock and Roman Reigns both in the building and there is fallout to face. Last week, the Rock attacked Cody Rhodes and left him bloody, apparently on the others from Reigns himself. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the end of last week’s show, with Rock attacking Rhodes and leaving him a bloody mess.

Here is the Rock to get things going. Rock brags about making Cody bleed last week, just like he promised he would. Then he put his blood all over that weight belt, just like he told Mama Rhodes that he would. Rock brings up the Cody Crybabies and we see some footage from TikTok, showing children crying over Rock beating Rhodes up.

Rock says there are time when people have to beat up people like Rhodes when he’s talking s***. You’re feeling the energy right now because professional wrestling is cool, and he’s the reason the ratings have skyrocketed. This crowd is now part of the highest gate in Raw history and FINALLY the Rock has come back to Brooklyn….but he didn’t come alone.

Cue he Bloodline, with Reigns eventually getting to the ring to not be happy with the fans chanting YEET. Reigns apologizes to the Rock for the fans and thanks Rock for helping st up Bloodline Rules at Wrestlemania. Then it’s going to be time to feast, but here is Seth Rollins through the crowd to interrupt.

Rollins says he’s ready for a fight and wants one tonight, but Reigns doesn’t seem convinced. Rollins talks about this being the biggest Raw ever and wants to fight the Rock tonight. Or how about Reigns instead. They can even name the stipulations! Rock says no, but Solo Sikoa says yes, with Rock making it Bloodline Rules. The Rock just literally did a promo where he bragged about making children cry. Yes, he is the best heel going today.

Rhea Ripley was on the MMA Hour earlier today when Becky Lynch came into the studio. Insults were thrown and Lynch had to be escorted out.

Lynch is here tonight to finish what she started earlier today.

DIY/New Day vs. Judgment Day

Of note: commentary mentions that the ladder match will not end until BOTH sets of titles are pulled down. Judgment Day gets sent to the floor to start but it’s Balor taking over on Gargano in the corner. Gargano fights out of trouble and hands it off to Ciampa to pick up the pace with running corner clotheslines. Kofi picks up the pace with a top rope shot to McDonagh’s head, allowing Woods to come in with a bottom rope DDT. Dominik makes the save and everything breaks down, with Gargano hitting a dive (and landing rather nastily. Back in and Priest cleans house, including a chokeslam and Razor’s Edge to pin Ciampa at 4:53.

Rating: C+. This was a good way to get a lot of people into the ring before WrestleMania and it worked well enough. Judgment Day got to look dominant, even though getting a pin has little to do with gaining momentum towards climbing a ladder. Thankfully commentary didn’t mention that, meaning things might finally be changing for the better around here.

Rock says he has things going tonight as Roman reigns is off to write Paul Heyman’s induction speech for the Hall Of Fame this Friday.

Chad Gable is training Sami Zayn for his Wrestlemania match. Gable jumps him from behind (in a training way) and Zayn taps to a sleeper. Zayn says he doesn’t get what he’s thinking by having Gable run him into the ground this soon before Wrestlemania. Gable talks about how Zayn is good enough but he needs the hunger. Zayn says he’s afraid of losing and letting people down but it’s enough to get him fired up again. The training continues and it goes much better this time around. Rocky III it is and that isn’t a bad thing.

Judgment Day is ready for Wrestlemania but DO NOT like it when Legado del Fantasma come in. Damian Priest tells Dominik to get rid of him and Rhea Ripley tells Dominik to work on the communication stuff.

Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed

Rematch from last week where Reed scored the upset. Zayn takes him down with a crucifix for two to start but gets chopped up against the ropes. A clothesline puts Reed on the floor and Zayn follows with the big flip dive to the floor. Back in and Zayn hits some middle rope elbows to the head, only to dive into a release Rock Bottom. Reed takes him up top but Zayn manages a sunset bomb for two.

For some reason Zayn tries a fireman’s carry, which fails so badly that he earns the Death valley Driver from Reed for two. We take a break and come back with Zayn fighting out of a nerve hold and managing to knock the monster down. Cue Gunther to drag Chad Gable to the stage though, apparently after quite the beating. Zayn goes to save Gable as Gunther leaves, only to come back and beat up Zayn for the DQ at we’ll say 12:00 (the bell never rang).

Rating: C+. This is a good example of a match where they could have done an actual finish before Zayn went up the ramp for the angle. Gunther going after Gable makes perfect sense and it worked well enough, with fans hopefully wanting to see Zayn fight back and defeat Gunther to win the title and get some revenge. Or Gunther will smash someone else as he has done time after time.

Post match Gunther chops Zayn down to leave him laying and steps on his chest.

Jey Uso runs into Lil Wayne in the back and invites him to Wrestlemania. Deal.

The Rock’s grandmother will be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae vs. Ivy Nile/Maxxine Dupri

Hartwell takes over on Dupri to start and hands it off to LeRae, who sends her into the corner. A small package gives Dupri two and it’s off to Nile to clean house. A running boot in the corner hits Hartwell but LeRae shoves her off the top. Hartwell doesn’t like it so Dupri dropkicks the villains into each other and steals the pin at 3:35.

Rating: C. This was pretty much an angle rather than a match and that isn’t a bad thing. Dupri still can’t do much of anything in the ring but that is to be expected given her experience level. At the same time, odds are this sets up either a Hartwell heel turn or the team splitting, with the latter being the better choice. For now though, Dupri gets the slightest bit of retribution, which is quite the win for her.

Jey Uso tells Seth Rollins that he has his back in the main event tonight. Rollins seems to approve.

Drew McIntyre is in a funeral home and uses CM Punk’s song lyrics to launch into a speech about how he’s going to close the casket on Seth Rollins’ World Title reign. Amen.

Ivar vs. Ricochet

No Valhalla with Ivar here. Ricochet headscissors him out to the floor to start but gets dropped onto the apron for a crash as we take an early break. Back with Ivar missing a running crossbody against the ring screen, allowing Ricochet to hit a running flip dive for the big knockdown.

A springboard clothesline hits Ivar back inside and there’s the running shooting star press for two. For some reason Ricochet tries a fireman’s carry and it fails miserably, allowing Ivar to kick him in the face. A tiger bomb gives Ivar two but he misses a Bronco Buster. Somehow Ricochet manages a fall away slam into the 630 for the pin at 10:05.

Rating: B. This was the match where two people who aren’t going to be involved with Wrestlemania are sent out on Raw for the sake of filling in time without risking a match this weekend. That being said, they had one heck of a power vs. speed match, with Ricochet getting to do all kinds of things out there as he certainly can do. If he keeps that up, there is a good chance he’ll get moved up the card again, as he is certainly capable of hanging on a higher level.

Damian Priest is watching and wonders why Ricochet hasn’t been dealt with yet. They’re ready to get rid of him in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Andrade comes in and Dominik offers him a spot in Judgment Day if he’ll get rid of Ricochet. Works for Andrade but Rhea Ripley has to go deal with Becky Lynch.

Here is Becky Lynch to demand that Rhea Ripley come finish this. Cue Adam Pearce who says not tonight, but Ripley comes out anyway and the fight is on. It’s broken up rather quickly as well but Becky dives off the top to take them out again.

Damage CTRL brags about their bigness.

Clash At The Castle is back on June 15, location to be announced tomorrow.

Adam Pearce has to split up Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch again.

Damage CTRL vs. Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark/Tegan Nox

Damage CTRL jump them to start and the beating is on with Nox being taken into the wrong corner. The non-Damage CTRL team fights up and kick them to the floor, with Stark hitting a dive as we take a break. Back with Stark hitting a springboard missile dropkick for two on Sane. A quick shot gives Sane a breather and she brings in Kai to get chokeslammed by Kai. Everything breaks down and Nox misses her running reverse Cannonball, setting up the assisted Insane Elbow to give Sane the pin at 8:57.

Rating: C. You know how there are several women’s matches where they don’t get much time and some of that time is cut off by a commercial break. Damage CTRL had more trouble here than I would have expected but at least they won in the end. It was a nice little warmup for the Wrestlemania six woman tag, though I was expecting more of a squash here.

Wrestlemania rundowns, now with the cards set for both nights.

Seth Rollins says he took this match with Solo Sikoa because he is always going pedal to the metal, but he always has a plan b. He runs into Drew McIntyre and says he isn’t dead yet. McIntyre: “Yet.”

Seth Rollins vs. Solo Sikoa

Non-title and anything goes. They fight straight to the floor where Sikoa misses a charge into the steps. Sikoa sends him into the barricade but Rollins is back with some chairs thrown at Sikoa’s head. A DDT onto an open chair plants Sikoa and it’s already table time. That takes too long though and Sikoa hits a super Samoan drop through the table as we take a break.

Back with Rollins sending him into the steps and then hitting Sikoa in the head with said steps. Another table is set up inside but again it takes too long, allowing Sikoa to load up another Samoan drop. This time Rollins reverses into a powerbomb through the able, followed by the Stomp.

Cue Jimmy Uso to go after Rollins but Jey Uso comes out for the brawl. They head up the ramp and here’s the Rock to jump Jey. Rock goes after Rollins but here is Cody Rhodes to get some revenge on Rock instead. The double team is on but Roman reigns comes out from underneath the ring as the fans chant for CM Punk. The Bloodline gets in the big beatdown and stop for a hug before Rock pulls out the weightlifting belt. That means it’s time to go a whipping, with Sikoa holding Rhodes’ arms so Rock can get in some free shots. Rock and Reigns pose to end the show as we’ll say the match was thrown out at around 15:00.

Rating: C+. I was surprised that they had this much time before a fairly obvious ending though that isn’t a bad thing. If nothing else, Rollins has not been in a match on television in a good while so letting him shake off a bit of the ring rust is a good thing. For now though, the Bloodline gets in another beating and Rhodes has one more time to overcome at Wrestlemania, which could be quite the feat at this point.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was always going to be tricky, as it was a final push towards Wrestlemania while also not wanting to shake things up too much before Wrestlemania. They did that well enough and I’m primed up for the show, though they were only going to be able to get in so much here with so little time left. Good show overall, though none of this is going to matter once this weekend starts up.

Results
Judgment Day b. DIY/New Day – Razor’s Edge to Ciampa
Sami Zayn b. Bronson Reed via DQ when Gunther interfered
Ivy Nile/Maxxine Dupri b. Candice LeRae/Indi Hartwell – Rollup to Hartwell
Ricochet b. Ivar – 630
Damage CTRL b. Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark/Tegan Nox – Assisted Insane Elbow to Nox
Solo Sikoa vs. Seth Rollins went to a no contest

 

 

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: March 25, 2024
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

We are less than two weeks away from Wrestlemania and that means things are mostly together for the show. In this case though we have a special attraction as Chicago’s own CM Punk is here for a special appearance. Other than that, we might even get something else added to Wrestlemania. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Cody Rhodes going face to face with Roman Reigns but both of them had backup, leading to a standoff to end the show.

Here is Cody Rhodes to get things going. Rhodes talks about how we are in that weird place before Wrestlemania and that means all the talk is done. After a quick hello to Pat McAfee and Michael Cole, Rhodes talks about his meting with Reigns on Smackdown. The thing is, when Rhodes makes a promise, he tends to keep it. The other night a fan asked him to be the best man at his wedding so he’s going to do it, and pay for the bachelor party. He’s going to a five year old’s birthday and he’s sending the Wrestling Club to Wrestlemania (both nights).

Rhodes is here because the champ isn’t and he is going to Wrestlemania because he won the Royal Rumble twice in a row. After last year, he knows he can’t do it alone and asks the fans if they will ride with him. If Rhodes is going to point at the sign, he wants everyone to do it with him…and here is the Rock (unadvertised) to interrupt.

The fans are rather impressed and we get a rather long staredown. The CM PUNK chants start up and Rock puts his hands behind his back. He leans in and whispers something to Rhodes before getting out of the ring and heading up the aisle. Cody seems very confused and we take a break. Rock didn’t say a word that we could hear. That’s an interesting way to go and there is a very good chance we’ll get more on this later, either tonight or on Smackdown.

Post break Rock is asked what he said to Rhodes. Rock says go ask him.

Judgment Day is tired of Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh not carrying their weight but Damian Priest has a plan to get an advantage at Wrestlemania.

Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh

Dominik Mysterio is here with McDonagh. Ricochet wastes no time in kicking him outside, setting up the early dive as we take a break. Back with McDonagh sending him hard into the corner and grabbing a waistlock. The standing moonsault misses though and Ricochet hits an elbow for the double knockdown. Ricochet is back up with the springboard clothesline and a standing shooting star gets two. McDonagh manages a Spanish Fly for two of his own and he takes Ricochet up top, only to get super poisonranaed back down.

The Recoil connects but Dominik puts a foot on the rope. Ricochet’s springboard 450 hits raised knees though and we take a break. Back with McDonagh getting two off a sitout powerbomb and tries the Devlin Slide, which is reversed into a Canadian Destroyer (McAfee LOSES IT over that). Dominik offers another distraction and gets ejected, leaving Ricochet to hit the shooting star press on a standing McDonagh (dang) for the pin at 14:20.

Rating: B-. The Ricochet reheating continues and that is not the worst thing. There is always a place for someone who can fly as well as he can and it was a great showcase. At the same time, Judgment Day is having some trouble and it is not likely going to go well for McDonagh and Mysterio. For now though, nice match, with Ricochet doing some insane stuff, including that finish.

Here is CM Punk and yeah the fans seem to remember him. Punk talks about how glad he is to be here and to answer some questions, yes he is going to be at Wrestlemania. No his elbow isn’t great yet but his mouth works. He wishes Wrestlemania was here in Chicago (“Hint hint.”) and wonders about some roles he could have at Wrestlemania. Punk talks to Pat McAfee and says he isn’t a daily listener (Punk: “I listen to the Experience and the Drive Thru.”) but Roman Reigns was a guest on McAfee’s show.

Punk knows he’ll see Reigns one day, along with Seth Rollins (who wears high heels and is now taller than Punk) and the Rock, who hasn’t said a word to him since he’s been back. Then there is Drew McIntyre, who Punk wants out here like a man. Cue McIntyre (Punk demands his song be turned off) and Punk wants him in the ring. McIntyre calls this divine intervention and brings up the “INJURE CM PUNK” line on his shirt.

Punk says he’s never had to put another man’s name on a shirt to sell it. That makes McIntyre take the shirt off, revealing the CM Punk grave shirt instead. McIntyre: “For someone who is all about straightedge and doesn’t drink or do drugs, you spend a lot of time in rehab.” McIntyre says he went into the Elimination Chamber and got hurt but thinking about Punk inspired him to win. Punk says come in here and say that to his good ear. He even lays down so McIntyre can get in but McIntyre sits down on the announcers’ table (McIntyre: “Don’t shoot up my kilt you perv.”) and says he was the chosen one.

Punk wants to know who chose him, though McIntyre moves on and offers him the spot as guest commentator when he wins the World Heavyweight Championship. Cue Seth Rollins to interrupt and he immediately has the staredown with Punk. Rollins says this is his show, but Punk says this is his city. We get a quick poll about Punk being on commentary at Wrestlemania but the fans want him to be a referee.

Rollins points at the bad arm and says that’s Punk’s counting arm. Punk drops to the mat and counts three with his good (left) arm, though he doesn’t think he could be fair with these two “dips****.” McIntyre: “PG brother.” Rollins: “You want to know what I think Punk?” Punk: “Nope.” Rollins finds that appropriate because he doesn’t think anything of Punk, which is funny because he doesn’t need Punk to have a moment at Wrestlemania.

The way things are going for Punk, this is the closest he’s coming to being a World Champion again, so Rollins needs Punk to stay out of his way. Punk is in for commentary, because he’s the only thing that could make these two interesting. He goes to leave but McIntyre says cut the music because Punk doesn’t get the last word since he’s not even in the match. McIntyre rants about Punk but gets kicked by Rollins, setting up the Stomp to wrap it up.

This was OUTSTANDING stuff as you had McIntyre and Punk throwing one bomb after another at each other and being really entertaining. Then Rollins came in and while it fit, it really illustrated how much of a third wheel he feels like in this story. While that’s better than being the fourth wheel in the Cody vs. Rock/Reigns story, he is pretty much only here because Punk can’t wrestle. Thankfully this was more serious Rollins, but he was in over his head with these two.

The best thing about this is it felt like the three of them were given minimal instructions on what to say and just filled in the gaps themselves. That often makes for the best segments, as you had people who know how to talk doing so very well and making me want to see whatever they do next. Punk is about two months into rehab as well and his feuds with both are still hot, so they’ve already survived a lot of the gap of Punk being on the shelf. Heck of a segment here.

Shinsuke Nakamura is ready for Jey Uso.

Ivy Nile vs. Candice LeRae

Maxxine Dupri and Indi Hartwell are at ringside. Nile starts fast and hammers away but Candice is back up to send her outside. Hold on though as Candice is holding her knee, seemingly for Hartwell to cheat…but she doesn’t. Instead Nile charges back in and gets rolled up (with feet on the ropes) to give Candice the pin at 1:54.

New Day and DIY argue over how dumb their names are. Awesome Truth comes in to say the match will be awesome, though R-Truth thinks this is New Day vs. DX. Oh and he thinks Pat McAfee is JBL.

New Day vs. DIY

Awesome Truth is on commentary. Kofi and Ciampa go to the mat to start but Gargano is in with a clothesline. R-Truth is happy to see Shawn Michaels in there (just go with it) as Gargano is taken into the corner for the Unicorn Stampede. Gargano is sent outside and we take a break. Back with Ciampa hitting running corner clotheslines, setting up some running kicks to Kofi in the corner. Gargano hits a suicide dive but cue Judgment Day for the DQ at 6:26. Not enough shown to rate but they were just warming up anyway.

Post match the beatdown is on with Truth going nuts on commentary, even as Miz gets in and is taken out. Judgment Day surrounds Truth (who insists we go to a break) and beats him down as well, leaving the champs to stand tall.

Cody Rhodes won’t repeat what Rock said but will say it was a promise Rock can’t keep.

Gunther isn’t worried about what Sami Zayn said last week because they were empty words. We are in Chicago tonight and the people here don’t believe Sami can beat him. Sami can’t beat Bronson Reed tonight either.

Andrade vs. Givanni Vinci

Vinci wastes no time in sending him into the ropes but Andrade chills in the ropes. Andrade knocks him outside for the moonsault, followed by the double moonsault for two back inside. A running boot staggers Vinci but he runs Andrade over as we take a break. We come back with Andrade grabbing some dragon screw legwhips and the running knees in the corner get two. Vinci hits a heck of a clothesline but Andrade elbows him in the head. A lifting double underhook swinging suplex (The Message) finishes for Andrade at 7:10.

Rating: C+. They didn’t have much time to go anywhere here and the break didn’t make it any better. As is always the case, there is little that can be done when a match barely breaks seven minutes and about half of that is spent in commercial. Andrade still needs something to do, but winning matches is always a good start.

Here is Rhea Ripley, with Dominik Mysterio, for a chat. She wants more attention and feels that Becky Lynch is fighting everyone else and not paying attention to her. Ripley could have gotten Lynch’s attention by attacking her during a match but instead Ripley is being respectful. We’re so close to Wrestlemania and Lynch should be paying more attention, so here is Lynch to interrupt.

Lynch talks about how she is here when Ripley is fresh rather than waiting for her to finish a twenty minute match. She couldn’t do that, mainly because Ripley never wrestles on Raw anyway. Ripley doesn’t need to wrestle before the biggest match of her career because all she has to do is post a video online and these freaks will eat it up. Lynch says they have different interpretations of what it means to be a champion.

To Lynch, it’s all about working hard to be the best and the long game is about skill, merit and survival. It’s about being able to fight back when the chips are down and you’re not the chosen one anymore. At Wrestlemania, she is going to give Ripley a new experience. Ripley gets that Lynch is a survivor who has been through everything, but Lynch is really a cockroach: hard to kill but not impossible.

Ripley wants Lynch to survive just enough though, so she can sit on her couch with her daughter and call Ripley Mami. Lynch calls that Ripley’s one pass to mention her daughter and goes into a rather serious rant about how she regrets her father not getting to meet her daughter. It might be a joke to Ripley but it is not a joke to her. There is no going back and at Wrestlemania, neither of them will ever be the same again.

We get the staredown but Ripley backs off. Dominik gets between then so Lynch drops him, meaning the fight with Ripley is on. Ripley kicks her down and sends Lynch into the post and goes to check on Dominik. Lynch dives off the steps onto both of them until Dominik tries to break it up. That goes as well as can be expected until referees get in there to hold them apart.

This was the segment that the match needed as Ripley has been getting so over with the fans as of late that they needed something to even the odds a bit. Having Ripley out there with Dominik is always going to make the fans think less of her, but bringing up Lynch’s daughter was the clincher. The key here was they are turning Lynch back into The Man, and that version of her is a threat to Ripley. While Ripley is the bigger deal right now, a fired up Lynch is one of the scariest things in WWE and that could make for a heck of a showdown.

Chad Gable comes up to Sami Zayn and tries to apologize for last week but Sami doesn’t need to hear it. No one believes he can beat Gunther so tonight he’ll go beat Bronson Reed. Gable says don’t worry about Gunther tonight because Reed will take him out. Sami needs to focus, which Sami says is right. He appreciates what Gable said and they shake hands.

Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed

Reed runs him over with a shoulder to start but Sami sends his charge out to the floor. The big flip dive takes Reed down again but a high crossbody is pulled out of the air back inside. Reed runs him over again and hits a heck of a chop in the corner to send Sami outside. The running shoulder off the apron hits Sami again and we take a break.

Back with Sami fighting out of a chinlock and managing to knock Reed down for a change. Cue Gunther for a distraction though, which makes Sami think he can Blue Thunder Bomb Reed. For some reason Sami tries a slam, earning that crushing from Reed. Sami manages a tornado DDT but stops to look at Gunther, meaning the Helluva Kick misses. The Tsunami finishes for Reed at 9:31.

Rating: C. This was more storytelling than wrestling and that is not a bad thing. What matters here is Gunther getting into Sami’s head before their title match at Wrestlemania, where Sami will hopefully be able to remain focused and get everything together. I’m not sure if he’s going to win the title, but they’re telling a nice story on the way there.

Jey Uso is fired up (shocking I know) about facing Shinsuke Nakamura. The Bloodline pops in and Jimmy Uso says “no yeet”.

Chad Gable comes up to Sami Zayn in the back, where Sami is ranting about how Gunther is in his head. Gable says Sami needs a different approach to Wrestlemania and if Sami wants to do that, they can talk.

We look back at the Rock/Cody Rhodes segment.

Seth Rollins comes up to Jey Uso, saying something doesn’t feel right. He has Jey’s back tonight.

Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Jey knocks him to the floor to start but the suicide dive is cut off by a boot to the head. Back in and Jey is sent into the post, setting up some running knees to put Jey on the floor as we take a break. We come back with Jey slugging away and hitting an enziguri but getting caught with the sliding German suplex. Nakamura shrugs off a superkick and hits a running knee…and we have the Bloodline. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso run in to cut them off but here is Drew McIntyre to jump Rollins. Everyone else brawls off and a superkick into the spear finishes for Uso at 7:34.

Rating: C+. The match itself was little more than a backdrop for everything taking place at ringside and in this case that’s ok. Jey gets another win on the way to Wrestlemania while Nakamura….geez remember when he was main eventing a pay per view about six months ago? You would think there might be some more value for him than this, though I’m not sure what that would be.

We cut to the back where Rhodes is brawling with the Bloodline when the Rock comes in to jump him. Rock hits him with a trashcan to the head and empties a toolbox onto him before they go outside into the rain. Rock kicks him around and shouts at Rhodes to get up because Rock is the Final Boss. He shouts at the people to look at his hero and yells at Mama Rhodes before throwing Cody into the side of his own bus.

Rock talks to the camera and says it didn’t have to be like this. All of this is happening because of Rhodes, who is busted open as Rock sends him into the bus door again. Rock pulls off a weight belt with MAMA RHODES written on it and rubs the blood onto it, saying Cody is going to learn about hard times at Wrestlemania. He tells Mama Rhodes to look at her son one more time to end the show.

There’s a reason the Rock is the kind of legend that he has become. You can take away the Hollywood stuff and the catchphrases and all those other things. Underneath it all, the Rock knows how to be a wrestler and a wrestling personality. This was an old school beatdown that is going to make Rhodes fight back and FINALLY slay the beast that is Roman Reigns before very possibly getting his hands on the Rock one on one later this year. It’s a case of the night being the darkest before the dawn, with the dawn seeming likely for Philadelphia. Awesome segment here, with Rock turning serious when he needs to.

Overall Rating: A-. Yes, I’m aware that none of the matches came close to that high of a rating and I would hope that you get that the in-ring part of this show was the least important aspect. This show was ALL about making the big matches at Wrestlemania feel like must see events and that worked in spades. I want to see McIntyre vs. Rollins, Cody vs. the Bloodline and Ripley vs. Lynch a heck of a lot more than I did coming into this week. That was the point of this Raw and WWE turned the volume way up the whole night through. Excellent show this week as the wrestling was the stuff in between the important parts.

Results
Ricochet b. JD McDonagh – Shooting star press
Candice LeRae b. Ivy Nile – Rollup with feet on the ropes
New Day vs. DIY went to a no contest when Judgment Day interfered
Andrade b. Giovanni Vinci – The Message
Bronson Reed b. Sami Zayn – Tsunami
Jey Uso b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Spear

 

 

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 18, 2024
Location: PNC Center, Raleigh, North Carolina
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

We are less than three weeks away from Wrestlemania and that means things are mostly set in stone. However, we still need some teams for the big ladder match as well as possibly one or two more matches. Odds are we’ll get something more from Cody Rhodes/Seth Rollins vs. the Bloodline as well so let’s get to it.

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

Here is Jey Uso to get things going and he wastes no time in calling out Jimmy. Much like his brother, Jimmy (with Solo Sikoa) wastes no time in coming to the ring as well. Jey says he knows they have bad blood but he misses his brother. He misses being with his brother and asks him to come back but Jimmy says it was Jey’s idea to leave the Bloodline.

It was Jey going off on his own to be a success and he even won a Tag Team Title without his brother! The biggest moment in Jey’s career is because of Jimmy, but Jey disagrees. The biggest moment of his career will be at Wrestlemania when he knocks the yeet out of Jimmy. That’s enough to bring Sikoa in for the beatdown but Cody Rhodes runs in for the save. That probably sets up the main event but Jey vs. Jimmy needed some attention of its own.

Video on Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax.

Adam Pearce calls someone (presumably Nick Aldis) to yell about the Bloodline being here but Paul Heyman interrupts. The Bloodline’s actions weren’t authorized by Roman Reigns or the Rock but Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa are gone for the night. Heyman has official business here tonight though and it will catch everyone off guard.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Titles Qualifying Match: DIY vs. Creed Brothers

Dang I had almost forgotten the Creeds were around. The winners go straight to Wrestlemania, unlike Smackdown which is a mini tournament. Julius wrestles Ciampa down to start and then does it again without much trouble. A fireman’s carry takeover puts Ciampa on the mat again and it’s off to Brutus to work on the arm. Back up and Gargano comes in off a blind tag though and DIY sends them outside for the stereo dives. DIY applauds themselves and we take a break, coming back with Brutus getting the tag to clean house.

Brutus rolls Ciampa up and northern lights suplexes Gargano at the same time for a double near fall. Despite being down on his knees, Julius picks up Ciampa for a suplex, going from mat to knees in a crazy athletic display. The standing moonsault gives Julius two, leaving Brutus to knock Ciampa outside. Brutus sends him over the announcers’ table and we take another break.

Back again with Ciampa hitting much needed reverse DDT, allowing the hot tag back to Gargano. Everything breaks down, leaving Ciampa to hit a super White Noise for two on Julius. They slug it out until Julius barrels through him and puts on the ankle lock. Gargano tries to make the save and gets powerbombed for his efforts.

Brutus comes in to make it stereo ankle locks but they’re reversed into a Sicilian Stretch and the Gargano Escape. Those are both broken up and the Creeds throw them into each other, setting up back to back moonsaults for two on Ciampa. The Brutus Ball misses though and Gargano superkicks Julius into a rollup to give Ciampa the pin at 17:37.

Rating: B. These guys got a lot of time and it’s rather nice to see DIY getting a chance on the big stage. Odds are they don’t win the titles but it’s better than never being on Wrestlemania at all. At the same time, the Creeds feel like they have fallen into a hole. They were in a big time title match and then just vanished for a bit. I’m sure they’ll be back, but dang they fell down a good ways.

Andrade meets Judgment Day, who might be interested in bringing Andrade aboard. They’ll be watching him next week though. Andrade leaves and Damian Priest comes in to get on JD McDonagh for his losses. Dominik Mysterio has this though.

Katana Chance/Kayden Carter vs. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae

Hartwell takes over on Carter to start and takes her into the corner, only to have LeRae miss the step up backsplash. It’s off to Chance to pick up the pace but she bangs up her knee while flipping out of a suplex. The referee checks on her but LeRae decks Carter and grabs a half crab on Chance for the tap at 2:02.

We look at the Rock Concert from Smackdown.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat. In less than three weeks, he will be face to face with Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania again. Last week on Smackdown, the Rock referred to himself as a heel, which might be an insider term but we all know what it means. People like Ric Flair was a heel but the Rock is just an a******. Rock said he came back here to save WWE but look at this house without him here. Rock is little more than a whiny b**** who brought up Cody’s mom. That makes it fair so let’s talk about Rock’s mom.

She is a wonderful lady who helped him chop Kevin Owens in a dark match once night. Rock thought Cody’s mom was going to cry when he beat Cody with a weightlifting belt, but Rock doesn’t know Cody’s mom. Cody doesn’t know what is going to happen at Wrestlemania, but what does Dwayne know? Is Rock going to bring the Great one or is it going to be “Little D*** Syndrome”?

Rock calls himself the Final Boss and credit to Brian Gerwitz for coming up with that, but he thinks Rock is just Roman Reigns’ side chick. Cue Paul Heyman to interrupt, saying they have a lot in common. A few weeks ago he tried to bring out some cops to take care of Cody and it didn’t work so Heyman apologizes to everyone involved. Cody wanted to talk about heels and while that might be true of Heyman, Reigns is a Tribal Chief of his words.

They will be going face to face this Friday on Smackdown and the only member of the Bloodline with them will be Heyman himself. If Cody shows up, Reigns will be there, alone. Cody: “Deal.” Heyman says that’s fine, if Cody shows up alone too. Cody: “Deal.” This was Cody getting to make things personal with Rock as well and that should get us some great lines both ways.

Nia Jax promises to break Becky Lynch’s face again and take her place at Wrestlemania.

Jey Uso tells Cody Rhodes he has his back on Smackdown but Cody says he has this. Everything is cool.

Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio

JD McDonagh is here with Dominik. Ricochet starts fast but McDonagh offers a quick distraction, allowing Dominik to kick him out to the floor. We take a break and come back with Dominik trying Three Amigos but Ricochet reverses the third to take over. That lets McAfee make a puma reference (Ricochet was formerly known as Prince Puma in Lucha Underground) and Ricochet kicks Dominik in the face. The 450 misses so Ricochet drops McDonagh and grabs the Recoil for the pin at 7:22.

Rating: C+. That’s one heck of a big win for Ricochet as he not only beat Dominik but took out McDonagh on the way there. I wouldn’t have bet on seeing him pull off something like that but maybe it’s time to try something else with Ricochet for a bit. There’s no reason to believe it will last but I’ll take even a little hope.

Post match Ricochet fights off McDonagh again.

Sami Zayn thanks Chad Gable for the match last week but Gable still isn’t happy. It means more to him, but Zayn says he has people he’s trying to make happy too. Gable gets straight to the point: Zayn can’t beat Gunther.

Adam Pearce is in the ring and brings out Gunther and Sami Zayn for the contract signing for Wrestlemania. Gunther cuts Pearce off and asks why Zayn isn’t dressed better for something involving a match of this magnitude. Zayn doesn’t like how Gunther is taking him so lightly, but that has been the case more than once in his career. People didn’t believe he would make it to WWE or main event Wrestlemania but last year he ended the longest Tag Team Title reign of all time. Now he can do the same thing to the Intercontinental Title.

Zayn signs and Gunther tells him to keep dreaming before signing as well. Gunther goes to leave but Zayn says wait. Zayn gets in his face and tells Gunther that he believes. Gunther is now looking into the eyes of the man who is taking him down at Wrestlemania. This was setting up Zayn vs. his Goliath, which is as easy of a story as you can have.

R-Truth is in the back with Miz and DIY, with Miz telling R-Truth to be that serious. Indus Sher comes in and R-Truth is worried for whomever has to fight them. Miz sighs and says he’ll tell R-Truth.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Titles Qualifying Match: Awesome Truth vs. Indus Sher

Sanga scares R-Truth away for the early tag to Miz, who gets elbowed in the face for his efforts. Veer comes in for the big jumping elbow and we hit the nerve hold. Miz fights up and it’s back to R-Truth for the John Cena finishing sequence. The STF has Veer in trouble until Sanga breaks it up. Everything breaks down and the Skull Crushing Finale hits Veer but Sanga makes the save. Miz takes out Jinder Mahal at ringside and Sanga elbows R-Truth….right onto Veer for the pin at 3:09.

Rating: C. The comedy with R-Truth being scared was a nice way to go as there was little reason to get into the match otherwise. Awesome Truth have been dealing with Judgment Day for a long time now and it would be nearly insane to not have them involved in the match at Wrestlemania. Indus Sher continues to be little more than the latest foreign monsters and I can’t see it going much further than it has gone here.

Sami Zayn asks Chad Gable why he thinks Zayn can’t beat Gunther. Gable says Zayn is always crawling through the window like an underdog and Gunther won’t let him do that.

Here is Drew McIntyre for a chat…but Seth Rollins interrupts him on the way to the ring. McIntyre doesn’t like being cut off but Rollins says one thing McIntyre recently said was correct. The first step on the road to recovery his name is Seth Rollins and he is a spotlight junkie. McIntyre says everything is a joke to Rollins but….we pause for WHAT chants, which McIntyre says means the fans are glad he took out Punk.

McIntyre goes on a rant about Punk but Rollins tells him to shut up. He was telling the truth when he said he was a spotlight junkie and it gets better and better every single time he’s here. The fans sing for him and that is what Rollins has been wanting. At Wrestlemania, he’ll beat Roman Reigns and the Rock on night one and Drew McIntyre on night two. McIntyre talks about how they’ve both been doing this for twenty years and Rollins has the wrestlers’ title. Why can’t that be why they get the biggest spotlight?

All McIntyre cares about is Rollins making it to the ring at Wrestlemania one way or another. McIntyre is not going to get the moment he deserves but rather the moment he has earned. Rollins talks about how McIntyre won in front of no one but he couldn’t do it again when the people were there. At Wrestlemania, the lights will be on again and McIntyre will find out that he’s not that good. They’re saying the right things but this isn’t quite clicking yet.

Becky Lynch promises to be the last woman standing against Nia Jax.

Wrestlemania Tag Team Titles Qualifying Match: New Day vs. Alpha Academy

Otis runs Woods over to start and we hit the stomach gyrations. Tozawa comes in for a kick to the face, followed by a middle rope hurricanrana to Kingston. New Day is sent outside and Tozawa hits a dive as we take a break. Back with double tags bringing in Otis and Kofi with the former cleaning house.

A World’s Strongest Slam plants a diving Kofi and there’s the Caterpillar for two. Woods comes back in for a tornado DDT for two on Tozawa but Otis makes a save. Tozawa’s top rope backsplash gets two on Woods with Kofi making the save this time. Back up and Woods hits a sitout powerbomb to plant Tozawa, setting up the Limit Breaker for the pin at 9:29.

Rating: C+. The Academy got in a lot more offense than I was expecting here and it made the match more interesting. You almost need to have New Day in a big time match like the ladder match at Wrestlemania, but the team isn’t exactly on fire right now. They’re getting stale again and need something to do, which probably isn’t going to happen until a few weeks after Wrestlemania at the earliest.

Liv Morgan wishes Becky Lynch luck against Nia Jax.

Cody Rhodes, with Pharaoh, runs into Seth Rollins. Yes, Cody is going to Smackdown on his own.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

Last Woman Standing and Jax starts fast by knocking her out to the floor. Lynch fights back and we take a break just over a minute in. Back with a bunch of weapons being thrown into the ring, with Jax hitting a Samoan drop onto a pile of chairs. Lynch is back up and knocks Jax down, only to get chaired out of the air.

ax hits a bunch of chair shots and drops the leg for a near ten. Choking with a chair doesn’t work for Jax as Lynch fights out with a kendo stick for the escape. The apron legdrop misses for Jax and Lynch hits a DDT onto the steps for nine. Jax gets up as Lynch grabs a table and we take a break.

Back with Lynch getting off a table and using a fire extinguisher to get Jax off a ladder. They get back inside where Jax hits a Samoan drop through a table in the corner. That and the Annihilator get nine so they head to the apron. Lynch grabs a Manhandle Slam through a table at ringside but Jax beats the count again. With nothing else working, Lynch goes up and hits a Fameasser to send Jax through the announcers’ table for the win at 18:32.

Rating: B-. They beat each other up for a good while but it wasn’t exactly an entertaining spectacle. Lynch is ready for one of the bigger matches of her career and Jax is the villain she had to get rid of before she can completely focus on Wrestlemania. That made this match more of a formality than anything else, but as long as Jax is gone from the story, I’ll take it.

Rhea Ripley comes out for the big staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. As usual with the last few shows on the way to Wrestlemania, this was mainly about firming things up for the big show. There were some things added to the card with three teams qualifying for the ladder match, but most of the show was built around the talking segments. Those went about as well as could be asked and Wrestlemania is really starting to feel like it’s just around the corner. That’s what Raw needs to accomplish and it’s beginning to happen.

Results
DIY b. Creed Brothers – Rollup to Julius
Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae b. Katana Chance/Kayden Carter – Half crab to Chance
Ricochet b. Dominik Mysterio – Recoil
Awesome Truth b. Indus Sher – Skull Crushing Finale to Veer
New Day b. Alpha Academy – Limit Breaker to Tozawa
Becky Lynch b. Nia Jax – Fameasser through the announcers’ table

 

 

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: March 11, 2024
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Commentators: Pat McAfee, Michael Cole

We are less than a month away from Wrestlemania and after last week, we officially have a main event for night one. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will face the Rock and Roman Reigns with a bunch of stipulations but we need to figure out some more things. That includes finding Gunther’s Wrestlemania challenger and that means it’s time for a gauntlet match. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a quick recap of the Wrestlemania tag match being made.

Here is Drew McIntyre for a chat. McIntyre talks about how Seth Rollins is a junkie who had to decide to wrestle twice at Wrestlemania because that is what he does. After a shot at CM Punk (and a CM PUNK chant), McIntyre talks about the bigger picture, which is the Rock. Wrestling has evolve over the years and here we are with a chance to work with the biggest star in the world.

Cue Rollins to interrupt, saying we can get to Wrestlemania with one more Claymore, so he even takes off his glasses so McIntyre can have a clean shot. -McIntyre laughs at Rollins telling him to get over the Bloodline and tells Rollins to use his own advice. Rollins talks about how McIntyre complains about everything, which is making him sound like that guy from Chicago with all of the tattoos.

Rollins is ready to go right now but McIntyre bails instead. That’s not good enough for Rollins, who says of everything he has going on at Wrestlemania, including his injuries, McIntyre is the lowest on his list. That’s almost enough for McIntyre to get in but he leaves, looking rather frustrated, instead. This feud needs some more attention with Rollins mainly being focused on the tag match.

Chad Gable is ready for the gauntlet match because he needs his chance to get at Gunther again.

Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan

This is fallout over Morgan interrupting Lynch vs. Nia Jax last week. Liv grabs a headlock to start but gets sent out to the apron. They switch places in a hurry though and Liv hits a suicide dive to send us to a break. Back with Liv running Lynch over with a shoulder and nipping up to show off a bit.

Lynch fights back and goes up, only to dive into a Codebreaker. They’re both down for a bit before Lynch is back up, where Liv catches her with a springboard Codebreaker. The fight heads to the apron where Liv busts out a sunset powerbomb to the floor for two, giving us the frustrated kickout face. Back up and Lynch hits a quick Manhandle Slam as we take another break.

We come back again with Liv getting in a Rings of Saturn, which is reversed to set up a cross armbreaker from Lynch. They trade rollups for two until Liv hits a quick Oblivion, sending Lynch outside. Liv sends her back inside and hits a knee in the corner, only to dive into the Manhandle Slam to give Lynch the pin at 15:29.

Rating: B. Good stuff here with Lynch getting to have a long match over a big enough name opponent in Liv. The Wrestlemania match with Rhea Ripley is going to be a showdown and it makes sense to give Lynch some warmups on the way there. This was one of the better Liv matches to date and it’s nice to see her coming along in the ring, which was on display here.

Post match Lynch shows respect, but here is Rhea Ripley to interrupt. After some yelling from Liv, Ripley asks if this was worth it for Lynch. She’s willing to fight anywhere, anytime, but it’s just so Lynch can prove she’s still the best. Deep down though, Lynch knows that Ripley is better.

Lynch better come in to Wrestlemania at 100% or she’s walking out a disappointment. Lynch talks about putting a bit of doubt into things, but what matters is when people believe in her. When the people are with her she’s good, but when they’re against her, she’s great. See you at Wrestlemania. Good stuff from both here as this just feels huge.

Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce announce a six pack ladder match for the Tag Team Titles at Wrestlemania. Teams to be announced. Yay ladders.

Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae vs. Ivy Nile/Maxxine Dupri

Maxxine kicks Hartwell in the head as commentary makes references to fans criticizing Maxxine lately. With Hartwell down, the Worm is loaded up but LeRae gets in Maxxine’s face and shouts about how this is why people are booing her and no one cares. She even wishes Maxxine’s dead brother was here to see this (geez). The distraction is enough for Hartwell to hit a big boot for the pin. That’s an interesting way to go with the Maxxine stuff and I think I like it.

Judgment Day complains to the General Managers about the ladder match and it seems that R-Truth and Miz are behind it. It turns out that they’re off on media, but R-Truth comes in, not realizing it was Monday. He gets Damian Priest tonight.

We look back at Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins accepting the Bloodline’s challenge for Wrestlemania.

Here is Cody Rhodes for a chat with Michael Cole. Rhodes brings up getting to slap the Rock on Smackdown and says it feels good to slap your boss. The Rock used to be a wrestler so he shouldn’t be upset about the whole thing. Cole brings up the stipulations for the Wrestlemania tag match and wonders why Rollins is so gung ho to do this. How can Rhodes trust him?

Rhodes talks about how people can change, because it wasn’t that long ago when Cole was in a Plexiglas case in a Syracuse singlet (it was 13 years ago). We look back to October, when Cole asked if Rhodes winning would be his story. Back to now, Rhodes says the story isn’t about the title anymore, but rather about himself and the fans.

Rhodes talks about various fans and relatives who are here for him, including his mother, who is the only parent he has left. He can’t hand the title to Dusty Rhodes but he can hand it to her. Rhodes says the story isn’t about him and brings up Roman Reigns calling it the third inning last year. Now we’re coming to the end, because at Wrestlemania, he’s finishing the story. More good stuff here, as Rhodes knows how to bring people along with him in these emotional speeches.

Ricochet is ready to get the Intercontinental Title at Wrestlemania after winning the gauntlet match tonight.

JD McDonagh is ready to win the gauntlet match because he’s one win away.

Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan shake hands in the back when Nia Jax comes in to wreck both of them. Can we please just have Lynch beat her already and get her out of this story?

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Kabuki Warriors vs. Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark

The Warriors, with the rest of Damage CTRL, are defending. Stark flips away from Asuka to start and gets dropkicked into the corner for her efforts. Baszler comes in and gets tripped down, only to come back with a quickly broken armbar. The champs are taken to the floor and Stark hits a big dive as we take a break.

Back with Stark coming back in to clean house, including a running splash to Sane in the corner. Sane ties her in the Tree of Woe though and it’s a top rope double stomp for two. Asuka comes back in to knock Baszler down, setting up a running Blockbuster. A pair of running strikes hit Baszler for two but Stark makes the same. Baszler knees Sane for two with Asuka making the save this time. The Kirifuda Clutch has Sane in trouble but Dakota Kai offers a distraction, meaning it’s the assisted Insane Elbow to pin Baszler at 10:22.

Rating: B-. Good stuff here again, with Baszler and Stark being game. At the same time here though, the division doesn’t have much in the way of challengers these days and that has been a problem for the titles for a long time now. Maybe they’ll have someone new by Wrestlemania, but it wouldn’t stun me to see the titles left with just sitting at ringside during Bayley vs. Iyo Sky.

Andrade comes in to see the Judgment Day, with Rhea Ripley saying she’d like to talk some business with him when Dominik Mysterio gets back. Works for Andrade, but Damian Priest wants to worry about the ladder match.

Shinsuke Nakamura is ready for the gauntlet match.

Bronson Reed is ready for the gauntlet match.

Damian Priest vs. R-Truth

Priest decks R-Truth to start and hammers him up against the ropes while yelling about how this is all R-Truth’s fault. Cue DIY for a distraction though, allowing Priest to send things outside. Priest misses a charge into the post and R-Truth nails a clothesline off the apron as we take a break.

Back with Priest hitting a lifting Downward Spiral for two but R-Truth crotches him on top. It’s time to initiate the John Cena finishing sequence, including the shuffle. The AA gets two and the STF goes on but cue Judgment Day to brawl with DIY. R-Truth hits a dive (well most of one at least) but walks into a clothesline, setting up the South of Heaven to give Priest the pin at 8:03.

Rating: C. I’m not sure why we’re doing the ladder match instead of R-Truth/Miz getting the shot, which seemed to be the way they were going. R-Truth did well on his own here, but there was little reason to believe that he could beat Priest on his own. We got a nice enough match out of it, with Priest hopefully getting a little something out of the win.

Post match Judgment Day gets in another beatdown.

Becky Lynch challenges Nia Jax to a Last Woman Standing match next week.

Here is Jey Uso for a chat about Jimmy Uso. Jey came here for a fresh start but Jimmy and the Bloodline won’t let him go. The challenge is thrown out for Wrestlemania and he wants Jimmy to accept so the beating can be on.

Video on Gunther’s Intercontinental Title reign.

Gunther talks about how much he has elevated the Intercontinental Title. Now he wants to face the best at Wrestlemania but it takes a lot to be in his position. Some laughing wishes of good luck to the winner ensue.

Muhammad Ali is going to the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Gauntlet Match

Ricochet is in at #1 (of six) and JD McDonagh is in at #2. They go to the mat to start before Ricochet backdrops him out to the floor. Back in and McDonagh knocks him out of the air and they go outside again where the beating continues. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gives McDonagh two back inside and he gets in some boot choking on the ropes. The standing moonsault connects for two but Ricochet fights back.

Ricochet’s Lionsault hits knees though and a brainbuster gives McDonagh two. Ricochet is back with a poisonrana but charges into a Spanish Fly to leave them both down. We take a break and come back with the two of them slugging it out on the apron until Ricochet hits a Death Valley Driver onto said apron. They get back in with Ricochet shoving McDonagh off the top and hitting a good looking shooting star press for the pin at 11:53.

Bronson Reed is in at #3 and Ricochet immediately hits him with a suicide dive. A dropkick puts Reed down and there’s another flip dive to drop Reed again. Reed is right back with an Oklahoma Stampede for two of his own before a wheelbarrow slam plants Ricochet. A backsplash sets up the Tsunami to get rid of Ricochet at 14:14 overall.

Sami Zayn is in at #4 and they go straight to the floor, where Zayn quickly plants him. We take a break and come back with Reed hitting a swinging suplex for two but missing a backsplash. Reed pulls him out of the air though and hits a release Rock Bottom for two. They go up top with Reed loading up a super Samoan drop, only to have Zayn reverse into a sunset bomb for the pin at 20:58.

Shinsuke Nakamura is in at #5 but hang on though as Reed hits a Tsunami on Zayn before getting in. Zayn manages to grab a rollup for a quick two but Nakamura knocks him outside and onto the announcers’ table as we take another break. Back again with McAfee telestrating the Tsunami to Zayn before we back back live to Zayn hitting the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Nakamura kicks him in the head and then again in the back of the head but misses a middle rope knee. That’s enough for Zayn to hit a quick Helluva Kick for the pin at 28:35.

Chad Gable is in at #6, giving us our final two. They point/look at the sign before Gable grabs a German suplex. Gable starts going after the ankle to take over but they fall out to the floor. An attempted ankle lock is kicked away though and Gable crashes into the steps as we take another break.

Back again with Gable hitting a release t-bone superplex for two, meaning exasperation is setting in. The fans are doing the Bray Wyatt Fireflies as Gable goes up and hits the moonsault, only for Zayn to reverse into a small package for two. They slug it out until Gable slips out of a Blue Thunder Bomb and grabs the ankle lock. Gable shouts that he needs this more than Zayn, who makes it over to the ropes for the break.

Zayn suplexes him into the corner but the ankle gives out on the Helluva Kick attempt. Gable goes right back to the ankle lock but can’t get the tap, instead switching to a German suplex. Another moonsault misses though and now the Helluva Kick connects for a rather delayed near fall, with Gable reversing into a rollup for two of his own. Gable slugs away and muscles him up for a bridging German suplex into another near fall. The ankle lock goes on again, only to have Zayn reverse into a cradle for the pin at 41:25.

Rating: B-. They were in a tricky spot here as there were only two viable options to win the whole thing. Nakamura, Reed, McDonagh and Ricochet were mainly just there as fillers but thankfully they were all gone by the end. Gable put on a heck of a showcase for himself here and I was kind of wanting to see him win. Zayn is the right choice though and it wouldn’t stun me to see him beat Gunther. It also wouldn’t stun me to see Gunther retain, which makes for a rather interesting title match.

Post match Gable is livid but respect is shown. Gunther comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show was focused in on Wrestlemania, with a title match being confirmed, another title match being announced and a challenge being issued for a third. That’s on top of the already established matches, which got some nice focus this week. Good show here, with the focus being on the build towards Wrestlemania, which is what needs to be the case with less than a month to go.

Results
Becky Lynch b. Liv Morgan – Manhandle Slam
Candice LeRae/Indi Hartwell b. Maxxine Dupri/Ivy Nile – Big boot to Dupri
Kabuki Warriors b. Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark – Assisted Insane Elbow to Baszler
Damian Priest b. R-Truth – South Of Heaven
Sami Zayn won a gauntlet match last eliminating Chad Gable

 

 

 

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 4, 2024
Location: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

We are just over a month away from Wrestlemania and the big story coming out of Smackdown saw the Bloodline challenging Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes for night one of Wrestlemania. For reasons unclear, the decision is to be made on Smackdown rather than here, but I’m sure we’ll have some fireworks anyway. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Cody Rhodes challenging the Rock to face him, with Rock coming back by challenging him to the Wrestlemania tag match. Also of note: Roman Reigns requested Rock acknowledge him, which he did, seemingly to a bit of Reigns’ relief.

Here is Rhodes to talk about facing Roman Reigns, but first there is the distraction in the form of the Rock. Cody recaps Rock talking about him over and over last week, including mocking Cody’s dog (this did not please him). Rock had talked to Cody before and tried to convince him that the fans wanted to see Rock vs. Reigns, but the fans said they wanted something else.

Those were the people the Rock referred to as crybabies but then Rock moved on to a certain challenge. That challenged involved Seth Rollins, so here he is. Cody talks about how Rollins has been challenged for Wrestlemania as well but he already has to deal with Drew McIntyre, so Cody gets if he’s busy. Rollins talks about how he and Roman Reigns came in here over eleven years ago and they wanted absolute power. Now we are one win away from Reigns having exactly what he wants.

Rollins isn’t interested in any of that and doesn’t like what the Rock has been saying. Rock threatened to get rid of the World Heavyweight Championship and claims to have made wrestling cool again. The reality is that Rock hasn’t been cool in twenty years, but you know what is cool?

This morning Rollins was 100% medically cleared, so he’ll be at Smackdown to face the Bloodline. He has Cody’s back, so does Cody have his? Cody does, and says he won’t whine for twenty one minutes in a promo (as he’s been in the ring for 15+). They’ll be at Smackdown with an answer. Is there a reason to not give them the answer now?

Dominik Mysterio vs. Gunther

Non-title and JD McDonagh is here with Dominik. We start with Michael Cole bringing up Sting’s retirement and wishing him well (McAfee sounded like he was praising Sting’s match at AEW Revolution but Cole cut that off IMMEDIATELY) as Dominik tries to chop with Gunther for some reason. Gunther easily takes over but one of his chops hits the post. Dominik goes after the hand but Gunther chops away part of his soul as we take a break.

Back with Dominik getting chopped again, with Gunther opening up the shirt to make even more contact. Dominik manages to knock Gunther outside though and hits a dive, meaning it’s time to load up the 619. That just lets Gunther BLAST him with a clothesline, but he pulls Dominik up at two. The powerbomb is countered into a sunset flip for two and the 619 connects. Gunther avoids the frog splash though and hits a heck of a dropkick into the corner. The powerbomb into the Boston crab finishes Dominik at 9:16.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t so much good as much as it was entertaining to see Dominik getting wrecked over and over. Gunther can throw some crazy hard chops and he was having fun beating on Dominik here. It wasn’t exactly meant to be a competitive match and that wasn’t quite what it was, but dang it was fun.

Damage CTRL arrives but Adam Pearce cuts them off. They’re here to scout, but Shinsuke Nakamura interrupts. With Damage CTRL gone, Nakamura wants to talk about the Intercontinental Title. They can do that in Pearce’s office, as he’ll have an announcement about the title later tonight.

Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark vs. Katana Chance/Kayden Carter

Earlier today, Carter and Chance said they wanted to get back into the title hunt because it’s Wrestlemania season. Damage CTRL is at ringside, as in sitting on the announcers’ table, as Baszler blocks Carter’s armdrag to start and stomps on the arm. Stark drapes Carter over the top rope for a running knee from Baszler as we take a break. Back with Carter and Chance hitting a double super Spanish Fly on Stark. Carter superkicks Stark to set up the After Party (and a nasty one at that) for two with Baszler making the save. Stark rolls Carter up for the pin at 6:44.

Rating: C. I still can’t get into this division as it isn’t interesting and these challengers just keep going with nothing really working. Stark and Baszler are no better than anyone else but now they are likely next in line for a shot. The Kabuki Warriors are pretty much the only worthwhile thing in the division but I guess we have to act like this works for another Wrestlemania season.

Post match Dakota Kai gets in the ring to say Baszler and Stark can have a title shot next week (assuming the Warriors retain at NXT Roadblock tomorrow night). Baszler is pleased.

The rest of Judgment Day check on Dominik Mysterio, with Gunther being told he’s going to make things right with Gunther. Andrade pops in to check on Dominik.

Video on Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax.

Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

Becky strikes away to start but gets driven into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs. The springboard kick to the face doesn’t do much to Nia, who is right back with a release slam. Jax’s big elbow gets two but Becky fights up, with the missile dropkick sending Jax outside. The forearm off the apron is countered into a Samoan drop on the floor and we take a break.

Back with Lynch’s superplex being broken up and Jax dropping a middle rope legdrop for two. Jax loads up the right hand that broken Lynch’s nose years ago but Lynch snaps off a headscissors. Jax plants her down again and loads up the Annihilator but only hits mat. Lynch gets the Disarm-Her so Jax rolls out to the floor…where Liv Morgan jumps her for the DQ at 10:16.

Rating: C+. This was getting better near the end but hopefully this is all that happens with Jax vs. Lynch. With Lynch being ready to go on to Wrestlemania in just over a month, she needs to move away from Jax so she can get on to Rhea Ripley. Morgan vs. Jax is at least something different, though hopefully it gets them away from the Lynch and the title picture.

Post break Jax is sent running to the back.

Ricochet wants in on the Intercontinental Title situation but Adam Pearce says trust him. Ricochet heads out but here is Judgment Day to say JD McDonagh wants in on the title scene. McDonagh is ready and we go to break while he’s still talking.

Post break Becky Lynch yells at Liv Morgan and a match is made for next week. Rhea Ripley comes in to laugh at Lynch.

Video on Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso.

Adam Pearce announces a gauntlet match for the Wrestlemania title shot against Gunther. Next week it’s Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. JD McDonagh.

Andrade vs. Apollo Crews

This is Crews’ first match on Raw in a bit. Feeling out process to start until Crews hits a dropkick. Crews puts him on top and hits a top rope superplex, only for Andrade to reverse into Three Amigos. The spinning back elbow sets up the running knees in the corner. La Sombra (the hammerlock DDT) finishes Crews at 3:20.

Rating: C. This was quick and to the point with Andrade picking up the win in his return to Raw. That’s a good way to go as Andrade seems to be someone who could be a big deal if he is given the chance (and stays happy). This was at least a good first step and what matters now is keeping the momentum going.

Sami Zayn knew he would get a path towards Wrestlemania and now this is the only path there. Ivar and Valhalla interrupt and a match is made for later.

In Memory of Butcher Vachon.

Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae want a Tag Team Title shot. Natalya and Tegan Nox think it’s time that they get more serious. Candice likes the idea for herself and Hartwell, but Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri come in to say it’ll be ok. LeRae isn’t impressed but Hartwell says she’ll deal with this. This division could not feel less important is they tried.

Judgment Day vs. Imperium

Non-title and Balor hammers Kaiser into the corner to start. Priest comes in to hammer on Vinci, who escapes a suplex. It’s back to Kaiser, who gets kicked in the face and punched in the corner, with Priest hurting his own hand. Kaiser decks Balor, which is enough to bring him in for an abdominal stretch. Balor gets sent into the post though and we take a break.

Back with Balor hitting a Nightmare On Helm Street but a High Low cuts him off for two. Vinci’s clothesline takes Balor down again and Kaiser seems happy to kick the crowd favorite in the face. Balor manages a Pele kick and it’s Priest coming in to clean house. The Broken Arrow gets two on Kaiser but he escapes the Razor’s Edge. Balor comes back in for the Sling Blade but Kaiser grabs a Death Valley Driver. Another Sling Blade drops Vinci and the Coup de Grace gets two with Kaiser making the save. Priest comes back in for a hard clothesline and the South Of Heaven for the pin at 14:08.

Rating: B-. This was more of a showcase for Priest than anything else and he did rather well with it. Priest still feels like someone who could turn into a big star despite his age and wins like this help boost him up every little bit. It might not be a classic, but seeing the Judgment Day as the good guys is oddly fun.

Paul Heyman is going into the Hall Of Fame.

Drew McIntyre calls Seth Rollins a spotlight junkie and points out how Rollins is always involved with the big comebacks. The World Heavyweight Title deserves better than Rollins and Jey Uso.

Rhea Ripley comes up to Damage CTRL and says stay out of her territory.

Sami Zayn vs. Ivar

Valhalla is here too and Cole loses his mind over the stupid antlers. She even gives him the antlers and McAfee can’t contain himself. Ivar shoves him down a few times to start but Zayn is back up with a toss to the floor. The tornado DDT is blocked back inside though and Zayn is sent outside.

We take a break and come back with Zayn reversing a belly to back superplex into a crossbody for two. Now the tornado DDT connects but Ivar kicks him in the face for two of his own. Ivar puts him up top but it’s a sunset bomb to bring him back down for two. The exploder connects but Ivar hits a seated senton to cut off the Helluva Kick. Ivar’s Doomsault misses though and now the Helluva Kick can finish for Zayn at 10:14.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine match here as Zayn fights back against a monster and wins in the end with his finishing move. That’s as basic yet effective of a way to use Ivar as there is and it worked well here. Not a classic or anything, but it keeps Zayn’s momentum going towards a possible Wrestlemania title match.

Post match Bronson Reed runs in to take out Zayn and crushes him with the Tsunami.

Gunther is ready for any of the stacked field, because they all want the prestigious title. Chad Gable comes in to say this one just means more.

Jey Uso knows Drew McIntyre wants an apology, so here’s an apology for the beating he’s about to get.

R-Truth, DIY and Xavier Woods are playing WWE2K24 when Miz comes in. Miz has an idea of dealing with the Judgment Day: take their Tag Team Titles.

McAfee telestrates Cole’s antlers.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

Jey starts fast with an enziguri to send him outside but McIntyre gets in a toss over the announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with McIntyre kicking him out of the corner for two before hammering away with right hands. McIntyre hammers away in the corner but gets caught with a sitout powerbomb for two. That doesn’t work for McIntyre, who knocks him to the floor and suplexes Uso on the floor as we take another break.

Back again with Uso sending McIntyre into the corner and hitting a boot to the face. Uso strikes away and gets two off a Samoan drop. There’s the running Umaga Attack to send McIntyre outside and Uso follows with the big dive. Cue Solo Sikoa for a distraction though and McIntyre hits the Futureshock for two. Cue Cody Rhodes to take out Sikoa and Uso hits a spar. Now it’s Jimmy Uso for a distraction and McIntyre hits the Claymore for the pin at 16:47.

Rating: B-. Another solid match here as McIntyre continues to build towards the title match at Wrestlemania and Jey continues to seemingly get ready for the match with Jimmy. The idea of Jey finally snapping and wanting to fight Jimmy is going to be a tough way to go but at last they’re starting something here.

Post match Seth Rollins comes out to chase off Jimmy Uso but gets Claymored. McIntyre yells at him to stop being selfish to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show did its job in trying to set things up for later as the build towards Wrestlemania continues. The big thing here is that you can see most of the card from a month out and there isn’t really anything major that needs to be started. I’m sure we’ll get some more matches announced soon and some smaller things will have to be covered, but for now WWE is moving steadily along towards Wrestlemania. That’s a lot better than their patented rushing so things are improving.

Results
Gunther b. Dominik Mysterio – Boston crab
Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark b. Katana Chance/Kayden Carter – Rollup to Carter
Nia Jax b. Becky Lynch via DQ when Liv Morgan interfered
Andrade b. Apollo Crews – La Sombra
Judgment Day b. Imperium – South Of Heaven to Kaiser
Sami Zayn b. Ivar – Helluva Kick
Drew McIntyre b. Jey Uso – Claymore

 

 

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Monday Night Raw
Date: February 26, 2024
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Commentators: Pat McAfee, Michael Cole

We have less than six weeks to go before Wrestlemania and after Elimination Chamber, two of the biggest matches for the show are officially set. Drew McIntyre and Becky Lynch won the Elimination Chamber matches, meaning they’re off to challenge Seth Rollins and Rhea Ripley respectively. Those matches are likely to get a lot of attention this week so let’s get to it.

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

People arrived earlier today.

Long Elimination Chamber recap.

Here is Dominik Mysterio in the ring, where he is immediately booed out of the building. Dominik brings out Rhea Ripley, who is far less booed. Ripley talks about how she may be from down under but she is always on top. Cue Becky Lynch to interrupt, saying she has come around to Wrestlemania to face Ripley. What a night they both had on Saturday and now Ripley can lose at Wrestlemania. Dominik: “Nobody talks to Mami that way.” Becky: “Shut your mouth you little kumquat.”

Lynch talks about everything Ripley has done, but she has done it too, while writing a bestselling book. Ripley: “You done? Cool.” Ripley says the man always thinks she does everything but behind every great man, there is a greater woman. With Ripley and Dominik gone, cue Nia Jax to jump Lynch from behind and lay her out. This was a tease of Lynch vs. Ripley tearing each other apart but we need Jax involved to start (likely before Lynch beats her soon) because reasons.

Post break, Jax says she should be going to Wrestlemania over Lynch. Tonight, Liv Morgan is getting ten times the beating she already gave Lynch.

Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura takes him up against the ropes to start but Zayn is right back with an armdrag into an armbar. They go outside with Zayn hitting a moonsault off the barricade but coming up holding his ribs as we take a break. Back with Zayn fighting up and striking away, setting up a Michinoku Driver for two. A tornado DDT sends Nakamura outside again but he’s right back in to cut off the dive.

We take another break and come back again with Zayn grabbing the Blue Thunder Bomb for two, meaning it’s time for frustration to set in. Nakamura knees him back down and sends Zayn outside, with a dive back inside barely bating the count. The Kinshasa misses though and Zayn hits the Helluva Kick to the back of the head. A regular Helluva Kick finishes for Zayn at 14:54.

Rating: B-. This is a good example of a match that was hurt by the breaks, as nearly half of the match was spent in commercials. It’s hard to get into the groove of things when you keep going to a break but Zayn gets a big win and moves on the Road To Wrestlemania. I’m not sure where he’s going, but if he wants a title match, is there anyone left but Gunther?

Video on Imperium vs. New Day, who have somehow been feuding for nearly two years. How is that possible?

Pat McAfee is in WWE2K24 and is rather pleased.

Chelsea Green vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Green says she is competing under protest here because Rodriguez stole her battle royal win last week. Then Rodriguez went all the way to Australia to lose? Green can make her loses here too. Rodriguez crosses a line that Green draws on the mat and starts fast, including a fall away slam. The Tejana Bomb finishes Green at 1:18.

Sami Zayn needed that win and says he is on his way to becoming a champion. Ludwig Kaiser, followed by Gunther, interrupt and the fans like that.

Cody Rhodes is ready for the Rock’s response to his challenge this week on Smackdown. As for tonight, he’s ready for Grayson Waller.

Here is Imperium for a chat. Gunther brags about retaining the title last week and says Jey Uso gave him a fight last week. Gunther got lucky and retained because no one is perfect, but he comes close. It is time to address his future, because there aren’t many left for him to beat. Who is he supposed to face at Wrestlemania?

Cue Judgment Day of all people, with Damian Priest saying they don’t sweat Gunther. Judgment Day is going to run the table at Wrestlemania, including winning the Intercontinental Title. Gunther wants to know who is coming for the title and Dominik Mysterio steps up. Dominik says the title belongs to the Judgment Day and Priest has to be held back from Gunther. I’m intrigued by this, but please not another multi-man ladder match. It’s a way to get the title off of Gunther without a loss, but my goodness please find anything but that.

Post break, Judgment Day runs into Rhea Ripley, who says they better know what they’re doing with Gunther. Dominik runs into Andrade, who is looking for his first opponent.

New Day vs. Imperium

Street fight and New Day have their hockey jerseys on. They waste no time in fighting to the entrance until we go down to ringside. Kingston’s table is cut off so New Day hit a flip dive over the top/dropkick through the ropes as we take a break. Back with the fight in the crowd before it goes back to the ring, where Woods gets chaired down. Woods is knocked outside but Kofi comes back in with a double high crossbody as house is cleaned. Kaiser gets a kendo stick to clean house but Kofi is back up. Vinci drops Kofi again and unloads on Woods with the stick as we take a break.

Back with New Day fighting back as well and loading up a table at ringside. Woods splashes Vinci through said table for two before throwing Kaiser back inside. The Midnight Hour is broken up and Kofi is sent crashing through a table at ringside. Woods is sent head first into a chair in the corner to give Kaiser the pin at 18:10.

Rating: B. While I’m still trying to get my head around the idea of these teams feuding for nearly two years, this was a good, hard hitting fight and that’s what it was supposed to be. I’m a bit surprised that New Day lost here but it sets Imperium up with maybe their biggest win on the main roster. New Day will be fine and Imperium could be on the way to a title shot down the line, with a good fight included.

Video on Grayson Waller.

Chad Gable comes in to see Adam Pearce and wants to challenge Gunther at Wrestlemania. Gunther reduced his daughter to tears last time and Gable wants it more than anyone else. Pearce considers this.

Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark vs. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae

Baszler and Stark are upset because Hartwell and LeRae got a title shot at Elimination. LeRae knocks Stark to the floor to start but Baszler cuts off a tornado DDT. A hard knee drops LeRae and Stark comes in to work on the arm. LeRae Codebreakers her way to freedom, allowing the tag off to Hartwell. Baszler tags herself in though and gets the Kirifuda Clutch to finish Hartwell at 2:48. As dominant as it should have been.

R-Truth made it to the show so here are DIY and Miz, the former of whom play into Truth thinking they’re DX. They have a plan to deal with Judgment Day.

Here is a rather happy Drew McIntyre for a chat. McIntyre: “We did it.” He thanks everyone for praying for his success and now he’s off to Wrestlemania. McIntyre is exhausted and hurt, having burst his eardrum in the Chamber. The doctor said he might not be at Wrestlemania, but he asked if the doctor thought he was CM Punk. McIntyre sits down ala Punk and calls out Seth Rollins for a chat.

Rollins answers and welcomes us to his show, before congratulating McIntyre. We get a recap of what McIntyre has been wanting to do since 2020 but Rollins is the one thing left in his way. McIntyre doesn’t see the point in playing to the fans and won’t care about Smackdown when he wins the title. They’ll have a great match at Wrestlemania where he wins the title, but until then, back off.

Rollins respects everything McIntyre said, but some risks are worth taking. He has played every possibility in his head over and over and McIntyre may be right. Rollins’ body may give out or the Bloodline might get to him, leaving McIntyre with an easy night at Wrestlemania. But what if McIntyre is wrong? There are things that are bigger than them, such as the title at taking out the Bloodline. At Wrestlemania, they’re going face to face for the title and may the best man win. Rollins was showing some fire here, but he needs to keep his feuds separate.

Nia Jax vs. Liv Morgan

Liv slugs away to start but gets knocked into the corner for a hip attack. The stretch muffler has Morgan screaming and Jax swings her into the corner. The apron legdrop misses though and Morgan hits a dive to take her down as we take a break. Back with Morgan snapping Jax’s throat across the top, setting up a middle rope Codebreaker for two. Jax headbutts her into the corner but misses a charge into the post. That sends Jax out to the floor, where Morgan is Samoan dropped against the post. Cue Becky Lynch to jump Jax for the DQ at 8:06.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have to make much of an impact due to the commercial break in the middle. Becky coming to get her win back over Jax is the right way to go as it clears everything else out for Wrestlemania. Lynch vs. Jax is likely taking place next week and that should wrap it up. For now though, Morgan didn’t get squashed and Jax seems to be ready to drop a bit so I’ll call it a positive.

Grayson Waller, with Austin Theory, is ready to disrespect Cody Rhodes like Rhodes did on Saturday. Unless I’m mistaken, Paul Heyman could be seen in the background.

Commentary acknowledges the passing of Ole Anderson at 81 years old.

Becky Lynch talks to Adam Pearce and gets Nia Jax next week. Liv Morgan comes in to yell at Lynch for interrupting, saying not everything has to be about her.

Jey Uso was ready to win the Intercontinental Title last week but Jimmy Uso interrupted. Drew McIntyre interrupts to say he gets what Jey is going through. From the bottom of his heart, Jey deserves this. The fight is on and is quickly broken up. Jey took that whole Jimmy interference last week better than I expected.

Grayson Waller vs. Cody Rhodes

Austin Theory is here with Waller. Rhodes takes him into the corner to start and hits the chops, only to get kneed in the face. A rather delayed vertical suplex puts Waller down again and Rhodes throws him over the top. We’re told Paul Heyman is backstage and we take an early break. Back with Rhodes having to dive onto Theory, allowing Waller to get in a shot of his own. The Cody Cutter into the Cross Rhodes finishes for Cody at 7:46.

Rating: C. Not much to see with this one and that’s how it should have been. There was no reason to believe that Waller was going to be a serious threat to Rhodes and they didn’t waste time trying to make you think otherwise. Rhodes gets to look dominant and move on to something with Heyman to wrap up the show, which is ok than the usual 15 minute main event.

Post match here is Paul Heyman, with Cody immediately grabbing a chair. Rhodes doesn’t care what is waiting on him here, but Heyman says Rhodes needs to get The Rock’s name out of his mouth. You don’t just say someone’s name and get a match….unless you’re the Rock and want to face Roman Reigns, but Cody screwed all that up. Heyman says withdraw the challenge to the Rock or else. Rhodes: “Or else what?”

Rhodes says he hasn’t talked trash about the Rock because he was a big fan. He came from a family where every meal they had was based on ticket sales and no one sold more tickets than the Rock. Rhodes grabs the chair again so Heyman has some private security get on the apron. Heyman asks if he can get in the ring but Rhodes isn’t having that.

The security gets in the ring and Rhodes says if anyone else gets in, he’s dropping them all. Heyman asks if that includes him, which it certainly does. Rhodes cleans house as Heyman calls the Rock and Roman Reigns. That’s fine with Rhodes, who is hunting the Bloodline. This was a bit of a long segment but Rhodes looked smart and fired up, which he needs to be on the Road To Wrestlemania.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling had some high spots this week but the focus was on the storytelling. Rhodes took it to a new level for his feud with Reigns, McIntyre and Rollins had a good segment and Gunther seems ready to face a bunch of potential challengers for the Intercontinental Title. That’s a lot to pack into a show, though most of the matches weren’t the strongest and they dragged things back down a bit. There is a long way before Wrestlemania though and this was a show that was taking some time to get places, as it should have.

Results
Sami Zayn b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Helluva Kick
Raquel Rodriguez b. Chelsea Green – Tejana Bomb
Imperium b. New Day – Woods was whipped into a chair
Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark b. Indi Hartwell/Candice LeRae – Kirifuda Clutch to Hartwell
Nia Jax b. Liv Morgan via DQ when Becky Lynch interfered
Cody Rhodes b. Grayson Waller – Cross Rhodes

 

 

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