IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: January 10, 2020
Location: Ford Center Evansville, Evansville, Indiana
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re getting closer to the Royal Rumble and things started to pick up a lot this week on Raw. Therefore, you can probably assume the same thing here because these shows tend to follow each other. I’m sure we’ll get more from Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin now that the Usos are back, because this feud just needs to keep going. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

It’s MizTV to get things going. People have said Miz has changed since his issues with Bray Wyatt but last week was just a bad day. Sometimes people want to tell you to smile but he didn’t want to do that last week. He wants to apologize to Kofi Kingston for what he said last week but he has been going through a lot. One of the few bright spots has been the return of an old friend though, so here is the returning John Morrison as his guest.

We get a highlight package of Morrison’s time in WWE and he talks about his big comeback. He was promised new music, a new shirt, a team of pomeranians pulling him to the ring at the Royal Rumble (Morrison: “Small dogs only because there’s only one big dog around here.”), but he’s been doing some thinking. The more he thinks about last week, the more disappointed he is in the fans. Miz had one bad day and the fans say he sucks?

These people don’t know what it’s like to be in the ring but here’s New Day to interrupt. Big E. thinks Miz is such a bad actor that he couldn’t be cast as the back end of a centipede. With that image out of the way, Kofi talks about how Miz should have just said he had a bad day and it would have been so much better. Miz respects Kofi’s six month reign as WWE Champion but not the six seconds it took him to lose the title right back. Kofi says Miz is changing and he sucks….and that’s it in an abrupt ending as we need a commercial.

Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz

Morrison and big E. are on commentary. Feeling out process to start with Kofi dropkicking him into the corner before we go to a far too long look at the commentary table. Miz knees him in the ribs as Morrison asks why Kofi didn’t give Big E. a title shot during his six months as champion. Kofi elbows him in the face as Big E. explains that the team is a brotherhood and they were all World Champion at the same time. A suicide dive takes Miz out but he shoves Kofi into Big E. as we take a break.

Back with Kofi fighting out of a chinlock with Morrison and Big E. off commentary. Miz goes after the knee to cut Kofi off and hits some YES Kicks. The Skull Crushing Finale is blocked and Kofi gets two off the SOS. Miz charges into a kick to the face in the corner but kicks the knee out of the air and slaps on the Figure Four. With that broken up, Morrison dives onto Big E. and the distracted Kofi walks into the Skull Crushing Finale for the pin at 11:29.

Rating: C. You knew the 50/50 booking was coming as soon as this match was announced as we set up a likely Tag Team Title match at the Rumble. That’s a rather interesting match on paper and I can go for cocky Morrison as something for him to do. It’s not like this show is dying for faces as you could argue Otis is one of the top faces on the show at this point.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House with Bray saying he loves everyone here. That feels special but not everyone is worthy. He means Daniel Bryan because whatever the opposite of what love is is what HE feels about Bryan. Daniel has been naughty lately and he’s in a heap of trouble at the Royal Rumble.

First, the Fiend wanted him to remember, and we get some clips of Bryan’s time in the Wyatt Family, plus his rebellion. Then he wanted to change Bryan, with clips of the haircut. Now that Bryan wants the title, HE wants to destroy Bryan. Bray: “Bye! I love you! Not you Daniel!” I’m as shocked as you are that WWE actually remembered a history between these two from so long ago but it’s rather nice to see for a change.

Sonya Deville is happy for a new year for Fire & Desire but Mandy Rose seems distracted. Sonya leaves so Mandy pulls out a box, which seems to be a gift.

Here’s Elias for a song. He sings about the Royal Rumble, including about how he’ll win and how much more interesting he is than Brock, mainly because he’s actually here.

Mandy, with the box, comes up to Heavy Machinery. She apologizes for letting Dolph stomp on his mom’s fruit cake (a line you will only hear in wrestling) and made him something to make up for it. It’s a cake that says I’m Sorry but she has to go have her match…and we’re off to a break before anything else can be said because this show feels very rushed.

Alexa Bliss vs. Mandy Rose

Bliss and Nikki Cross are both in the Rumble. They shove each other to start and Bliss doesn’t like it, earning Rose a slap to the face. Another slap puts Rose on the floor for a baseball slide but Sonya offers a distraction. Cross breaks that up but Mandy gets in a knee to the head for two. They trade kicks to the face and a double clothesline puts them both down. Bliss is up first with Insult To Injury….and here’s Heavy Machinery with the cake. The distraction lets Rose grab a rollup for the pin at 4:02.

Rating: D. What was this supposed to be? They needed to have the freshly face Bliss lose to the distraction rollup here? Right after they announced her as one of the first names in the Rumble? This felt like one of the most standard WWE booking tropes around and it came after a match that seemed to exist to fill time until the finish. I like the Mandy and Otis stuff though, just because of the weird charisma that Otis has.

Mandy smiles at Otis.

Lacey Evans vs. Sasha Banks

Hold on though as Bayley pops up on screen to say Sasha is AWOL tonight and even a jar head like Lacey can understand that. Bayley is here tonight because she has to be so Lacey talks about how she loves to be in the heartland. She wants a title match tonight but Bayley isn’t her kid and won’t be doing what Lacey says. Lacey goes to the back and gets jumped by Bayley, who says put on her mom jeans and go home. Referees break it up.

We recap last week’s main event with the Fiend attacking Daniel Bryan.

Bryan says Fiend wants a lot and Bryan does remember the Wyatt Family. He also remembers outsmarting them and Fiend must not be happy with that. Then Fiend wants him to change so Bryan feels more dangerous. The one thing Fiend can change about him is that he can’t be broken. Ramblin Rabbit pops up on screen behind him and offers to tell Bryan the secret to defeating the Fiend but Bray grabs him and says snitches get snitches. Bryan nods a bit. I need scenes of Bryan trying to meet with Rabbit in secret to get information, preferably in wacky costumes with false identities.

Braun Strowman vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Non-title and Nakamura has Sami Zayn and Cesaro with him. Nakamura avoids a charge in the corner to start and starts striking away but runs into a big boot. Now the running splash in the corner connects but Sami pulls Nakamura to the floor before a second can hit. A distraction lets Nakamura post Strowman and we take a break. Back with Nakamura kicking Strowman down for two and putting on the chinlock.

Another kick to the face looks to set up a middle rope shot to the head, only to have Strowman clothesline him out of the air. The forearm to the chest gets two but Nakamura hits a running dropkick. A running knee to the head connects for two more but Strowman is back with a spinebuster. Cesaro tries to bring in a chair and Nakamura tries to bring in the title but Strowman just powerslams him for the pin at 9:35.

Rating: C. I kind of liked this one and I could go for another one, even though I’m not sure I can imagine Strowman winning the title. That’s his deal: look unstoppable in the build and then get stopped when it matters most. Normally I would say he has to win this time but I’ve said it so many times that I don’t believe it myself anymore.

Post match Strowman holds up the title but Sami runs in and takes it back.

Sheamus calls Shorty G. an example of everything wrong with Smackdown since he left. Small is something to be crushed and disposed of because size does matter. Sheamus wants to embrace chaos.

Bryan finds a present in his locker room. It’s a deformed Ramblin Rabbit, who has had half of his head ripped off.

Here’s Roman Reigns for a chat before the main event. He’s been dealing with King Corbin and his friends so Reigns knew he needed friends. This time he needed more though so he needed family. This is going to be his year and he’s going to win the Royal Rumble so he can move on and main event Wrestlemania for the fifth time. He’ll do it with the Usos by his side.

Cue the Usos to say they have this show on lockdown. Corbin disrespected the family with the dog food but this brings out Corbin and Ziggler to say the three of them are scared. Reigns would love to beat up Corbin twice in one night so they should fight twice at the Rumble. Corbin agrees and is now in the Rumble as well. The Usos hit big dives and the main event is next.

Usos vs. King Corbin/Dolph Ziggler

Jimmy shoulders Ziggler down to start and it’s a double elbow drop for two. Corbin comes in for a clothesline and Jimmy gets caught in the wrong corner. Some right hands in the corner stagger Corbin a bit and a jumping enziguri puts him down. Jimmy goes up but here’s the Revival to distract him, meaning Ziggler can send him into the barricade.

Cue Reigns (Why did he leave?) to beat up the Revival and we take a break. Back with Jey hitting the running hip attack in the corner but diving onto Corbin, who pulls him out of the air. Corbin sends Jey into Reigns so Jimmy superkicks Ziggler to set up the Superfly Splash. Back up and Corbin gets speared down by Reigns for the DQ at 8:55.

Rating: C. You knew someone was going to get disqualified here as the Usos may be back but we can’t have Corbin and Ziggler lose because they’re the major heels. The Usos looked like their old selves and that’s rather good as they’re still one of the best teams in the world. Just find someone more interesting for them to face.

Post match Robert Roode returns and hits the Glorious DDT on Reigns on the floor. The Usos get laid out as well and it’s a spinebuster/elbow drop to put Reigns through the table to end the show. Just in case you weren’t overwhelmed by the levels of boring in Corbin and Ziggler already, now Roode is back.

Overall Rating: D+. Not a very good show here, though again you can see where each of the stories are going and you know what they’re going for in each case. Now that doesn’t mean that they’re very good or interesting, but that’s more about the booking and the way the wrestlers are presented. Tonight we had two distraction finishes, a failed distraction finish and a DQ. That’s not much on a show that included two half hour segment/match portions. There are good parts to the show but the presentation isn’t that interesting and it’s becoming more and more of a problem.

Results

The Miz b. Kofi Kingston – Skull Crushing Finale

Mandy Rose b. Alexa Bliss – Rollup

Braun Strowman b. Shinsuke Nakamura – Running powerslam

King Corbin/Dolph Ziggler b. Usos via DQ when Roman Reigns interfered

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

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

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

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

Smackdown
Date: December 27, 2019
Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the final show of the decade and that means….well probably not much really, as we are in the period just before the build to the Royal Rumble starts up. This time around though we are in for a big match with Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz vs. King Corbin for the #1 contendership to the Universal Title. Let’s get to it.

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

Here’s Elias to sing about how bad things were in 2019, such as Bayley and Shane McMahon. But hey, at least this show doesn’t have the Lana/Bobby Lashley wedding.

Opening sequence.

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz vs. King Corbin

Hold on though as Corbin needs to brag about his success before Miz can even come out. Miz and Bryan have a lot in common: they’re terrible fathers, they’re former World Champions and they’ve both main evented Wrestlemania. They aren’t doing it again next year though because Corbin is getting the shot and taking down the Fiend.

Miz thinks he’s an action hero but he’s not a real hero in the ring. Cue Roman Reigns as the throne falls over, meaning it’s Reigns taking over on Corbin with a bunch of uppercuts. The Superman Punch off the steps looks to set up the spear but Corbin bails over the barricade instead. No match of course.

Post break, Corbin demands that the triple threat match be postponed.

New Day/Braun Strowman vs. Shinsuke Nakamura/Sami Zayn/Cesaro

Cesaro headlocks Kofi to start so it’s off to Nakamura, who is elbowed in the face in a hurry. A clothesline puts him on the floor so Sami grabs Kofi’s foot to take over. Sami actually comes in legally for the first time (well the first time where he does anything) in months. Kofi gets sent outside and Cesaro hits a heck of a running uppercut to knock him over the announcers’ table.

We take a break with Cesaro feigning innocence and come back with Kofi’s hot tag attempt being cut off. Cesaro uppercuts the heck out of him for two and it’s Nakamura coming in for his own spanking abdominal stretch. Strowman grabs Nakamura’s hand but Cesaro makes the save. Kinshasa is countered with the jumping double stomp to the chest and they’re both down. Graves: “Kofi just waffle stomped him in the middle of the ring.” I hope he managed to do the Watusi and watch I Love Lucy too.

The hot tag brings in Strowman and it’s time to clean house, setting up the running shoulders around the ring. Strowman chases Sami but runs right into the jumping knee to the chest from Nakamura. Back in and Strowman blasts Nakamura with a clothesline, only to get caught with a great looking springboard uppercut from Cesaro. Nakamura tries to use the pancake platter but Kofi hits him with it instead, setting up the running powerslam for the pin on Nakamura at 13:32.

Rating: C. Perfectly watchable tag match here and it helps set up Strowman vs. Nakamura, likely for the title at the Rumble. I’m not sure if Strowman is going to win the title, but it’s a different match that we haven’t seen before. New Day still needs opponents, but they’re the perfect placeholder champions for a time like this.

Post match, Strowman dances with New Day. Corey, in the mod deadpan voice ever: “A ‘get these hips’ chant has broken out in the Little Caesars Arena.”

We recap the opening sequence.

Corbin has demanded that the triple threat match be postponed so it’s Miz vs. Bryan in a singles match.

Here’s the dog food segment again.

Sonya Deville is signing some autographs when Mandy Rose comes up to get her for a match. Sonya isn’t interested because Mandy wasn’t there for her last week and storms off. Otis comes in and offers Mandy a homemade fruit cake. He apologizes for the sweat last week but Mandy is cool with it. Otis wants to say something else but Mandy has to leave.

Carmella vs. Mandy Rose

They to to the mat to start but Mandy slips out and hits a running knee. We hit the cross arm choke on Carmella, who is right back up for the slugout. They trade some near falls, including Mandy getting two off a backslide. The O’Connor roll is blocked though and Carmella hits a superkick for the pin at 2:30.

Rating: D+. Carmella’s theme music saying “ain’t got time for this” sums up where about half of the Smackdown women’s division is at this point. These matches are like from back in the old days and while they aren’t that bad, they’re feeling like something that means nothing at all. It’s not a good sign that they could slip back into that reality all over again but it seems to be the case.

Sheamus is still coming back.

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz

Feeling out process to start with Miz shouldering him down, setting up some staring. Bryan kicks him to the floor but gets backdropped to the apron. They hit stereo crossbodies for a double knockdown….and here are Corbin’s helpers for the double DQ at 3:30.

Post match Miz and Bryan clean house.

Post break Corbin says he’s in on the triple threat, so here are Bryan and Miz to jump him.

It’s time for a Moment of Bliss with Nikki Cross joining Alexa. This week’s guest is Lacey Evans, who did NOT like Sasha Banks insulting her daughter last week. We see a clip of the beatdown and Lacey talks about how that was crossing a line. It brought out Mama Bear and she isn’t happy with the idea of standing out here with her back to the entrance. She’s ready to fight right now so let’s have this match.

Lacey Evans/Dana Brooke vs. Sasha Banks/Bayley

Hold on though as Sasha and Bayley drag (kind of) Dana out here with Sasha calling Lacey a terrible mother and friend. The fight is on and we take a break before the opening bell. Back with Bayley jumping Lacey but getting taken into the corner for the tag off to Brooke. Dana hammers away but gets taken into the corner so Banks can start beating on her as well.

A little taunting brings Lacey in, allowing Dana to get double teamed in the corner. Bayley kicks her down again and Banks gets two off a Meteora. Brooke finally gets in a shot to the face though and the hot tag brings in Lacey to face Bayley. Some knees to the ribs have Bayley down and a picture perfect double jump moonsault gets two as Banks makes the save. The case lets Bayley hit the Bayley to Belly for two but Dana tags herself in. There’s the Woman’s Right to Bayley but the Bank Statement makes Dana tap at 6:35.

Rating: C. The heat on Dana was longer than it needed to be but this keeps Lacey vs. Bayley going and it’s not like Dana can sink any further. I do like the fact that she is now trusted to be in matches like this and she is far from embarrassing herself. Dana is never going to be a star, but she’s improving and that’s what matters most.

Dolph Ziggler hits on Mandy, who still has the fruit cake. He asks about her New Year’s plans and thinks the cake is for him. Some suggestions that everyone has gotten a piece of Otis’ cake makes Ziggler put it down though and he steps on it. Cue Corbin to get Ziggler out of there in a hurry though.

Mustafa Ali talks about how this year didn’t go as well as he was hoping for but 2020 will be better.

Otis is crushed, just like his cake.

The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan vs. King Corbin

The winner gets Wyatt at the Rumble, though Cole calls Bryan the Fiend as we get things started. Miz and Bryan kick away at Corbin to start so he bails to the floor, leaving Miz to roll Bryan up at one. Bryan posts Miz on the floor and hits the big running knee off the apron, only to get sent over the barricade by Corbin (with Bryan seeming to hurt his knee). The chokebreaker drops Miz as well and it’s Corbin completely dominating early on. Back in and the Reality Check drops Corbin, setting up the running corner dropkicks. Corbin runs both of them over though and we take a break.

We come back with Miz and Bryan trading near falls until Miz sends him outside. Miz fires off the kicks to Corbin in the corner, including some to the leg to set up the Figure Four. Bryan comes in with the headbutt for the save and gets two, as Miz looks on in shock for a cool visual. The hold is turned over so Bryan grabs the LeBell Lock on Corbin in a combination you don’t often see.

With that broken up, the End of Days gets two on Miz as Corbin has to make a save. There’s the running knee to Corbin but Ziggler runs in for the superkick to give Corbin two as Reigns makes the save. Reigns knocks Corbin over the barricade and we take another break. We come back with Corbin and Reigns gone, leaving Miz to hit the running corner clothesline.

Bryan gets taken up top and it’s a super shinbreaker (that’s a new one) to work on the knee. A Codebreaker to the knee drops Bryan again and a DDT to the other leg has Bryan in more trouble. Bryan grabs a quick cross armbreaker but Miz bites his hand to break up the LeBell Lock. The running knee is countered into the Skull Crushing Finale for two so Miz goes right back to the Figure Four. That’s reversed as well and Bryan slaps on the LeBell Lock for the tap at 20:18.

Rating: C+. They went with some different stuff here and of course we can’t beat Corbin because the show needs his head or whatever they want to call it. At least they got to the right result and we can move on to the big Fiend vs. Bryan rematch. That being said, oh come on with starting with the triple threat, going to a singles match and then doing a triple threat which turned into a singles. You think they might be overdoing it a bit there?

Post match Bray pops up on screen to say Bryan is about to have all kinds of fun. See, HE isn’t done with Bryan so Bray wants to know if Bryan will let him in. Bryan: “YES!”

Overall Rating: C. There was a bit of a spark to this one and it helped out a good bit. Now what we had other than that wasn’t all that great, but at least they have set up a few things on the way to the Rumble. The problem is more that the characters being presented, outside of Wyatt and Bryan, just aren’t very interesting. The women’s division matches are terrible and I’m not exactly going to get into Mandy and Otis’ oddball potential romance. Corbin and Ziggler aren’t helping things, but there are other problems besides the two of them.

Results

New Day/Braun Strowman b. Sami Zayn/Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura – Running powerslam to Nakamura

Carmella b. Mandy Rose – Superkick

Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz went to a double DQ when King Corbin’s throne carriers interfered

Sasha Banks/Bayley b. Dana Brooke/Lacey Evans – Bank Statement to Brooke

Daniel Bryan b. The Miz and King Corbin – LeBell Lock to Miz

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: December 20, 2019
Location: Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s the first show after Tables, Ladders And Chairs and one of two shows left before the end of the year. That means it’s time for some fallout, which could be anywhere from dull to interesting, as tends to be the case around here. We also could start hear some rumblings about the Rumble. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at Bray Wyatt defeating the Miz on Sunday, followed by the return of Daniel Bryan.

Here’s Bryan for an opening chat. Bryan talks about how he looked in the mirror after Bray’s attack on him a few weeks ago. His hair and beard were gone, but what he saw was the lack of the Daniel Bryan brand. Then he went home and when his daughter saw him without his hair and beard for the first time ever, she cried. Bryan sees something new in his face. He doesn’t see the man who main evented Wrestlemania, but rather the man who worked for years to get here. Bryan wants Wyatt out here right now but here’s the Miz instead.

Miz talks about how what happened to Bryan was terrible, but Wyatt attacked him personally. Bryan doesn’t know what it’s like to have his home violated so Miz wants revenge. He’ll be taking what Wyatt treasures most when he takes the Universal Title. Cue King Corbin to mock them for being bad fathers before playing a loop of the announcement that he won on Sunday.

Corbin says he’s next in line for Wyatt because the two of them have failed as wrestlers and fathers. The fight is almost on but here’s Dolph Ziggler from behind for the beatdown so Corbin can stand tall. So yeah Bryan is back and everything, but it’s Corbin and Ziggler to open things up again. I know you’ll hear this thrown around a lot, but this felt like WWE just trolled us by bringing out Corbin and Ziggler in another opening segment.

Heavy Machinery aren’t happy with the destruction of the ham last week. Cue Mandy Rose to give Otis a new ham because she’s her Secret Santa this year. She throws in a kiss on the cheek. Corey: “HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD???”

Heavy Machinery vs. Revival

Miracle on 34^th Street Fight with Heavy Machinery in Santa hats and coats. It’s a brawl to start (as it should be) with Revival taking over. Tucker gets dropped onto the announcers’ table and Otis gets some Christmas cookies shoved in his mouth. Dawson breaks up the presents and throws one of them at Otis’ head.

The cookie plate is destroyed but a suplex through the table is broken up but Otis gets slammed through it as we take a break. Back with Tucker suplexing Dawson on the ramp but Dawson hits Tucker with a present. There’s a bowling ball inside and it gets rolled between Tucker’s legs so they can head back inside. Dawson gets sent into a Christmas tree in the corner but Dawson hits tucker with a fire extinguisher.

A whip over the announcers’ table destroys the ham and Dawson smashes it in front of Otis. You do NOT do that to Otis so the beatdown is on, only to have Wilder bust out the candy cane kendo stick. That’s shrugged off with a slam through the table and Otis takes Dawson back inside for some throws. Otis busts out the Legos and slams Dawson onto them, followed by an electric chair/fall away slam at the same time. The shirt comes off to set up the Caterpillar and the Compactor finishes Dawson at 12:00.

Rating: C+. Yeah this is on a sliding scale as it was just a joke match that served no purpose other than being around for the holiday theme. It’s a perfectly harmless brawl and it’s not like Revival can fall much further through the floor. The fans love Heavy Machinery and there’s nothing wrong with giving them a win in something like this.

Post match, Otis licks the ham.

Post break, Otis has the ham and runs into Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. Sonya leaves and Otis apologizes to Mandy for what happened to the ham. He gets a hug and smiles a lot, only to sweat all over Mandy’s dress.

The Revival are still in the ring and rant about how much of a garbage match that was. They want some serious tag team wrestling but here is Elias with the guitar to cut them off. His song is about how terrible it is for Revival, including saying that he showed his grandmother one of their matches and now she’s on life support.

Sami Zayn comes up to see Braun Strowman because Sami is his Secret Santa. Braun doesn’t like Santa because Sami doesn’t like Christmas, so here are Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura. Sami asks Braun what he wants for Christmas (Braun: “You don’t get what secret means do you?”) so Braun asks for an Intercontinental Title match. That….doesn’t seem to be an option so the three of them leave.

Carmella vs. Sonya Deville

Cole during Carmella’s entrance: “There’s someone’s secret Santa!” Corey: “WHAT DO YOU KNOW???” Sonya chokes on the ropes to start and kicks away in the corner. A superkick to the ribs gets Carmella out of trouble and the Cone of Silence makes Sonya tap at 1:37. That’s two weeks in a row with a completely nothing women’s match.

Just in case the match wasn’t short enough, New Day comes to the ring as Carmella is still leaving so she dances with them.

Sheamus is still coming.

Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura vs. New Day

Non-title and Cesaro’s entrance now looks like the Matrix. Kofi dropkicks Nakamura down for an early one so it’s off to Big E. to run Nakamura over as well. A spinning kick to the head drops Big E., so he’s right back with the Rock Bottom out of the corner. Cesaro makes the save so Kofi hits a big flip dive to take Cesaro down outside. A running clothesline drops Big E. though and Nakamura adds in a knee to the head.

Big E. gets sent into the steps and we take a break. Back with Nakamura kicking Big E. down but Kinshasa is blocked with a heck of a clothesline. The hot tag brings in Kofi to clean some house, only to get caught with Swiss Death. The Cesaro Swing gets two but the Neutralizer is broken up. A rather sloppy small package finishes Cesaro at 12:02.

Rating: C-. Pretty paint by numbers match which felt like it could have been on any house show. To be fair though, it’s not like they are going to do anything significant on this show and the champs won. Cesaro taking falls isn’t even worth getting annoyed over anymore either and that’s a sad reality….which we’ve been in for years now.

Post match the beatdown is on but Braun Strowman makes the save and hits the running shoulders around the ring.

Miz and Bryan argue about who hates who more but Miz wants to beat up Bray Wyatt.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

Hey look: the same match we saw last week for no logical reason. Sasha Banks is here too so why not have her fight Dana? Ah apparently Dana TWEETED about wanting a rematch and everyone’s hands were tied. Bayley takes her down to start and hits a running knee in the corner. The chinlock goes on but Dana fights up in a hurry. The Swanton and a cartwheel splash get two on Bayley but she’s right back with the headlock driver for the pin at 4:14.

Rating: D. Well I certainly feel better about seeing that one again. This is a situation where they would have been better off having Bayley and Sasha talk or beat up a jobber or something. Why do the same match with a longer time before the same result as last week? It just comes off as lazy booking as there’s no need to do the same thing again.

Post match the beatdown is on but here’s Lacey Evans for the save and the challenge.

Lacey Evans vs. Sasha Banks

Bayley and Brooke are still at ringside. Banks reverses her in the corner and hits the Meteora to the back. A suplex gives Banks two and we hit the armbar. Another Meteora, this one seated, gets two more but Sasha charges into a boot in the corner. Lacey kicks her to the floor but a Bayley distraction lets Sasha get in a posting. Corey gets in a good question by asking where Dana is during all this. Lacey’s daughter makes a terrifying face at Banks as the beating continues until it’s a double countout at 4:16.

Rating: D+. Well at least it was a fresh match. This was nothing to see again but it filled in some more time and furthered Lacey’s face turn. If they’re going in this direction, I still don’t see why they didn’t just go with swapping the opponents here but I’m sure there’s some complicated technical reason and not just “…..uh…..well we didn’t put that much thought into it”.

Post match Bayley and Brooke get involved and it’s a big brawl. Tag match next week more than likely.

Daniel Bryan/The Miz vs. King Corbin/Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler gets in trouble early and it’s the stereo YES Kicks to both villains. Bryan hits some YES chants and we take a break. Back with Bryan hitting the running corner dropkicks on Corbin but the Deep Six plants Bryan. Ziggler’s big elbow gets two and it’s back to the corner to keep up the beating. The trash talk is on and Ziggler hammers away in the corner.

Corbin hits a running clothesline but takes too long bragging, allowing Bryan to hit the missile dropkick. Miz comes in for a bunch of kicks to both and a rollup for two on Ziggler. The Skull Crushing Finale hits Corbin but Ziggler’s superkick is good for two. Another superkick is countered into the Figure Four though and, with Bryan taking out Corbin, Ziggler taps at 10:21.

Rating: C-. This had a little more energy than the other tag match but I’m not exactly buying Miz as a threat to anyone after he got beaten just five days ago. Corbin and Ziggler continue to be little more than villains who just happen to be here and I don’t see that changing. I mean, Ziggler does wear a hat now so he’s changing a little right?

The lights flicker and the Fiend’s laugh end the show, though we do get an announcement for next week: Miz vs. Bryan vs. Corbin in a #1 contenders match for the Rumble title shot.

Rating: D. Oh yeah the holiday season has started as there wasn’t exactly a lot of effort here but then again it’s not like many people are going to be watching anyway. This is their last big show for a few days so I can understand them not really doing much. It didn’t help that they treated it like a house show, which I can’t blame them for either. Really weak show, but more because they seemed to take the week off than anything else.

Results

Heavy Machinery b. Revival – Compactor to Dawson

Carmella b. Sonya Deville – Cone of Silence

New Day b. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura – Small package to Cesaro

Bayley b. Dana Brooke – Headlock driver

Lacey Evans vs. Sasha Banks went to a double countout

Daniel Bryan/The Miz b. Dolph Ziggler/King Corbin – Figure Four to Ziggler

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: December 13, 2019
Location: Firsev Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

It’s the go home show for TLC and I’m going to assume that at least three more matches will be added to the card tonight. We also have the big angle between Roman Reigns and Baron Corbin, though for once I actually liked what they were doing last week. Granted I have no confidence in them to continue such a streak. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of Corbin vs. Reigns.

Here is Corbin on his throne, complete with security around the ring and Dolph Ziggler waiting on him. Ziggler says he can’t get away from the stench of dog food and Corbin goes over his accomplishments over the year. Corbin is ready to become the new star of the company and isn’t worried about Reigns being off the leash tonight.

Last week Reigns was put in his place and Ziggler is going to speak for the locker room when he says Reigns got what he deserved. Reigns says a new day is dawning so here is the New Day to interrupt. They don’t like Corbin using the term “new day” but Corbin brings up Kofi losing to Brock Lesnar in six seconds. Kofi: “It was more like eight seconds.”

Kofi brings up Corbin talking about his year so far, so remember when Kofi won the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania and then defended it against Corbin’s court jester Dolph Ziggler? It’s true that Kofi lost but then he came back and became a Tag Team Champion again. Corbin laughs it off so Kofi slaps him in the face. That’s not cool so Corbin promises to humiliate him later tonight. This really didn’t need to be nearly fifteen minutes long to set up either a single or tag match (or maybe both) later.

We recap Bray Wyatt targeting the Miz and his family.

Corbin and Ziggler find two backstage people out cold and their locker room ransacked. Oh dear.

Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross vs. Fire & Desire

Bliss and Cross give an interview from backstage but Mandy and Sonya run in to jump them from behind and start the fight on the stage. They get the ring for the opening bell and Bliss is sent outside. Cross gets beaten up in the corner and it’s a double suplex being loaded up, only to have Bliss pull Mandy to the floor. The Purge (which the camera misses at first) finishes Deville at 1:37.

Sami Zayn runs into Heavy Machinery and Otis has a Secret Santa present for him. It’s some Milwaukee ham, but Sami is disgusted because he’s a vegan. Sami yells at him for the mistake so Otis gets mad, only to have Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura come up to take care of things. They’ll fight later. Cesaro throws the ham on the ground and Otis shouts. Now I want ham.

Shorty G./Mustafa Ali vs. Revival

Wilder trips and falls down during his entrance. Gable gets sent outside to start as Revival takes over early on. The chinlock doesn’t last long so Gable gets in a few rollups for two. Wilder drives him into the corner but Gable suplexes his way out of the powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination. Ali hurricanranas Wilder to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Gable flipping out of a moonsault and grabbing a belly to back suplex on Dawson, with Ali adding a top rope double stomp for two. Dawson grabs a tiger driver for two on Gable but he’s right back with Rolling Chaos Theory. Wilder dives in with a frog splash for the save but Ali hits a 450 on Wilder to put everyone down again. Ali goes up again and dives straight into the Shatter Machine for the pin at 9:13.

Rating: C+. They were starting to roll here with the technical stuff against the flying and it was getting entertaining. Revival wasn’t going to lose two days before a title match but they were still having a good match as a result. It’s ok to know the way a match is going to go if they are making things work and that’s what they did here.

Bayley complains about Lacey Evans not being entertaining and brags about her and Sasha’s high level of awesome. We hear some guitar though and it’s Elias serenading Dana Brooke, which doesn’t sit well with Bayley. She yells at him so Elias sings about Bayley wanting a threesome with him and Banks (seriously) but she looks too manly after the haircut. Anyway, Bayley vs. Brooke later.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

Non-title. Bayley slaps her to start so Brooke knocks her outside for a handspring elbow against the barricade. Another one connects back inside but Bayley elbows her in the face for two. Bayley loads up a superplex but gets reversed into a sunset bomb for two. Brooke gets sent into the corner though and that arm trap bulldog driver gives Bayley the pin at 1:52.

We look at Miz/Wyatt from last week again.

Sheamus is still coming.

We get a sitdown interview with Miz at his home in Los Angeles. Miz hasn’t seen Bryan and doesn’t have much to say to him. We see the near legendary promo battle on Talking Smack and Miz says he thinks it’s finally time for him to do the right thing. Last week Bray took a step too far because family is what matters most.

We hear Maryse scream from somewhere else and Miz runs over to hear. Bray has hacked a tablet and the Firefly Fun House puppets are in their daughter’s crib. Miz and Maryse run upstairs to check on her and everything seems ok, though Willow is a bit scared. There’s a Bray doll in her crib and Miz tells the cameras to get out. I know it’s rushed and I know the match isn’t going to work, but they’re trying with these two and the promos have been good.

And now, the Firefly Fun House with the Bray doll sitting on the table. Bray was just trying to be nice and she told him a long time ago that no one likes a snitch. Miz was so busy trying to defend Bryan that he ended up exposing himself. Bryan is with, ahem, him, but Miz is with Bray. See, Bray has taught himself that pain is just a chemical reaction and you can train yourself to not feel pain at all. He bangs his head into the table and smiles, saying you can train yourself not to feel love either. All you have to do is let him in. Oh and Marine 5 was FIRE! See you at TLC!

Corbin and Ziggler find the throne toppled over and more people down.

Heavy Machinery vs. Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura

Tucker dropkicks Cesaro to start and hits a spinning middle rope crossbody for a bonus. Otis comes in and shoves Nakamura down before sending Cesaro outside as we take a break. Back with Tucker fighting out of a front facelock as the fans want Otis. Tucker rolls him away and brings in Otis for the gyrating but Nakamura breaks up a charge in the corner. Nakamura’s sliding knee gets two but Kinshasa is broken up. So is the Compactor though, leaving Otis to send Nakamura outside. The Caterpillar is broken up but Sami offers a distraction, allowing Nakamura to blast Tucker with Kinshasa for the pin at 9:43.

Rating: C. Just a match here and I continue to be surprised by how long the Caterpillar has stayed over. The fans are just digging it every single time and that’s a cool situation to have. Otis and Tucker shouldn’t have a lot of staying power but Otis’ ridiculous charisma is enough to keep them fine enough. Not a bad match, and again the right team won after breaking a sweat.

Batista and the NWO are going into the Hall of Fame.

Kofi Kingston vs. King Corbin

Kofi kicks at the ribs to start but gets shouldered down in a hurry. Corbin is knocked outside and Kofi drops him again as we take a break. Back with Corbin shoving Kingston off the top and driving him into the barricade a few times. Corbin takes him back inside for more shots to the ribs, followed by a big boot for two. End of Days is countered into the SOS for two but a Ziggler distraction breaks up Trouble in Paradise. That’s good for an ejection but he comes back to the ring for the brawl with Big E….and the double DQ at 10:21.

Rating: C. Yeah yeah just ring the bell for the tag match. They might as well have had a big sign up saying this was coming and there was no way they were going to do anything else. I can appreciate them not doing a clean finish here but it was a bit annoying waiting around for the ending that they telegraphed like no other.

New Day vs. Dolph Ziggler/King Corbin

Joined in progress with Ziggler hitting Big E. with a Fameasser for two and it’s off to Corbin for some choking. The belly to belly gets Big E. out of trouble and it’s off to Kofi for the top rope chop to the head. Ziggler is sent outside but Corbin clotheslines Kofi to cut things off. Ziggler busts out the handcuffs to tie Kofi up and that’s a DQ at 2:39.

Post match Kofi gets tied up ala Reigns last week and here’s the Revival for a Shatter Machine to Big E. Corbin brings out the dog food so here’s Reigns (who was so ENRAGED that he waited until the match was over and Corbin had a huge numbers advantage at the end of the show) to wreck everyone. Reigns gets the scepter but Ziggler superkicks him down. Big E. saves him from a ladder elbow through the table, allowing Reigns to throw him through the table instead. Reigns frees Kofi as Corbin bails to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. They really can’t help themselves with Corbin. He starts getting a little traction in the King role and then he’s all over the show AGAIN, which is what caused so many of his problems in the first place. WWE does this every time and it never works, which is why we’re so likely to see it happen again and again. That’s going to headline on Sunday too and Corbin will keep getting a push as WWE fails to see why it isn’t working. The rest of the show didn’t seem to matter but it was all about Corbin with Reigns thrown in at the end.

Results

Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross b. Fire & Desire – Purge to Deville

Revival b. Shorty G./Mustafa Ali – Shatter Machine to Ali

Bayley b. Dana Brooke – Arm trap bulldog driver

Cesaro/Shinsuke Nakamura b. Heavy Machinery – Kinshasa to Tucker

Kofi Kingston vs. King Corbin went to a no contest when Big E. and Dolph Ziggler started brawling

New Day b. King Corbin/Dolph Ziggler via DQ when Ziggler used handcuffs

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: November 29, 2019
Location: Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama
Commentators: Corey Graves, Michael Cole

We’re finally back to normal around here after a pretty wild month that saw NXT invade and everything get turned upside down. Things have settled back down though with Smackdown coming in second place at Survivor Series. I’m not sure if that is going to make much of a difference but now it’s off to TLC. Let’s get to it.

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

Here’s Roman Reigns to open the show. In his house, if there are still leftovers in the fridge, it’s still Thanksgiving so Happy Thanksgiving everyone. What matters the most around this time of year are health and family and last year at this time he only had family. Things are better now and Smackdown won at Survivor Series. The NXT chants are on and Reigns says it’s all WWE, but Smackdown survived on Sunday.

Reigns thanks his teammates, but says he won’t thank the one dummy on his team. Cue King Corbin, to say it was his leadership that won the match, but Reigns says Corbin was the one who got eliminated. Corbin talks about his feast today and all of the servants he had waiting on him today. Reigns probably had a burned turkey but he’s used to eating dog food anyway, just like everyone here. Corbin can face this man instead.

Robert Roode vs. Roman Reigns

Reigns sends him outside to start before hammering away in the corner. Roode is knocked outside again but Reigns glares at Corbin, allowing Ziggler to grab a leg so Roode can knock him into the announcers’ table. The spinebuster puts Reigns onto the table as well and a drive into the barricade takes us to a break. Back with Reigns kicking him in the face but walking into some boots to the face.

The Blockbuster gives Roode two but Reigns catches him with a sitout powerbomb for two of his own. They head outside with a Corbin distraction letting Roode send him into the steps. Back in and Roman Superman Punches him out of the air for two but the spear is countered into another spinebuster for two more. With nothing else working, Corbin slips Roode the scepter but Reigns spears him down for the pin at 13:41.

Rating: C+. Roode is still the guy who doesn’t do anything flashy but he does everything really well. That’s often a nice formula for a good match, which is what they had here. Reigns vs. Corbin is not an interesting feud, but I’ll take Reigns and Roode having a nice little match over Corbin making dog jokes every single time.

Post match Ziggler jumps Reigns but gets taken out. That brings in Corbin for the failed save, only to have Roode get in a scepter shot. Roode puts Reigns’ head on a chair and says something about his kids but misses the big scepter shot. The Superman Punch drops Roode to the floor for the big spear through the barricade.

Ziggler tries to come after him again but gets knocked over the barricade with the steps. With Roode still underneath the barricade, Reigns turns the announcers’ table onto him. It’s a good segment with a pretty awesome beatdown, but this is setting up Reigns vs. Corbin based on Corbin making jokes about Reigns being a dog. There isn’t much of a way to save that one.

We look back at Daniel Bryan vs. the Fiend on Sunday with Wyatt retaining.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House with Bray being thankful to still be champion. The Fiend cuts in with a Fiend themed title which is going to haunt my nightmares for a long time. Bray loves his new toy and he had a blast playing with Daniel Bryan at Survivor Series. The Fireflies seem to approve so if Bryan wants to join in, Bray can make it all change for the better. All Bryan has to do is let him in.

Sheamus is back and calls the current state of Smackdown pathetic due to all of the cowards. He sees no one with a backbone and no one like him. Smackdown is soft so now it’s time for him to return and ravage everyone in his way. Smackdown will be his.

Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak

Ali dropkicks him down to start but gets pulled off the top for a big crash. The half crab has Ali in trouble until he fights up and scores with a superkick. The tornado DDT sets up the 450 for the pin at 3:08.

Rating: C-. Nice little win for Ali here to make it clear that he is still a thing. Gulak’s work over the summer is wasted for another week, but I’m not sure how much of a future he was going to have on the main roster anyway. That being said, he was still too big for the dying 205 Live, but since NXT isn’t an option for no apparent reason, this is what we get.

Here are Sasha Banks and Bayley to say that what happened to the Smackdown women at Survivor Series was not their fault. Smackdown did not lose because NXT is better and Bayley did not lose because Shayna Baszler is better. They rip on the Smackdown women’s division so here’s Lacey Evans to interrupt.

Lacey has been tired for making a Thanksgiving dinner for thirty six people, including the in-laws. She wouldn’t trust these two nasties to lead the Chicken Dance at a garden party so it’s time for someone with some class to take over. We get a pretty loud LACEY EVANS chant before Lacey mocks Bayley for tapping out. Lacey taps the title so Sasha gets in her face. That’s good for a Woman’s Right and Bayley panics. Lacey leaves with a big smile and I guess we have a face turn.

Daniel Bryan isn’t sure if he should accept Bray’s challenge as we get the Firefly Fun House again. Huskus has eaten too much but the only thing that would make him feel better is if Bryan came and played with them. Bray tells us the real story of Thanksgiving, which was about the muscle men dancers and the reptilians throwing over humanity. It’s music video time with Bray and Huskus demonstrating the Muscle Man dance as Huskus talks about how fat he is. Bray insists that we CAN’T let the reptilians in but let him in instead. After all this, Bryan still has no answer.

Nikki Cross vs. Sonya Deville

Fallout from Nikki losing at Survivor Series. Hold on though because Mandy needs to say that Nikki looks like a cold plate of Thanksgiving leftovers. Sonya punches her in the face to start and hits a sliding knee for two. Trash is talked but Nikki pulls her down into a small package for the pin at 1:38.

Post match the beatdown is on but Alexa Bliss returns for the save.

The Miz talks to Bryan about what happens to people who face the Fiend and asks if that is worth it. Miz mentions Bryan’s family and gets stared out of the room.

Drake Maverick holds some mistletoe over Dana Brooke’s head. Dana: “Aren’t you married?” Maverick: “It’s complicated.” Cue the returning Elias to play a song about how he’s back for the Christmas season as Dana dances.

Here’s New Day to talk about everything they ate over Thanksgiving, including hog and….dog? That’s just a joke, but today is Black Friday so they have a deal: an open challenge for the Tag Team Titles. Now we need someone to answer the challenge though. Cue Shinsuke Nakamura/Cesaro with Sami Zayn running down the idea of Thanksgiving for being about gluttony and imperialistic evil. Sami rips on the idea of Black Friday and says it is time for some honorable men to win those titles.

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

New Day is defending. Cesaro shoulders Kofi to start so it’s off to Nakamura, who gets dropkicked down in a hurry. Kofi gets taken into the corner though and dropped head first onto the top turnbuckle. Sami offers a distraction on the floor and Cesaro uppercuts Kofi over the table as we take a break.

Back with Kofi making the hot tag to Big E. but the Warrior Splash misses Nakamura. Nakamura knees him in the head but walks into the Rock Bottom out of the corner for two. A kick to the face puts Big E. down and it’s Cesaro coming in with a top rope headbutt for two more. Kofi backdrops Cesaro to the floor and kicks Nakamura in the head, setting up the powerbomb/top rope double stomp combination for the next near fall.

Kofi’s launch over the top is uppercutted out of the air and another hits Big E. Kinshasa is countered into a rollup for two so Nakamura kicks Kofi in the face. A sliding….something to the face (they missed on something there) gives Nakamura two more so it’s back to Cesaro to drop Kofi across the top rope. Sami tries to use the pancake tray but gets caught in the act, meaning it’s an ejection. Trouble in Paradise to Cesaro retains the titles at 11:16.

Rating: B. They had me believing that we might get a surprise title change so well done on the most important account. The Smackdown tag division doesn’t feature a lot of interesting challengers to New Day but they’re very good for placeholder champions until someone else can come after the titles. Good match too, though Cesaro already being put in a team and taking the fall in their first match is more of the same thing that has gotten on fans’ nerves for years.

We look back at Reigns attacking Roode earlier.

Here’s Daniel Bryan to talk about everything going on with Bray Wyatt tonight. Earlier today the Miz talked about how the Fiend will change him. Back at Survivor Series, Bryan felt the change from the people. For the last year, Bryan has talked about how the YES Movement is done, but now something has changed. So does he accept Bray’s challenge? YES he does! Cue the Firefly Fun House and Bray is very excited to get to play again but if Bryan does it again, we will see his true form. Bryan helped Bray change in the first place and the Fiend remembers that.

Oh he almost forgot: Bray promised a new face tonight and he is a man of his word. The lights go out in the arena and it’s the Fiend popping up through the ring. Bryan fights him away but gets Mandible Clawed down into the hole. Fiend pulls his hands out of the hole and has a bunch of hair in his hands. He does it again with a bunch of hair being left on the mat and the laughter ends the show. So he’s a Brutus Beefcake fan now?

Overall Rating: B-. This was a fast moving show which kept my interest the entire time. Hopefully that is the case going forward and not just the fallout from Survivor Series, as this show never dragged, despite the first thirty five minutes being dedicated to one story. Bray wanting to fight Bryan again is fine and a souped up Bryan could be a good challenger for Bray this time around. Anyway, solid enough stuff here, even if no one is going to watch.

Results

Roman Reigns b. Robert Roode – Spear

Mustafa Ali b. Drew Gulak – 450

Nikki Cross b. Sonya Deville – Small package

New Day b. Shinsuke Nakamura/Cesaro – Trouble in Paradise to Cesaro

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: October 25, 2019
Location: Spring Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

It’s another show with a purpose as we have the go home show for Crown Jewel. Therefore Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez are here, because that’s the biggest match on the show no one other than WWE wants to watch. I’m not sure what to expect around here but hopefully it picks up a little bit. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We start fast with MizTV with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan and most of their teams, with no entrance for anyone. You have Hulk Hogan’s theme available and you don’t think that’s a good way to start the show? Miz introduces everyone (including Shorty G, who is now in neon basketball gear with a big G on the front), including members of the teams who aren’t here. Hogan talks about forming a team so Flair rants about how awesome his team is. That sends Flair into a speech about how he’s never lost to Flair and how great his own team is.

Sami laughs at Hogan bragging about Shorty G, who can’t wait to shut Sami up. Ali, who is about the same height as G, makes fun of Sami for not wrestling anymore but Corbin cuts them off to say Crown Jewel was named in his honor. Corbin promises that Reigns will let everyone down as he always does. Reigns: “Corbin, shut up man.” Reigns insults Corbin’s king gear and a six man tag is set up, with Hogan calling Nakamura a young boy. Sami isn’t available though, due to a neck issue so he has a replacement ready: Cesaro, who starts the fight with Reigns right now. Team Hogan clears the ring and we get some Real American.

New Day vs. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode

No Woods here as he had surgery for his torn Achilles today so you won’t be seeing him in the ring for a very long time. Ziggler starts fast by knocking Kofi to the floor and we take a break about a minute in. Back with Big E. cleaning house and bringing Kofi in off the hot tag for a launch onto Ziggler. Everything breaks down and it’s a spinebuster to Big E. Kofi springboards in with a double ax handle to Roode but gets rolled up with tights for the pin at 5:12. New Day was announced as getting a Tag Team Title shot on next week’s show and they lose here to set up the Tag Team Turmoil. This is an example of WWE being REALLY STUPID!

Post match Revival comes out to brawl with New Day but Heavy Machinery makes the save. I’m still trying to get over how completely stupid that match result was. It’s a match designed to set up next week’s big gauntlet so there are literally NINE other teams you could put out there other than the #1 contenders. How exactly did the decision making process go?

Video on Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman.

Lacey Evans vs. Camron Connors

Actually hold on as Lacey says she isn’t lowering herself to beat someone like Connors. She’s going to walk out instead of embarrassing her so Lacey says ring the bell so she can be counted out. Lacey dives back in at nine and hits the Woman’s Right for the pin at 47 seconds. Well that happened.

A far too excited Nikki Cross doesn’t like the insults that Bayley has thrown at her lately. Tonight, Nikki has to face Mandy Rose, who is certainly gorgeous, but wrestling isn’t a beauty pageant.

So we’re forty minutes in and we’ve had the following:

• Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, who have two of the most iconic entrances of all time, standing in the ring to start the show.

• Shorty G. in neon basketball gear.

• The #1 contenders losing in a five minute match when you could throw in multiple other teams (like one of the teams who made the post match save) to make the same point.

• Lacey Evans teasing walking out before coming back in to win in less than a minute.

I’m starting to get the mindset of the people who can’t stand this show lately. It’s like a bunch of people put in individual stuff but no one talked to each other as the show was being put together.

We look at the Firefly Fun House being burned down.

And now, the Firefly Fun House, featuring a funeral for Ramblin Rabbit. They get to say some nice words about him, including Huskus being glad Rabbit introduced him to carrot cake and the Mercy the Vulture saying he was a good dinner. Bray says it was supposed to be an open casket so he pulls out the bloody, charred remains of Ramblin Rabbit……who comes back to life. Mercy immediately eats him again and we’re done.

Drew Gulak vs. Kalisto

Well of course that’s what this show needs. Before the match, Lucha House Party talks about wanting to bring lucha libre to Smackdown. They do know that REY MYSTERIO is already on the show right? The bell rings and Gulak grabs a mic to introduce himself. He has a PowerPoint presentation on how Tyson Fury can defeat Braun Strowman. The slides won’t change so Kalisto kicks him down, only to get caught with a spinebuster. The referee stops to check on him but says it’s ok. Gulak loads up the Cyclone Crash….and here’s Braun Strowman for a distraction. The Salida Del Sol finishes Gulak at 2:15.

Post match it’s a running powerslam to plant Gulak. He does it again at the audience’s request and promises the same to Fury.

Here’s Daniel Bryan for a chat with Michael Cole. Last week he pinned the Intercontinental Champion and the arena erupted in YES chants. Bryan didn’t want to get involved though, so is the YES Movement back? Before that can be answered, here are Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn to interrupt. Sami shows us a clip of Bryan declaring the YES Movement dead back in November. The fans don’t like the new Daniel Bryan though because Sami wants to talk about the REAL Daniel Bryan.

Sami knows that Bryan is a real and honorable man but the people don’t care. It’s interesting that Bryan has a lot more in common with Sami and Nakamura, who care about the same things he cares about. They are all artists in the ring though, and now Bryan is at a crossroads. He can either go back to the people with the nitwits who chant YES or he can move forward with the two of them. The handshake is offered but Bryan walks away instead. This was the only good thing on the show so far.

Nikki Cross vs. Mandy Rose

Sasha Banks and Bayley (all in black) are on commentary. Mandy knocks her down to start and cuts off a comeback attempt with a forearm to the face. The chinlock doesn’t last long and Rose gets two off a fall away slam. Sonya Deville gets in a hard right hand to Nikki but she’s right back with a high crossbody for two. Another Sonya distraction backfires and it’s the Purge to finish Mandy at 4:37.

Rating: D+. Another match that just happened as this show is spiraling down. Bayley as the emotionless champion could go somewhere but Nikki as a title contender isn’t so likely. They’re trying to make someone new though and I can certainly give them points for that, but this wasn’t the best place to try and have something positive, at least not after the first hour of this show being such a mess.

Clip of the Undertaker on the WWE float in Riyadh.

Here are Rey Mysterio and Cain Velasquez for a chat. Rey is proud of his son Dominick for trying to fight back and now Rey knows he’s really a Mysterio. As for Brock Lesnar, Rey knows Cain is going to give Lesnar another scar. Lesnar and Paul Heyman need to get out here right now so we can do this face to face.

They pop up on screen instead, saying that Lesnar has more important things to do than go face to face with Velasquez. Brock has been doing something but Heyman won’t say where he has been doing it. Rey still wants them out here right now so Heyman says Rey should guess to whom Brock has been doing something. We pan down to the unconscious Dominick and Lesnar laughs.

Post break, Rey and Cain are checking on Dominick in the trainer’s room. Lesnar comes in with a trashcan to clean house, including an F5 to send Mysterio into the wall and another F5 to drop Cain onto Dominick.

Post break Velasquez shouts about Brock in Spanish and seems to swear vengeance.

Cesaro/King Corbin/Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Roman Reigns/Ali/Shorty G.

Hogan and Flair are here too. Team Flair jumps them at the bell and the fight is on outside, with Jimmy Hart having to hold Hogan back. Reigns and Corbin take turns hammering away at each other in the corner and Roman nails the Samoan drop for two. Nakamura comes in and gets hit in the face so it’s off to Gable (Cole said his old name so it’s good enough for me) to work on the arm.

Of course Gable can wrestle Nakamura down without much trouble as Cole brings up Gable’s Olympic career, with Graves pointing out that he looks like he belongs on the Tune Squad. Ignoring the fact that almost no fans under the age of twenty five are going to get that reference, that’s quite the mixed look at Gable. Ali comes in for a running hurricanrana to Cesaro, who muscles him over with a gutwrench suplex. Team Flair takes turns sending Ali to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Ali trying to fight back but having his tornado DDT blocked. Instead Cesaro picks him up by the throat, only to have Ali plant him with a DDT. Nakamura and Corbin break up the hot tag attempt though, only to have Ali enziguri Corbin. That’s enough for the tag to Gable, who suplexes Nakamura and neckbreakers Corbin. The moonsault gets two on Corbin (with Hogan in one of his elements as a cheerleader on the floor) and there’s a suplex to Cesaro.

Nakamura breaks up the ankle lock with a running knee so he and Corbin put Gable on top. That earns them a double missile dropkick and the hot tag brings in Reigns for the house cleaning. Cesaro takes Reigns down though and the Sharpshooter goes on until Ali breaks it up with a superkick. Everything breaks down and it’s the parade of secondary finishers. Reigns Superman punches Cesaro out of the air and hits the spear, setting up Ali’s 450 for the pin at 15:03.

Rating: B-. They took their time to get started here but once it was clicking, everything started to roll. The post break stuff was rather entertaining and Ali getting the pin was a nice touch. I’m not exactly thrilled in the ten man tag as it’s likely to go a long time and not be very interesting, but at least the six man version was pretty good.

Overall Rating: D. Oh I did not like this show. While it did pick WAY up starting with the Bryan segment, the rest of the show was a complete mess with the build to Crown Jewel taking over everything, even if it wrecked whatever else might be going on. In other words, if you’re not on Crown Jewel, your appearance here didn’t matter in the slightest. It’s another example of WWE trying to cram in so much stuff and the shows suffering as a result.

We’re less than a month away from Survivor Series and the show has not been mentioned once on WWE TV. By the time it is, which if we’re lucky will be next Friday (when the Smackdown roster is completely gassed from flying around the world in a day), when we’re about three weeks away. Then three weeks after that it’s TLC, with the Starrcade special in the middle. WWE has gotten a lot worse about this overdoing it lately and it’s really, really getting to be a problem. Just let things breathe for once so your fans aren’t so burned out. Why is that so much to ask?

Results

Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode b. New Day – Rollup with tights to Kingston

Lacey Evans b. Camron Connors – Woman’s Right

Kalisto b. Drew Gulak – Salida Del Sol

Nikki Cross b. Mandy Rose – Purge

Ali/Shorty G./Roman Reigns b. Cesaro/King Corbin/Shinsuke Nakamura – 450 to Cesaro

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: October 18, 2019
Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

This is an important show as we are officially into the new era with unique rosters for both Raw and Smackdown. That means they need to have something special here as they are running at half power and don’t have many excuses yet if the audience isn’t there. I’m not sure what to expect here but Roman Reigns is getting an Intercontinental Title shot against Shinsuke Nakamura. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Intercontinental Title: Roman Reigns vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura is defending and has Sami Zayn with him. Sami sits in on commentary as Roman drives the champ into the corner to start but Nakamura is right back with the knees. The slugout easily goes to Reigns though and he plants Nakamura with the Samoan drop for two. That’s enough to bring Sami off commentary to help his buddy, which includes pulling Nakamura away from the apron kick.

Nakamura hits a kick of his own and we take a break. Back with Reigns fighting out of a sleeper and hitting the running clothesline. Nakamura goes for the cross armbreaker, which is muscled up into a powerbomb for two. The Superman Punch draws Sami to the apron for a distraction and Nakamura hits a kick to the back of the head. There’s the sliding German suplex but Reigns is right back with the Superman punch for two. The spear is loaded up but here’s King Corbin, who Reigns had argued with on social media earlier today, to hit Reigns with the scepter for the DQ at 11:55.

Rating: C. This worked well enough, even if the title never really felt in jeopardy. It’s nice to have Nakamura wrestling actually defending the thing against some bigger competition for a change, but it is still clear that Nakamura isn’t exactly giving his best effort in WWE. The Zayn connection helps though and what we got was a nice enough match, even if it seems to be setting up something else.

Post match Corbin hits Deep Six but it’s Daniel Bryan running in for the save. The numbers get the better of it though and Nakamura hits the running knee to the back of Bryan’s head.

New Day is singing in the back when Tucker brings in a table. After Kofi says he’s fine with losing the WWE Championship because of the power of positivity, Otis brings in a bowl of pancake mix and protein powder, which he pours into his mouth. Big E. does the chant and I’m really glad this segment is over.

Corbin has nothing to say about Reigns.

Shorty Gable vs. Curtis Axel

We actually get a video on why Gable is now named Shorty. If you don’t get why someone is named SHORTY, you might want a low level of intellect in your entertainment. Gable armdrags him to start but gets sent into the corner. The Hennig necksnap gives Axel two and we hit the armbar. Gable fights up, knocks Bo Dallas to the floor, and finishes Axel with the ankle lock at 1:55.

Post match Gable says be who you are, even if it means being short. He isn’t even Shorty Gable anymore. Now it’s Shorty G.

Seth Rollins is out of Team Hogan vs. Team Flair as Rollins has to defend against Bray Wyatt.

Hulk Hogan is on Skype and seems to announce Ali and Shorty G. for his team. The new captain will be announced tonight and he wants to beat up Ric Flair once and for all.

New Day/Heavy Machinery vs. Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler/Revival

Tucker and Ziggler grapple for a bit to start until Tucker dropkicks him down. Roode tries to run in but it’s a double suplex from Heavy Machinery. Everything breaks down and Big E. and Otis seem to realize that they’re soul mates. Roode plants Woods with a spinebuster on the floor and we take a break. Back with Woods fighting out of Wilder’s chinlock and enziguring Dawson.

Ziggler and Roode are smart enough to break up the hot tag attempts and it’s Wilder coming in for something like the Demolition Decapitator (or at least its cousin). Woods gets in a dropkick to Ziggler and it’s the double tag to bring in Otis and Roode. House is cleaned and Roode’s chops just make Otis jiggle (though that may be automatic). We get some Caterpillarizing but Ziggler saves Dawson from the Compactor. Instead, Otis picks Dawson up for a suplex and hands him off to Big E. for the Midnight Hour and the pin at 10:25.

Rating: C-. Just a preview for the Crown Jewel Tag Team Turmoil. That isn’t something I’m going to get behind as there are all kinds of teams in the thing and it’s going to be a lot of filling in time on the already long show for a token prize. If that’s the best they’ve got for the division, normally I would say it’s a waste of time show, but that’s been the case since the Saudi Arabia shows began at last for the fans.

Bryan rants about Corbin and Nakamura and tonight he’s teaming with Reigns to face the two of them.

Video on Ali.

It’s time for MizTV with special guest Bayley, flanked by Sasha Banks, the latter of whom surprises Miz. Bayley and Sasha brag about the title change last week and we see a clip of Bayley’s new attitude, setting up the win over Charlotte. Thankfully the viral clip of the child crying is included. Miz asks Bayley what was up with that but she doesn’t owe anyone an explanation. Miz: “Are you Brock Lesnar? Is this your Paul Heyman?”

Banks brings up Miz being a fifth rounds draft pick, which Miz laughs off because he’s always relevant. Bayley talks about crying after losing the title to Charlotte but no one was there to hug her. She has put herself second for years to be a role model but they weren’t there when he needed them. The reality is that Bayley has outgrown these people so here’s some reality: life sucks and then you die.

Cue Nikki Cross to interrupt and say that she is going to be the #1 contenders after winning her match tonight. This brings out Dana Brooke to say she is motivated by being underused and tonight is a new beginning. She’s bringing the Flex Appeal but here’s Lacey Evans to interrupt and it’s time for a #1 contenders match.

Carmella vs. Nikki Cross vs. Dana Brooke vs. Lacey Evans vs. Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville

The winner gets a shot at Bayley for some point in the future. Lacey goes outside to start, leaving Mandy and Sonya to start taking over on everyone else. Cross’ comeback is cut off by Mandy’s clothesline, leaving Mandy and Sonya alone. Brooke takes them down on the floor, only to get run over by Lacey. Carmella crossbodies Lacey down though and we take a break.

Back with Mandy and Sonya in control again, this time beating on Carmella but she pops back up with a double Bronco Buster. The suicide dive takes Mandy and Sonya down again and Nikki dives onto a bunch of people. Back in and Dana powerbombs Lacey to set up the Swanton for two as Mandy and Carmella make the save. The Code of Silence is broken up and it’s time for the parade of strikes to the face. Cross grabs the Purge to finish Rose at 9:01.

Rating: C-. The match was the usual messy insanity that these things can be but at least they have a fresh challenger in there for a change. You can only do the Horsewomen stuff for so long and it is a good idea to find someone who hasn’t been in there for a long time. I doubt Cross gets the title but at least they are trying something new.

Video on Braun Strowman.

Video on Seth Rollins vs. the Fiend inside the Cell, followed by Rollins burning down the Firefly Fun House. The graphic for the rematch now says “cannot be stopped for any reason.” They seem to know that they screwed up, but I don’t think they’ll do anything to make it better.

Braun Strowman vs. Drew Gulak

Strowman scares him into the corner so Gulak grabs a mic. He declares himself an historian in the world of combat sports and if Strowman is too aggressive at Crown Jewel, he’ll get knocked out. Gulak has a 345 slide PowerPoint presentation to walk Strowman through his match against Fury. That earns him a toss across the ring and a big boot. A headbutt puts Gulak on the floor and there’s the running shoulder. The running powerslam ends Gulak at 3:05.

Rating: D-. I know the cruiserweights mean nothing but did we really need to have Gulak go back to doing the same stuff that he did for months? It was really goofy stuff back then and he moved on to a more serious character and won the Cruiserweight Title. Now he’s just a comedy guy again? And there was no one else on the roster to take this loss? Not a single one?

Daniel Bryan/Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin/Shinsuke Nakamura

Reigns is named the new captain of Team Hogan and Sami Zayn is here with the villains. Corbin gets punched in the head and face to start and it’s quickly off to Bryan for the running dropkicks in the corner. Nakamura comes in for the slugout with Bryan, who knees him in the ribs for another knockdown. A low bridge from Sami sends Bryan to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Bryan backflipping out of a double belly to back suplex. A kick to the head should allow the hot tag to Reigns but Corbin pulls him off the apron for a ram into the steps. Corbin puts Reigns on the steps but throws the other set away thanks to a threat from the referee. Bryan dropkicks Corbin down and gets the LeBell Lock on Nakamura. That’s broken up by Corbin, who is speared through the barricade for his efforts. The YES Kicks have Nakamura in trouble and the running knee gives Bryan the pin at 9:01.

Rating: B-. I can certainly go for Bryan vs. Nakamura for the title and it could make up for a lot of the idea of Corbin vs. Reigns. This feels like Corbin getting moved back up towards the main event scene and while that isn’t as terrifying as it had been before, I don’t trust WWE to not push him way too far. The match itself was energetic as Reigns feels so much more acceptable as an upper midcarder who pops into the main event from time to time instead of the focal point of the show.

Overall Rating: C+. They kept the show moving fast enough and that’s the best thing that they could have done here. You don’t want to give the fans a reason to check out during the show and they kept things going here. What mattered most here was setting up some matches for the future and I’m looking forward to seeing some of the things they have coming up. It was a fun enough show and hopefully we can get on to the more normal shows instead of the special editions almost every week.

Results

Roman Reigns b. Shinsuke Nakamura via DQ when King Corbin interfered

Shorty Gable b. Curtis Axel – Ankle lock

New Day/Heavy Machinery b. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode/Revival – Midnight Hour to Dawson

Nikki Cross b. Carmella, Dana Brooke, Lacey Evans, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville – Purge to Rose

Daniel Bryan/Roman Reigns b. King Corbin/Shinsuke Nakamura – Running knee to Nakamura

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: October 4, 2019
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

Well here we go. It’s time for the biggest opportunity WWE has had in a generation, if not ever, as they debut their weekly television series on a major broadcast network. They aren’t scaling back on anything either, with every major name you could ask for and a slate of huge matches to boot. Tonight is all going to be about the presentation and that could go various ways. Let’s get to it.

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

Vince and Stephanie McMahon come through the rather cool looking new set (it looked like a tunnel of parentheses for lack of a better term) and welcome us to the show.

Opening sequence, which looks awesome as it makes the wrestlers look larger than life.

Here’s Becky Lynch to open things up. She talks about changing the game and how she wants to beat someone up right now. Cue King Corbin of all people to say Becky is no longer the man. A threat is made and here’s the Rock to interrupt. After some soaking in of the cheers, Rock calls Corbin a crackhead looking Burger King knockoff. That sets up FINALLY, but Corbin tells them both to know their roles and shut their mouths. Rock: “Beck do you mind if I take this one?”

It turns into a discussion of Corbin’s testicles until Corbin says he is the real king of Los Angeles. Rock: “Is that what you think?” Corbin: “Well yeah I…” Becky: “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK!” They determine that Corbin is a super tough dude, which Rock turns into an STD chant. More insults are exchanged and the beatdown is on. Rock and Becky pose a good bit. This went on WAY longer than it should have and some of the jokes/insults just were not good whatsoever.

Lita, Trish Stratus and Maria Menunos are in the front row.

Becky Lynch/Charlotte vs. Bayley/Sasha Banks

Banks sends Charlotte hard into the corner to start so Charlotte chops right back. Charlotte gets knocked off the apron though and we take an early break. Back with Becky coming in off the hot tag to kick Bayley in the corner. The Bexploder into the middle rope legdrop gets two and it’s back to Charlotte for Natural Selection for two more.

Banks makes the save and it’s the big showdown with Becky as they slug it out. That’s broken up by Bayley and everything breaks down in a double brawl. A missile dropkick puts Banks down and Charlotte moonsaults onto both of them. Back in and the Figure Eight makes Bayley tap at 8:18.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t as good as their previous match but they didn’t have the time to make it that big. What mattered here was getting Becky on the big stage in a match this important before the showdown with Sasha on Sunday. It was energetic while it lasted and no one botched anything horrible so….well done?

FOX Sports reporter Erin Andrews interviews the New Day, including asking Kofi Kingston about challenging for the WWE Championship (the title that she is literally one foot away from as it hangs over Kofi’s shoulder). Kofi talks about climbing mountains, but Xavier and Big E. aren’t going to be there because Kofi has requested to do it himself.

World boxing champion Tyson Fury is here.

So are Mick Foley and Kurt Angle.

Seth Rollins comes out for his match but it’s Firefly Fun House time. Bray Wyatt shouts a welcome to the Fun House and introduces his friends. Ramblin Rabbit is in a Seth Rollins shirt and has a Rollins beard painted on. He wants to be just like Seth when he grows up so DO NOT GET IN THE CELL WITH THE FIEND. Bray interrupts and starts speaking in an accent, because setting up his own Cell match between Ramblin Rabbit and Mercy the Buzzard. Biting ensues and stuffing flies as Rabbit’s head comes off. Bray says history will repeat itself. See you in h***!

Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Non-title. We come back from a break to see Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Rock’s mom in the crowd as the bell rings. That was a rather quick cameo and Nakamura takes the attention off of them even more as he tries an early cross armbreaker. That’s broken up and Rollins kicks him down….and there go the lights for a no contest at we’ll say 1:30. Rollins runs to the stage and there’s the Fiend for the Claw, because no one in this company knows how to look over their shoulder. The Fiend throws him off the stage.

Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon

Ladder match and loser leaves WWE. Owens cuts him off in the aisle and sends him face first into a ladder to start. The ladder is bridged between the ring and the barricade but Shane is fine enough to cut off an early climb attempt. Owens throws the ladder at him but it goes flying over the top, allowing Owens to hit a clothesline. The ladder is dropkicked into Owens’ face and Shane loads up the announcers’ table. That means the top rope elbow actually connects and we take a break.

Back with Owens frog splashing Shane through the bridged ladder as they missed quite a transition during the commercial. The crowd seems to be muted for a second for what may have been a HOLY S*** chant. Owens climbs the ladder but Shane chairs him down and hits Coast to Coast into the ladder. Shane goes up but Owens powerbombs him onto another bridged ladder. That’s enough to pull down the briefcase and get rid of Shane at 11:58.

Rating: C. That’s one of the weakest ladder matches that I can remember in a long time as it was just one spot after another with almost no selling and no emotion to the whole thing. They didn’t do a good job of making me want to see Shane gone and it felt like a story where we missed most of what led up to it. The spots were good but there was no building to them, especially with just a commercial between the elbow and the frog splash. I’m assuming it was Shane’s limitations, but this was rather lifeless and led to an obvious ending which didn’t have any emotional impact.

Post match Owens gets to tell Shane that he is fired.

We get a montage of Smackdown highlights over the years.

Paul Heyman shows us a clip of Brock Lesnar destroying Rey Mysterio and Mysterio’s son Dominick. Heyman says Mysterio was in Lesnar’s way, just like Kofi Kingston is tonight. Here’s a spoiler: tonight, Lesnar is WWE Champion again.

Braun Strowman/Heavy Machinery/Miz vs. Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler/AJ Styles/Randy Orton

Ziggler hits a quick Zig Zag on Miz to start but takes too long posing, allowing Miz to grab the DDT. It’s off to Strowman to clean house but the RKO hits Miz. Otis runs Orton over but walks into the Phenomenal Forearm. Tucker Cactus Clotheslines AJ to the floor and it’s time for Strowman’s shoulder block train. Strowman stops to pose with Tyson Fury, but Ziggler jumps on Braun, meaning it’s time to get knocked into Fury. Back in and the powerslam ends Ziggler at 3:10.

Rating: D. What the heck was that??? It was like a drive by eight man tag with a celebrity angle in the middle. It came, it went, it might as well have been an in-ring interview gone awry. At least there was a thing with Fury, though I can’t imagine that actually gets to go anywhere for a long time. This felt very random, but at least it came and went quickly while getting some people on the show.

Post match Fury jumps the barricade but security holds him back from Strowman.

In honor of the new movie Gemini Man, we get a look at some WWE youth vs. experience matches (such as Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. HHH and young Mark Henry vs. old Mark Henry).

We look at Fury jumping the barricade again.

Earlier today, R-Truth and Carmella were in the back with a DJ named Marshmello winning the 24/7 Title from Carmella. She would win it back later in the night.

Roman Reigns vs. Erick Rowan

Lumberjack match with Daniel Bryan on commentary. It’s a fight to start with Roman being sent outside, only to get tossed back in. Rowan gets the same treatment, though Rowan beats them up to stay on the floor. Roman goes out after him and it’s back inside for a big boot from Rowan as we take a break. Back with Roman fighting out of Rowan’s fist vice around the head.

The Superman Punch connects and everyone is down but here’s Luke Harper. Bryan gets up as Harper beats up the lumberjacks but Bryan is on him as the big brawl breaks out. Roman hits the big dive over the top to drop everyone, leaving Rowan to throw Ali at Roman to take him down. Back in and Rowan hits a crossbody for two but the Iron Claw is broken up. Reigns Superman Punches Rowan but Harper comes in to drop Reigns. Bryan knees Harper and the spear finishes Rowan at 8:54.

Rating: C+. It was an entertaining brawl and I want to see the tag match on Sunday, though I have almost no idea where the story is going after that match. Bryan seems to be a face again and unless there is a heck of a twist coming, I’m not sure how many more directions they can take with the whole thing.

We look at the Rock and Becky beating up Corbin.

Smackdown World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston

Kofi is defending. The F5 makes Brock champion in six seconds.

Post match here are Rey Mysterio and CAIN VELASQUEZ as Brock looks like he’s seen a ghost. Cain takes him down with a double leg and the scared Brock bails in a hurry. Brock teases coming back to the ring but backs off and walks away as we’re off the air at 9:58.

Overall Rating: D+. And really, that’s being pretty generous. This show felt like a mess as everything was being crammed together to try and get everything they could in. The opening segment was the longest part of the night and it went on way longer than it needed to. The show should settle down a bit next week and the big angle at the end worked really well, but egads this show was crammed full of stuff and a lot of it really didn’t work. It wasn’t a terrible show but this needed a third hour or to be spread over two weeks. Hopefully next week is better because they stumbled coming out of the gate.

Results

Becky Lynch/Charlotte b. Bayley/Sasha Banks – Figure Eight to Bayley

Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura went to a no contest when the Fiend interfered

Kevin Owens b. Shane McMahon – Owens pulled down the briefcase

Braun Strowman/Heavy Machinery/Miz b. Robert Roode/Dolph Ziggler/AJ Styles/Randy Orton – Powerslam to Ziggler

Roman Reigns b. Erick Rowan – Spear

Brock Lesnar b. Kofi Kingston – F5

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Smackdown
Date: September 24, 2019
Location: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

Now this could be interesting, and by interesting I mean a show that is going to be nothing more than a commercial for next Friday. Therefore, I’m not sure how many angles you would want to set up as next week is going to be the big introduction. In other words, this could see some culminations, but it could also see a bunch of standing around while we wait for the show that matters next week. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Erick Rowan turning on Daniel Bryan for suggesting that they were equals. Last week, Luke Harper and Rowan beat down Bryan and Roman Reigns.

Here is Rowan for an opening chat. Rowan calls that recap a thing of brilliance before explaining that the crowd sees him as less than human. Now though, might makes right so Reigns and Bryan know that he’s right. That’s why everyone is afraid, so here’s Bryan to quite the positive crowd reaction. Bryan wastes no time and demands a fight right now. Here’s a referee and we’re on.

Daniel Bryan vs. Erick Rowan

Bryan goes right for him to start but gets knocked outside for a crossbody. Back in and Rowan hits a spinning kick to the face and we take an early break. We come back with Bryan getting powerbombed into the post and having to dive back inside to beat the count. A dropkick to the leg takes Rowan down though and Bryan wraps the knee around the post a few times.

Another dropkick sends the knee into the post but Rowan is fine enough to catch him in something close to a Jackhammer for two. The bearhug works on Bryan’s back and a jackknife gets two more. We take another break and come back again with Bryan reversing a powerbomb attempt into a sunset flip for two and sending Bryan outside. The suicide dive is blocked so Bryan posts him instead, setting up the missile dropkick to the back.

It’s full on face mode Bryan as he kicks away to the shoulder and the big one actually connects to the head for once….and one. The Iron Claw is countered into a guillotine choke and then the LeBell Lock draws in Luke Harper for the distraction. Bryan dives onto him as well but Harper pops up, allowing Rowan to pull Bryan over the top with the Iron Claw, but Bryan’s foot gets tied in the rope for one of those accidents you can only get in wrestling. Everyone gets together to get Bryan out of the ropes so another Iron Claw can give Rowan the pin at 17:58.

Rating: C+. Rowan is getting a rather strong push at the moment and that’s something you don’t see very often. Sometimes you just need to do something new and pushing the Bludgeon Brothers as main event monsters is an idea that could go somewhere. I like what we’ve seen so far and the tag match should be pretty good.

Post match Harper and Rowan load up the table but it’s Roman Reigns coming out for the save. The brawl continues with Bryan getting back into it and hitting the running knee on Harper. Reigns spears Rowan down and the good guys stand tall. Bryan seems to have hurt his leg on the running knee (could be due to the rope thing) but slaps Reigns’ hand away as he tries to offer some help. Bryan grabs a mic and issues the challenge for the tag match, presumably for next week. The fans give that quite the YES.

Video on Brock Lesnar.

We get another sitdown interview with Michael Cole talking to Kofi Kingston. After explaining how to put your hips into his name, Kofi talks about how you can’t really train for Lesnar. He’s beaten a bunch of the best in WWE already though and he can beat Lesnar too. Kofi is glad to be at the forefront of the move to FOX and is ready to defeat Lesnar and retain the title.

Here’s Chad Gable for a chat. Yeah he lost in the King of the Ring finals, but he’s not done fighting. Cue Mike Kanellis, who isn’t here to cut him short. He’s here to prove to his wife that size does matter.

Mike Kanellis vs. Chad Gable

Gable suplexes him to start and hits Rolling Chaos Theory to set up the ankle lock for the tap at 23 seconds.

Post match here’s Elias on screen to say hey shorty. Gable has inspired him to write a song about Gable being an underdog, who happens to be short. It’s because Gable is short. IT’S FUNNY!

We recap Carmella stealing the 24/7 Title from R-Truth.

Charlotte runs into R-Truth and asks about Carmella, who is teaming with her tonight. Truth: “I don’t know anyone named Carmella, and I especially don’t know anyone named Carmella.” Carmella comes out and ensures Charlotte that she is focused.

The announcers thank USA for having them.

Charlotte/Carmella vs. Bayley/Sasha Banks

Banks works on Carmella’s arm to little effect to start and Graves gets distracted by Carmella dancing. Carmella gets sent to the floor and goes ribs first into the barricade so Bayley can yell at her about how she hasn’t changed. Back in and Carmella dives over for the tag to Charlotte so house can be cleaned. The Figure Four goes on but Banks makes the save with the Meteora. That’s fine with Charlotte, who hits an over the shoulder Stunner. The Figure Four is broken up again and Carmella tags herself back in for some superkicks. A headscissors is countered into a Bank Statement to make Carmella tap at 5:18.

Rating: C-. Totally standard tag match here with Carmella taking the fall as she should have. There wasn’t much to be seen here as Charlotte gave Bayley a lot of trouble and we should be getting a rematch next Sunday. Banks was kept strong as well and it’s not like Carmella losing means anything as her comedy stuff will keep her going for a long time.

Post match Truth has to carry Carmella to safety from the invading women’s locker room. Banks and Bayley keep up the beatdown but Becky Lynch makes the save.

Ali vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Non-title. Ali starts fast by dropkicking Nakamura to the floor for a SCARY suicide dive, with Ali landing on top of his head. Thankfully he’s right back up and hits a high crossbody for two but Nakamura sends him head first into the post and we take a break. Back with Ali hitting a few kicks to the head, setting up the rolling X Factor. Ali dropkicks him down for two more but Nakamura is right back with the sliding German suplex.

Kinshasa is superkicked down for two and the reverse exploder is countered into a rollup for the same. The tornado DDT puts Nakamura down but Sami Zayn pulls him away from the 450. That’s fine with Ali, who dives over the referee to take Nakamura down. Ali makes the mistake of going after Sami though and runs into Kinshasa for the pin at 7:02.

Rating: C. Ali is going to kill someone with those dives one day but he makes the matches fun to watch with the heart he puts into them. I’m glad they didn’t go with the champ getting pinned, though I’m not sure who is going to challenge Nakamura for the title next week. It’s not like they’re going to win the title anyway.

We recap Kevin Owens getting fired and suing Shane McMahon as a result.

Big E./Xavier Woods vs. B Team

Axel dances at Woods to start and gets dropkicked in the face for his efforts. Some stomping in the corner works a bit better for Axel and we hit the chinlock. Dallas gets two off a DDT but it’s time for the B Train, with Big E. joining in. The distraction lets Big E. get the tag and the Midnight Hour is good for the pin at 2:30.

Post match Big E. goes over to celebrate with some San Francisco 49ers.

Mandy Rose is proud of being on the cover of Maxim Australia and hands out some magazines. Sonya Deville tells her to focus on their match. They run into Otis, who takes a selfie with Mandy and takes a magazine. Tucker comes up to ask what he’s doing but seems to approve of the magazine instead.

Fire & Desire vs. Kabuki Warriors

Oh hey the Warriors still exist. Mandy gives Graves an autographed copy of Maxim and he won’t let Saxton see it. Asuka kicks Sonya down but Sana comes in and gets knocked outside. That lets Mandy hold up the magazine, with Kairi kicking it away. Back in and Sane snaps off a headscissors to put Mandy in the corner but Sonya gets in a cheap shot. Sane is fine enough to get over for the hot tag to Asuka and house is cleaned in a hurry. The kick to the face gets two on Mandy as everything breaks down. Asuka drops Mandy with another kick and the Insane Elbow is good for the pin at 4:18.

Rating: D+. Totally run of the mill match here and it’s nice to have the Warriors back. That being said, it’s another case of throwing various matches out there and setting up title matches, though it’s not like I have any reason to believe that WWE is seriously going to push the Warriors.

Here are Shane McMahon and a bunch of lawyers to deal with Kevin Owens’ lawsuit. Now, Shane can fight this in court and use his resources to ruin Owens’ life. Or Owens can drop the lawsuit and be reinstated, with Shane getting rid of the $100,000 fine as well. Shane offers him a handshake but Owens calls him an idiot.

The idea of the lawsuit makes him sick because Owens wants Shane out of the locker room period. That’s what everyone has wanted for so long: seeing Shane get fired. Owens wants one final match: career vs. career and let’s make it a ladder match. For some reason Shane’s mic is cut off but he says you’re on. No date is given.

We cut to the back for a very last second Becky interview, where she says she’s ready for Sasha in the Cell. Sasha comes up from behind and sends Becky face first into a conveniently placed piece of cage, which she then rams into Becky’s ribs to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. There was some energy to this one but as expected it was more about setting the table for later than anything major on this show. That being said, by this time next week, no one is going to remember this show at all because it’s a whole new world next Friday. At least they set some things up for next week and next Sunday and the show wasn’t that bad. Just mostly skippable, which is a status I can accept.

Results

Erick Rowan b. Daniel Bryan – Iron Claw

Chad Gable b. Mike Kanellis – Ankle lock

Bayley/Sasha Banks b. Charlotte/Carmella – Bank Statement to Carmella

Shinsuke Nakamura b. Ali – Kinshasa

New Day b. B Team – Midnight Hour to Dallas

Kabuki Warriors b. Fire & Desire – Insane Elbow to Rose

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: September 23, 2019
Location: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young

We’re in kind of a strange place this week as next week will be one of the busiest and most important that WWE has ever seen. Based on all of those changes, this week’s show doesn’t mean as much, but WWE is trying to make it interesting by having a #1 contenders match for a World Title match next week, even though the title is on the line next Sunday. Let’s get to it.

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

The Then Now and Forever video is taken over by the Fiend, sending us into a recap of last week’s issues between Bray Wyatt and Seth Rollins.

Here’s Rollins for an opening chat. Last week he was attacked by five people and then the living embodiment of a nightmare was right next to his face. There’s a monster waiting for him next week but he’ll do what he always does: survive and prevail. Cue Braun Strowman, who doesn’t like Rollins saying he prevailed over him. Rollins says Strowman can do something about it and a match seems to be made for tonight. They’ve been getting better at these opening sequences. There was a recap before Rollins came out and they were in a commercial by 8:12. If you have to do these talking segments, at least make them fast like this.

Good Brothers vs. Viking Raiders

AJ Styles is here with the Brothers. Erik throws Anderson around to start and Ivar comes in for a knee to the head. The slam drops Ivar onto Anderson so it’s off to Gallows for a change. AJ gets in a cheap shot on Ivar so Gallows can take over and that’s an ejection. Cue Cedric Alexander to jump AJ and we take a break.

Back with Ivar fighting out of the corner and handing it off to Erik to strike away. Everything breaks down and the springboard clothesline/German suplex combination is broken up by Anderson. The Boot of Doom hits Erik for two but the Magic Killer is broken up. Ivar comes back in and the Viking Experience is good for the pin at 10:44.

Rating: C+. This was all about having two teams hit each other rather hard for ten minutes and that’s all it needed to be. The Raiders almost have to be next in line for the Tag Team Titles as there is no one left to stand in their way other than the champs. Other than the AOP, who is supposed to stop them?

Robert Roode promises to win the five way and become GLORIOUS next week.

Michael Cole has a sitdown interview with Becky Lynch. First up, why would Becky want to face Sasha Banks inside the Cell? Becky loves the idea of Sasha being on a hot streak because she can’t make history on her own. Yeah Banks has been in the lone Cell match in women’s history but she lost. Who cares if Bayley is going to be running around ringside? Becky wants Sasha at her best, because Becky certainly will be.

Rusev vs. EC3

The fans want Lana and commentary makes it clear that Rusev isn’t the father of Maria Kanellis’ son. EC3 goes straight at him to start and gets knocked back without much effort. Some suplexes send EC3 flying and the jumping superkick sets up the Accolade for the tap at 1:41.

Rey Mysterio doesn’t think it’s impossible for him to win the #1 contenders match tonight. Thanks to Dominick he’s still here and now he has a chance. Tonight’s match is dedicated to Dominick.

Sasha Banks vs. Nikki Cross

Bayley and Alexa Bliss are here too. Sasha drives her into the corner to start and hits the running slap, only to get run over with a shoulder. Back up and Banks gets in some shots to the face, setting up an armdrag into the armbar. The chinlock doesn’t last long so Nikki goes with a crossbody for two.

They head outside with Nikki grabbing a sleeper until Sasha drops backwards for the crash (nasty looking one too) and we take a break. Back with Nikki sending her to the apron but getting kneed in the face. A slingshot Meteora gives Banks two but she misses a charge in the corner. Nikki hits some forearms and a bulldog out of the corner gets two.

Sasha is right back with a twist of the leg but Nikki sends her outside and hits a running crossbody off the apron. With Banks still staggered, Nikki ties her in the ring skirt and hammers away, followed by the Purge back inside. Bliss and Bayley get in a fight though and the delay lets Banks roll through a high crossbody into the Bank Statement for the tap at 15:33.

Rating: C-. That was a good bit longer than it needed to be and well done for making a champion tap out twice in two weeks. There really was no one else that could be put in this role whatsoever and the best result was to have the champ lose again. The match was only hurt by the length, though to their credit they never seemed to run out of things to do, which is more than some people can say.

The OC is annoyed so AJ is going to win the five way tonight.

Brock Lesnar is back next week.

The Street Profits hype up the five way before talking about Ricochet being accused of being the father of Maria’s son. Cue Miz to make two announcements: his second daughter was born last Friday and next Monday, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan will be on MizTV.

We see Brock Lesnar returning and challenging Kofi Kingston for the first Smackdown on FOX. Kofi accepted and got F5ed.

Lacey Evans vs. Ember Moon

Lacey throws a napkin at her and gets knocked down in a hurry. Ember sends her to the apron but gets caught with the slingshot dropkick to get knocked outside. Back in and we hit the chinlock for a bit as Natalya is watching backstage. The slingshot Bronco Buster gets two more and it’s back to the chinlock.

Back up and the Woman’s Right is blocked, allowing Ember to hit an enziguri to start the comeback. Lacey gets sent outside but gets Ember hung upside down by her feet above the floor. That’s fine with Ember, as she pulls herself up and kicks off the apron into an Eclipse on the floor. After that awesome move gets two, Lacey breaks up the regular Eclipse with the Woman’s Right and finishes with the Sharpshooter at 5:14.

Rating: D+. The Lacey vs. Natalya feud has all the legs of a bowling ball but that has never stopped WWE before. Why I would want to see a rematch between them is beyond me and I don’t even know why Lacey is doing this after their previous matches. That Eclipse was awesome though, even if Moon continues to flounder.

Natalya says if Lacey wants a rematch, she better be ready to tap out.

It’s time for the Firefly Fun House, with Bray hanging pictures on his Wall of Friendship. This one is blank and Bray says there is always room for one more. Huskus and Ramblin are fighting over a Seth Rollins action figure because they’re such big fans of Seth. Bray says you have to share because if you love something so much, it can make you weak. He knows what it’s like to be abandoned by those you love most. Ramblin doesn’t want the Fiend to hurt Seth, but Bray says the Fiend doesn’t like to share. The two of them can though, so Bray breaks the figure in half. Sharing is caring and he’ll see you in h***.

R-Truth and Carmella run to the ring with the Mob not far behind. Carmella says hang on though and grabs the mic. They need a break because this has been going on for four months now. Truth isn’t worried because his clown friend is giving them a ride to Derry, Maine. Carmella says she can’t do this anymore….and rolls him up for the pin and the title. What took them so long to get there? Renee: “Graves! You can finally consummate the 24/7 Title!” Cue the women’s locker room so Truth gives her a ride out of the arena. The regular Mob isn’t sure what to do. Graves: “Great night to be me.”

Bayley and Sasha Banks give the terribly scripted speech about beating Becky soon.

Sami Zayn gives Shinsuke Nakamura a pep talk before the five way but Nakamura shushes him.

Baron Corbin vs. Chad Gable

Corbin has a new crown and cape (which looks like the Barbarian’s version from about 1991), plus a remixed entrance song. Hold on though as Corbin has to get in some short jokes before the bell. Gable’s waistlock is thrown outside and we’re in the very early chinlock. Gable is back up with a spinning armdrag and a flip neckbreaker to send Corbin outside. One heck of a toss over the barricade sees Gable knocking out some security guards and we take a break.

Back with Corbin getting two off his under the rope clothesline and the chinlock goes on again. Gable fights up and hits a middle rope crossbody but Corbin sends him into the corner for a running clothesline. Corbin makes sure to soak in the booing and point at his crown and cape though as he is slowly getting this heel thing. Another sliding clothesline is cut off by the Liger Kick and a few more connect in the corner.

The moonsault is broken up with a crotching and a chokeslam gets two. For some reason Corbin goes to the middle rope but lands throat first on top, allowing Gable to hit a German suplex. This time the moonsault connects for two and the ankle lock goes on. Corbin can’t make the rope (which he’s next to) so he grabs the scepter and knocks Gable silly for the DQ at 14:55.

Rating: B-. Not as good as last week’s match but this extends the feud and makes Gable look like he has a future. Corbin is getting a lot better at the heel stuff and has gotten better over the course of the tournament. Again: he has always had a place around here, as long as they don’t go into complete overkill with him.

Post match Corbin lays Gable out with the scepter a few more times.

We get another AOP sitdown interview with the two of them promising to show us who they are. They get up and go into the hallway to beat up two people (one of whom looked like Heath Slater) before going back into the dark room and saying that’s who they are.

Rey Mysterio vs. Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles vs. Robert Roode

Non-title, elimination rules and the winner gets a Universal Title shot next week. Sami Zayn is here with Nakamura for a bonus. Roode heads straight to the floor to start so Ricochet and Rey hit a headscissors each, allowing Rey to roll him up for one. Instead of going after each other again, it’s a pair of dives to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Ricochet kicking Nakamura in the face but missing a dive to the floor, allowing AJ to clothesline him down. Roode throws Rey outside for the inadvertent sliding splash to Ricochet, leaving AJ and Roode to glare at each other. As the TNA chants begin, they decide to beat up Ricochet instead, only to turn on each other seconds later (well duh).

Nakamura gives Ricochet a gordbuster and knees him in the head but Ricochet flips out of the reverse exploder. Ricochet knocks him to the floor and gets the showdown with Rey. Cue AJ to break that up pretty quickly though, only to get dropkicked down instead. The Recoil hits Roode but Ricochet walks into Kinshasa for the first elimination at 9:45. Back from a break with Mysterio getting the worst of a Tower of Doom and Roode covering everyone for two each.

Nakamura hits the middle rope knee for two on Roode and a sliding knee gets the same on AJ. Rey is back up with a 619 to Nakamura but AJ suplexes Rey on the apron. The Phenomenal Forearm gets rid of Nakamura at 17:44 and the Glorious DDT finishes Styles at 18:03. We’re down to Roode vs. Mysterio and the fans come alive for Rey. The Glorious DDT is countered but the 619 is cut off with a spinebuster for two. Rey is right back up with the 619 into the springboard splash for the pin and the title shot at 20:04.

Rating: C+. The match was fun and Rey winning is a safe pick. He’ll have a good match with Rollins and even if he loses, it’s not like it’s going to hurt anything. It helps that Rey has the slightest glimmer of stealing the title as Wyatt beating him to win the title would work as well. Good match and a better result so nicely done.

Rollins says congratulations to Rey and he’s ready to face both Mysterio and Fiend next week because that’s what he does.

Seth Rollins vs. Braun Strowman

Non-title. Strowman starts fast by running Rollins over with the referee having to check on him. Rollins gets knocked to the floor in a heap and we take a break. Back with Rollins fighting out of a bearhug and dropkicking the knee. The Pedigree is easily broken up and Rollins bails to the floor.

For once Rollins is smart enough to avoid the charging Strowman by jumping over the barricade, though Strowman is fine enough to throw him down anyway. Back in and Strowman charges into some boots in the corner and then the post for a bonus. Seth wraps the leg around the post and hits a pair of frog splashes for two.

A suicide dive doesn’t knock Strowman down so Rollins hits a second to take him down. For some reason Rollins tries a third and stumbles a bit, allowing Strowman to chokeslam him onto the apron. The running powerslam hits on the floor so Strowman loads up another one in the ring….and there go the lights. They come back on with Strowman in the Fiend’s Mandible Claw for the DQ at 12:30.

Rating: C+. I liked what we got well enough and I’ll take Strowman winning via DQ and getting knocked out over Rollins pinning him again and taking away even more of Strowman’s status. The Fiend interference isn’t shocking but that doesn’t make it a bad idea, as taking out someone like Strowman is a little more impressive for him.

Post match Strowman is out as Rollins cowers in the corner, even screaming a bit as the Fiend crawls to him. Strowman gets up so Fiend claws him down again and glares a lot as the lights go out to end the show with more laughter.

Overall Rating: B. Strong show here with mostly good wrestling throughout and a nice segment at the end to make the Fiend look even more intimidating. That’s what they have to do with so little time between pay per views and at this point, he almost has to win the title. Other than that, things are building towards next week, which should be a heck of a time for WWE. Now if only they can live up to the hype/pressure for once.

Results

Viking Raiders b. Good Brothers – Viking Experience to Anderson

Rusev b. EC3 – Accolade

Sasha Banks b. Nikki Cross – Bank Statement

Lacey Evans b. Ember Moon – Sharpshooter

Chad Gable b. Baron Corbin via DQ when Corbin used the scepter

Rey Mysterio b. Robert Roode, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and Ricochet – Springboard splash to Roode

Braun Strowman b. Seth Rollins via DQ when the Fiend interfered

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

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

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

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