Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 3
Date: August 10, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

We’re down to the semifinals this week and that means we should be in for some more interesting matches. It almost hast o be better than last week’s show, which really did not live up to the hype. Hopefully this one is an improvement, but you never know what you might get around here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

The announcers recap and preview.

Semifinals: Nightmare Sisters vs. Big Swole/Lil Swole

Brandi and Allie have the Natural Nightmares with them and we also get to meet Lil Bran Bran (the action figures), which dive to the floor (to Dustin Rhodes) before we’re ready to go. Lil and Brandi trade rollups for two each and it’s Allie coming in to work on Lil’s arm. It’s off to Big to take Allie into the corner for dancing and stomping. The Swoles hit a double stomp and a northern lights suplex connects. Lil dives onto Marshall, sending Brandi over to check out the action figure.

Back in and Brandi stomps on Lil in the corner, followed by some knees and shoulders to the ribs. Brandi scores with a superkick and has to be pulled off from the mounted right hands. Lil gets in a snap suplex but Brandi takes her back over for the tag to Allie. Choking in the corner ensues and we get a Paisan elbow for two.

The pump kick misses for Brandi and a butterfly suplex allows the tag to Big. Brandi stops to check on her action figure as Big hits a side slam for two. Everything breaks down and Brandi is sent outside, where we see Britt Baker yelling at Big. That’s enough to allow Allie to hit her reverse DDT to pin Lil at 8:31.

Rating: D. Well it was an improvement over last week as the most obvious push to the finals (and likely the win) ever continues. Brandi has a bunch of things to push so they needed the tournament to serve as a big commercial for both Heels and her action figure, so it’s not like they had another choice. Not a good match of course, but at least Lil looked good in short doses.

Semifinals: Anna Jay/Tay Conti vs. Diamante/Ivelisse

The Dark Order is here with Anna and then walk away before the bell. Conti and Ivelisse strike it out to start with Ivelisse taking her out to the apron. That earns her a choke from Conti and it’s quickly off to Jay for a dropkick on Diamante. Jay is sent face first into Ivelisse’s raised boots and a flapjack gets two. Ivelisse hammers away with right hands and Diamante feeds her into a kick to the face.

A suplex sets up the cravate and it’s back to Ivelisse for a double underhook crank. Jay finally fights up and hits a dropkick, allowing the tags to Conti and Diamante. A Widow’s Peak spun into a knee to the face rocks Diamante with Ivelisse making the save. Everything breaks down and it’s a spinning DDT/Stunner from Diamante and Ivelisse. Jay is sent outside and an assisted Sliced Bread finishes Conti at 7:21.

Rating: D+. It was slightly better than the previous match but that might be due to the lack of hype about the action figures. Ivelisse making the finals is a good sign for her future, but it would be better if she had anyone better than Diamante as her partner. The match wasn’t terrible, but it was another meandering match that was hardly interesting in the first place.

Brandi takes credit for saving Allie, who brings up that she got the pin. Brandi admits that she remembered it wrong and praises Allie for their success. We hear more about the action figures and Brandi is off to do some Instagram influencing.

Ivelisse and Diamante talk about their combined history and say they have to do it for their people.

Overall Rating: D. I’ve been very impressed by AEW in their early work but this tournament has been a mess. They’re not even hiding the fact that it’s a glorified commercial for Brandi, the action figures and Heels and the wrestling just isn’t very good. It’s watchable at best and horrible sub-indy level work at worst, making it a pretty bad mark on AEW’s limited history. AEW’s women’s division started off pretty terrible and made a nice comeback, but this has been a pretty terrible downgrade and I can’t wait for the whole thing to just end. Another bad show and thank goodness the finals are on Saturday.

Results

Nightmare Sisters b. Big Swole/Lil Swole – Reverse DDT to Lil

Ivelisse/Diamante b. Tay Conti/Anna Jay – Assisted Sliced Bread to Conti

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

Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 1
Date: August 3, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

This is the first of a special series of shows that are airing before Monday Night Raw for an undetermined number of weeks. The tournament will consist of eight teams and there are some wrestlers being brought in to help fill out the bracket. That begins tonight, with two names making their debut this time around. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Tony and Veda give us a quick welcome.

Shaul Guerrero (Eddie and Vickie’s daughter) is ring announcer and brings out Madusa. She is very excited to be here for this important tournament. Can’t you hear how excited she is?

Earlier today, Brandi Rhodes and Allie wound up on the same team. What a coincidence.

Also earlier today, Penelope Ford and Mel were teamed together.

Quarterfinals: Mel/Penelope Ford vs. Nightmare Sisters

This is billed as both a first round match and a first round qualifier. Kip Sabian, Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall are all at ringside. We actually get the history of Brandi bringing Mel into AEW in a story I didn’t think we could talk about anymore. Ford grabs Allie by the hair to start but a headlock is shoved off. Allie knocks Ford down and blows Marshall a kiss before getting two.

Mel tags herself in but takes her time, allowing the Sisters to hit a Paisan elbow. A cheap shot takes Brandi down and Mel rubs her face into the mat. Brandi headlock takeovers her into the corner though and it’s off to Allie for the chops. A swinging neckbreaker gets two but Mel drags her into the corner. That means Ford can come in and rake the eyes across the top rope. Sabian and Marshall get in an argument on the floor, allowing Mel to boot Allie in the face.

Back in and Ford hits a fireman’s carry gutbuster before handing it back to Mel for the choking. Allie manages to knock Ford down but it isn’t enough for the tag. A Stunner drops Ford but she gets over to Mel, who misses a top rope legdrop. The hot tag brings in Brandi to run Mel over and a superkick puts her down again. Brandi Sling Blades Mel for two as everything breaks down. Mel gets in a chokebomb on Brandi but Allie has the referee (possibly by accident) so it’s only two. Brandi hits the spear to finish Mel at 9:03.

Rating: C-. You don’t say that Brandi gets the pin as the only actual team in AEW advances. This was a match that existed and I have a feeling that is going to be the case for most of the tournament. Mel and Ford were a random pairing and that doesn’t quite make the most thrilling opponents for the obvious winners.

We look at Nyla Rose and Ariane being chosen as partners.

Anna Jay draws Tay Conti (formerly Taynara Conti of NXT).

Quarterfinals: Ariane Andrew/Nyla Rose vs. Tay Conti/Anna Jay

The Dark Order is here with Jay and Vickie Guerrero is with Rose. Andrew does continue to have all of the attitude anyone could ever need, which is a part of why she is here. Jay and Andrew start things off with the slapping, followed by a headlock from Andrew. Jay trips her down and does Andrew’s pose but Andrew….I think stomps her in the back and lands in the splits before getting two. Rose won’t tag in and Jay’s rollup gets her own two.

Everything breaks down and Rose grabs both of them for a double chokeslam. We settle down to Conti kicking Rose in the face for two but Jay gets powerslammed for the same. A clothesline drops Jay again and it’s off to Andrew for one of her own. Rose comes back in but gets taken down with a chop block to give Jay two.

It’s back to Conti for one off a rollup before wrapping the leg around the ropes. Rose shoves her away and makes the hot tag to Andrew for a not great sitout bulldog on Conti. Everything breaks down and Rose saves Andrew from a double suplex. A double clothesline puts Jay and Conti down but Rose’s leg is bothering her. Andrew’s snap suplex hits Conti but Jay comes in with a neckbreaker to finish Andrew at 8:47.

Rating: D. This was disappointing as while it wasn’t good, it wasn’t the train wreck that you would expect from the people involved. Jay and Conti make more sense advancing, mainly because they don’t want Andrew wrestling more than once. If this is just a one off appearance then fine, but I was hoping for…well less actually.

Post match Rose (who Tony calls the Women’s Champion) lays out Andrew with a clothesline as Guerrero is rather pleased. Conti and Andrew hug for no explained (or acknowledged) reason.

Brandi felt like a star out there, which is what she has always known she was. Allie asks her to slow down and thinks she did well too. They know they are going to win, with Brandi bragging about her action figure and Instagram followers. They’re off to have a drink.

Conti and Jay know they are pretty and dangerous but Jay doesn’t want to talk about the Dark Order.

Tony wraps it up.

Overall Rating: D+. This was about what I was expecting: a show that doesn’t feel important, didn’t have the best action, and is something that will likely be forgotten outside of advertisements on Dynamite and Dark. It was far from terrible or even bad, but it isn’t anything I’m going to be overly excited about seeing no matter what. Odds are we have four weeks of this and if that’s all, it’s not going to be the worst time.

 

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