Raw Results and Review 5/29

Tonight’s Memorial Day edition of Monday Raw comes to you live from Greenville, North Carolina! We’re going to seen grown men in underwear fight for a belt because we find it severely entertaining. We have a triple threat match between Bray Wyatt, Samoa Joe, and Finn Balor to headline the evening, and we should see some buildup for Sunday’s Extreme Rules! As always, like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling! Forgive the inebriation on this holiday celebration!

Miz TV

We’ve got The Miz and Maryse hyping Sunday’s Intercontinental Title match and Tag Title Match with Cesaro and Sheamus to kick off tonight’s show, as Raw again starts off with a promo segment. Pretty typical stuff here, but also prepping for two of the more emotionally invested feuds. Of course, Dean Ambrose interrupts as the heels discuss their credentials and issues with their opponents. I should point out that Sheamus and Cesaro have the best legitimate beef here, since they were true faces prior to the Hardy Boyz entering the picture. Stories based in reality are always intriguing.

Ambrose is taunted for coming out to a 3 on 1 before saying he may be crazy, but he isn’t stupid, and the Hardyz come out in support, setting up a 6 man tag match to start the action tonight. Good, yet predictable start to the show.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Sheamus, Cesaro, and The Miz (w/Maryse) vs Dean Ambrose and The Hardy Brotherz

At least they’re building for Sunday’s PPV. Two ongoing feuds building toward a conclusion is exactly how PPV buildups are supposed to work. Build investment from the fans. Make them care. It’s a good thing, if not a bit flawed of late.

In the end the face team wins because Cesaro and Sheamus have to win on Sunday. It is ridiculous how often the heels have lost in this feud.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Eliaz Samson vs Zac Evans

Squash. Samson wins, because of course the drifter wins. Good way to build him.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Finn Balor vs Bray Wyatt vs Samoa Joe

About what you’d expect when you put three of the best performers into a match together. A back and forth effort with moments where the heels team up on the face, and where each wrestler gets time to shine.

A really good match, with some great psychology. Don’t trust Wyatt. Joe will capitalize on anything. Balor is the best. The match ends when Balor gives Wyatt a Coup de Grace, but Samoa Joe grabs Balor before he can make the pin and throws him into the ring post, pinning Wyatt to get the W.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Rich Swann (w/Sasha Banks) vs Noam Dar (w/Alicia Fox)

Setting up for Sunday’s mixed tag match, we’re now shoving Rich Swann into the shit feud of Sasha Banks and Alicia Fox. I mean, the match isn’t horrible, but the feud itself is so annoying that I’m giving it the corresponding rating…

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Touché, WWE, way to make for some subtle consistency with The Revival and the quiet cameo from last week… Even better with planting seeds of doubt with Enzo and Cass…

Titus O’Neil (w/Apollo Crews) vs Kalisto

I don’t know what is going on with this feud. Seems like simple filler to take up portion of an overly long show. O’Neil gets the win, and Apollo Crews is stuck in the same weird spot he was in prior to moving to Raw.

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Alexa Bliss promo

So, now we’re just taking the old Mankind shtick and having Bliss give a sinister version of it? I mean… this was a really long, drawn out snore. I’d say it was a set-back for the women’s division, but this same segment has been seen time and time again with the men.

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Austin Aries and Jack Gallagher vs Neville and TJP

Same match we’ve seen over and over, but at least it was still an entertaining watch. I mean, TJP has found a real grove as a heel, and it’s an absolute pleasure to watch. Neville and Aries have made the division better by making their peers better, and the match even had Neville tap out, making you think Aries really can pull it off and dethrone the King of the Cruiserweights.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Seth Rollins vs Roman Reigns

You know, Reigns may grate me, but damn can he wrestle. This match was fantastic, with near falls at every turn. The suicide dives, frog splash, and even attempted Phoenix Splash were tremendous high spots from Rollins, while Reigns sold well, came across as cocky when needed, and played the in-ring psychology wonderfully as he worked Rollins’ rips.

In the end, after missing the Phoenix Splash, Rollins succumbed to Reigns, as a spear closes out a wonderful match that certainly sets up for a fun match Sunday.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

This show was another one that could have benefited from a shorter runtime. A 2 hour show would have meant a much higher grade, assuming the crap in the middle was cut out to streamline it. I’m not against the long runtime of Raw, honestly, I just wish they did more with it. In the end, the five main eventers shined bright, but the time in between their matches really dragged out.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

SmackDown Live Results and Review 5/23

Following an entertaining Backlash (in my opinion anyway), SmackDown comes to us (DVRed) live from Toledo, Ohio. Jinder Mahal will make his first appearance as the WWE Champion, and we’ll see what the consequences will be from the PPV. What’s next for The Face of America, Kevin Owens? AJ Styles remember he should be chasing the WWE Championship? Does Shinsuke Nakamura move on from Dolph Ziggler? Did Randy Orton bore himself into a coma? We’ll find out tonight! Please make sure to like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling!

Shane McMahon announces Money in the Bank participants

Another WWE show starting with a promo. Surprise, surprise…

Honestly, this was a pretty solid opener though. It establishes the MITB match as the next big event, and even teases tension between Kevin Owens and Shane (next AJ Styles or Miz build I assume). The participants all make sense, although it does mean we probably aren’t getting a US Title defense at the PPV, which is unfortunate. Rolling the big rivalries from the last few weeks into one giant clash should be fun though.

Only question; where is Handsome Rusev!?

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Becky Lynch and Charlotte vs Natalya and Carmella

Because we need to give the faces the win, basically washing out the heel win from Sunday, right? This feud, or whatever it is, is just horrible, and does no good for the women’s division.

The face team wins. I refuse to say more.

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Sami Zayn vs Baron Corbin

I’m really glad this feud is kind of being bled into the other feuds for Money in the Bank. I mean, it’s cool to see Zayn winning, and this match was a quick roll-up win for him again, but I still struggle to see this feud helping either guy.

Post match we see a brutal beat down by a frustrated Corbin on Zayn, at least making up for the lack of one Sunday. A monster heel needs this kind of reaction, and it really does partially save the feud from being a total disaster.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Jinder Mahal Championship Celebration

Well, you were waiting for Randy Orton to show up and RKO the new Champ, but instead, we just got reminded that it is incredibly awkward when a supposedly international company uses a persons heritage to build ‘heel’ heat. To top it off, Mahal is Canadian! It’s difficult to justify this kind of promo in the 21st Century. I really wish they would just let Jinder Mahal work as a callous heel…

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Breezango vs The Usos (2 singles matches and a tag title match)

Breezango continue to entertain, and it’s a shame they didn’t close the deal here. Fandango and Tyler Breeze both won singles matches in quick fashion against The Usos to set up for an impromptu Tag Team Championship rematch. I really would have loved to see a title reign from these guys, and think Breezango vs The New Day would have been classic!

Alas, The Usos did win the rematch, effectively ending the chances of a Breezango title reign in the near future, but they have given us hope for the SmackDown Live tag division.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles vs Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler

Following the same formula that Raw has been following with the 5 men involved in their #1 contenders match, SmackDown takes a couple of the face competitors from the Money in the Bank Ladder match and pits them against a couple of the heels. Really is a great matchup on paper though, as Styles, KO, and Nakamura are widely looked at as some of the best in the world, and Ziggler is as underrated as they come.

Of course we get a match with the usual heel/face tag dynamic, with KO and Ziggler cornering and beating on Nakamura, teasing with near hot tags, ultimately waiting for that moment when Nakamura is successful and we get the massive face-pop that always happens in these matches. We get it again with Styles in the second half of the match. In the end, Nakamura his the Kinshasa on KO and the face team gets the win in a pretty solid match.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

Ok show with a great start, a fun finish, and a muddled middle. I really am looking forward to the Money in the Bank ladder match. The women’s division has taken a huge step back though, and the Zayn/Corbin feud feels counter-productive. I actually think the Mahal Championship reign is genuinely shocking, but the ethnic stereotypes feel blatantly racist in this day and age. Wrestling isn’t ever going to be known for its forward thinking on nationalities, ethnicities, or gender, but the last month feels like a blow to the little progress the WWE has actually made.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Raw Results and Review 5/22

We now know that Extreme Rules will feature a Fatal 5-Way match between Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, and Finn Balor to determine the number 1 contender for Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship. The Red Brand will begin building to the big match tonight in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and try not to be completely overshadowed by the great SmackDown Live PPV from last night. Should be an interesting show! Please don’t forget to like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling!

Bray Wyatt promo

Another great promo, but another empty promo. He masterfully works the mic, but Bray Wyatt also can’t be taken seriously. He loses every feud, rarely wins on a PPV, and is treated like a fringe player by the WWE. He can put down Rollins, Joe, Balor, and Reigns, but all four of them are more legitimate threats to Brock Lesnar to the fans because of how they’ve all been built.

As Wyatt discusses Reigns, Roman Reigns’ music hits to cut him off. They both lay claim to Lesnar, and Kurt Angle comes out to announce a match. Another day, another show opening promo segment.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Roman Reigns vs Bray Wyatt

We’ll have to find out how this match plays out… We get the answer pretty quickly, as Samoa Joe comes downs to the ring and attempts to sway Wyatt into helping beat down Roman Reigns. When he does join in, Joe attacks Wyatt. Rollins soon joins the fray, and the two former Shield members stand tall after Roman Reigns gets the DQ win. At least it builds the story for Extreme Rules.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Akira Tazawa vs Ariya Daivari

Tazawa wins a quick squash match. Couple of quick spots, and sets up for a match against The Brian Kendrick on tomorrow’s 205 Live, but not much to really talk about here.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Elias Samson vs Dean Ambrose

The drifter makes his Raw debut! One of the fun little side segments on Raw the last few weeks, Samson finally takes on an actual wrestler, and it’s none other than the Lunatic himself, Dean Ambrose. He draws immediate heat from the crowd as he sings his Johnny Cash-ripoff song, before Ambrose’s music cuts his set short. Nice, fun start. Miz and Maryse on commentary should be good too.

A very good match is cut short when Miz comes to the ring, but instead of attacking Ambrose, he hits Samson, giving Samson a DQ victory in his first match on Raw. Samson hits Ambrose with a swinging neckbreaker as Ambrose chases Miz from the ring to also stand tall. Samson should be a pretty good addition to the midcard.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Finn Balor vs Karl Anderson (w/Luke Gallows)

A Bullet Club reunion as the former stable-mates take each other on. As Balor enters the ring and cuts his promo, Paul Heyman surprises the audience and comes on out to cut his own. Reminding us how much the WWE Universe misses his talents, and his client, Heyman deconstructs each potential #1 Contender. He gets to Balor though, and talks… nice. Showering the Demon King with praise, you know Heyman will drop the hammer on Balor at some point. Heyman even says he is most intrigued by Balor, and even shakes his hand. Balor then tells Heyman he is coming for his title, and The Club finally interrupt and come to the ring.

Balor comes across strong early in the match, but the numbers game eventually sways things back in favor of Anderson. I really would love a WWE Bullet Club, and that’s what I keep thinking during this match. In the end Balor one ups both members of The Club, showing off some great high kicks, a suicide dive, and finally, the Coup de Grace for the W.

Solid segment, and I do want to see Balor and the Beast face off. Please, can we get a Balor title reign though? Great gets knocked up because of how much I enjoyed the potential beginning of the build between Balor and Heyman.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Alicia Fox (w/Noam Dar) vs Sasha Banks

I hate the world sometimes. After 2 terrible matches, we get number 3 this week. Why is this what follows a Balor segment? Why is Fox still in the division? Dana Brooke and Nia Jax would’ve been better to face Banks. Banks wins, which makes sense, but we just didn’t need this match.

Hey look, we get Fox beating down Banks post match, meaning this feud isn’t over. Fuck.

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Kalisto vs Apollo Crews (w/Titus O’Neil) 

Ok, so I really haven’t enjoyed this storyline very much, but I might be coming around. It made sense to give Apollo Crews something rather than the nothing he had been struggling with, and pushing him to develop any character is a good thing. I just can’t get over how bland the story has been so far. Hopefully, Crews shows a dark side tonight.

On another note, why haven’t they moved Kalisto into the cruiserweight division? It could be special. Kalisto actually gets the surprise victory after an inadvertent distraction from Titus. Nothing really happened here. Maybe some tension with O’Neil and Crews, but it’s too early for that…

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Matt Hardy (w/Jeff Hardy) vs Sheamus (w/Cesaro) (winner picks stipulation for Extreme Rules)

So, here we go again with the singles matches between these teams. At least we get a stipulation this time, as the winner will pick the stipulation for the title match.

Of all of the singles matches we’ve seen between these teams the last several weeks, this was easily the best. Both tag partners provided aide to their competing counterparts, and there were some good spots. You can tell Matt is ready to switch to his Broken gimmick with some of the mannerisms and hesitations, but he still competes at a high level.

The biggest shocker isn’t that Matt won (giving the Hardyz another win over Sheamus and Cesaro…), it’s that they selected a cage match as the stipulation. You had to figure a latter match or maybe a street fight was the answer here.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Austin Aries vs Tony Nese (w/Neville)

Well, we’ve got a slight change. Nese gets the call, as TJP apparently has the week off. Neville is still at ringside, supporting Nese in hopes of seeing his rival A-Double get further injured and worn down for their apparent submission match at Extreme Rules.

Austin Aries and Nese put on a servicible match, but the only real outcome here was Nese tapping out and giving Austin Aries a victory. This does indeed happen thanks to the Last Chancery. Could Extreme Rules see an end to Nevilles reign at the top of the cruiserweight mountain? Neville beats Nese down after the match, locking him in the Rings of Saturn while he futilely taps.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Mickie James vs Alexa Bliss

This match has its roots on SmackDown where Mickie James returned to the company to help Bliss against Becky Lynch in her feud for the Women’s title on SmackDown. Now, it’s just a chance for Bliss to get an impressive win over a very good, respected opponent before Extreme Rules. Which is what happens. Whatever happened to Nia Jax being her “best friend”? Did I miss something? Nonetheless, Bliss is incredibly good, and on absolute fire.

After the match, Bliss finds a conveniently located kendo stick under the ring, and proceeds to hit James before Bayley comes for the save. Bayley hesitates to use the kendo stick when she gets it, allowing bliss to escape.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Bray Wyatt and Samoa Joe vs Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins

Mini shield reunion here tonight. We get Reigns and Rollins taking on the rest of the participants in the Fatal 5-Way. Bray plays his games, Reigns sells the pain, and everyone is ready for Extreme Rules.

A bit of a back and forth to get ready for Sunday, but in the end the heels get the win, and we move another week closer to Extreme Rules.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

An ok episode of Raw sees many of the feuds progress as we get closer to Extreme Rules. It was pretty average, with some good spots, some bad, and some mediocre. This episode was always going to struggle following yesterday’s Backlash, but it still managed to be watchable.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

 

 

Backlash Results and Review

Last night we had NXT TakeOver: Chicago, so you know the raucous crowd that always dominates WWE shows in the Windy City is already ramped up for tonight’s Backlash. This means WWE has a lot to do in order to keep this crowd invested. It should be interesting to see how WWE manages this show. Please like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling!

Preshow

Wow, so the preshow just really dragged on and on. One match!? Aiden English and Tye Dillinger was the only match, and if I didn’t have the Network, I would see no reason to pick it up after this mess. Yeah, the hyped each match, but it just didn’t do anything to get me excited for the show. And I genuinely am excited for this show to begin with. I’m dying for the KO/Styles match, and Nakamura/Ziggler could be a classic. Dillinger gets the win in the aforementioned match, but not much to really dwell on.

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Dolph Ziggler vs Shinsuke Nakamura

I don’t think words can explain how excited I have been for this match. I was watching a couple old NJPW matches with Nakamura this week to help get my Strong Style fix, and all it did was make me realize how lucky the WWE is to have the talent they currently have. They just need to learn how to manage it…

Ziggler was also the perfect choice for Nakamura’s debut match. Ziggler has always been a good worker, and a superb seller. When Nakamura strikes Ziggler, it looks extra painful. The flow of Ziggler’s offense also offers a solid counter to the old school, brutal style that Nakamura uses. The match has great flow because of the way these two work.

Nakamura hit’s a brutal knee (Kinshasa; I’ll check on how to spell it eventually…) to finish the match, and of course the right man won. Shinsuke had to win, and Ziggler can certainly afford the loss. Hopefully this is the start of a bright future for Nakamura, and he should be in the WWE title picture soon.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Breezango vs (c)The Usos (Tag Team Championship match)

In the last 2 months, I have become a big fan of The Fashion Police. Breezango have really found their groove with their gimmick, and it shows that sometimes it just takes a little time for a team to find their place in the WWE. I’m very glad they were able to continue experimenting with their characters, even when they were low on the card, because it is really paying off now.

The Usos as heels is also a gimmick that has really gotten over. Gone are the colorful outfits and the face paint. Now they dress in black, give heel promos, and come across as real badass wrestlers. A very effective transition for them.

This match starts with Fandango and a mop weilding janitor. Then we get a grandma (complete with grandma buster). The Usos eventually strip grandma Breeze and throw his dress at JBL, triggering a pop and an appropriate ‘fire Bradshaw’ chant. The Usos get the win in the end, but this match was very entertaining, and I’m really beginning to thing it’s only a matter of time before the Fashion Police get the belts.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Sami Zayn vs Baron Corbin

Eventually, WWE cannot rely on Zayn’s popularity to hold him over. He has to start winning. And more importantly, he needs to win feuds. This is the trickiest match on the card, because SmackDown also needs a monster heel on the roster, and Corbin only fills that role with wins himself. I’m not sure where they’re going with either of these guys anymore.

Sami Zayn always looks like he’s about to die. I haven’t seen many who can sell like him. I know I mentioned how well Ziggler sells earlier, but Zayn is a whole new level. I fear for his wellbeing during most of his matches. He could be facing Kalisto, and you’d think Kalisto was a monster. Also, how different have the paths of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn been since the ‘end’ of their feud last year? One held multiple belts, the other just keeps losing. And the guy who lost the feud is the better off of the two.

Sami Zayn gets the surprise W with a Helluva Kick, and everything I just complained about regarding his constant losing now seems outdated. That said, Corbin can’t be the heel he needs to be losing these matches either. The match was good. I just can’t figure out the logic in booking it to begin with.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Carmella/Tamina/Natalya (w/ James Ellsworth) vs Charlotte/Becky Lynch/Naomi (6 woman tag match)

Why? So much positive momentum in the division, and now we have this match? A match very few actually want. Why not have a 6 woman match for the title? Something more meaningful. I just don’t get the logic here either.

The match is a bit of a snoozer until the chaos at the end, which is common in 6 way tag matches. The shocker was that the Mean Girls won when Natalya locked Becky Lynch in a Sharpshooter. Just when the match felt like something fun might happen, it ends like that.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

(c)Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles (US Championship match)

Another match I have really been looking forward to. AJ Styles has been an incredible pleasure to watch his whole career, and Kevin Owens has found gold with his Face of America shtick. Two of the best wrestlers, and we get it in a US Championship match. Should be fun.

The match plays out like an IWC wet-dream. Both exchange signature moves with ease, and they even tease us with a Styles Clash off the ring apron. Of course the knee comes into play, as Owens wraps it around the post, before going to work on it. Immobilize the speedy Styles as the logic would dictate. This is when we get classic sadistic KO, even featuring a Cannon Ball into the knee. This plays a role the rest of the match, as AJ can’t even hit his Phenomenal Forearm with the bum knee.

Styles hits a Phenomenal Forearm finally on the outside of the ring, setting up for a table spot. Styles attempts a Styles Clash, but his knee slips through an opening in the table. KO roles into the ring as Styles gets tangled up in the cords in the table, getting a count out victory. Smart booking here. Styles still looks like the best in the world before he re-enters the WWE Title picture, and the Face of America can continue his all American summer.

4 Chair Shots out of 5

Erick Rowan vs Luke Harper

This match made more sense on the kickoff, but hey, you needed something to cool off with between the KO/Styles match and the Mahal/Orton match. Luke Harper is super talented, and Rowan can be an interesting character, but they’ll inevitably get forgotten without Bray Wyatt. Well, maybe not Harper, as he did have a half-way interesting run last time the Wyatt Family broke up.

Erick Rowan dominates the majority of the match. Remember when a Jackknife finished matches? Harper gets the win of course with a bit of a wonky finish. I just didn’t feel anything for this match.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

(c)Randy Orton vs Jinder Mahal (w/ The Singh Brothers) (WWE Championship match)

Well, here we are. One of the most controversial bookings of the year features a previous jobber wrestling for the biggest prize in the company in the main event of a PPV. I mean, there are a lot of ways this could play out, but I really just wish they were acknowledging that Jinder Mahal is from Canada. He should be proud of his heritage, but it shouldn’t be exploited.

Surprised that there are any ‘let’s go Jinder’ chants in Chicago. He does look intimidating in the ring. The match itself isn’t horrible. Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton are both slower, more plotting performers. Neither are going to his a Shooting Star anytime soon. But when you acknowledge that reality, you can appreciate that it isn’t horrible. A pre-match attack from Orton, and Superplex spot, the heel targeting a weakened body part. The logic and psychology of the match is solid. That said, this isn’t exactly Match of the Year material.

The Singh Brothers save Mahal after an RKO, which draws The Viper’s ire as he takes them both out. That proves to be a distraction though. Jinder Mahal then shocks the world. He hits his arm trap neckbreaker or cobra clutch slam or whatever it’s called and gets the 3 count.

Your winner and new WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal.

Wow.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

Really good show tonight. AJ Styles and Kevin Owens put on the match of the night, and Shinsuke Nakamura showed us why he’s so beloved by the hardcore wrestling fans. We had a fun tag match between Breezango and The Usos, and we had the most shocking title change of the year. That’s the real news here. The WWE pulled the trigger and completed the turnaround for Mahal. He was a jobber when he came back to Raw, and continued his losing ways through WrestleMania. Now, he’s the WWE Champion. Just surreal. It was a stunning finish, and it’ll be interesting to see where SmackDown Live goes next.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

 

SmackDown Live Results and Review 5/16

Manchester, New Hampshire is the site of tonight’s SmackDown Live. Last week we saw a pretty bad episode of SmackDown. Hopefully, like this weeks Raw, we have a great rebound tonight for the go-home episode for Sunday’s Backlash. Tune in for my recap and reviews throughout the night, and of course, like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling. If you don’t, Kevin Owens will crush your throat with a chair.

Kevin Owens Highlight Reel

Oh. My. God. Yes. This is the best thing to happen in the history of the United States. The Kevin Owens’ Highlight Reel is a brilliant idea. I even love how they are maintaining the rivalry with KO and Jericho. SummerSlam return maybe? For now, I’m just loving this path that KO is taking. The Face of America, and new host of the Highlight Reel.

Kevin Owens begins introducing his guest in French because, well, because he can as he explains. The Phenomenal One, AJ Styles, interrupts him, and pokes fun at KO stealing Y2J’s gimmick, speaking French, and the two have a decent exchange.

Jinder Mahal comes out, claiming he was the guest for the Highlight Reel. Mahal claims he’ll beat Randy Orton, and I’m losing interest in this segment. I know Styles and Mahal have a match tonight, but they don’t need to try shoehorning every fucking feud into the same segment.

Love the idea of the Kevin Owens’ Highlight Reel being a regular segment this summer, just wish it didn’t have to pull Mahal into it, and even more than that, I wish they had just started the show with a match.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

AJ Styles vs Jinder Mahal

Ok, I express a lot of skepticism toward the Mahal push. That said, he isn’t the worst worker in the company. I actually think he could be a respectable midcard heel. The WWE Championship match is just a bit too much, too soon. To keep both looking strong though, they’ll need a sloppy finish. You can’t have AJ Styles lose clean to Jinder here, because he has to get back into the WWE Championship picture sooner than later.

Another observation; Kevin Owens is going to be a commentator ala Jerry Lawler one day. He just seems like he’ll be a fantastic heel commentator when his in ring career ends. That’s obviously way down the line, but I enjoy his commentary when he sits ringside.

The match itself is surprisingly good. Styles can really get something decent out of anyone, and Mahal looks more passionate than at any other point in his career. He looks stiff, but Mahal is improving weekly. Styles is AJ Styles. The best in the world right now. Even the finish is right; Kevin Owens uses a distraction and hits Styles in the knee with the US belt. This allows Mahal to hit his finisher and get the pinfall. It all makes sense from a booking standpoint in terms of keeping both strong.

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Breezango vs The Colons

I really love The Fashion Police. They have done a fabulous job building them the last several weeks. They have a good balance of humor and talent, and they remind me a bit of Miz and Morrison when they were dominating the tag division. I know they’re probably a stopgap before The New Day return to likely dethrone The Usos, but I hope not. I guess we’ll see what happens Sunday.

On the other side, looks like The Colons have settled right back into jobbing territory. A short match ends with Fandango scoring the winning 3 count.

The Usos come out post-match to drop a promo insulting the fun that Breezango are having. Their promo is uncomfortable.

Everything here is right. The right outcome for the match. The right start with the Fashion Police Law and Order short. Right interruption by the heels to build to Sunday. Everything hit the right note.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

6 woman tag match contract signing

When Shane McMahon returned over a year ago (I was at the Raw in Detroit, and we lost our minds), I thought it would be a fun little walk down memory lane. Never thought he’d be here almost halfway through 2017. Not a bad thing. Not a good thing. Just a bit surprising.

Still won’t call them by their stable name or whatever it is. The Ellsworth Fan Club come down together, showing unity. The face team comes down one by one, making them seem less united. Interesting choice. Will dissension end their chances of victory Sunday?

I love Natalya the wrestler. I hate Natalya the talker. She is horrible on the mic. Turning Charlotte face creates a talent vacuum for the division when it comes to heels. Maybe the Ellsworthians need a valet to help them drop a promo.

Charlotte puts everyone to shame on the mic. Still think she could have a future in the men’s division if handled appropriately.

The segment ends with a near brawl, but Shane O’Mac intervenes and sets up a match between Naomi and Carmella.

Standard contract signing, duh.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Naomi (w/Becky Lynch and Charlotte) vs Carmella (w/Tamina, Natalya, and James Ellsworth)

First part of the match is a snore. Looks like it’s setting up to be a squash, or devolve into a brawl between the teams. Ellsworth gets banned from ring side, and we hit a commercial. This segment really overstayed its welcome. Should’ve just let them brawl after the contract signing segment.

Carmella gets some offense in when we return, but still a bit off. Tamina and Natalya then get banned from ringside. As they begin leaving, a brawl breaks out between the two and Charlotte and Becky. This distracts Naomi, and Carmella gets a rollup win.

Well, I guess that kills some time. On the show that doesn’t need to kill time.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Randy Orton vs Baron Corbin

Anyone else have a feeling we’re getting a Randy Orton mail-in match? He can put on a great match when he’s invested. He can also put you to sleep when he isn’t. He just never works well as a face to me.

There really isn’t much to say about this match. Corbin is getting better. Randy Orton is indeed turning in an uninspired match. It just seems to be there. Baron Corbin also looks like a rejected Wyatt Family member.

Orton hits an RKO after Corbin attempts a third slide, run around the post, run back for a clothesline and the match is over. Jinder Mahal comes out and tells Orton he’s going to beat him Sunday, and the Singh Brothers run in to try an Orton beatdown. Eventually the numbers game catches up, and Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers stand tall to close the show.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

The show started really strong, but fizzled out in the second hour. An overly long women’s segment killed about a half hour of time, and the main event was a snore. There was also supposed to be a Rusev return, which never happened. Still better than last weeks episode, but not necessarily anything special. For a show that started so strong, it’s disappointing that it closed so poorly, especially since it was a go-home episode. Looking forward to Backlash, but what a disappointing second half.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Raw Results and Review 5/15

After a disappointing week of wrestling from London, England, Raw returns to Newark, New Jersey in the ol’ U.S. of A. for a (hopefully) exciting episode where the roster will be dealing with a major blow. Braun Strowman is on the shelf, meaning the Beast will likely need a new challenge for Great Balls. It’ll be interesting to see how they build for Extreme Rules and Great Balls, with some rumors saying the Beast may now get the Demon. I would love that match… but I hope they don’t go that route. When Finn Balor reenters the championship picture, I want to feel like he has a legitimate chance. As of now, I don’t believe he does. Lesnar doesn’t lose the belt in his first defense…

Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves; Raw brings a new show with new opportunities tonight! As always, please like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling!

Kurt Angle opener

Braun Strowman is possibly out for 6 months. That’s a blow. He has been by far the most compelling part of Raw this year. Kurt Angle of course has to address this. Braun was on his way to the #1 contender’s spot, and now we need a reset for Raw. The answer is an Extreme Rules Fatal 5 way match. Seth Rollin, Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt, and Roman Reigns are announced for the match. The pop for Balor is huge. Please don’t bury him…

As Angle leaves, Reigns’ music hits, and the heat begins. He of course proclaims himself the #1 contender to deafening boos. Balor’s music then hits to the opposite reaction. Huge pop for the Demon King. Joe gets the next intro, and also gets a more positive reaction than Reigns. Yep, the heel. The heel with an underwhelming launch to his main roster career mind you. Bray gets cheered. Rollins will get cheered. Anyone but Reigns is the story of the WWE these days. He’d be a great monster heel. Like the Undertaker back in the day. What do I know.

Rollins does of course come out, meaning time for the brawl between everyone. Balor eventually stands tall, and we have our main event for the next PPV set up. Actually should be a great match, and there is enough going on with the 5 to make for a compelling match.

Of course, the obvious gripe? Another opening promo.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Jeff Hardy (w/Matt Hardy) vs Sheamus (w/Cesaro)

The rivalry with these two teams has gotten better the last couple weeks. The chemistry between them has skyrocketed since the Sheamus/Cesaro heel turn, and now there’s a genuine rivalry between them and the Hardyz. That said, I really didn’t need this match. Have Jeff face someone else and Sheamus and Cesaro interfere and cost him the W to keep things fresh. Oh well. I blinked and it’s time for commercials.

Awkward botch prior to the Twist of Fate/Swanton finish, but the face again gets the win. I really didn’t like the idea of these two teams doing the singles marathon before the Extreme Rules match, but I like it even less when you have Sheamus lose. The Hardyz have yet to lose Sheamus and Cesaro, whether in a tag or singles match. Sheamus and Cesaro don’t currently feel like a threat, and that’s a mistake. Poor booking choice here.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Sasha Banks vs Alicia Fox (w/ Noam Dar)

Cause we needed this rematch.

Fox wins, I sigh, and we wonder what the point was.

1.5 Chair Shots out of 5

The Miz (w/ Maryse) vs (c)Dean Ambrose (Intercontinental Championship match)

So, a little update; my computer decided it was time to update at the start of the match. I’m finally updating from my phone. This match was solid, and the DQ win for The Miz keeps the belt on Ambrose and sets up for a match at Extreme Rules (probably a no DQ). Really looking forward to it too.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Alexa Bliss promo

Bliss starts off by burying Newark. Classic heel. She is good at what she does.

Bayley interrupts as Bliss again proclaims herself the Goddess of the WWE. She invokes her rematch clause for Extreme Rules, setting up for what should be a pretty good, brutal Women’s Championship match. Bliss should be fantastic as a sadistic heel, and Bayley has a chance to look like the persevering face.

Bliss slips outside the ring and grabs a kendo stick from under the ring, using it to strike Bayley down and stands tall at the end of the segment.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Neville and TJP vs Ausrin Aries and Gentleman Jack Gallagher (tag match)

Time to get rid of the purple ropes. God, just makes the cruiserweights feel like something seperate from the rest of the roster. It screams, ‘bathroom break’ unfortunately. These four have provided for some good entertainment at least.

Odd time for a CM Punk chant, Newark… Followed by a “This is boring” chant. Shame, cause the match isn’t bad. It’s a typical tag match, but one executed well enough. The crowd really are the issue in this match.

TJP gets the W for him and Neville with a Detonation Kick. Solid match, with TJP getting the pin. Makes sense in eventually planting seeds for his split from Neville.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Finn Balor vs Roman Reigns

Prematch, we get a replay of the video package from the opener to remind us Strowman is gone for a while. Again, what a bummer.

A long, physical war between them ends with Reigns getting his W back after losing in Balor’s debut match. I’m glad they gave these two time to wrestle, and the booking likely makes sense. My fear remains; are they going to just waste Balor by feeding him to Lesnar?

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Goldust turns on R-Truth

Something you kind of saw coming after the last two weeks, Goldust turns heel and beats down R-Truth. Hopefully this gives these two some direction, as both guys have felt lost.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Big Cass vs Titus

Titus and Apollo Crews interrupt Enzo and Cass, which leads to a match between Titus and Cass for some reason. Titus wrestles in his suit, and then Big Cass squashes him. Um, ok then.

Really a wasted promo here, and Apollo Crews’ story really doesn’t get much development this week. I don’t get this match.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Bray Wyatt vs Seth Rollins

This match is going to be a good one, but you also just know it won’t have a clean finish. The position on the card and lack of things for Samoa Joe to do leads to this assumption. Of course, who knows.

The two are super talented and should have a prolonged feud at some point. They just need to reestablish Bray as a real threat on the roster. His character was so badly damaged by the Randy Orton feud that you wonder if that can happen.

Of course, Joe does interfere, and Rollins gets the W by DQ. Samoa Joe continues beating Rollins post match before we get a stare down between him and Wyatt. They then team up and beat Rollins together, before Wyatt turns on Joe to stand tall again to close the show.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

Much better show this week, as Creative certainly had more time to develop a storyline in the new Strowmanless world we live in. It isn’t ideal, but at least it makes sense. The show was relatively strong, and did a good job in actually building toward Extreme Rules. There are stories to be told this time around, and it should have more emotional resonance than Payback did.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

SmackDown Live Results and Review 5/9

Continuing the fun from London, England, the Blue Brand comes to us taped from O2 Arena! Should be a bit of fun, as SmackDown just has to have an average show to overshadow last night’s Raw! As always, like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling!

Randy Orton promo

Hey, look, a WWE show is opening with a promo instead of a match… Surprise, surprise…

Randy Orton makes his return to SmackDown Live after taking a week off to presumably recover from his House of Horrors match. Something else that always bothers me about taped broadcasts is the dubbing of crowd reactions from WWE. It just seems silly to me. But when you hear a loud reaction, but can see people in the crowd largely unresponsive, something is off.

Dude, Jinder, you are from Canada. You would hope that the WWE could move beyond racial stereotypes for their heels. You can embrace the fact that he is Indo-Canadian, WWE. It’s fine.

The Face of America interrupts Orton and Mahal. Kevin Owens needs to keep that US belt until at least the fall. There’s so much potential with this shtick. He makes his intention clear; the US Champion wants the WWE Championship as well.

AJ Styles comes out to join the party, presumably setting up for a tag match tonight. I mean, it is the WWE, and they love setting up random tag matches. AJ Styles and KO are going to tear the house down on May 21. I’m going to love that match.

How many people are we going to shove into one promo? Baron Corbin decides to interrupt Styles, and Sami Zayn attacks Corbin mid-sentence. Sure. What a clusterfuck. I know It’s only a 2 hour show, but that just seems like overkill.

Strong mic work by the superstars, but just too much going on here.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Natalya (w/ Carmella, Elsworth, and Tamina) vs Becky Lynch (w/ Naomi)

Of course James Elsworth has to make a teeth joke… Also refuse to call them the welcoming committee JBL. Fuck you. You’re a piece of shit anyway.

Both women are introduced by their allies. Before the match begins though, Charlotte comes out to remind us she’s on a different level than the rest of the division. She really is a special talent. But before the match really starts, we get commercial.

The match itself is short, and Becky takes the loss, as the match seemed to focus more on highlighting the differences between the two factions. The unity of the Mean Girls vs the uncertainty and rivalry that exists amongst the face team. Match was harmed by the time frame, and it felt cluttered as well, but it did push the story forward.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Luke Harper vs Erick Rowan

Eh, I was afraid they wouldn’t know how to use these two, and having them compete on a random episode doesn’t work for me. Just a waste of a potential feud. Rowan wins the uninspired match, and I may have nodded off for 5 minutes there cause it was that pointless.

These two have far too much talent to be wasted like this…

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Dolph Ziggler confronts Shinsuke Nakamura

Another segment spent on the mic. At least I get a Nakamura fix. Crowd is super into Nakamura and his epic entrance. Nakamura calls for a ref, wanting a match then and there. Of course the heel says no, and claims to expose Nakamura as a fraud. Ziggler tries to cheap shot Nakamura, but the King of Strong Style turns the tide quickly.

The build up continues. I really enjoy this gradual build.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

The Ascension vs The Fashion Police

The Ascension have just absolutely fallen off the map. It’s painful to see where they’re at as a team. The Fashion Police win the match in a quick match, and the Usos come out to mock Breezango. Homophobic jokes galore as the Usos make sure Breezango know that they’ll be ready for Backlash.

Breezango won though, so that’s cool.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, and Jinder Mahal (w/ the Singh Brothers) vs AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, and Randy Orton

Holla, holla! 6 man tag match. Seems appropriate. Nothing new from a match stance, but at least we get to see a lot of talent in the ring.

Right away, crowd seems pumped for the match. Tough to tell when you’re hearing them and when it’s dubbed. The night’s been mediocre to this point, so credit these loyal fans.

How much can they milk the David/Goliath thing with Zayn? Too talented to be buried so often…

Really long match that felt like it dragged, and focused too much on Zayn overcoming the odds. It had its moments, but on the whole, the match was just too much. The heels get the W, with Mahal actually pinning Orton to help build him as a threat.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

Usually, when WWE goes over to London, we get some fun, exciting matches, and the episodes are treated as almost semi-PPVs. This week? Two of the worst episodes in recent memory. Tonight’s show was a difficult watch, and while SmackDown has a lot of talent, they have a pacing issue, and an issue of overcrowding. Backlash should be a fun showm, as the rivalries are strong enough to be invested, but tonight was a disappointment.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Raw Results and Review 5/8

Sorry to be MIA the last week, but hey, the blog is a hobby, and life happens. I’m back though for your weekly recap of Monday Raw as it comes to us from London, England! Yes, that means tonight’s show is pre-taped, but I have not looked at any spoilers, meaning my reaction will be genuine. Hope you enjoy, and please like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling!

Dean Ambrose Promo

Looks like Dean Ambrose is starting the show off with his usual goofy shtick. It may or may not be growing on me. Having him as the GM for the night should at least make for an entertaining night.

The Miz continues his feud with Ambrose by interrupting. Miz has been on the best run of his career, and it really hasn’t shown signs of going stale. Pre-taped shows are always a bit awkward with the editing though, as the crowd reactions seem oddly cut around Miz’s promo. Miz says that Stephanie McMahon has made him Ambrose’s co-GM. We’ll see how this works.

As Ambrose and Miz close their promo, BRAUN decides make his presence known. Braun Strowman wears the sling to sell the injury, then get’s his now frequent, “Thank you, Strowman” chant. That’s your true #1 face right now.

As Strowman calls out Lesnar, Kalisto comes out. Cause, you know, sure, let’s keep doing that. Kalisto’s going to get his beating tonight from the one-armed Strowman. Why isn’t he in the cruiserweight division?

Ambrose makes the first match of the night, and we get Finn Balor taking on Miz. Why not just start with that? Another opening promo, and another shoulder shrug.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Finn Balor vs The Miz (w/ Maryse)

Finn Balor should get a massive reaction from the crowd this whole match. The man is a special talent, and the UK certainly knows what he has done in his career pre-WWE. Ok, I promise I’m done gushing over Balor…

I’m lying obviously.

I can’t help but wonder what match Miz will end up putting Ambrose in. Miz will probably get beat by Balor, leaving him upset, meaning we’ll get Ambrose vs Samoa Joe maybe? Balor controls the match early, with Miz being saved from a top rope move from Balor prior to the commercial break.

Watching Maryse dance around outside of the ring as he husband takes control is in itself entertaining. You know, I miss watching valets and managers and their antics outside of the ring. It seems rarer these days.

Miz shoves Balor into the ref as Maryse distracts him, and Miz leaves the ring and demands the ref disqualify Balor. Interesting twist to the end of that match as Miz wins? Weird.

Ambrose comes out and reverses the decision though and demands the match restart while banning Maryse from ringside. Balor quickly brings Miz to the ring, hits the Sling-blade, as drop kick, and finishes the match with a Coup de Grace. Balor ends with the win after the match is restarted.

Solid match with the appropriate ending.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Alexa Bliss (w/ Nia Jax) vs Mickie James (w/ Bayley)

Crowd loves Bayley tonight. And Mickie. Two raucous chants for the two faces to get things rolling. The crowd is always fun in London. Well, whatever they don’t cut out.

I really enjoy Nia Jax. She’s gotten considerably better since first debuting on the main roster, and they’ve done well to build her up. And a Jax/Bliss match could be really interesting down the road, even if they’d need one to turn face (which I don’t see working for either one of them).

James and Bliss are putting on a good enough match too. I’m enjoying the crowd, the action, everything. Jax distracts James, is hit by Bayley, and Bliss capitalizes on the chaos by taking out James for the 3 count. Post-match, Bliss continues beating James before Bayley makes the save chasing Bliss up the ramp.

Jax then gets in the ring, beats James down some more, before walking up the ramp herself.

Not bad, although a bit of a crowded segment. Enjoyed it.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Braun Strowman vs Kalisto

Well, Braun said he’d beat Kalisto with one arm. I have no doubt about that.

Braun takes the mic, and says he won’t accept the match because he’s injured. He turns to leave, but then the bell rings and Strowman decides screw it, let’s kill Kalisto tonight. As he begins the beating, Reigns’ music hits and the boos begin. Looks like Braun’s going to beat Roman with one arm now.

Reigns’ kicks Strowman in the injured arm, staggering the Monster, before Reigns hits him with 3 Superman punches. Strowman and Reigns then fight for a bit outside of the ring and Reigns releases his sadistic side, targeting that injured arm of Strowman. A number of chair shots on the injured arm, and Strowman escapes through the crowd as Reigns is booed standing tall in the ring.

Match is a no contest, but this rivalry between Reigns and Strowman really is a fun one.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Tag Team Turmoil (#1 Contender’s match)

I don’t like this match very much. I just am not a fan of the set up for these turmoil matches, so I apologize now. It could be a 5 Chairs rating and I may not see it because of my bias. And of course Enzo and Cass start.

Cesaro and Sheamus really revitalized their careers by getting together. Whether heel or face, they seem to work well as a team. Cesaro looks so big next to Enzo. Enzo and Cass are eliminated after a tap-out while Enzo is locked in the Sharpshooter.

Rhyno and Heath Slater are the second team, but Cesaro and Sheamus beat them down before the second match begins, giving the heels an edge as the crowd chants “He’s got kids”. This turns into “no more kids” after a Cesaro lays a legdrop on Slater’s nether regions. This match doesn’t last long, and the heels win with a Brogue Kick.

Round 3 gives us The Club vs Sheamus and Cesaro, the rare heel vs heel match. They’ve really gone out of their way to make Sheamus and Cesaro look very strong. The Club put up a better fight, but The Golden Truth come out fresh for the final match.

The Golden Truth get a hot start, but it’ll be interesting to see what they do with the two. If they lose, do they go the break-up route? They aren’t going to win, are they? Not when Sheamus and Cesaro have unfinished business with the Hardyz. Golden Truth come close, but ultimately fall to Sheamus and Cesaro, who look super impressive tonight.

Not a fan of this match type, but I did enjoy the way that all played out.

The Hardyz come out post-match to confront the #1 Contenders, who roll away.

4 Chair Shots out of 5

Seth Rollins vs Samoa Joe

I’m a bit surprised that this match is happening on Raw. I know they need to build this rivalry up, and a few more matches would create more tension between the two, but it just feels a bit out of place. They should be better together than they have so far, so I had hoped they’d create a bit more outside the ring first. That said, I do like watching them fight. I just wish I cared more.

I’m really over the knee thing with Rollins too. I get it; he hurt his knee and almost had to miss WrestleMania, but there’s only so long you can milk an injury before fans start to get bored with it. There’s no emotional build or investment when you keep limping around for 2 months. Time for a new approach, because we know you aren’t doing a spring-board clothesline or a Falcon Arrow with a knee that’s barely functional.

Match ends when Joe is disqualified for using an exposed turnbuckle. The rating is low because I still haven’t found reason to invest in this rivalry.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

TJP vs Gentleman Jack Gallagher

TJP the heel is far more intriguing than TJ Perkins the face. Gallagher certainly isn’t going to get the win, since he’s in his home country. TJP gets the win in a relatively short match, pulling the tights in a roll-up. TJP beats Gallagher down post-match, before Austin Aries comes out to save the face, and exact a little revenger on TJP. The match served its purpose, building the story lines of the cruiserweight division, but these four guys seem to be the only ones ever featured…

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Sasha Banks vs Alicia Fox

Probably another quick match. Also likely a squash. Banks doesn’t have much going on, but should be featured because of her popularity. Fox actually controls the match for the most part early on, but Banks does get the win, albeit not as convincingly as I thought it may be. They also try throwing some controversy about a raised shoulder, but still just there.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Dean Ambrose vs Bray Wyatt

Of course, in response to the match Miz was put in earlier in the night, we have Dean Ambrose being put in a match against Bray Wyatt thanks to Ambrose’s co-GM. The match is pretty good, with some decent back and forth, but ultimately Miz distracts, then hits Ambrose with the belth to give Wyatt a near-fall. Wyatt then follows it up with a Sister Abigail, and Miz announces Bray Wyatt the winner to the arena. Miz avoids Wyatt, then gets into the ring for a beat-down. Good enough match.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

You know, it was a show with a hot crowd, but a pretty average over all outcome. The matches were a bit flat at times, and uninspired stories were either progressed or forgotten (Uh, Wyatt/Balor anyone?). This show just kind of happened. I don’t really have much to say about it.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

 

 

SmackDown Results and Review 5/2

SmackDown Live comes to us from Fresno, California, and will feature a rematch for the United States Championship. With Raw impressing last night, it’ll be interesting to see what SmackDown does to follow up Team Red’s performance. Get ready, cause we’re less than 3 weeks from Shinsuke Nakamura’s in-ring main roster debut! Check back all night for my reaictions and grades, and as always, like, share, and follow me on Twitter @GeCWrestling.

Shane McMahon introduces Chris Jericho

Shane brings out Jericho and introduces him to the SmackDown roster. We’re then reminded that he’ll take on Kevin Owens for his US Title later in the evening.

Of course AJ Styles’ music hits and he reminds us all that it really is his show. He is the best in the world right now, and the crowd certainly realizes it as they break into chanting “AJ Styles”. Styles lets Jericho know he’s waiting for the winner, and questions whether Jericho can win against KO. Before Jericho can add Styles to The List, KO interrupts, still wearing the KO red, white, and blue get-up. I need that shirt.

AJ Styles confronts KO after Owens tells Styles to leave his ring. This doesn’t sit well with the Face that runs the Place, and they break into a brawl on the ramp.

Quick, simple promo that sets up the match tonight, and foreshadows the program between Styles and KO.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Sami Zayn vs Jinder Mahal (w/ The Singh Brothers)

Odd choice for a match. I feel like both are in need of a singles win, so someone is going to be hurt even more, while the other won’t really be that much more credible after beating his opponent.

Weird watching a former member of 3MB dominating a match. I know they want to build him as a heel, but 3MB is always in my mind watching him wrestle. Even with those bulging veins. He also seems like he’s a bit of a stiff worker. I know some of that perception comes from the Balor incident a few weeks back, but I’ve cringed a few times watching him hit Zayn.

Some Singh Brother distractions hamper any momentum from Zayn, including in the end when they pull Mahal away from a Helluva Kick. Mahal executes the finisher soon after, and we have a W for Mahal.

Better match than I thought it would be.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Aiden English vs Tye Dillinger

Quick squash match after a little singing from English. Dillinger looks strong, English looks lost. The fans really seem to be into the Dillinger character. Brutal looking finisher.

English then has a bit of a bizarre breakdown after the match, perhaps lending to his title as a “Drama King”. Interested to see what they do with him.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

What the fuck was that? I love the list, but the crying English backstage bit after the commercial break was just bizarre. The List is better in the hands of a heel Jericho…

Naomi and Charlotte vs Natalya and Carmella (w/ Tamina and James Ellsworth)

Prior to the match, the Mean Girls give Charlotte a beating, leaving her condition in question as we head to commercials. Following the short bit earlier in the night in which the Mean Girls tried recruiting Becky Lynch leaves me to believe the Lass Kicker will be making the save for Naomi and Charlotte at some point tonight.

The match indeed starts as a handicap, with Carmella shrieking as Naomi begins the match strong. God, that is a loud yell. It doesn’t work for Alicia Fox, it won’t work long-term for Carmella. The match really starts sluggishly though. The baseball slide from Naomi seemed like the slow-mo highlight of the night.

Charlotte’s music hits as Naomi is getting beat, and she gets the hot tag to take over the match.

Charlotte is in trouble as we come back, setting up another hot tag. The numbers game should still play a game at some point in this match since Tamina and Ellsworth are still around. Grabbing the tights, Carmella ends up getting the pin with help from an Ellsworth and Tamina distraction. Post match the Mean Girls team up on Naomi and Charlotte. Becky Lynch’s music hits, and she comes to the ring acting undecided about her allegiances. Then she goes through and shakes hands with the Mean Girls seemingly joining the group. She then surprises the stable and throws Ellsworth into the group, aligning with Charlotte and Naomi. The Mean Girls (I am not calling them the Welcoming Committee JBL, fuck you) then team up and take out Lynch as well before standing tall.

The match felt like 2 separate matches, pre and post commercial break. Pre was bad. Post was good.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Dolph Ziggler vs Sin Cara

Sin Cara’s bodysuit look is bizarre. Maybe I’m just out of it tonight, but everything on tonight’s show seems a bit off. Not good. Not bad. Just existing. Sin Cara’s new little 1 armed power slam was impressive, and Ziggler always has the ability to entertain, but just a nothing match. That said, Ziggler gets the W after a Superkick, which keeps him looking strong before his match with Nakamura at Backlash.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

(c)Chris Jericho vs Kevin Owens (United States Championship match)

I love this Face of America gimmick for KO. I know it leads us all to assume he’s winning the belt back, but just a great gimmick.

Another great match between these two, but this is also the third match. A couple of Walls of Jericho segments. KO’s Cannonball. The story we’ve seen already. This match struggles primarily due to them having a match just nights ago. Don’t let this fool you; they still put on a hell of a show. The intensity is still there between them. Just that feeling of been there, done that.

I will always find it weird when KO hits a Superkick and only gets a 2 count, while Ziggler uses the move as his finisher.

A Pop-up Powerbomb gives us the only result that truly makes sense. KO had to win here tonight. Jericho is leaving, and KO’s Face of America gimmick will only work with him holding the US Title. AJ Styles and him should also be able to put together a classic for Backlash. The DDT to Jericho onto the ramp resulting in the kayfabe injury makes sense as well, as it writes Jericho off TV. Post-match, we get another Pop-up, and KO reminding Jericho that they were never best friends, and Jericho is left in a heap until he returns from being a rock star.

Shut up JBL, you’re horrible.

The final image for JeriKO will be KO wrapping the chair around Jericho’s neck before throwing him into the ring post. Brutal. The whole post-match sequence ups the grade.

4 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

I really struggled to get into this episode. Things felt a bit stagnant, especially early on, and I just can’t wrap my mind around an episode without an AJ Styles match. The KO vs Jericho match worked well, and had the appropriate ending, and the women’s division seems to have an actual direction, but the rest of the show felt like filler. You shouldn’t feel like you have so much filler on a 2 hour episode. The roles were reversed from last week, when Raw was average, and SmackDown was good. The Blue Brand struggled this week for me.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

 

 

Raw Results and Review 5/1

Raw will come to us live from Sacramento, California as we deal with the fallout from a surprisingly good Payback. We had some surprising title changes, an excellent main event, and a horrible House of Horrors match. It should be interesting to see what comes next on Raw. I mean, it has to be better than last week’s episode, right?

Alexa Bliss Coronation

Alexa Bliss comes to the ring to drop a promo, declaring the death of the Queen (Charlotte, I assume), and proclaiming herself the Goddess of WWE. Strange to see the other 7 women just going along with this. Also odd to have Kurt Angle apparently make the women attend this thing. Whatever. Bliss is on top of her game as a heel at this point. She irritates everyone, backs it up in the ring, and has really drop a tremendous promo. Bliss goes down the line deconstructing the women of Raw. Claims Mickie James is old. Reminds Banks she was pinned by Bliss in the #1 Contender’s match. Butters up to Nia Jax. Ignores Emma, Fox, and Dana Brooks. Then, finally, absolutely buries Bayley. Bayley looks like Bliss kicked her dog during the segment, before breaking and attacking Bliss. The segment devolves likely leading to the apparently planned tag match.

Good segment, but nothing special either. Alexa Bliss is already a legendary heel.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Bliss/Fox/Jax/Emma vs Banks/Bayley/Brooks/James

8 woman tag match. Well, this is one way to kick the action off. Feels like they’re just trying to knock out the whole women’s division at once so they can move on to the men. I’m sure that’s just the skeptic in me remembering the Diva Era, but there are a lot of talented wrestlers in this ring, and probably deserve a more appropriate showcase. I do enjoy the tease with Bliss and Jax, as though they’ll rekindle their friendship. Jax though has come too far to be a lackey.

You know, I know I mention commercials often during these recaps, but I feel I need to. I know you need about 2 breaks per 30 minutes, but the timing of the breaks always feels disjointed, and unfortunately often kill momentum for the match you’re watching. Going old man here for a second, televised matches used to be shorter, with only the occasional match being interrupted by commercials. Hell, I remember a number of 10 minute time limits on matches while watching WCW when I was young. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to make the extended matches a bit rarer during the week, and focus more on the story building aspects. Save the epic 15, 20, 30 minute matches for the PPV. I also used to walk 15 miles to school, up hill, in the snow, both ways when I was a kid.

Fox seems so out of place having Banks in a choke hold. She feels out of place in that ring with those other women, honestly. I’m not the biggest fan of her character, and her in-ring-work leaves something to be desired. Jax can be rough in the ring herself, but it suits her character. The women’s division monster heel. Not too many 6 foot women running around in the WWE.

Graves is probably going to call Bliss a Goddess forever now. Graves is underrated as a commentator. He really works as a heel commentator, and is not nearly as offensive, as far as being a human being, as JBL is over on SmackDown.

Bayley gets a hot tag and begins taking it to Bliss to a big pop. The crowd gets into this match big time after the local woman gets involved. A Bayley to Belly results in a near-fall before Jax breaks it up. The ring is eventually cleared as everyone brawls, leaving Bliss and Bayley alone. Bliss soon ends it with a DDT, resulting in a W for the team of heels.

As far as 8 women matches go, this one was solid.

3.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Luke Gallows vs Enzo Amore

Oh boy, here we go again. Anyone else sick to death of this rivalry? I’m just ready for both teams to move on to something else. We’ve seen this far too often the last several months.

The Club interrupt Enzo’s rant with a pre-match mini brawl, which of course leads to a commercial break. Enzo stumbles around the ring prior to the break though making you wonder if they’ll pull the switch-a-roo again.

Thankfully they don’t, and we start the match with Gallows beating on Enzo. Love the Graves comment about watching a documentary about Enzo’s life. Apparently said documentary is called Cops. Graves is humoring me tonight. Would Enzo be better served working the cruiserweight division at this point? He just seems so undersized next to some of the heavyweights on the roster.

So the match is pretty typical. Big guy beats on the little guy. Little guy keeps fighting back. I just don’t care about the match. It’s just overdone at this point. Enzo pulls out a ‘Field Goal’ (it’s a punt if you’re Orton, a field goal if you’re Enzo, apparently). Gallows eventually capitalizes on a distraction from Anderson and puts Enzo away.

Not a bad match, but downgraded for the lack of progress with this rivalry.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Neville and Perkins give a simple promo, that furthers the story and also provides motivation for Perkins’ darker character these days. I really like what they are doing with these guys right now.

Seth Rollins promo

They really need to crank the intensity on this rivalry here tonight, or it’s going to die because of fan apathy. I expect a beat-down from Joe part way through the promo.

Rollins reminisces over his recent successes, before proclaiming it’s time for him to go for the Universal Title. He wants The Beast. Only problem… Finn Balor wants The Beast too. He is still owed that rematch… I’m sure Strowman will stake his claim soon as well, but having these two discuss who is more worthy of the #1 Contendership is fun, as is remembering that Balor never lost, and in fact won the belt with an injured shoulder.

Ambrose comes out. Why not? Think we’re in for a #1 Contenders match tonight? Ambrose actually comes out looking for a challenger though, instead of staking a claim for the Universal belt, and of course that brings out the best thing to happen to the IC belt in years, The Miz.

We have two guys talking about the IC belt, two guys talking about the Universal belt, and I’ve kind of lost track of where this segment was going. Are they all challenging Ambrose? Lesnar? Just killing time? I don’t know.

We really don’t need a cell phone call in the middle of the ring, but apparently that’s how we set up matches now. Triple threat for the IC Championship tonight, and I love the actual participants. I just don’t like how easily Rollins and Balor forgot about the belt they actually want…

This segment was a bit of a mess, but it should be a fun match later tonight.

2 Chair Shots out of 5

Predicting now; Rollins is attacked by Joe, Balor by Wyatt, and Miz wins setting up a Miz/Ambrose program.

Tony Nese, The Brian Kendrick, Noam Dar vs Rich Swann, Akira Tozawa, Gentleman Jack Gallagher

Your nightly, oh look at the other cruiserweights match. Tozawa and Gallagher do have some promise, and you know what you have with The Brian Kendrick, but the rest are the reason Neville and Austin Aries have been the faces of the division for the last couple months. You have to wonder if it’s them, or the WWE not having the trust to let them do their thing like they do with Neville and Aries.

This match struggles for these reasons. There isn’t an investment in the wrestlers, and it just seems a bit jumbled. And this is the worst time for a commercial break, considering the difficulties that have plagued the division. They need quicker matches, time-wise, and they need the freedom to have their pace match the 8-10 minutes bubble. Let them do their flips, show off their athleticism, and make it seem like the crowd can’t catch it’s breath. Needless to say, the faces would win this match, and nothing new happens.

2.5 Chair Shots out of 5

Sheamus and Cesaro Promo

The newly minted heels come out and Sheamus begins discussing the journey for him. He didn’t care about the fans, but Cesaro made him believe in the Cesaro section. Then they were abandoned at WrestleMania. Cesaro blames the nostalgia, and they claim that they don’t care about playing nice anymore. They now view themselves as the standard.

The Hardyz come out in response, and appreciate the explanation. Then run into the ring looking for a fight. The heels scurry away, and finally this rivalry has something going.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Apollo Crews (w/Titus O’Neil) vs Heath Slater (w/Rhyno)

Apparently this match was created because Titus disapproved of his client interacting with Slater and Rhyno. It’s a short match, but it furthers this story. You have to appreciate it. Crews gets the win, and Titus comes to the ring to insert himself into the celebration. I am curious as to where this story is going, but at least it’s going somewhere.

Simple, effective match.

Also, Rhyno photobombs forever.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Kurt Angle updates the WWE Universe on Roman Reigns’ condition

Angle being back on WWE TV is great. And although I didn’t really understand the logic to his character last week, I still think he’s doing well.

Roman Reigns is apparently dead. Braun Strowman apparently has a torn rotator cuff (kayfabe, assumably). Then, the lights go out, and the fireflies come out. Wyatt is here. House of Horrors 2, right? I mean, I assume he wants to throw fridges on top of all of his competitors from now on. Still a horribly booked character with all the potential in the world.

Wyatt is back on his savior pedestal. I really wish he’d be more cult leader, less horror rip-off. He cuts great, albeit repetitive promos, but he lacks any credibility. That title run did nothing to change that.

Interesting end to the promo, with Angle reminding Wyatt it is his show, to which Wyatt responds that it is his world. Curious booking here. Apparently they forgot about the Demon vs Face of Fear bit, and Wyatt is going in a new direction.

3 Chair Shots out of 5

Austin Aries vs TJ Perkins

Perkins is challenged by Neville to take care of Aries, and eliminating one of the roadblocks between him and his shot at Neville’s belt. A-Double starts aggressively, assumingly angry with the outcome of the match with Neville. A nice drop-kick brings a near-fall, and A-Double is in control. Finally, Perkins turns the tide, hitting a vicious drop-kick of his own on Aries’ knee as he hangs from said knee in the Tree of Woe. Commercial break comes as TJP takes control.

As we return we get one of those cocky, TJP dabs that I now love. That taunt is so much better from a heel Perkins. Targeting the knee, exuding confidence; TJ Perkins is working for me in this role. Aries, on the other hand, is selling each and every bump. The top-rope half-crab? Awesome touch.

A reversal and a suicide dive puts Aries back in the drivers seat. Aries hits a shin breaker on his second try, then goes for a Discuss Forearm. He instead gets a kick to the knee. That said, as TJP goes for the finisher, Aries’ reverses it into the Last Chancery, getting a Perkins tap out.

A-Double gets the W, but Perkins goes for the post-match beating, targeting the knee some more. He attempts to injure Aries, clearing away his competition.

Good stuff here.

4 Chair Shots out of 5

The Drifter comes by, and Ambrose redeems himself for everything ever by asking if he knows any Pearl Jam. That’s the way to my heart. I may have rolled my eyes at his ‘interviews’, even if they were good for his character, but I loved the brief moment between him and the Drifter.

Finn Balor vs Seth Rollins vs The Miz (w/ Maryse) (Triple Threat #1 Contenders match for the Intercontinental Championship)

They’ve left plenty of time for this match. It should, in theory, be a show stealing extravaganza. We’ll see if they manage to live up to the potential.

Match starts, and Miz immediately escapes to ringside, letting Rollins and Balor go at it. He teases entering the match every time a cover happens, eventually leading to Rollins and Balor forcing him into the ring. They trade strikes on the heel, then toss him from the ring again. Rollins and Balor are masters at their trade, as they trade spots, and make you think of what we were forced to miss last fall. A long promo between Balor and Rollins would be classic. Could still happen of course, but man, those two can entertain. Miz, meanwhile, bides his time, throwing in cheap shots, and sneaking in the occasional move himself. Prior to the final commercial break, Miz knocks Rollins from the ropes, and he hits the barricade hard.

If I recall correctly, Balor has yet to lose on the main roster. Or at least he has yet to be pinned himself. It’ll be interesting to see how they keep him strong in this match. Logically, Miz makes the most sense as the next challenger to the IC belt, but they need to keep the two babyfaces strong.

Return to Miz controlling the match, which is appropriate after the pre-commercial spot. Balor then gives Miz a solid kick as Miz goes for a corner clothesline. Rollins then takes out Balor with a spring-board cross-body splash. Miz and Rollins go at it as Balor rolls from the ring. Miz uses Rollins as a weapon when Balor attempts to return to the match. It was only a year ago that The Miz was a bit of a joke, and now he’s using the Daniel Bryan Yes-kicks to a solid crowd reaction in the Raw main event.

What an awesome move set; Balor drop-kicking Rollins as Rollins executes a DDT on Miz. Just a great bit of in-ring creativity. Balor takes control with some hard kicks, then throws Rollins into the ring for a 1916. A near-fall is broken up by Miz, but wow, this match has been very enjoyable so far. Miz gets tossed from the ring, and a Sling-Blade looks to set up for a Balor finisher, but before Balor can hit that ricochet drop-kick to set up the Coup de Grace, Miz takes Balor out. Miz works on the knee of Rollins, locking in a Figure 4, but Balor breaks it up with a running knee.

The crowd is loving the match, as they should. A huge kick from Rollins leads to a 2 count on Balor. Rollins hits a double-Blockbuster on Miz and Balor, then a frog-splash on Balor, but again, Balor kicks out of the pin attempt. Rollins shoves Balor from the ring, then hits a Superplex-Falcon Arrow combo on Miz. Kick-out. Great intensity from Rollins. Joe of course interferes, taking Rollins out. Sling-blade. Drop-kick. Before the Coup de Grace, Wyatt hits the ring, executing a Sister Abigail on Balor. Miz crawls to Balor getting the 3 count.

A new #1 Contender is crowned, and everything in this match played perfectly to set up the next set of programs. Called it, but I’m glad it played out the way it did. Great match.

4 Chair Shots out of 5

Final Grade

So, I really enjoyed the last hour. I also enjoy the women’s tag match. That said, there were some very questionable decisions tonight. Enzo vs Gallows. The weird promo with Rollins, Balor, Miz, and Ambrose (even if it did result in an enjoyable main event). The 6-man cruiserweight tag match. The whole thing balances out to a pretty average show. That said, I still enjoyed it more than last week’s episode. I wasn’t doing half grades then, but if I had, it would have been more of a 2.5 than a 3. Tonight’s show, although sharing the ultimate grade, was better. Hopefully the feuds that were pushed forward by the main event will result in a more balanced, deeper show next week.

3 Chair Shots out of 5