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placetobenation · 3 years

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Hard to believe folks, but we are less than one full month away from WrestleMania. In any normal year, we’d already have half the card planned for wrestling’s biggest stage. Yet, here we stand with only one match solidified going into April 10-11’s two-night event in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium.

We’ve got Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. That’s it. The only other match that’s close is the Universal Championship match with Edge taking on whoever walks out of FastLane as the champ – either Roman Reigns or Daniel Bryan. Everything else is up for grabs or better yet, Vince McMahon’s whim.

It’s a WrestleMania like no other and with the FastLane PPV, the first ever on Peacock, coming next Sunday, it’ll be a mad dash after the PPV to get things in shape and hyped up for Tampa. Sure, we have our guesses as to who might fill out the rest of the card. Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre or maybe it’s a returning Brock Lesnar could be on tap. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair maybe? Randy Orton vs. The Fiend or whatever he’ll come back as. Bad Bunny & Damien Priest vs. The Miz and John Morrison is sure to happen as well. Whichever way they go, the WWE has its hands full and not a lot of time to get it done.

RAW

RESULTS

WWE Championship Match: Bobby Lashley defeated The Miz to retain title

No DQ Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus went to a no-contest

Xavier Woods defeated Shelton Benjamin

Riddle defeated SLAPJACK

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler defeated Naomi & Lana to retain titles

AJ Styles defeated Randy Orton

I’ll give it to RAW the past few weeks. It’s been better and that trend continues again this week.

The Hurt Lock signaled the end of the match and @fightbobby remains #WWEChampion!#AndStill#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/CcKEsEZZj8

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2021

Talk about starting with a bang. No need for one of those cliche championship celebrations. All new WWE Champion Bobby Lashley did was remain dominant and make quick work of The Miz to make his case to highlight a main event at WrestleMania. It’s a quality move by the WWE to make Lashley look as strong as possible headed towards April.

THIS IS AWE-SOME!

#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/8DMXiSQHqc

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2021

We praised Drew McIntyre and Sheamus last week for a wonderful one-on-one contest. This week, Sheamus wants more after attacking Drew backstage. Now, just when we were getting more of the brutal beatdown between the two behemoths, oh my the welts on their backs with those kendo sticks, the duo decided to pick up the steel ring steps and collide into each other. Instead of taking out the other, they both take out themselves to end it in a no-contest. I’m sure match three will be on tap for Fastlane.

"Oh, Randy… Not yet."@AlexaBliss_WWE's mind games continue to plague @RandyOrton. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/N5cYmLQ2It

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2021

To complete a trio of kudos, AJ Styles and Randy Orton put on a very good main event. Of course, the ending was a bit predictable with Alexa Bliss distracting Orton from the big screen just long enough for an explosion, more black goo spewing from Randy’s mouth and a top rope forearm splash from Styles to give him the pinfall. The Fiend’s resurrection is coming. We’ll just have to wait a bit longer for it, right Miss Bliss?!

Otherwise, Xavier Woods earns The New Day a tag team title shot with a singles victory over Shelton Benjamin. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler get an uneventful championship match win over Naomi & Lana. BTW: not a big fan of putting Reginald with Nia and taking him out of the mix of SmackDown even for one show. Reggie deserves better. Plus, Riddle takes out SLAPJACK. If it’s not Riddle vs. Ali, which we get this Monday night for the US Title, I’m not interested in RETRIBUTION.

There’s so much left to be done to set up for WrestleMania and with Fastlane being the bump in the road to get there, I’m sure a lot will happen over the next 10 days. Take Charlotte Flair for instance, her only appearance of the night was to tell Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose to bring it when it comes to asking for a RAW Women’s Championship Match against Asuka. Something tells me Rhea Ripley is soon to be added to that mix.

Yes, I’ve left Shane McMahon and Braun Strowman for last. That may have been one of the worst 10 minutes of RAW in many a year. I get it that the WWE wants us to hate Shane and cheer Braun, but that promo from McMahon not only made no sense, it hurt my head to try and listen to it. And, not for nothing, why not give Braun a microphone. Nothing about that segment or the storyline is making me have any interest in it. It’s just more square pegs trying to be pounded into a round hole.

NXT

RESULTS

NXT Women’s Championship Match: Io Shirai defeated Toni Storm

Pete Dunne defeated Jake Atlas

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon defeated Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez to win titles

Xia Li defeated Kayden Carter by DQ

Legado del Fantasma defeated Grizzled Young Veterans

NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor defeated Adam Cole

Raw emotion. Pure talent. #AndNew #WWENXT Congratulations @ShotziWWE & @WWEEmberMoon! pic.twitter.com/pZFQDxKXhK

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 11, 2021

So, that didn’t take long! General manager William Regal wasted little time in banging out the two “game-changing” announcements for the NXT brand. First, we get a two-night TakeOver: Stand and Deliver during WrestleMania week. Then, after last week’s tag team fiasco, Regal declares Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez as the first ever NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long for Kai & Gonzalez as Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart take them out in their very first title defense. It’s a good way to keep things moving and doesn’t leave any room for doubters to say that the champs were just handed the titles. Moon and Blackheart won them in the ring and move on with the gold.

In an incredible battle for the #WWENXT #WomensTitle, @shirai_io retained against a determined Toni Storm! pic.twitter.com/QjVZmjHd2s

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 12, 2021

Io Shirai just keeps going strong. No matter who or where the challenge comes from, Shirai continues to prove she’s the best thing going these days in NXT. I really thought it could be Toni Time for Storm in this one, but Shirai made her tap out surprisingly clean. Next up for champ, she wants Raquel Gonzalez. Now that’s an easy way for her to forget about a quick tag team title loss.

Jordan Devlin is back from the travel ban and yes, ladies and gentleman, it looks like we’ve got a fight for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship next week!

A tip of the hat, or is that a space helmet tip to Breezango as MSK distracts the Grizzled Young Veterans enough to give Legado del Fantasma the win. But, not to be left out, Breezango arrives to give Legado a little payback for last week’s beatdown. Maybe we’ve got an 8-man tag team in our future between these teams.

Kacy Catanazaro’s got a little fire in her belly, taking the crutches to Xia Li during her match with bestie Kayden Carter. Unfortunately, while getting some payback, she also costs Carter a chance at a win, giving Li the DQ victory. This one’s far from over as Kacy gets over her knee injury at the hands of the badass Li.

LA Knight vs. Bronson Reed? Could it be with Knight’s in-ring debut coming next week?

It looks like Imperium wants to grow and is recruiting Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa. Interesting mix to say the least although it looks like Ciampa has his sights set a bit higher on WALTER and the NXT UK Championship. Now that would be a fun fight on either side of the pond. But first, it looks like we get a fight between the four coming up this Wednesday night.

"What took you so long?"

#WWENXT @FinnBalor @WWEKarrionKross pic.twitter.com/U7zaOlGJDX

— WWE (@WWE) March 11, 2021

Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole – thumbs up! Terrific main event between two of the best in NXT. Both men had their chances near the end and Kyle O’Reilly’s appearance ringside distracted Cole just enough for Balor to get the Coup de Grace and the win. It was a clean victory that I wasn’t sure was in the making. O’Reilly gets his licks in on Cole after the match to boot as well leaving the ring clear for the face-to-face between Balor and Karrion Kross. Finn’s line – “what took you so long” was perfect to end the show too! I hope they build it up for the main event of NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver instead of rushing to it too soon. O’Reilly ripping The Undisputed Era armband off Cole was nice symbolism as well.

I don’t know about you, but NXT was so good this week, it felt like it was over in about five minutes rather than two+ hours. Great in-ring matches. History-making announcements. Storylines opened and advanced. Really good show folks.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

The Street Profits, Rey & Dominik Mysterio defeated Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Chad Gable & Otis

Cesaro defeated Buddy Murphy by DQ

Tamina & Natalya defeated Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair

Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E defeated Sami Zayn to retain title

"You're better than this… But you're not better than me."

#SmackDown @EdgeRatedR @WWEDanielBryan pic.twitter.com/PUQKdgX4lf

— WWE (@WWE) March 13, 2021

Just in case there’s an upset at FastLane, Edge and Daniel Bryan sure did a nice job starting off SmackDown giving us some really good personal heat between two of the bigger babyfaces in the company. You wonder if Edge will do whatever it takes to make sure Roman Reigns wins, even if it means costing Bryan a shot at WrestleMania.

I don’t know about you, but I really enjoyed the 8-man tag team match. With The Street Profits joining forces with The Mysterios to get the better of the tag champs, Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode, along with Otis & Chad Gable, it set the right tone and put both teams in line to make their case for a title match. There was never a down time in the match and there were bodies flying everywhere. Solid action to start the night in the ring with the good guys going over.

Poor Reggie! Nia Jax is smitten over him! That shopping spree made me harken back to the days of the Tuesday Night Titans skits. A bit too long, but got the job done. I will say this though. Shayna Baszler is about to snap. Book it. She’s beyond tired of the Nia-Reggie show already and it’s only a matter of time before she takes them both out.

Speaking of Reginald, he cost Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks their tag match against Tamina & Natalya. Something that made Belair not too happy and continues to build the heat between Banks and Belair with Banks continued attention to Carmella’s fired old friend.

After a vicious attack on @WWECesaro, It seems like @WWERollins has the attention of @ShinsukeN!

#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/GcGIOYJKC8

— WWE (@WWE) March 13, 2021

Buddy Murphy vs. Cesaro, part 2 was really just there to set up Seth Rollins attack on Cesaro of course. The most intriguing part though comes after the match. Is Shinsuke Nakamura about to join the Messiah against his former mate? Maybe the evil side of Shinsuke is about to return? I like it. And let’s be honest, Nakamura would be one heck of an upgrade over Murphy.

.@WWEApollo blindsides @WWEBigE after his #ICTitle Match with a vicious attack! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/jI9lQqcMvJ

— WWE (@WWE) March 13, 2021

Oh my Big E! That’s as serious as it gets for The New Day’s biggest superstar. “I need to end you.” WOW! But, instead of getting Apollo Crews and some justified payback, Big E made Sami Zayn his latest Intercontinental Championship Open Challenge victim. Zayn’s loss only comes after he steals King Corbin’s attempt to accept the challenge. Zayn’s right, you snooze, you lose Corbin. Apparently, Crews caught Big E snoozing celebrating his victory with a brutal post-match attack. Damn, what is the WWE’s love for those ringside steps these days. It’s only a matter of time before these two will be battling again for that I-C Gold. UPDATE: WWE has added a title match between the two to FastLane.

Not too shabby! That’s one way to liven up your tired old contract signing. First, Daniel Bryan guilts Roman Reigns into signing the contract for the match at FastLane. Then, when Jey Uso tries to force him into the equation as the special enforcer, Edge ups the ante, challenging Uso next week for that job at the PPV. It’ll be the first time in over a decade that Edge is back wrestling live on the blue brand. Now, that’s how you dot the “I’s” and cross the “T’s” on a go-home show next Friday night.

Parting shots:

@PeytonRoyceWWE just went OFF on #RawTalk. She wants an opportunity against #WWERaw #WomensChampion @WWEAsuka! pic.twitter.com/alnsKByeYA

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2021

If you missed RAW Talk this past Monday night, you missed Peyton Royce getting as personal and as real as she’s ever gotten. Her best promo of her WWE career, hands down. Talking Smack continues to be must see watching on Saturdays on the WWE Network.

Coming up this week:

RAW: RAW Tag Team Championship Match: The New Day vs. The Hurt Business United States Championship Match: Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali

NXT: Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott LA Knight’s in-ring debut Dexter Lumis vs. Austin Theory

SMACKDOWN: SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax Edge vs. Jey Uso – winner gets to be special enforcer for Universal Championship at FastLane

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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tigermaskdan · 6 years

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Survivor Series Predictions and thought on nXt WarGames!

Prediction time! I’ve never actually done one of these. Usually I just write about what I think sucks or some other hot button issue, and man have dem buttons been SPICY lately. We go titles changing left and right. People going down sick, people getting fired and old folks getting a sixth or seventh run at glory! However, it would be remiss of me if I did not discuss the end of all our suffering.

I know I’m being a bit dramatic about this, but I had begun to view Jinder’s title reign as something of a wrestling equivalent to the Trump Presidency. It was shitty, and embarrassment and no matter what I did I was helpless to improve the situation. Then finally, FINALLY, they pulled the trigger and A.J. was able to swoop in and instantly make the title feel important again. It was hard not to just feel happy about the whole situation.

I would also be remiss not to mention the return of WARGAMES this weekend. Here’s the thing, back when I was getting deep into wrestling. Like DEEP. Like, using Kazaa to download random matches with names I recognized, and learning about Japanese guys like Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask for the first time deep. That is how I saw my first Wargames match. It was a good one! The best one most people say, between Sting’s Squadron and the Dangerous Alliance.

I remember being surprised at how visceral the match was. It really wasn’t a super complicated match; there weren’t a ton of moves. It was one guy after the other running in and beating the shit out of the people that were already there. You started mostly keeping track of how long it took the next guy in to get bloody. It had that classic NWA bloodbath feel to it. The match ended on an armbar of all things. This was about the time that the Canadian Destroyer was coming into prominence, so it was weird to see someone go down after getting hit in the arm with a foreign object and then just getting the arm cranked till you quit. For pro-wrestling, it was one of the more realistic displays of simulated combat that I had ever seen up to that point.

That is what makes me worried about nXt’s foray into Wargames territory. They can’t bleed, there are three teams, and (probably the worst part actually) you can win by pinfall. Much like contemporary Hell in a Cells, this match seems like it’s going to be decidedly less brutal than those of old. I don’t want to be the guy that shits on the PG product, but certain matches need blood, and these big, hellacious cage bouts are those. Even great matches like Usos vs New Day at last month’s HIAC seem a bit tame compared to Batista getting nailed with a barbed-wire wrapped chair by a blood soaked Triple H. I don’t know if it’s going to work. That said, there are a lot of talented vets in there, and a few HOSS destroyers, so we’ll see.

Now, moving on. Survivor Series. The bastard step-child of the big 4. The ONLY TIME OF THE YEAR RAW AND SMACKDOWN FACE EACHOTHER! Except Royal Rumble and also all those other times and when we need someone to cover for injury and whenever John Cena wants to fight someone. BUT OTHER THAN THAT. Seriously though, last year’s Survivor Series was one of the most fun hours in wrestling. It was a long match with tons of story and great action. Can this year’s match get to that height again? Let’s run down.

Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore vs Kalisto – Winner: Enzo Amore I really like Kalisto. I think he’s incredibly talented in the ring, plus he’s a Chicago guy, so I’m generally predisposed towards him. That said, he’s pretty much the worst on the mic. Don’t get me wrong, Rey was not exactly Stone Cold either, but he managed to string together some solid babyface promos in his day. Enzo’s annoying, and not the best worker, but I’ll say this, he doesn’t make me want to turn the channel, and that makes him an effective heel. Plus you have Cedric Alexander, Rich Swann, TJP, Mustafa Ali, Tozawa and others ready to go as viable babyface challengers, and plenty of heels like Kendrick or Galagher for Kalisto to work on. Unless they plan on stringing this feud along, I’m gonna guess that this is gonna end in a pretty decisive victory for Enzo.

Intercontinental Champion the Miz vs United States Champion Baron Corbin – Winner: Miz Everywhere I read people are telling me about Baron Corbin’s great potential and look. Here’s the thing, I don’t fucking see it. I just don’t. Aside from two bomb-ass moves what else does he have? His indie-killer gimmick back in nXt was pretty cool, but the thing is, he hasn’t shown he’s good enough to throw any solid wins his way. As for his “great look,” he looks like the human embodiment of the graphic tee section at Walmart. His hair is terrible. He doesn’t look particularly imposing past his height.

And the thing that sucks the most about him is that he’s one of those dicks that would read that critique and just go, “but what can YOU do in the ring, pussy!” Nothing. I can do nothing. I’ve never claimed I could do anything. I am a mark. It is not my job to be a professional wrestler. Comparing yourself to me accomplishes nothing and makes you look like a douchebag. It is your job to entertain me in some fashion, whether it be you make me hate you or love you. Right now, your matches are what I skip past to save time.

Miz on the other hand has basically be Edge for the past two years, and has been great. His Twitter owning of Corbin in this feud has been phenomenal. If there is any justice in the world, next time they do a draft or shake up or whatever, these shows will trade titles and Miz will be put in a long ass feud with AJ.

I see Miz winning via shinanigans. Miztourage, or, given the social media juice behind this feud, Maryse will get involved.

Raw Tag Team Champions the Bar vs SmackDown Tag Team Champions the Usos – Winner: The Bar.

With the big Shield vs. New Day match on the card, I feel like people are sleeping on this one. They really shouldn’t as these two teams have been in some of the most exciting matches this year. It’s amazing how many pay-per-views this year that could be summed up with “it was pretty shitty, but the tag match was really good.” These two teams were often in those matches! Also, it’s a great styles clash! Speedy Usos vs the powerhouse Bar! They’re both heels, but the Usos have gotten enough rub from their “mutual respect” thing from the New Day that they could easily play the face in peril for this match.

For me, this is the biggest toss up to pick. On the one hand, the Usos are the more experienced team, and just beat the New Day, so you might want to keep the momentum going. That said, they’re also the team that could better survive the loss. The Bar just won their belts in dirty fashion, and don’t have the tag team pedigree that the Usos have. For that reason I have to go with the Bar.

Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss vs SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair – Winner: Charlotte Flair

I wonder how they’re going to do this match. It’s always hard when a smaller heel goes against a more physically imposing babyface. Plus, Bliss’s muscle is already booked in the Women’s Survivor Series match, so she probably won’t get involved. For that reason I’m going to go with Flair. Plus Bliss has been a great chicken shit heel, so I think she can survive the loss and still be an imposing threat when she gets Nia back.

The Shield vs. The New Day – Winner: The New Day.

This is probably my biggest stretch on a pick. The Shield have been built as the most powerful force in wrestling. All three have been world champs, two of them multiple times. They’ve been at the top of the card since they split. That said, New Day have been a team longer. You can tell a story where they just know each other better. Their offense flows together. You can plant seeds of frustration in the Shield that won’t be there with the New Day.

Plus the New Day, though faces, cheat, ALL THE FUCKING TIME. They’ve got that Eddie Guerrero kind of immunity where they can cheat and get cheered because it’s funny as hell. I see them cheating here and winning the match…..plusIstoppedwatchingwrestlingforthechunkoftimethattheShieldgotbigandneverreallygotattachedtothemsoIdontreallylikethembuthavealwaysenjoyedKofi#Kofi4WWEChamp…BUT I DIGRESS.

Universal Champion Brock Lesnar vs. WWE Champion A.J. Styles – Winner: Brock Lesnar

Man, look at how crazy a week can change things. AJ managed to beat the most protected finisher in the WWE, the Singh Brothers, to become the WWE Champion. We all breathed a sigh of relief. Any SmackDown pay-per-view was hampered by the fact that the main event was going to suck. Don’t get me wrong, I still watched with the hopes that Nakamura was going to win the title, but got no enjoyment from any of the matches.

I was explaining this to my wife when she asked me “do you think that Jinder’s a worse champ than Roman Reigns? Cause everyone seems to hate him.” If someone asked me to find 10 good Roman matches on the network, I could easily do it. Say what you want about him being boring and slammed down our throats, but he is actually a good in ring performer. Yeah he has some stinkers, but he also has some top notch matches under his belt.

I’ve not seen one Jinder Mahal match I’d want to see more than once, and most of the time I wouldn’t want to see it once. He reminds me of guys like Luther Reigns that just kind of were there and looked scary but just were flat in the ring. He just doesn’t have the ability to put on a show.

And now we’re going to get a show! Brock rises to the occasion against good opponents. I’ve not been a big fan of “Suplex City” Brock, but if he wants to, he can do great things. AJ is a great opponent for him that will bump all over the place and make him look like a monster. They could structure this match a lot like any of the HBK vs Taker matches and it would work. Just so long as Brock wants it to go like that.

I’d love to see AJ get this win, but they’re building Brock as nigh unbeatable. I’d also prefer a clean finish, but Jinder has been conspicuous by his absence. I sense a run in by Jinder and the Singhs that will ultimately cost AJ the match.

Women’s Traditional Survivor Series Match – Winner: Team SmackDown It’ll be interesting to see how this match plays out. You look at the match ups and they’re pretty great, and if there is one type of match the women’s roster has got practice at this year, it’s the elimination matches! I think they’re going to follow the trend of past elimination matches and get the hosses out of the way early. Look to see gangups on Tamina and Nia pretty quick.

Everyone also expected this to be Paige’s return match. Since that didn’t happen, but they have her around, I think they’re looking to get a surprise here. Either she’s going to run in and help win the match for Raw, or she’s going to be Charlotte’s replacement on Team SmackDown. I’m going with Paige replacing Charlotte, and helping them win.

Men’s Traditional Survivor Series Match – Winner: Team Raw

I don’t know about this match you guys. Some of my favorite wrestlers of all time are in it but man…I just don’t know. When Kurt wasn’t doing his signature spots at TLC he looked awkward. I’ve seen some of his stuff since leaving TNA, but before coming back to WWE and while he had some good matches, they were usually his kind of matches. He still can put on a great match, but it needs to be a particular kind of match and I don’t know if something this chaotic fits the bill.

Now, it’s a tag match, so he’ll be protected, and Team SmackDown has three guys he’s worked extensively with in the past, so who knows. What really worries me though is the lack of storylines within the match. Last year’s match worked so well because there were tons of moving subplots within the match. Here, 2 of the participants were announced this week and haven’t wrestled on TV in months. Randy has nothing going on in this match. Shinsuke has nothing going on in this match. Roode has nothing going on in this match. Hell, Braun doesn’t have anything going into this match.

On the Raw side you have Finn and Joe with beef, and Kurt and Triple H have their thing with Jason Jordan. Kurt and Shane had some great stuff on Tuesday, so that’s good, but that can’t carry a 30-45 minute match.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a ton of talent in the ring for this thing. I am a fan of all of these guys (though I’ll never be able to forgive the Reign of Terror). They’ll probably make something happen.

I think KO and Sami…ehem, sorry, Sami and KO are going to cost the blue team. I don’t see how KO isn’t involved somehow given his push recently, and they need something to carry them going forward.

Match of the Night: Usos vs. The Bar

These guys have been lights out on their respective shows, and I think they have the best style match up other than maybe Brock and AJ. The only reason I think this will be better than Brock and AJ is because I’m almost 100% certain there won’t be interference here, and I’m not 100% certain Brock won’t phone it in.

Worst Match of the Night: Miz vs. Corbin

It’s gonna be slow. You want to get wasted? Take down a shot every time Corbin is described as “methodical.” Honestly, they should move this to the pre-show. This show is already going to be about 6 hours long, and every time they try moving a tag match there, it turns into a match of the night candidate. Can we please give the Miz something better to do? He’s been the work horse champ of Raw forever now, he should be rewarded. Well that was long! So that’s what I think for this weekend. Let me know if you agree, and follow if you like what I write.

#WWE #raw #smackdown #survivor series #miz #corbin #aj styles #lesnar #charlotte #alexa bliss #the shield #new day #the usos #the bar #triple h #kurt angle #shane mcmahon #nxt #wargames

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princedevitto · 7 years

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WRESTLEMANIA 33

Live from Orlando, Florida

doc. Wikipedia, Wrestlemania 33 poster

Kick-off show

1. Cruiserweight Championship, Neville (c) vs Austin Aries

It's a shame that Neville vs Austin Aries isn't in main card. Both are great performers and they proof it with this match. The plus side in the kick-off show is they get enough time. For about 15 minutes WWE Universe served with a great back and forth match and both man are so click. Great spot when Neville give Aries picture perfect german suplex and when Aries do 450 splash. In the end, Neville retains after he connect the Red Arrow. 4 stars match, fantastic. Love the Neville attire and heel character.

2. Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Just dont watch it. You’re gonna wasting your time. Around 33 superstars and they book Mojo Rawley to win, Jesus Christ. I prefer Luke Harper to win this. He’s coming from talked for main eventing WM to be eliminated by Titus O’Neil -__-. Funny thing when Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) come to aid Mojo but the security hold him off. They don’t know that Gronk is part of this match, Lol. 1 star match. Poor executioned.

3. Intercontinal Championship, Dean Ambrose (c) vs Baron Corbin

Shocked that this match moved to kick-off show. Btw, huge expectation led to huge disappointment. Yeah, i think this match gonna be great but Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin just doesn’t click. It’s shame cause WWE is good developing this match. Lots of miss spot, including Corbin botch Deep Six. Ambrose wins after countering End of Days to Dirty Deeds. 1,5 stars, very boring match like a cemetery.

Main Show

1. AJ Styles vs Shane McMahon

It’s odd that a match as great as this is placed first. But, hey great match is great match. Remember when people used to disapponted cause AJ gonna face Shane? Well forget it. Shane is a great worker. Interesting spot when he executes lot of submission moves to AJ. Same old Shane, he’s sacrifice his body for us, he connect Coast to Coast with thrash can. AJ wins with Phenomenal Forearm after Shane miss Leap of Faith and Shooting Star Press. 4,5 stars match, should be a no dq match or whatever is. Props to Shane, he always manages to pull it off. Lot of respect.

2. United States Championship, Chris Jericho (c) vs Kevin Owens

The battle between former best friend. Either Jericho or Owens performs well and exhanging moves one another. Huge props when Owens do The Walls of Jericho. Lot of respect for the greatest of all time, Jericho. He still can delivers lot of great spots, countering Cannonball to Walls of Jericho and Pop-Up Powerbomb into Codebreaker. In the end, Owens wins the US title after powerbomb to the appron. A good match but in slow pace, 3,75 stars match. I prefer Jericho to lose it at Payback right before he left. But well, it’s Jericho he’s always put younger talent up.

3. Fatal Four Way for RAW’s Womens Championship, Bayley (c) vs Nia Jax vs Charlotte vs Sasha Banks

Suprised that this match going on before SD’s Womens title. What bothering me is the Champ come out first, oh and Sasha make an entrance like a boss, with a ride like Royal Rumble participants. Nia Jax really booked strong in this match, overpowering the other three. But she’s eliminated first after triple tower powerbomb. Banks is the second to eliminated after Charlotte sends her to exposed turnbuckle. Almost think Flair’s daughter gonna be 5 times champion, but Bayley retains after an Elbow Drop. She deserve it, a decent 3,5 stars match. Banks still not turn heel.

4. Triple Threat Ladder Match for RAW’s Tag Team Championship, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (c) vs Sheamus and Cesaro vs Enzo Amore & Big Cass

THE HARDY BOYZ MAKES THEIR RETURN, IT’S GONNA BE FATAL FOUR WAY NOW! I DON’T CARE ABOUT THEY’RE NOT USING DELETE GIMMICK, WHAT MATTERS IS THEY’RE BACK, TEAM EXTREME!. Entertaining match from the start, but honestly Enzo & Cass are boring. Enzo always botch and the other only knows big boot. Jeff Hardy legendary spot is coming again, swanton bomb from 20ft ladder to Sheasaro. The Hardys wins after Matt delivers twist of fate from the top of ladder and retrieve the belts. 4,25 stars match, the power of element of surprise. HOLY SHIT I STILL GOT A GOOSEBUMPS WHEN WROTE THIS! 17 years after their lagendary triangle ladder match with Edge-Christian and Dudleys and they still the most relevant and greatest tag team in the world. What a class, what a talent.

5. John Cena & Nikki Bella vs The Miz & Maryse

A great build for this match, but not a great match. Cena and Miz takes lot of portion caus of Nikki’s neck injury. Miz are getting over but still the ‘super’ couple takes the w. A short 1,75 stars, not worth to watch + Jerry Lawler on commentary are bad. I don’t care about Cena propose Nikki, wtf. It’s a wrestling show not some dream wedding proposal. This match tone down my mood.

6. Unsanctioned Match, Triple H vs Seth Rollins

I actually enjoy this match, but the crowd seems dead. Not a good back and forth match, it constantly about Triple H attacking Rollins’s knees but he still somehow overcome it. Nice motions when both trying to execute Pedigree. Rollins wins via Pedigree after Triple H accidentally put Stephanie through a table. Solid 3,5 stars match, great entrance from both performers. Rollins brought a torch as a symbol Triple H pass it to him.

7. WWE Championship, Bray Wyatt (c) vs Randy Orton

Bray Wyatt’s great entrance finally arrive in Wretlemania as WWE Champion. Interesting point is there’s projected maggots and cockroach in ring as part of Wyatt’s mind games. But overall this match is boring as fck. Both man exchange signature move outside the ring. The result are disappointing, Orton wins via RKO outta nowhere and become 13 times WWE Champion. The crowd didn’t even react for Orton. This Wretlemania is slowly falling apart. 1,5 stars match.

8. Universal Championship, Bill Goldberg (c) vs Brock Lesnar

I don’t expect much in this match, i predict a boring boring match with terrible book. Their entrance and introducing are longer than the match. 3 german suplexes and 3 spears under one minute, including one through a barricade. Goldberg then put Lesnar back to ring, hit spear and jackhammer but the beast kick out at two. Lesnar leapfrogged spear from Goldberg and gave him 7 more german suplexes. Lesnar finally hit F-5 and win the Universal Championship. There are only 4 moves in a match under 5 minutes. It’s simple decent match but not good enough, 2,25 stars. I dont know how but Orlando crowd love this match, maybe because the fast pace.

9. Six-pack challenge Smackdown’s Womens Championship, Alexa Bliss (c) vs Becky Lynch vs Mickie James vs Natalya vs Carmella vs Naomi

Almost thought that this match is nixed, Thank God it’s not. What questioned me is, wasn’t there supposed to be surprise entrants? After all i guessed it right that Naomi wins. The rumours and how she’s got her place in this match talks about it. Also how long her entrance was not like the others. 2 stars match, i think it’s just for bring back the championship to Naomi. I prefer RAW’s match than this.

10. The Undertaker vs Roman Reigns

Special guest commentator, the good ol’ Jim Ross. His voice add more value for this match, well assuming this is Undertaker’s last match. This is 3rd straight time for Roman Reigns main-eventing Wrestlemania, if that’s not overrated i don’t know what it was. The Undertaker looks so out of shape, he even can’t lift Reigns for The Last Ride, perfectly perform Hell’s Gate, and lift himself up for Roman doing Tombstone spot. Extermely hurt to see The Undertaker like this. Meanwhile, Reigns booked so strong in this match, the big dog kicks out The Last Ride, Chokeslam into the chair, and Tombstone Piledriver. Reigns wins after 5 spears. Oh my, he didn’t deserve this, 3 stars match. The Phenom is 23-2 in Wrestlemania. He even left all of his gear, black robe, hat, and gloves in middle of squared circle, stating he’s retire.

Overall

Very good Wrestlemania in the first half. The pace, the book, is great, i love all the performersGreatest match is AJ Styles vs Shane McMahon and Fatal four way RAW’s tag team ladder match. Worst are Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton and The Undertaker vs Roman Reigns. The 2nd half was bad, slowly falling apart. Also the crowd seems dead, maybe they’re tired. This show is 7 hours long, exhausting. They’re only loud if there’s a great spot. Thankfully they still has enough gas left in the tank to appriciate The Undertaker.

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geekade · 7 years

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WILW: Royal Rumble 2017 Predictions

Ladies and Gentlemen it is time once again for my favorite event of the year. I simply adore the Royal Rumble event, always have. In an otherwise horrible month (seriously, could January be any worse?) the Rumble has always given me something to look forward to. This year's event is no different. We are living through a golden age of wrestling right now. One in which I can tune in Sunday night to see some of my very favorite wrestlers perform. AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Rich Swann, Sasha Banks, and so many more will all be a part of the Royal Rumble event. It's going to be a long show, the preshow kicks off at 5 with the Rumble starting at 7, but I humbly believe it will be worth it. With that said, here are my predictions for the show. Make sure to follow me on twitter, @geekadedan, to let me know what your thoughts are and also check out Geekade's newest podcast, The Backdrops and Bodyslams Podcast, to hear my thoughts on the show and those of my co-host, Mr. Dean DeFalco.

Sasha Banks vs Nia Jax: It's about time WWE started to make Nia look and act the monster she is. The Women's Division is floundering with the focus having been on Charlotte and Sasha most of the last year plus, so having another credible foil for the face to fight is long past due. I'm a little bummed it's a preshow match, but with such a stacked card, it has to go somewhere. It should be a good match that will hopefully build to something bigger for these two. Prediction: Nia Jax

Cesaro/Sheamus vs Luke Gallows/Karl Anderson (RAW Tag Team Titles): If there is one thing WWE does worse than just about anyone it is their tag team division. It wasn't always this way but for the last number of years, it has been one major feud with a smattering of nonsense in between for the other teams. It's a shame really, as Anderson and Gallows came in white hot thanks to their run in NJPW with Bullet Club. These dudes deserve the win to cement themselves as one of the best teams of the last decade. Cesaro and Sheamus is fun and works a damn sight better than I thought it would, but it has about run its course. Time for the Club to be given the ball. Prediction: Gallows/Anderson

Naomi vs Nikki vs Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss vs Natalya vs Mickie James (SD Women's Title): So this match is basically going to be a rather short, rather hot mess. All six of these ladies can go in the ring, to varying degrees admittedly, but let's be honest, this was thrown together because the Smackdown women needed something to do. Six person matches are slapdash at best and are most of the time set up for the heel to escape with a cheap win, which is what will happen here. Prediction: Alexa Bliss

Rich Swann vs Neville (RAW Cruiserweight Title): The addition of the Cruiserweights is evolving slowly into a credible division and that has been helped immensely by the talents of Rich Swann. As I covered in a post last year, here, Rich Swann is incredibly watchable. The guy is just charisma personified. And his opponent, Neville, is just as must-see. These two can do incredible things in the ring and if they are given the leeway, may very well put on the match of the night. Heel Neville is really working right now. Giving him a run with the belt until WrestleMania is just smart money. The faces win at Mania and it is that much better if they are getting their title back. Prediction: Neville

Charlotte vs Bayley (RAW Women's Title): Charlotte is already a 46-time champion (not really, but it sure feels like it) and has been the dominant woman for the better part of the last two years. She is no doubt great, but questionable booking decisions have cheapened the division and the worth of the belt. Bayley on the other hand, is just about everything one would want as a company champ. If WWE wants to expand their business, then Bayley is the way to go. And while I do think she will win, I'd also guess that she will lose it again quite quickly so that the story can be her chasing Charlotte to Mania and getting the big payoff. Not what I would do but there are worse options. Prediction: Bayley

Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns (RAW Universal Title): Also known as the "Chris Jericho in a Shark Cage match" this one really bothers me. Not because Roman shouldn't win, he shouldn't. Not because it will be a bad match, it won't. Not even because I am an Owens mark, I am. It bothers me because just like everything else with Roman, it is as formulaic as it could be. And no one wants it. The fans are going to shit all over this match once Roman wins. Which would be fine if WWE would book him as a heel, but they won't. Wrestling demands an innate suspension of disbelief and when the guy presented as the top face is getting booed out of the ring all the while playing at and not reacting as if he doesn't hear the boos in addition to the commentary team trying, and failing desperately, to make the booing positive well, it reminds me that this shit is fake. It's like trying to cheer for Ivan Drago against Rocky. And fuck that. Prediction: Roman Reigns

AJ Styles vs John Cena (WWE Championship Title): Never in a million years did I dare to dream that AJ Styles would be WWE Champion. Never did I dream that he would have the kind of first year that he just had. It never seemed possible. And yet, at the 2017 Royal Rumble AJ Styles will defend the WWE Championship against the now part-time John Cena. If Swann/Neville is not match of the night, this will be. These two just get it. Cena, for all the hate he gets, is an amazing sports entertainer, and Styles may very well be the best wrestler on the planet. Their previous matches were stellar. This needs to be the one to top those and cement AJ as a top guy. Plus, with my prediction for the Rumble, AJ has to win. Prediction: AJ Styles

Royal Rumble: Oh the Rumble. Two men start. Every minute and a half or two minutes thereafter, another man enters. Wrestlers are eliminated when they are thrown over the top rope and both feet touch the floor. It's fucking great. As of this writing twenty two of the thirty participants have been announced. There are always some surprise entrants, most being nostalgia, some being AJ Styles last year. This year the set up has focused on Lesnar and Goldberg. Neither of them will win. Undertaker has been featured heavily. He will not win either. Braun Strowman is a monster and he might win, in a year or two. This year, the winner will be one of those unannounced participants. And he will go on to face AJ Styles at Wrestlemania. And his name, is Samoa Joe. Dean disagrees. He wants either Undertaker or Goldberg. He thinks it will be Lesnar. And now that we have it published here, one of us will be bragging come Monday night. Prediction: Samoa Joe

So there it is. My predictions for the 2017 Royal Rumble. How did I do? I can't wait to find out. Until then...

#wwe #nxt #samoa joe #aj styles #undertaker #kevin owens #royal rumble #Wrestling #articles

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placetobenation · 3 years

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RIP Pat Patterson.

The WWE and the entire wrestling world lost a legend this week with the passing of Pat Patterson at the age of 79. The original Intercontinental Champion was also the creator of one of the WWE’s signature events, the Royal Rumble.

I’ll remember him for his infamous feud with Sgt. Slaughter that led to a classic Boot Camp Match and Alley Match in Madison Square Garden. After an accomplished in-ring career that started out in the Pacific Northwest and San Francisco, continued through the AWA and ultimately the WWE, Patterson moved into the announcer’s chair alongside Gorilla Monsoon and Vince McMahon.

The WWE Hall of Famer actually won the 24/7 Championship, becoming the oldest champion in WWE history at 78. He’s been a trusted ally and producer behind the scenes for McMahon. What’s funny about him being the first I-C Champion is the fact that he “won” it in a tournament that never took place back in 1979 in Mexico City. It was a title created to be the second biggest championship in the company behind the then WWF Heavyweight Championship. The tribute to Patterson on SmackDown was very well done, including him singing “My Way,” a Patterson favorite along with Frank Sinatra. If you missed it, watch it here.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and the entire wrestling community.

RAW

RESULTS

Symphony of Destruction Match: Jeff Hardy defeated Elias

Slapjack defeated Ricochet

Non-Title WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Asuka & Lana defeated Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax

Cedric Alexander defeated Xavier Woods

Sudden Death #1 Contenders Match for WWE Championship: AJ Styles defeated Keith Lee & Riddle

Drew McIntyre & Sheamus defeated The Miz & John Morrison by DQ

Interesting to see both the WWE and RAW Women’s Champions both in tag team action this week.

As I’ve said in previous weeks, I really like Drew McIntyre and Sheamus together. The friendship and backstory is real. Both want to kick the *&$( out of The Miz and John Morrison and it just works. You have the built-in story of the WWE Champion vs. the Money In the Bank holder too. Sheamus as a tweener good guy will work for a bit until he ultimately turns on Drew next year.

The opening A Moment of Bliss with Alexa Bliss and Randy Orton was really good to start the night. Orton was spot on with his mic work defining Bray Wyatt and The Fiend. Plus, Orton didn’t back down when The Fiend appears, instead handing Bliss, who was in Orton’s arms as the lights came on, back to The Fiend while asking “who’s laughing now.” Good stuff as expected.

OH SNAP!#WWERaw #SymphonyOfDestruction @JEFFHARDYBRAND @IAmEliasWWE pic.twitter.com/D54e8k56ol

— WWE (@WWE) December 1, 2020

SWANTON BOMB!#WWERaw #SymphonyOfDestruction @JEFFHARDYBRAND @IAmEliasWWE pic.twitter.com/a6HpQqdUBz

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) December 1, 2020

How the heck did Jeff Hardy not break his neck on the steel steps with that swanton off the top ring post? Damn that was scary! BTW: Didn’t we get a Symphony of Destruction match before with Elias and Braun Strowman back in March of 2018? The RAW announce crew made it seem like it was a first-time thing. Tough night for Elias. Shocked and swantoned!

Dana Brooke joins Ricochet against RETRIBUTION. First Brooke slaps Ali, then accidently knocks off RECKONING’s (Mia Yim) mask before pinning Yim. How the hell the RAW announce team wasn’t screaming “that’s Mia Yim” is beyond me! Should’ve capitalized on it and make it part of the angle.

I smell a tag team title match coming for Asuka and Lana in the near future! For the second week in the row, Asuka and Lana get the win over Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler. It’s nice not to see Lana roughed up for a second straight week. Jax & Baszler’s act is getting old and I can see the belts changing hands at TLC. Maybe Asuka can ask Sasha Banks & Bayley for two-belt advice!

#WWERaw @CedricAlexander @The305MVP @Sheltyb803 pic.twitter.com/NhLO0ZkDaP

— WWE (@WWE) December 1, 2020

Cedric Alexander got the pin over Xavier Woods, but it looks like there could be a little dissention in the ranks of The Hurt Business. MVP and Shelton Benjamin didn’t seem to enjoy Alexander walking up the ramp celebrating his victory without them. Something to watch.

The triple threat number one contender’s match went as expected. Styles pins Riddle after a decent match. So, now we get McIntyre vs. Styles for the first time ever at TLC. Looks like this was the backup plan after Braun Strowman got injured and now suspended for the storyline.

A 𝑷𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒍 outcome!@AJStylesOrg is going to face @DMcIntyreWWE for the #WWETitle at #WWETLC! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/dIIgtOhOIR

— WWE (@WWE) December 1, 2020

Let’s just say there was a lot to the main event. Would Sheamus turn on Drew? Would AJ Styles help The Miz to cash in his MITB contract? Would the WWE Champ maintain his dominance over The Miz and John Morrison? Well, let’s just suffice it to see that Sheamus stayed true. AJ tried. The Miz tried and didn’t quite cash in. Now, it’s on between The Phenomenal One and McIntyre at TLC! Awesome line by Drew to close the night – “Jackass and the Beanstalk” – when talking about AJ and his bodyguard. FAS!

You can believe @DMcIntyreWWE wants to cross paths with @WWERomanReigns again down the line… But in the meantime, he looks forward to meeting @AJStylesOrg at #WWETLC! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/8EUG2hnpIM

— WWE (@WWE) December 1, 2020

BTW: The thought of a Reigns vs. McIntyre sequel? Yes, please!

NXT

RESULTS

Damien Priest & Leon Ruff defeated Legado Del Fantasma

Cameron Grimes defeated Austin Grey

Jake Atlas defeated Tony Nese

Ever-Rise vs. Grizzled Young Veterans went to a no-contest

Imperium defeated Grizzled Young Veterans by DQ

WarGames Advantage Ladder Match: Shotzi Blackheart defeated Raquel Gonzalez

Now THAT's a #WarGames team!

#WWENXT #NXTTakeOver @RheaRipley_WWE @WWEEmberMoon @ShotziWWE @shirai_io pic.twitter.com/byeDfASCF6

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 3, 2020

I’ll be honest, heading into WarGames this Sunday, I expected a little bit more from NXT. The main event was amazing, especially with the surprise of NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai joining Team Shotzi! Anytime you can add a talent like Shirai to a match like WarGames, it’s a win-win. I will say though that the use of the ladder match is getting a bit overused in NXT these days. There are other ways to do an advantage match.

Sheer GENIUS. #WWENXT #WeAreNXT #WarGames @shirai_io pic.twitter.com/9SDisQ89yE

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 3, 2020

The rest of the show, however, wasn’t really something to remember. Pat McAfee’s promo in the ring, which is usually on spot, went a bit too long and kind of just rambled along. The Undisputed ERA vignette didn’t do much for me to help build the WarGames match. Don’t get me wrong, the match will be amazing, but the lack of build-up Wednesday night was a bit of a letdown.

Tonight, they win as teammates. This Sunday at #NXTTakeOver: WarGames, @LEONRUFF_ & @ArcherOfInfamy fight as competitors over the #NXTNATitle! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/zFNm6TsgD0

— WWE (@WWE) December 3, 2020

.@JohnnyGargano, do you have other friends you're not telling us about?

#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/fcSUspY9su

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 3, 2020

Outside of the main event, the opening tag team match was fun and a good spot to showcase Leon Ruff and Damien Priest’s NXT North American Championship match with Johnny Gargano doing commentary. It was also different to see them in there in a tag team match with NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar leading Legado Del Fantasma. You have to wonder if we see more of the Scream guys too. They’re a hoot!

Dexter Lumis and Cameron Grimes trading strap barbs was predictable as was Tommaso Ciampa showing up in Timothy Thatcher’s Thatch-As-Thatch-Can distraction session. In both cases, the matches Sunday will be fine, but the road to get there was a bit disappointing.

Giving Ever-Rise a bit of a rub with the Grizzled Young Veterans and Imperium was interesting. I can get into a GYV vs. Imperium feud. That was a pretty good match with an unsatisfying ending with Ever-Rise coming back for the DQ to get back at Imperium for chucking them out of their match with the GYV.

What have @XiaWWE & @Bigboawwe gotten themselves into…?#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/qJN4mvkGhh

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 4, 2020

I have no idea what’s going on with Xia Li and Big Boa! I’m interested but I haven’t a clue as to where it’s going.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Natalya defeated Bayley

Pat Patterson Tribute 6-Man Tag Team Match: Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Big E defeated Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Shinsuke Nakamura

King Corbin defeated Murphy

Kevin Owens & Otis defeated Roman Reigns & Jey Uso by DQ

.@KaylaBraxtonWWE: Do you fear @FightOwensFight? #SmackDown@WWERomanReigns: pic.twitter.com/5Xiz3puJIP

— WWE (@WWE) December 5, 2020

If it’s Friday night, it must be time for Roman Reigns to deliver! Simply put, Reigns is the most dynamic performer right now in the business.

First, trying to belittle Kayla Braxton to open the night for some “shoddy” questions, even when they weren’t. Talk about trying to exude your dominance! Then, accepting Kevin Owens TLC match challenge for two weeks. It’s amazing how good Reigns is in his current role as the Tribal Chief and Head of the Table. Now, with Owens, he’s got a worthy challenger as well. I’m hoping it’s not just a one-off PPV feud. As for the main event tag team match, Reigns of course let Uso start the match by himself before coming in mid-match and destroying Otis. leaving Owens by himself. Nothing starts without the Head of the Table right? Reigns’ utter contempt for Uso’s lack of success in trying to beat Owens was beautiful, but ultimately put a DQ loss on his own team. Just seconds later though, it’s a double-chair beatdown on KO for the knockout to the TLC challenger. What puts it over the top is the attack on his own cousin too! Roman has all of our attention now! Look out Owens family.

"You wanted my attention? Now you have my attention. Now THEY ALL have my attention." – @WWERomanReigns w/ @HeymanHustle to @FightOwensFight #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/cDHMq20xhS

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 5, 2020

Natalya beating Bayley? Well, that was surprising.

The #WWEThunderDome is going absolutely BANANA for this! The Pat Patterson Tribute Match on #SmackDown featuring six WWE Superstars who have held the prestigious Intercontinental Championship has been a sight to behold!#ThankYouPat pic.twitter.com/xYlySieWRw

— WWE (@WWE) December 5, 2020

Kudos to Sami Zayn, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Big E, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rey Mysterio for putting on an entertaining 6-man match to honor Pat Patterson. The current and former Intercontinental Champions surely did the first I-C Champion proud with their efforts. Fitting to Mysterious see Bryan pin Zayn with the small package, a Patterson favorite and then Ziggler selling the atomic knee drop after the match too. Well done and it looks like we may get Zayn vs. Bryan again, this time with the title on the line.

"With half the work, I'm BETTER than you." – @CarmellaWWE

#SmackDown @SashaBanksWWE pic.twitter.com/N5cEzdEwsm

— WWE (@WWE) December 5, 2020

Carmella vs. Sasha, the War of Words got my attention. Carmella makes every point on how she should be on Sasha’s level. She’s more than just the hot chick who walked into the Performance Center on a whim while Sasha worked her whole life to get there. Fightin’ words my friends! I’d love to see Corey Graves get involved in this one too to take this one to the next level!

We didn’t enjoy part one of King Corbin vs. Murphy. What made the WWE think we wanted a part 2? Looks like The Forgotten Sons got a makeover to be part of the KC Court and quickly help the King out to a victory in the rematch. There’s no End of Days to this feud apparently.

Parting Shots:

A very interesting week outside the WWE! Former WWE Champion Jon Moxley lost his AEW Championship to Kenny Omega while kicking off a new partnership with Impact Wrestling as Don Callis helped Omega win the title and take the title presumably to Tuesday nights. Plus, Sting debuted in AEW with a shiny new multi-year contract to help out Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin. Are we getting a scenario reminiscent of the old territory days where companies will actually work together to compete with the WWE? If they can get along, it’s a good strategy with lots of possibilities.

It’s a busy Sunday for the WWE with the Tribute to the Troops airing on FOX Sunday afternoon either before or after the NFL game in your market (3pm or 4:30pm) and then NXT TakeOver: WarGames Sunday night at 7pm on the WWE Network.

Tribute to the Troops

WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. The Miz

Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair vs. Bayley & Natalya

Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy & SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits vs. King Corbin, Elias, Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode

NXT: TakeOver WarGames – Updated Card

WarGames: The Undisputed Era vs. The Kings of NXT

WarGames: Candice LeRae, Toni Storm, Raquel Gonzalez, Dakota Kai vs. Ember Moon, Shotzi Blackheart, Rhea Ripley & Io Shirai

NXT North American Championship Triple Threat Match: Leon Ruff vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Damian Priest

Strap Match: Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes

(Timothy Thatcher vs. Tommaso Ciampa

TLC PPV – Updated Card

WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. AJ Styles

Universal Championship TLC Match: Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens

SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks vs. Carmella

The Fiend vs. Randy Orton

Coming up this week:

#WWERaw @SuperKingofBros @fightbobby pic.twitter.com/SPclLkrlq8

— WWE (@WWE) December 1, 2020

RAW Randy Orton visits The Firefly Fun House 3-on-2 Handicap Match: AJ Styles, The Miz & John Morrison vs. Drew McIntyre & Sheamus Riddle vs. Bobby Lashley (?)

NXT: WarGames fallout

SMACKDOWN: TBD

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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placetobenation · 4 years

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Before we get to the matter at hand and the countdown to a pair of PPV’s in the WWE, there’s something that’s bugging me about the new look of WWE programming.

I have to get this off my chest about the “crowd” at WWE shows the past couple of weeks. Yes, it’s an upgrade over no crowd. But what I fail to understand is why does it always have to be NXT up-and-comers? Why can’t other RAW, NXT and SmackDown superstars be out there at different points? It would make more sense. Advance it a bit and use some “names” out at ringside to move storylines ahead. It would help keep those who aren’t in the ring at the time more relevant as well. You want to have invitations to other shows, why not have them out there as “scouting” out the competition? Think out of the box folks!

OK, now I feel better. And yes, there are good things to talk about including a pair of Prime Target debuts on NXT that were very good and new (yet old) tag team champions!

Star of the Week:

I’m a boss I’m a leader! pic.twitter.com/x5mGkMc3GF

— $asha Banks (@SashaBanksWWE) June 6, 2020

Bayley and Sasha Banks – Thanks to their victory Friday night on SmackDown over Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, the SmackDown Women’s Champion is now 2-Belt Bayley and joins her BFF Sasha Banks as two-time tag team champions. Despite their moments of dissension late in the match, the duo put that aside to come out on top. One of the, if not THE, highlights of the week

Coming up Sunday, it’s NXT’s chance to capture the spotlight with a nod to the past with NXT TakeOver: In Your House. I hope there are some fun things Sunday night to mix in with the current talent from NXT which usually shines in TakeOver nights. I’m expecting the same this weekend. Kind of dig this return from Todd Pettengill!

VIDEO: Former #WWE Interviewer Todd Pettengill Returns for Special #NXTTakeOverInYourHouse Promo https://t.co/bowFCRManF pic.twitter.com/ymk79sOTaI

— ComicBook NOW! (@ComicBookNOW) June 5, 2020

NXT TakeOver: In Your House – UPDATED CARD

NXT Championship Backlot Brawl Match: Adam Cole vs. The Velveteen Dream

NXT Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai

NXT North American Title Match: Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano

Karrion Kross vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Finn Balor vs. Damien Priest

Mia Yim, Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

BACKLASH PPV – UPDATED CARD

WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley

Universal Championship Handicap Match: Braun Strowman vs. The Miz & John Morrison

Greatest Wrestling Match Ever: Edge vs. Randy Orton

RAW Women’s Championship Match: Asuka vs. Nia Jax

Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus

Now, on to the week that was.

RAW

RESULTS

Aleister Black defeated Seth Rollins

United States Title Match: Apollo Crews vs. Kevin Owens went to no-contest

Apollo Crews & Kevin Owens defeated Andrade & Angel Garza

Billie Kay defeated Nikki Cross

24/7 Championship Match – R-Truth defeated Rob Gronkowski to win title

Nia Jax defeated Kairi Sane

Champion vs. Champion – Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka by count-out

Non-title WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre defeated MVP

What we loved:

After defeating @The305MVP, #WWEChampion @DMcIntyreWWE felt the FULL NELSON from @fightbobby!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/eHBUIU6d7C

— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2020

MVP, Lashley & Lana – Chemistry. He doesn’t like her. She doesn’t like him. But, together, do they have a plot to make Bobby Lashley the new WWE Champion? MVP has done more for Lashley in a month than Lana did in six months.

What we didn’t like:

WOW. @NiaJaxWWE is REALLY going there. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/0pYNQ3MI4o

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) June 2, 2020

Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka – Why waste a fantastic match between two of the best in-ring workers in the WWE with Nia Jax and a mask? Give me a clean match between The Queen and The Empress and have Jax prance around after. No need for a silly count-out ending my friends.

Zelina’s Faction – It seemed like Zelina Vega’s faction of Andrade, Angel Garza and at one time, Austin Theory looked strong for about five seconds. Since its initial push, it’s been all downhill. Theory’s gone to join Seth Rollins and his Monday Night Minions, Andrade’s lost his US Title and it seems like the faction loses every week. Not the way to build momentum at all. Here’s hoping they clean it up and get them some juice again. Why not go after Rollins, Buddy Murphy & Theory for a bit? Why not make Crews’ new run as champion a living nightmare?

It had to happen:

.@reymysterio took time to address @WWERollins and the recent actions of the #MondayNightMessiah on #WWERaw. pic.twitter.com/44FJkJTqvr

— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2020

Rey’s not retiring – We saw this one a mile away. But, it’s too soon for Mysterio to say goodbye just yet. Will Dominick be a new minion for Seth Rollins and the Monday Night Messiah?

WE HAVE A NEW #247CHAMPION AND HIS NAME IS @RonKillings!!!@RobGronkowski didn't see THAT coming!

#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/e8uWkbQsLS

— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2020

24/7 – The 24/7 Championship comes home to R-Truth! With Rob Gronkowski headed back to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Bucs, he had to opt out of his WWE deal and of course, drop the belt. Nice to see Gronk back in Foxboro for a bit too. Hopefully, the 24/7 fun returns with its favorite title holder. I’m just waiting for Cousin Ricky to win it now!

What a start to @WWEApollo's #USTitle reign. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/cS5p8f3QTR

— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2020

Friends and enemies – Well, not quite fierce enemies, but having Kevin Owens face Apollo Crews in his first US Title defense was nice to see, albeit too short as it was only to set up a tag match against Andrade & Angel Garza.

NXT

RESULTS

Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim ended in double count-out

Candice LeRae & Johnny Gargano defeated Mia Yim & Keith Lee

Isaiah Scott defeated Tony Nese

NXT Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Breezango defeated Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan and The Undisputed Era (Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish)

Santana Garrett defeated Aliyah

Cameron Grimes defeated Bronson Reed

NXT Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Finals: El Hijo del Fantasma defeated Drew Maverick

What we liked:

#WWENXT is the land of opportunity. Welcome to the black-and-gold brand, @WWEMaverick! We're thrilled to have you. #ThankYouDrake #WeAreNXT @TripleH pic.twitter.com/8oxQOvBtWC

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 4, 2020

Drake’s staying – One of the more entertaining storylines the past six weeks has been Drake Maverick advancing through the NXT Cruiserweight Tournament and keeping his job alive in NXT. Although he lost to El Hijo del Fantasma in the finals, Maverick gets to stay as Triple H gives him a contract to stay working on Wednesday nights. Heartwarming.

.@AdamColePro. @DreamWWE. The #NXTTitle. A BACKLOT BRAWL. This is going to be INTERESTING. #WWENXT #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/AwkY9bmIrW

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 4, 2020

Prime Target – Really enjoyed the production pieces advancing the Adam Cole vs. The Velveteen Dream match into a Backlot Brawl as well as the Triple Threat NXT Women’s Championship Match between Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai. It was a much better way to go than having another run-in to a match or flat ending. Nice build-up to In Your House this Sunday. Loved the Shirai start with her completely underwater!

Special:

Karrion Kross – Direct. Strong. No flash. Beat up Bronson Reed and a straight to the point promo directed at Tommaso Ciampa. Special it will be Sunday night in Kross TakeOver debut. Ciampa’s promo piece was pretty special in its own right too!

What we didn’t like:

Mexican Masked Men – We get the men who have been kidnapping superstars for months helping El Hijo del Fantasma beat Drake Maverick, but no follow-up after the match by the announce crew. Seemed out of the place not to say anything or have the masked men congratulating El Hijo del Fantasma for his victory. Odd.

Tough week:

Robert Stone – First, Stone gets fired by Chelsea Green and now Aliyah loses again, in short measure, to Santana Garrett. Doesn’t seem like there is a firm direction on what to do with either Stone or Aliyah.

NXT, we have no problem:

One small step for man, one giant leap for GORGEOUS KIND.

#BREEZANGO IS BACK! #WWENXT @MmmGorgeous @WWEFandango pic.twitter.com/QgxAN8fjrV

— WWE (@WWE) June 4, 2020

Breezango returns – Loved the entrance on the heels of the SpaceX launch in Florida late last month. Breezango always entertains and gives a quality in-ring performance. Now, let’s see how they fare against the power of Imperium.

A bit lackluster:

Lee vs. Gargano – Am I missing something or shouldn’t this one for the North American Title have a bigger feel than what it does at the moment? Lee’s luster has dropped a bit since the rush of the Royal Rumble and stardom of Survivor Series. Sure, no crowd hurts, but they can get over that. Here’s hoping a very good match awaits at IYH.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Otis defeated King Corbin (DQ)

Lacey Evans defeated Sonya Deville

Drew Gulak defeated AJ Styles

The New Day & Chad Gable defeated Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamara & Mojo Rawley

Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Bayley & Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross to win titles

What we loved:

Viva la women! – Thanks to the women of SmackDown for putting the fun into Friday night. Sonya Deville and Lacey Evans, given a couple of segments to go at it again after last week’s double count out, proved more than deserving of the time. We asked for it and they delivered again this week. Plus, we got a Deville-Mandy Rose extension with Rose costing her former bestie the match with some distraction tactics on the big screen.

.@itsBayleyWWE being a double champ is a mood. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/VtjPTVhjoF

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 6, 2020

Viva la women, part 2! – You already know that Bayley & Sasha Banks are the stars of the week from above, but we absolutely love that the WWE avoided the predictable loss via troubled times for the now tag team champs. We know eventually that we will get Bayley vs. Banks, but let’s let it simmer for a few months, right? It will make it all the sweeter when it does come to fruition.

Fun and entertaining:

6-man action – Anytime you can get The New Day, Chad Gable, Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura in the same ring, you know it would be good. Add in Mojo Rawley to take the fall on the pin and you’ve got a fun match. And that’s exactly what it was. Nice showcase.

What we didn’t like:

Welcome back to #SmackDown @AJStylesOrg, courtesy of @DrewGulak! pic.twitter.com/K2p07wD9Hu

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 6, 2020

AJ Styles losing – In trying to promote next week’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals between Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles, we get a face-off between the two interrupted by Drew Gulak, who then beats Styles. Not a great way to keep Styles strong before the finals next week. Not a fan of that one.

Could do without:

Note to self: Never play a joke on @BraunStrowman. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/b9mk30P6QW

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 6, 2020

The Miz & Morrison’s Warning – I get they are trying to be comedic and all, but another Braun Strowman vehicle tossing segment is just a throwaway. Been there, done that. The Miz & John Morrison, stuck in the surveillance van, trying to make the big, bad Braun mad with silly drink and slime antics is just does nothing for me. It just makes the match at Backlash seem like more of yawn than something that I should be interested in.

Necessary:

Hardy vs. Sheamus – We got the expected next step in the Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus saga as Hardy seems to prove he wasn’t drunk and running down Elias last week. Sheamus fully denies any involvement and now we get the pair battling it out at Backlash. Necessary and very predictable. Not much of an update on poor ol’ Elias either.

No chemistry:

Otis & King Corbin – Why? Just didn’t click on any level for me.

Parting shots:

BRINGING THE FIRE

: WWE superstar Titus O'Neil says "enough is enough" with violence at otherwise peaceful protests. He stole the show at today's press conference with the mayor and police chief. WATCH MORE: https://t.co/rI6QgIrMAE pic.twitter.com/IKFhCClT16

— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) June 3, 2020

Well done Titus O’Neill for speaking out this week and supporting the peaceful protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

"I'm not here to pretend to understand how black people feel. It's not my place to tell them how to react." – @CMPunk #WWEBackstage pic.twitter.com/GgWAPz4jkQ

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) June 3, 2020

Kudos as well to CM Punk for the strong message on WWE Backstage. I wish the WWE and Punk would get together on a show that is watched more at a more suitable time to bring this type of conversation to the forefront on their platforms. Leading instead of burying it. I know it won’t happen, but it would be oh so refreshing and needed!

Coming up this week:

RAW – Edge joins Christian on “The Peep Show” NXT – TakeOver: In Your House fallout SmackDown – Intercontinental Tournament Finals: Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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placetobenation · 4 years

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Somewhere on the Road to WrestleMania, the WWE has lost its mind and creative wisdom!

Yup, I said it.

In a time where audience is eroding and stocks are on the wrong side of the ledger, the WWE has turned its collective championship eyes at Goldberg. Yes, 53-year old Bill Goldberg. Again. For the second time in three years, Goldberg has taken out a younger star in mere minutes. In March of 2017 at Fastlane, it was Kevin Owens and now it’s The Fiend/Bray Wyatt.

I hate it!

The Fiend, over the past 8 months, is one of Smackdown’s most entertaining superstars. And with 2:00 of work in Saudi Arabia at Super Showdown Thursday, it was all thrown away.

Now, I get that Vince McMahon wants another superstar to highlight WrestleMania and a possible PPV deal before April’s big event, but this is not the way to do it. You shouldn’t have to tear down and discard one of your top draws just to give Goldberg a title he doesn’t deserve. Even if it is a transitional champion to get to Roman Reigns.

And to boot, at Super Showdown, we get The Undertaker coming back to lay waste to AJ Styles and Brock Lesnar obliterates Ricochet in less than two minutes. Add in John Cena’s return on Smackdown Friday night and we’ve got WrestleMania turned into a night of the elder statesmen.

I’m not saying that you can’t use the veterans and former stars, but don’t do it at the expense of the younger talent. Get them over. Make them over with personality and creative booking. Make it special and make it realistic. Make me want to be invested instead of trying to get the cheap, quick pop!

Right now, they are treating WrestleMania as a throwaway event and not something that I MUST see! It’s supposed to be THE biggest day of the year and now it’s just thrown in with Super Showdown and Elimination Chamber as another event over the month.

Count me as one who does NOT want to see Goldberg vs. Roman Reigns, John Cena vs. The Fiend/Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles. Those matches are not MUST SEE for me. Now, if it was Cena going for a Championship, he is 16-time World Champion after all, that’s something else. But, we can’t have that now that Goldberg beat The Fiend.

Remember, we already got Cena vs. Wyatt at WrestleMania 30.

Unfortunately, it looks like the lazy, predictable approach has even gotten to NXT, usually a standout week in, week out. Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair should’ve been a standout match, but lacked the high quality, emotion and intensity.

On RAW, how many times did we need to see Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler recapped?

Now, enough for the rant!

There were some positives on SmackDown. The tag team title match in the Elimination Chamber between John Morrison & The Miz vs. The Usos vs. The New Day could be epic! Sasha Banks’ return, despite the loss, is a good thing. A better show than in recent weeks and the best of the week for the WWE.

Super Showdown Results

The OC (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) defeated The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)

The Undertaker won the Tuwaiq Mountain Trophy Gauntlet Match over R-Truth, Bobby Lashley, Rey Mysterio Jr. and AJ Styles

Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: The Miz and John Morrison defeated The New Day to win titles

Angel Garza defeated Humberto Carrillo

RAW Tag Team Championship Match: Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy defeated The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) to retain titles

Mansoor defeated Dolph Ziggler

WWE Championship Match: Brock Lesnar defeated Ricochet to retain title

Steel Cage Match: Roman Reigns defeated King Corbin

Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Bayley defeated Naomi

Universal Championship Match: Goldberg defeated The Fiend/Bray Wyatt to win title

And NEWWWWWWWWW @WWE Universal Champion! @Goldberg is now a 2-time Champion, and the first WWE Hall of Famer to win after being inducted. #WWESSSD pic.twitter.com/gcYLS4aCr1

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 27, 2020

Star of the Week:

Goldberg – I may not like it, but capturing the second biggest title in the company deserves a top spot, right?! I just wish he would’ve earned it.

RAW

RESULTS

Angel Garza defeated Humberto Carrillo

Ricochet defeated Luke Gallows

Aleister Black defeated Erick Rowan

Bobby Lashley defeated R-Truth

Angelo Dawkins defeated Buddy Murphy (DQ)

Seth Rollins defeated Montez Ford

Randy Orton defeated Kevin Owens

What we loved:

.@FightOwensFight demanded ANSWERS from @RandyOrton on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/xBjNh4KqHQ

— WWE (@WWE) February 26, 2020

Stand up KO – It was nice to see Kevin Owens be the next guy to take on Randy Orton for his attack on Edge. After all, how many times can we see Owens get punked by Seth Rollins and his Monday Night Minions (Buddy Murphy and the Authors of Pain)? Well, one more time I guess to help Randy Orton get a win. But at least it was a fun twist for a night.

It was a backstage blowup between @WWEAleister & #TheOC on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/bohbvzk09f

— WWE (@WWE) February 26, 2020

Aleister Black vs. AJ Styles – Sign me up for this one! But, something tells me we won’t get it as advertised now that Styles is looking for revenge against The Undertaker. Now, if you want to put The Undertaker with Aleister Black to fight The OC, I’m down with that.

Meh:

Garza vs. Carrillo – twice in four days was not exactly their best effort.

Huh:

The Women's #WWEChamber Contract Signing quickly turned into a BRAWL between @QoSBaszler & @BeckyLynchWWE!#RAW pic.twitter.com/As5dWbx2XG

— WWE (@WWE) February 26, 2020

So, no one comes out to save Edge or Matt Hardy against Randy Orton, but the entire locker room clears out to take care of the Elimination Chamber contract signing with Becky Lynch, Shayna Baszler, Asuka, Natalya, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott. That’s just so illogical on so many levels my friends!

NXT

RESULTS

Cameron Grimes defeated Dominik Dijakovic

Xia Li defeated Mia Yim

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Austin Theory

Killian Dain defeated Bronson Reed

The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) defeated The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake & Steve Cutler)

Charlotte Flair defeated Bianca Belair

.@MsCharlotteWWE has @BiancaBelairWWE right where she wants her! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/yGXG9NkWcy

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 27, 2020

Don’t get me wrong, the effort in the ring was there. Just overall, this latest episode of NXT just didn’t do it for me. I expected a can’t miss event from Flair and Belair and it just didn’t happen. Maybe they just had an off night chemistry-wise, but I just expected more. Otherwise, it was just a bunch of matches with a couple of run-ins thrown in for some intrigue.

“The #NXTUK Champion @WalterAUT would like to send you his regards…”#Imperium deliver a personal message to the PRIN

E @FinnBalor! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/BPJpb66Zgw

— WWE (@WWE) February 27, 2020

Finn Balor vs. Imperium has some interest, but why did we blow off the Gargano feud so quickly after one match? That seemed odd. Gargano, predictably, went after former friend and foe Ciampa after the NXT TakeOver: Portland screwjob. Ending Balor vs. Gargano and Ciampa vs. Cole seems like a blowoff and not a deserving finish.

Hopefully, just an off week for the folks from Full Sail. Their product isn’t failing at the moment, they are just getting outperformed on many levels by their counterparts on All Elite Wrestling, who are showing more of a flair for the dramatic in front of a bigger crowd week-in and week-out. Plus, it just seems like they are having more fun. That’s a lesson all of the WWE could learn.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Non-title Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Naomi defeated Bayley (DQ)

Lacey Evans & Naomi defeated Bayley & Sasha Banks

Robert Roode defeated Kofi Kingston

Daniel Bryan defeated Curtis Axel

Non-title Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: The Usos defeated John Morrison & The Miz

What we loved:

Tag team love in the chamber – New tag team champs – John Morrison and The Miz get a monster of a first title defense. They have to face The Usos and the former champs, The New Day along with Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode, Heavy Machinery, and Lucha House Party in the Elimination Chamber in Philadelphia next Sunday. That could be epic my friends! Nice win by The Usos getting instant heat on the new champs with the upset victory Friday night. Not a good luck for the new champs though after gaining the belts on Thursday.

It's official! @WWERomanReigns will battle @Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship at @WrestleMania. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Gj17p5Znmo

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 29, 2020

Boo boo Bill – LOVED. LOVED. LOVED the fans in Boston (my people!) booing the (bleep) out of new Universal Champion Bill Goldberg. The only thing shorter than Goldberg’s match at Super Showdown was the one line back and forth between Roman Reigns and Goldberg. We all know where this is going folks. What Vince wants, Vince gets. Whether we the fans want it or not.

'The Fiend' @WWEBrayWyatt never forgets…#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/1heu7CAedE

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) February 29, 2020

You knew it was coming:

Cena vs. The Fiend – You just knew John Cena’s announcement that he wouldn’t be part of this year’s WrestleMania wasn’t going to stand. It lasted all of about 30 seconds. So, now we get Cena/Wyatt II in Tampa. Playing the hits for the big show is all this is.

Huh?

Daniel Bryan – I look at Daniel Bryan’s matches the last few weeks after losing to The Fiend and I think he’s wrestling on the old All-Star Wrestling. He’s showcasing his wares in matches he’s clearly the favorite in against guys that have no chance against him while Bryan waits on his next storyline. Kind of odd they have nothing for him yet. I’d love to see him in a classic match we didn’t see coming. How about Bryan vs. Cole II in Tampa?

Elimination Chamber Card:

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match: The Usos vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler vs. Heavy Machinery vs. Lucha House Party vs. The New Day vs. John Morrison and The Miz

Elimination Chamber Match – Winner gets match at WrestleMania vs. Becky Lynch for RAW Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler vs. Ruby Riott vs. Natalya vs. Sarah Logan vs. Liv Morgan vs. Asuka

Intercontinental Championship 3-on-1 Handicap Match: Cesaro, Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Braun Strowman

Parting shots:

Oh no Joe – Tough to see Samoa Joe suspended 30 days for a Wellness Policy violation. A concussion and now suspension takes him out of one of the bigger angles on RAW but should be back in time for WrestleMania.

Killer Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux – You have to think this couple is going to make a big debut either right before WrestleMania or in Tampa. Are the glitches a foreshadowing for something big for these two?

WWE Backstage – I’ve had high hopes for this show and it has had its moments. But, without CM Punk every week and no consistency other than Renee Young each week. I’ve been disappointed lately. Loved the talk between Mark Henry and Keith Lee last week. But did we really need a Bella Twins baby contest this week? Ugh!

Two cage matches for NXT this Wednesday? Sounds like overkill to me.

If you get a chance to listen to Lacey Evans on Boston radio Friday morning, it was a good listen on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Listen to it here.

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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placetobenation · 4 years

Link

As King Corbin aptly said on Friday Night Smackdown, NXT is all anyone can talk about! It’s true, it’s damn true to quote the man that Corbin retired, Kurt Angle.

Who’s going to attack who. Who’s going to show up where. Who’s going to face each other at Survivor Series. There are plenty of storylines to answer those questions. And the interest is growing! Just look at NXT’s ratings for Wednesday night as they pulled almost even (822,000 to 813,000 according to Nielsen) in viewers for the Wednesday Night War with AEW. My question is will it only be NXT taking shots at RAW and Smackdown or will over the next two weeks, will we also get RAW taking shots at Smackdown as well in traditional blue vs. red rivalry.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!?!?!?@AJStylesOrg @FinnBalor #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/HY6x5hgBt9

— WWE (@WWE) November 7, 2019

This week, we get a nod to the Bullet Club with an AJ Styles – Finn Balor stare down at Full Sail University. We also get more into what could be the end to Seth Rollins’ babyface days. Days that have seen Seth fighting for, yet failing it seems to capture any and all the major titles in the WWE. At what point will Rollins just lose it? I’m looking forward to it.

This means war.@NXTCiampa, @SuperKingofBros, @RealKeithLee, and ??? will battle #UndisputedERA in #WarGames at #NXTTakeOver! #WWENXT https://t.co/5NnDh0SZKS

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 7, 2019

One spot left. Who's ready to go to war? #WarGames #WWENXThttps://t.co/DoNCsRZ7L4

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 7, 2019

What we’re also looking forward to is War Games! Are we headed towards a War Games between the brands? We already know we have two NXT War Games to look forward to and after all of this week’s excitement and tryouts, 14 of the 16 contestants have been announced. On the women’s side, we’ve got Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae vs. NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair and TBD. For the men, it’s the Undisputed ERA vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Matt Riddle, Keith Lee and TBD.

Finally, we have a pair of matches set for the upcoming Survivor Series with the RAW vs. Smackdown vs. NXT having a championship theme.

Women’s Champions: NXT’s Shayna Baszler vs. Smackdown’s Bayley vs. RAW’s Becky Lynch

Tag Team Champions; NXT’s Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Smackdown’s The New Day vs. RAW’s The Viking Raiders

Plus, the WWE Championship is on the line with champion Brock Lesnar facing Rey Mysterio, Jr.

What’s next for The Fiend and the Universal Championship? We may get a clue from across the pond!

Color me a traditionalist, but I’d love to see Survivor Series come back to Thanksgiving Day Night, but I know that will never happen.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW

RESULTS

Non-Title Match: Charlotte & Natalya defeated Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors (submission Natalya over Asuka)

Buddy Murphy defeated Cedric Alexander

Andrade & Zelina Vega defeated Sin Cara & Carolina

Rusev defeated Drew McIntyre (DQ when Bobby Lashley interferes)

The OC defeated The Street Profits & Humberto Carrillo

Non-Title Match: RAW Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders defeated the East Hampton Polo Boys

NXT Title Match: Seth Rollins defeated NXT Champion Adam Cole (DQ when Undisputed ERA interferes)

What we loved:

.@QosBaszler and @BeckyLynchWWE have an INTENSE meeting on #RAW ahead of #SurvivorSeries.@WWENXT continues to make their presence felt! pic.twitter.com/1Fe4OVvWG9

— WWE (@WWE) November 5, 2019

Becky vs. Baszler – If you missed it, go back and watch it! In what could be one of the best pieces of business this week, the RAW Women’s Champ goes face-to-face with the NXT Women’s Champ in a verbal spat not to be missed.

Natalya & Charlotte – As we’ve said in the past, the pairing of these two veterans is a great thing for the Women’s Division. Putting them over in a non-title match over the tag champions means that soon we’ll get a tag team title match between them and The Kabuki Warriors. My question is will we see Paige come back to exact revenge on her former tag team.

Adam Cole – What’s not to like about the NXT Champion? Who else could main event back-to-back shows that aren’t his brand? First, taking out Daniel Bryan on Smackdown and then going toe-to-toe with Seth Rollins on RAW. Well done, BAY BAY!

Rey Mysterio, Jr. – Viva la little man! Mysterio strikes back with his trusty partner, a lead pipe, to exact revenge on WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. And to boot, he should get a title match at Survivor Series.

Dio Maddin – Sticking up for the King, Jerry Lawler is never a bad thing! Unfortunately, Maddin paid the price courtesy of the WWE Champion.

The BRAWL continues between #RAW and @WWENXT! pic.twitter.com/PdqIe03tfL

— WWE (@WWE) November 5, 2019

BASK IN HIS GLORY. @RealKeithLee#SurvivorSeries is for the taking. #RAW #WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/p45PxGZYxR

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 5, 2019

High flyers – Keith Lee flying high replicating Ricochet in a post-main event melee! Love it!

What we didn’t love:

Another loss for Humberto Carrillo – At some point, Carrillo has to win a match on TV, right? It’s great to face Seth Rollins, AJ Styles and now the OC. But if you lose every match, what does it get you? You have to start building him up with some victories or else it becomes a losing streak like Curt Hawkins.

Another loss for Sin Cara & Carolina – See above. For a feud to be successful, it can’t be one-sided. Yet, this one is.

NXT

RESULTS

Pete Dunne defeated Damian Priest (submission)

Taynara defeated Santana Garrett

Non-Title Match: Champion Shayna Baszler defeated Dakota Kai (submission)

#1 Contender’s Match For The Cruiserweight Title: Angel Garza defeated Tony Nese

Dominik Dijakovic defeated Isaiah Scott

Keith Lee, Matt Riddle, and Tommaso Ciampa vs. The OC (no contest)

What we loved:

Absolute respect to #TheOC who came to “our house,” walked through the front door and tore the place down. The #USChamp and Best Tag Team in the World can hang with @WWENXT. Anyone else who wants to walk through our door better be ready to go. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/HZDkpWJ52I

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 7, 2019

Welcome to Full Sail, The OC – Way to start the show! AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson delivering a beatdown to the NXT roster reminiscent of The Outsiders using Rey Mysterio, Jr. as a pinata into a production truck. Then, to lay down the challenge to NXT after a week of NXT taking charge of RAW and Smackdown was needed and well played. And remember, The OC completely got to skip going to NXT before joining the main roster.

Tommaso Ciampa – To the OC: “Welcome to the main roster.” Well done Goldie!

The NXT response – Keith Lee and Matt Riddle are easily making themselves into main event talent every week on NXT. Throw in former champ Tommaso Ciampa and you’ve got a dramatic six-man main event against The OC that ends in a wild melee to a returning Finn Balor.

Welcome to Survivor Series Finn Balor – After a week of wondering where Finn Balor stands on the whole NXT vs. RAW vs. Smackdown rivalry, we now have a slight glimpse into that picture. Balor seemingly came out to help his NXT mates in the main event only to deliver a knockout pele kick to Ciampa, a kick that AJ Styles acknowledges with a “two-sweet” gesture, a nod to their Bullet Club days in Japan. And yes, I love that Mauro Ranollo referenced that on the broadcast, something not usually done since it was pre-WWE days. Could Balor be strattling both sides of the battle?

War Games Build – A heavy concentration on who Shayna Baszler & Rhea Ripley would pick for their team in War Games, including a match between Baszler herself and Dakota Kai – a quality non-title match that made Kai look good and established her into the War Game mix. That match leads to a full out brawl with Ripley’s team and a Mia Yim’s kendo stick save of Team Ripley. With Yim getting the final spot instead of Kai, could we see a turn in Kai’s future after being shunned? Also, how come Baszler doesn’t have her sidekicks, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir on her team? Right now, we’ve got Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae vs. NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair and TBD.

Angel Garza – A win over Tony Nese nets him an NXT Cruiserweight Championship match next week against Lio Rush. Way to get some heel heat too after the match by slapping Rush instead of shaking his hand. It gives us more than just a match thrown together. Emotion and storyline added to athleticism is always a productive method!

What we didn’t love:

Santana Garrett vs. Taynara – A bit clunky at times, I expected a bit more considering what else we’ve gotten from what is red-hot, stacked women’s division in NXT week after week. Call it an average, albeit short – just four minutes – match and possibly just an off-night.

No update on Johnny Gargano – He is the emotional soul of NXT. Don’t let a week go by without updating his situation after being put out by Finn Balor. Maybe, we’ll just see him as the fourth member of War Games and they’re just waiting for that surprise in a week or two.

FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: The New Day defeated The Revival to win titles

Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Ali and Shorty G

Sasha Banks defeated Nikki Cross

Carmella and Dana Brooke defeated Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville to gain spot on Women’s Survivor Series team

King Corbin defeated Roman Reigns

What we loved:

THEY DID IT FOR WOODS!@WWEBigE & @TrueKofi have made #TheNewDay 7️⃣-TIME #TagTeamChampions! #SmackDown @XavierWoodsPhD pic.twitter.com/b3o5AWnBbm

— WWE (@WWE) November 9, 2019

It’s a New Day, New Champs – Kofi Kingston is a champ again as Kofi and Big E reign supreme as Smackdown champions once more. Of course, this will only fuel the IWC rumors that The Revival are headed out in 2020 to AEW or elsewhere.

King Corbin’s heat – Easily the top heel heat on Smackdown. Corbin draws it and the crowd loves to dish it. Having Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode help him out could point towards a Survivor Series team grouping in a few weeks.

Walter and The Imperium – As you know, we’re big fans of WALTER from NXT UK and NXT. It makes sense to unleash them at a Smackdown in Manchester, England to further the NXT vs. Smackdown vs. RAW feud. Getting them some TV time with new tag team champs, The New Day and Heavy Machinery makes a lot of sense for the NXT UK Champion WALTER, Fabian Archer, Marcel Barthel and Alexander Wolfe

Will he stay or will he join – Sami Zayn’s continued pursuit of Daniel Bryan has some legs and some intrigue to it, especially with all of the chaos and uncertainty headed towards Survivor Series. Plus, add in The Fiend attacking Bryan backstage and we could find out our next feud for the new Universal Champion. A Global Faction of Cesar, Nakamura and Bryan led by Zayn mixing with the Firefly Fun House could very well be worth watching.

Different week, same result – NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler attacks Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley. After a confrontation on RAW with Becky Lynch, Baszler is becoming must-see TV on every show to see who she’s going to take out next.

What we didn’t love:

Fire and Desire Fail – Since when did Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville become jobbers? It seems like they lose every week in some form or fashion. Yes, I realize that’s an exaggeration, but I think they are better than what they are being portrayed. Maybe Sonya Deville would work well as a member of Shayna Baszler’s War Games team? Hmmm…..

Fury and Strowman – So, now we’re supposed to just accept them as a team? We know that Tyson Fury isn’t going to be around much due to his boxing commitments. But after hating each other for a month-plus, they just team up to beat up The B Team of Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas. We’ll chalk it up to a taping in Manchester, England for a fan pop and see where it goes from here.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Since RAW was taped Friday in Manchester, England after the Smackdown taping, we know there are some things set to unveil Monday night on Veteran’s Day. All we can say, as to not spoil things, is that it could be a K-O of a night.

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear you comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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