Fun week of WWE TV aside, this whole Saudi show has got me in some very painful stitches.
Shawn Michaels is returning to the ring for it and nobody really cares because it’s gross.
And now there’s the World Cup, a tournament to determine the “best in the world” (haha CM Punk) that will very likely be forgotten about as soon as it’s over.
And it sucks.
We’ve got guys fighting in qualifying matches for entry into a tournament that nobody REALLY cares about because it won’t be canon and it’s in Saudi Arabia and it’s all gross.
Of course, I’m not saying HBK’s lukewarm return and a silly tournament are the biggest issues with this whole thing.
For years WWE has fully embraced being a mirror of America. And in theory the support of this noxious Saudi government is on brand.
And look – I don’t watch wrestling for my morality. I watch it for all the weird shit it does.
But this is one of the weirdest.
WWE is literally acting as a propaganda arm for a government that allegedly just murdered and dismembered a reporter from the Washington Post.
Lots of bad stuff happens in the world, but when something this bad becomes so public, ignoring that bad builds an environment where that bad can happen more often.
I guess I’ll feel better about it when we’re not a few weeks from it like everybody else.
RAW (10/8/18)
This was a wild show because nearly every segment had some forward momentum or a big thing happening and after months of absolute bullshit that was a welcome thing to happen.
We had Shawn Michaels’ return to the ring announcement, a Bobby Lashley (and maybe Owens) turn, a Bellas Twins turn, Kurt Angle’s return to RAW, Ember Moon beating Nia Jax, The Authors of Pain dominating the dumb tag division, and finally the Shield in a hot 6-man main event. None of it might lead to anything good and it was also all orchestrated by a company benefiting financially from a piece of shit prince, but it was all fun to see play out.
None of the wrestling outside of the main event was high-end but most of it was fun – Lashley/Owens, B’N’B/Mahalicia, the Battle Royal, and Ember/Nia were all interesting to watch for different reasons.
Also it was in Chicago so the crowd was hot and made stuff like the turns and returns and the Shield match that much better.
Shawn Michaels and Triple H angrily droning on about respect like they’re Mac and Dennis dressed like Phil Dunphy trying to be cool was not the most ideal way to get to a Shawn Michaels in-ring return, but it has happened and now it is what it is. Cole’s forced “I GOT GOOSEBUMPS” really summed everything up. I’m looking forward to what comes of this after HBK and Taker get each other out of their system.
I was thinking during the long Lashley vs. Owens match that it was either a terrible decision or a brilliant way to turn Lashley heel. That it was the latter brings a tear to my eye. Lashley working a chinlock mid-match should’ve been a clue. The action was average, but Lio Rush’s annoying mid-match commentary and Owens getting a massive pop for busting out a somersault tope put this over the top and made Lashley’s post-match attack that much sweeter. If they actually follow-up with an Owens face turn that could be good too.
The Allstate Arena has never really been a Cubs hotbed so I didn’t think the Cubs dig would get that big of a reaction. I was wrong. Good work, Elias.
Ronda Rousey/The Bella Twins vs. Riott Squad was a much better match than at Super Show-Down, as there was more meat to it than just a Rousey hot tag. Logan being tripped by a ghost was bad, but the Brie/Liv showdown at the start was legit, Logan’s glee at going after Ronda was fun, and Riott taking Ronda’s stuff was awesome.
The Bellas have ALWAYS been heels so them attacking Ronda was a pretty sweet turn, as the crowd was immediately willing to boo the shit out of them. It was a nasty beating too. Good stuff.
B’N’B vs Mahalicia wasn’t much, but Balor and Bayley being pals is a supremely welcome edition to this wrestling show. Jinder doing a bodyslam then chinlock to start the match was tremendous too. Also Alicia’s bump to the outside to setup the Balor tag – wow.
I was pleasantly surprised at how AWESOME the World Cup Qualifier Battle Royal ended up being. It included enhancement talent dressed in silly gimmicks, Corbin being a dick, Corbin looking strong by kicking everybody’s ass, Thunder Montgomery (!) having a moment, the POP for the German suplexes from The Conquistador, and finally the reveal of Kurt Angle as the Conquistador. Angle’s mannerisms were AMAZING. Like I want Angle/R-Truth/Rhyno undercard comedy matches after this. We also got a Jose Luis Rivera mention on RAW.
Ember Moon vs. Nia Jax had a good dynamic for the 2 minutes it lasted and the Ember tope to a stonewalling Nia was awesome. Jax COMMITTED to that apron bump too. Ember over Nia is a fine way of making both characters semi-interesting maybe.
Trish Stratus is not a good promo in 2018 but she was also given really shit diss lines. Mickie James meanwhile rocked this promo. Very hamfisted way to get to the Trish/Lita vs. Alexa/Mickie tag, but it’s a swell match.
OLD SCHOOL SHIELD PROMO!!!
Chad Gable/Bobby Roode vs. The Ascension had an other-worldly diving uppercut by Viktor. Otherwise, I don’t want to watch this junk. The Authors of Pain beating was very cool though.
Paul Heyman talked a lot but I’m not sure what he said.
THERE’S MY SHIELD 6-MAN. This was WAY better than the Super Show-Down match, as it felt like a good classic WWE 6-man vs. the gimmick-filled main event thing that happened in Melbourne. The hot Chicago crowed helped everything, but his would’ve been a quality match anywhere. Roman sold and did an awesome Samoan drop on Braun for his comeback, Rollins and Ziggler killed it, Rollins sold and BLASTED Braun with a superkick, Drew and Braun stared each other down, and everybody ran around for an awesome finish complete with a suplex over the top rope to the floor.
The show ended with Ambrose walking out on Reigns and Rollins – INTRIGUE! Chicago was where Rollins walked out on the Shield before he turned…
SMACKDOWN (10/9/18)
I now want every WWE show to start with a bell ringing. The shot of the SmackDown Women’s Championship being raised by the referee with the entrances already complete was a cool deal to start this show.
Becky vs. Charlotte 2018 Part 3 was good. They got a half-hour of TV time and I felt good about it. The first half was their Greatest Hits, with hold-trading and signature spots. Becky busted out a bridging hammerlock and I loved the little gasp it got from the crowd.
Some of it didn’t look great though – Becky’s offense can look like crap, the catapult into the corner was ugly, and Charlotte took a back bump off an enzuigiri.
They picked it up for the finish though. Becky’s bump on Charlotte’s spear is one of my favorite things in wrestling right now, and Charlotte doing a moonsault onto the floor where she landed on her feet only to immediately take a suplex into the barricade was insane. Then they got counted out or whatever, and then they brawled into the LED screen and broke it. The LED-break spot is overdone, but good for them for getting it. And the Last Woman Standing is a fine stip, though I would’ve voted for a ladder match.
I liked the broken LED fixture staying in place the entire show too. Looked pretty cool.
World Cup Qualifier Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy followed and was a fine TV wrestling match, won’t appear on anybody’s list but it got a point across. Plus Joe always wrestles with such purpose and I enjoy it. There were some extra fun moments too, like Joe just cracking Jeff with an elbow and Jeff just getting on the ground and hammering on Joe’s leg. The finish was a disappointing one for anybody hoping for the big Joe run that will probably never come, but points for creativity as they played off his injured leg from AJ’s Calf Crusher.
MizTV with AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan had AJ cracking his lame jokes, Bryan finally cutting an impassioned promo on the WWE Title, and The Miz killing it once again. The Miz is the one guy who can do a “shoot” promo (in this case, calling out AJ not headling PPV’s at WWE Champion) and have it come off as not something written for him but credible words of TRUTH. “I don’t care if you win at Crown Jewel or you win at Crown Jewel, I’VE. GOT. NEXT.” A Styles/Bryan/Miz WWE Title picture to end the year is very ideal.
It wasn’t amazing or anything, but let us just be happy that Shelton vs. AJ happened on this show. And that KNEE to Styles was wild. Dug Benjamin’s sell of the elbow before the Phenomenal Forearm too.
Is anybody proud of the work they are doing in the Rusev Day angle? This started well enough but is devolving as any big dumb WWE angle like this tends to.
Big Show vs. Randy Orton was no Andre the Giant vs. Ken Patera or anything but I liked Orton bumping around for Show. Show got himself a You Still Got It chant and Randy cheated to win. Remember when this main evented Survivor Series during the Daniel Bryan push that didn’t seem like it actually was a push? Good times.
MIXED MATCH CHALLENGE (10/9/18)
God, there is so much STUFF on the first 10 minutes of this show – editing all the promos and video packages and other fluff has to be a tough gig.
B’N’B vs. Monster Eclipse – One of the few joys of MMC Season 2 is Bayley seeming to enjoy wrestling again. Braun vs. Finn was alright too, including a great powerslam for the finish.
Fenomenal Flair vs. The Fabulous Truth – You know, the MMC is basically just post-show dark matches that get airtime. That can be fun, but I preferred when we’d randomly get a crazy awesome unique match in Season 1. The dance break gimmick is silly but AJ Styles trying the splits was high art.
These are just post-show dark matches. Dance break dumb but AJ Styles trying the splits high art.
205 LIVE (10/10/18)
Two good matches, a good promo, and an interesting debut – that’s a 205 win.
Lio Rush is not a great shit-talker while in the ring, but his satisfaction with his shit talk makes me smile. He and Lince Dorado did a bunch of fine wrestling – holds, ropes, dives. They went long and it didn’t all work but it was a fine match.
The Mike and Maria Kanellis interference was more out of nowhere than any RKO ever hit. The thing about Mike Kanellis is that based on his Main Event performances, he will try his ass off to make this work.
Drew Gulak and Jack Gallagher’s cheesy smiles after their promo on Brian Kendrick – GOLD.
Cedric Alexander vs. Tony Nese was very 205 Live. And by that I mean it was another great 205 Live match held back by being on 205 Live. There’s also the Tony Nese Factor, in which a whole lot of neat stuff is happening but it’s challenging to get into it. I mean this guy has had two great matches in the last couple weeks (this and Gargano) but did he really? There was all kinds of cool stuff here, including a straight catch of Cedric’s slingshot flatliner, and the finish had a bunch of cool counters and near falls.
205 Live being taped before SmackDown rather than after is better but it’s still not a show-saver. Saving this show requires stories and characters more interesting than Lucha House Party dancing around and feuding with the Pushed Heel of the Week, and boring Cedric Alexander having a crisis of confidence.
NXT (10/10/18)
A fine show with only a few things going on, as the opening promo and main event took up like 80% of the show.
Tommaso Ciampa and Velveteen Dream on the mic was fine back-and-forth bullshit. Ciampa’s Tough Enough line was hot. I don’t buy Dream as a face already though – the crowd likes him, but considering how little NXT guys get on TV it feels like Macho Man just came to the territory and turned babyface like three months later.
The Nikki Cross/Aleister Black intrigue is continuing. Does this have a satisfying conclusion? Hmmm.
Keith Lee vs. Kona Reeves was a match that worked for both guys – Lee shined brighter than he has yet, while Kona proved he could go. His bump on Lee’s Pounce was phenomenal.
The Shayna Baszler video was awesome – her live promos might not be there yet but in stuff like this she is a seasoned pro. More like this please.
The Kairi Sane press conference thing… not so much. Everybody in WWE doesn’t have to talk. Stop ruining charismatic Japanese people by making them speak longform English, guys. Please!
The Ricochet/Pete Dunne/Adam Cole Triple Threat was awesome. What a wild match. After years of watching Triple Threat Matches, one thing is clear: it is hard to make them flow. There’s always moments where guys are waiting/laying around or just doing STUFF before the big spots they have planned. That wasn’t the case here. These boys FLOWED.
Ricochet is just a freak show – the string where he did a springboard rana into the ring, moonsault off the apron to the floor, and springboard European uppercut – C’MON!!! And the callback to the Ricochet vs. Cole backflip into superkick getting blocked only to be followed up by a DOUBLE superkick counter of a backflip – C’MON!!!!!
The finish was – big surprise – spectacular. Tons of big near falls, highlighted by the last-second kickout of Cole’s finisher where every person in Full Sail was convinced it was completely over. I also dug the theme of Dunne going after everybody’s fingers to stay in control. Plus Ricochet hit what looked like a shoot reverse hurricanrana towards the end.
It was all a little much, but wow – hell of a match.
MAE YOUNG CLASSIC 2018 – EPISODE 6 (10/10/18)
1. Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Io Shirai vs. Zeuxis
I hate saying this but I can’t shake it – Io Shirai can bump and strike like a MAN. What a dropkick! And what a bump to the floor off Zeuxis’ dropkick! This was too short to go anywhere but they fit in some cool stuff and Io is just a treat to watch. Zeuxis got the desired heel reaction in both her matches, but I can’t see her going anywhere beyond unique masked person to put over the fact that this is an international tournament. **1/2
2. Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Xia Li
This was another one too short to go anywhere. It was a quick showcase for each and I like these two so I dug them getting showcased. Cole said it a dozen times but it’s true: Xia Li really has improved a ton since last year, and it’s insane that last year’s MYC was legitimately her first match. She’s your ideal PC rookie in that it’s certainly not all there, but she’s got some fun spots and charisma and is just generally on her way. Deonna meanwhile can’t not be a big deal. **1/4
Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Tegan Nox vs. Nicole Matthews
This followed the same theme of the last two matches – too short to go anywhere but an OK showcase of each wrestler. Nicole Matthews will beat some ass. Tegan is spunky and then she does a headbutt. You don’t need to watch it but if you are indeed watching all of the Mae Young Classic then it wasn’t a bad part of the show. **
4. Mae Young Classic – Round 2: Kaitlyn vs. Mia Yim
Really dug Mia’s “this bitch…” attitude. This took a bit to go anywhere but it had some strong stuff and was the most compelling match of the show. Once it become a brawl where Kaitlyn tried to break Mia’s hand I was into it. The spear near fall was awesome. And Kaitlyn sold Mia’s kneebar finish like a god damn professional. Mia Yim is having a tournament, baby. ***
MAIN EVENT (10/10/18)
The Main Event Universe was shaken to its core this week when Main Event mainstay, Mike Kanellis, jumped ship to the land of 205 Live.
Former teammates Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley were there to attempt to pick up the slack, and I can’t say they succeeded. I mean who in their right mind wants to watch extended Mojo Rawley offense on Zack Ryder?
The Revival vs. Rhyno and Heath Slater was the other match, marking Rhyno’s return to TV for the first time in what feels like months. It is a physical law of the universe that any match with a Rhyno hot tag is at a minimum good. Otherwise, eh. That Revival magic has been depleted and it is sad.
WWE TV Match of the Week: Ricochet vs. Pete Dunne vs. Adam Cole for the NXT North American Title
WWE TV MVP of the Week: Kurt Angle as The Conquistador
Hell of a RAW for once, solid SmackDown, good wrestling on 205 Live, low-tier MOTYC on NXT – yeah baby. The TV is good, the humanity is non-existent.
RAW: 8/10
SmackDown: 6/10
205 Live: 7/10
NXT: 8/10
