Working Man’s WWE TV Review: 5/17/20 – 5/23/20

In the midst of this stupid awful confusing time, I’m glad Martha Hart and her family finally got to tell their side of a story they never should’ve been questioned about in the first place.

I am so sorry, Martha Hart. Your husband was incredible. I would wish her and the family nothing but the best, but after seeing the show and hearing Martha on podcasts it is very possible that she has gotten her family as close to it as possible.

And now… this.

Another week, another episode with nothing really worth watching at all unless you’re some weirdo like me. The only thing I actively dug was Bobby Lashley putting Drew McIntyre on notice and that’s just because it was so straight-up for once.

Austin Theory switched groups too, from Zelina Vega to Seth Rollins. I don’t have anything to say about that; I just figure I should note that it happened.

WWE has introduced a Brand to Brand Invitational, which is the WWE Wildcard Rule that nobody liked last year under a new name.King Corbin was the SmackDown guy this week, and man – this guy. Or at least how they use this guy. He’s like all that’s wrong with Alec Baldwin portraying Trump – the buffoonery is easy, the evil is what’s interesting.

Randy Orton did a little acting before Edge responded with some acting. Asuka had a celebration with the RAW Women’s Title complete with Kairi Sane playing a recorder that was probably offensive but ruled because Asuka just grabs the brass ring every single week. There is really no functioning women’s division in WWE right now, but give me Asuka on top of it.

Apollo Crews showed some incredible fire in a tag with Kevin Owens against Andrade & Angel Garza, like he had unleashed the pent up frustrations of his 5 years with WWE live on Monday Night RAW. It was a very average tag in a very average feud, but man I loved that fire.

I’m not sure how WWE manages to make their campy on-location sketches seem overproduced, but they do it. The Street Profits and The Viking Raiders went AXE THROWING this week and I promise you, even if nobody is around – this is not getting them over.

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles being used basically like the 80s WWF Women’s Tag Team Titles is a bummer. Really weak title match and finish between Bliss/Cross and The IIconics.

Remember when Shayna Baszler easily beat everybody at Elimination Chamber? Now she’s rolling around with Natalya, who’s doing another frustrated legend gimmick. C’mon!

There was an Aleister Black vs. Buddy Murphy match on this show. It was a more to-the-point version of the very cool series they had earlier in the year, though also lacking a crowd to flip out for it.

Drew McIntyre vs. King Corbin was the main event, and it was a match where the next guy up (Lashley) and his new manager (MVP) watched from the entrance ramp with the camera on them 90% of the time. It was a perfectly decent match but ultimately hilarious. Poor Drew and his title reign. Hope it all works in his favor.

TakeOver: In Your House is giving the show some semblance of a structure again, but on reflection you’ve got a lot of just batty stuff going on: Undisputed Era feuding with Velveteen Dream and Dexter Lumis, Gargano and Candice as heels, Ciampa just hanging around, Kross getting pushed but being awkward, Priest also pushed and also awkward, and Balor just kind of around and helping out. It’s a roster of young talent that feels really old.

Ah, nobody in the crowd either.

I’m amped for a Matt Riddle/Timothy Match CAGE FIGHT and the likely Cruiserweight Title Tournament final but otherwise I’m not sure I follow.

Karrion Kross squashing a guy was very impressive, Scarlett has the look, drop everything else. The lip syncing for the entrance made me want to stop watching wrestling.

Akira Tozawa vs. El Hijo del Fantasma was a fine but forgettable match – same with Drake Maverick vs. KUSHIDA where Drake sold KUSHIDA armbars before a cradle kept him in the tournament. B- for effort on all this. Jordan Devlin‘s Tweets from Ireland are still the best part.

A- for effort on the Shotzi Blackheart tank promo – it made me hurt, like physically cringe as she screamed “HEY CHELSEA HOW’S YOUR MAKEUP!!” but if they can find a tone and lean into the insanity I’m willing to accept everything. This week, that tone was not found.

Dexter Lumis wrestles like his character and does a slingshot suplex, so he wins with me. He had an OK match with Roderick Strong before The Undisputed Era and Velveteen Dream got involved.

I have no idea what’s going on with Dream, if there’s any legitimacy to That Thing on Twitter or not. It’s like they’re waiting to find out too, not removing him from TV but also giving him the most lifeless NXT Title challenge before pivoting his heat to Lumis.

Oney Lorcan teamed with Danny Burch against Ever-Rise and won with a half-crab – THROW EM UP.

Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai was the main event, a pretty exciting match on paper but one that ended up just a decent bit of action before another dumbass DQ finish with Charlotte Flair running in. All three of these ladies rule, but got booked to do nothing tonight.

Jinder Mahal did his usual BS against Akira Tozawa, but Tozawa babyfaced his way to a solid match with a great comeback rally and big bump in the corner to setup the Khallas.

Ricochet, Cedric Alexander at his side, battled Shane Thorne, Brendan Vink at his side, in the other match. There were superkicks.

Ironically, the matches that led to it are better than the actual match. Toni Storm vs. Jinny for the NXT UK Women’s Title from last April is the best example of their chemistry in WWE, while Piper Niven and Rhea Ripley had a very to-the-point brawl last July that was the match they needed at that point.

The Triple Threat? Ah, like any other Triple Threat.

This show bummed me out, because they successfully hyped up four matchups and nothing delivered.

The Dirt Sheet opened the show, leading to a Strowman vs. The Miz match and John Morrison challenging Strowman to a Handicap Match for the Universal Title at Backlash which is a real dumpster of dirt on top of that show. There is a world where Miz and Morrison are credible contenders against Strowman, but we are not living in it. The Handicap Title match might be WWE’s stupidest gimmick too.

AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in the IC Title Tournament was painfully average, as was Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley. Each pairing has had great matches, but here they both ran through The Formula with zero energy. At least Bayley talked some good shit.

As a match, Otis & Mandy Rose vs. Dolph Ziggler & Sonya Deville did not register. The angle after with Otis checking on Mandy and Ziggler superkicking him in the face – that was good.

SmackDown concluded with Jeff Hardy and Sheamus in the IC Title Tournament having any other TV match. If I’m forced to say something positive it is that each guy has a superstar presence to him, but the superstars are old and running through the motions. Sweet kneelift by Sheamus though.

Swerve Scott (I’m renaming him) throws a heck of a punch, otherwise his victory over Tyler Breeze was not exactly on the radar.