Another pretty sad week of WWE TV, as though the wrestling is picking up this was definitely a week where the conclusion of one show was the emotional re-hiring of a guy they fired right as the COVID-19 pandemic began. It didn’t feel right, all things considered.
RAW (6/1/20)
That’s how it goes. There’s usually too much story. Apollo Crews chose to defend his U.S. Title against Kevin Owens, which led to a decent match dragged down by them teasing Crews being injured again in the middle. Then Andrade and Angel Garza attacked both guys, which led to a forgettable tag team wrestling match. Like, just wrestle! Let Crews and Owens rip it up, then the heels attack. Stop over-thinking this!
In between Edge and Randy Orton promos, RAW has three main things going on: Seth Rollins and his disciples usually carry the half of the show while feuding with Rey Mysterio, then come the LADIES, and then Universal Champion Drew McIntyre closes the show.
Rollins vs. Aleister Black, who along with Humberto Carrillo is playing Rey’s buddy, went on FOREVER. It had maybe 3 cool things. Black and Humberto both had awkward mistimed entrances to confront Rollins, and I really don’t understand the thought process behind playing music for these run-ins when there’s only WWE employees to pop.
Dominick Mysterio‘s return later in the show to back up his dad and call out Rollins was awesome. If you can’t do a surprise return in front of a live audience, doing it over video chat might be the next best.
Nikki Cross vs. Billie Kay was not good – it’s a very WWE thing to build up a tag titles match with singles matches AFTER the tag titles match already happened and was no good.
Bonus points for Kairi Sane‘s fire opposite Nia Jax, negative points for Kairi Sane getting cut open.
See ya, Gronk.
Drew McIntyre vs. MVP was all of a couple minutes. It was fine, but these Drew main events at the end of 3-hour plexiglass RAW’s somehow feel quieter than anything else.
NXT (6/3/20)
They aired two Prime Target pieces on the TakeOver main events, basically extended video packages plus the highlight of Kyle O’Reilly really really dressing up as the The Undisputed Era sat in a limousine.
Between kicking Mia Yim‘s leg out and using car keys on Keith Lee, I felt a little something with Johnny Gargano as a heel this week. The Mixed Tag should’ve been a way bigger deal and on TakeOver.
Fandango returned from injury to reunite Breezango and win a shot at the NXT Tag Team Titles in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match against Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch and Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish. If that all sounds too busy, it’s because it was. Most Triple Threat Tags are basically not good by default, despite all the effort these guys put in.
Malcolm Bivens is back with Rinku & Saurav too. Seems like a bad thing to have Malcolm Bivens do a staredown. He should probably talk, I’d think.
There were a lot of quick matches in the middle that didn’t seem to help anybody. Swerve Scott is finding a good balance between throwing tough guy strikes and being a WWE cruiserweight, but a Tony Nese brawl isn’t it. Robert Stone got fired by Chelsea Green then watched his new recruit Aliyah lose to Santana Garrett. Cameron Grimes beat Bronson Reed in a couple of minutes – Reed dominated, but a couple of minutes? Karrion Kross throwing Reed around after the match made a case that THAT should’ve been the match.
Dexter Lumis is… drawing.
Drake Maverick cut an excellent unhinged nothing to lose promo on this show – where are all of those hiding from EVERYBODY?
Drake vs. El Hijo del Fantasma for the Cruiserweight Title was a very good match from very good wrestlers. They went full NXT main event including a couple of wild sit-out powerbombs from Fantasma, one in-ring and one on the floor. As per usual Drake Maverick provided a dramatic, compelling performance in the weirdest, stupidest spot.
MAIN EVENT (6/3/20)
Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin tore it up in a brief match a few weeks ago, and here was the rematch where they were given even more time to do things like face-offs and signature move kickouts that you only see on RAW or SmackDown. This was seriously good stuff from two guys who haven’t been given much to do in a while.
The other match was Ricochet vs. Shane Thorne, which was fine. Just fine.
NXT UK (6/4/20)
Beyond some video packages and a vaguely interesting video chat with five of WWE’s most successful Scots (Gallus, McIntyre and Kay Lee Ray), they aired three matches: Gallus vs. British Strong Style from NXT UK TV 1/9/19, the Joe Coffey/Dave Mastiff Last Man Standing Match from TakeOver: Cardiff, and the Fatal 4-Way Ladder Match where Wolfgang & Mark Coffey retained their NXT UK Tag Team Titles at TakeOver: Blackpool II from earlier this year.
Those first two are pretty good, some of Gallus’ best stuff. The Ladder Match kind of sucks.
SMACKDOWN (6/5/20)
The Jeff Hardy/Sheamus feud sucks and the Daniel Bryan/AJ Styles FACE-TO-FACE wasn’t much, but there was some pretty good wrestling here. AJ Styles vs. the returning Drew Gulak ruled for 5 minutes or so, a different Styles match than usual and a GULAK WIN!!! Lacey Evans vs. Sonya Deville Part 2 was another great ass-kicking, while New Day & Shorty G vs. Nakamura, Cesaro & Mojo Rawley probably would’ve popped a live crowd.
Seems like The Forgotten Sons might actually be.
Bayley & Sasha Banks regained the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles by defeating Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, and at this point it is Bayley not Braun who is the top dog on SmackDown. The match was good, with an uncertain finish and good playing with that fact. You could feel Sasha and Nikki especially hungry to do something with a little meat on it again. “IT’S SO HEAVY!!!”
205 LIVE (6/5/20)
My Favorite Things
- Drew Gulak Beat AJ Styles
- Dominick Mysterio is Back
- Lacey Evans and Sonya Deville Kicked Each Other’s Ass
WWE TV Match of the Week: El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Drake Maverick for the Cruiserweight Title
WWE TV MVP of the Week: Sonya Deville
