Raw delivered about as perfect a 60-minute show possible. It was just a shame about the other 120 minutes we had to sit through.
Meanwhile, over on Smackdown, five of their best delivered a compelling and thrilling gauntlet match to set up AJ Styles’ next challenger. The outcome was a surprise to say the least…
Here’s the Top 10 from both Raw and Smackdown this week;
- The Bludgeon Brothers Def. The Club To Retain The Smackdown Tag Team Championship.
A rematch from Money In The Bank saw The Bludgeon Brothers once again defeat Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championship. This was just to kill time. A rematch was not needed because Harper & Rowan and decisively won at MITB. At least we got a title bout on Smackdown, that’s a positive. I would like to see Gallows and Anderson reunite with AJ Styles, and create some magic together because right now they’re being wasted.
- Baron Corbin & Kevin Owens Def. Finn Balor & Braun Strowman.
I don’t think many people guessed this would be the main event of Raw, but credit to those who did. Or maybe we shouldn’t be praising those people for thinking up a Raw main event that features Baron Corbin. His new character and hair suits him a lot better, but he’s still well below average in the ring. Having him go over Finn Balor cleanly was the wrong choice, and it probably also sets up a feud between the pair that no one really wants to see.
What was good about this whole thing was the continued on-screen chemistry between Kevin Owens and Braun Strowman. After Strowman launched Owens off the top of the tallest ladder in WWE history at Money In The Bank, Owens continued the saga on Raw by offering to help be the brains behind the Braun, if you will, but Strowman wasn’t having any of that. It’s just great writing. Owens can basically do anything and make it all look awesome. A true diamond in the rough that one. As for Strowman winning MITB. I don’t know what to make of that. He certainly didn’t need it, but he’s never been champion before and now we know he will be. The reign of terror that is Brock Lesnar is coming to an end, so that’s a good thing.
- Becky Lynch Def. Billie Kay.
Becky Lynch rebounded from her MITB disappointment by easily beating Billie Kay. It was a fun encounter and continues the narrative of Becky looking for redemption and a shot at the title. She’s got the backing of the fans, now she just needs the backing of Vince McMahon. She’s criminally underutilized on a weekly basis. She’s super talent, and deserves to be treated that way. I think she’s too popular to be turned heel, so just have her fight up the ladder ala Daniel Bryan and finally dethrone Carmella of the Championship. Maybe that’s what WWE are already doing and we just have to be patient.
- Sanity Debuted And Destroyed The Usos.
Sanity have finally arrived on Smackdown, and they arrived in a big way by destroying the best tag team in WWE right now, The Usos. I was never a fan of Eric Young in TNA. I felt his work was shoddy and his character was always all over the place. But since coming to WWE and NXT, he’s shown signs of a proper performer. I didn’t think putting him at the head of a destructive faction would be the right call, but he’s proven me wrong so far. Let’s see what happens next. At least WWE decided to do something different with a debuting team. I just hope they don’t become the next AOP. There’s still a search party ongoing for their whereabouts.
- Roman Reigns & Bobby Lashley Def. The Revival.
So, we’re going to be getting yet another multi-man match to headline a PPV to determine who will face Brock Lesnar next for the WWE Universal Championship. We know Roman Reigns and Bobby Lashley are in, but that’s about it for now. I guess we’re in store for yet another hatful of qualifying matches. Having said that, I’d be happy with them just sticking with Lashley and Reigns. It would be interesting to see who the fans would side with on this one. Lashley’s one and only good match in WWE came against John Cena, so perhaps Roman can bring that same talent out in him now. It would be better than yet another meaningless multi-man bout, that’s for sure.
The Big Dog and Lashley were awkward on the mic, to say the least but they did the business in the ring against The Revival. Poor, poor Revival. I bet they keep begging Triple H on a daily basis to let them go back to NXT. It was nothing more than a squash match to put over Lashley and Reigns, as if they needed it. Unless WWE go with Rollins, one of those men will be winning at Extreme Rules to set up a SummerSlam date with Brock Lesnar. Vince McMahon and his muscle heads.
- Asuka Interrupted Carmella’s Championship Celebration.
This was pretty much a carbon copy of how Raw opened, and because of that it felt a weak retread. Carmella is charismatic, but she’s no Alexa Bliss. Asuka is a badass, but she’s no Ronda Rousey. And James Ellsworth is….. Well, there’s not a lot to say about him really. The Chin Wonder returned at Money In The Bank to cost Asuka the Smackdown Women’s Championship in bizarre fashion, then dressed as The Empress of Tomorrow once again, claiming Carmella to be the greatest of all time before getting a kick to the head for his troubles from Asuka.
I do think adding Ellsworth to the Carmella package gives her more to work with, but she really needs to knuckle down and learn how to properly wrestle. This coming from a guy who has only had a few training sessions in a ring, but I think anyone would say the same. And if they’re not, they should. Look how bad Trish Stratus was in her early years, but lots of hours in the gym under the guidance of Finlay brought out the best in her and she went onto become arguably the greatest in WWE history. There’s hope for The Queen of Staten Island yet.
- The Riott Squad Def. Sasha Banks & Bayley.
The slow build to the heel turn of either Sasha Banks and Bayley is great to watch. It might not be for everyone but I enjoy a long drawn out story that has a beginning, middle and end. And one that makes sense too. This one ticks all those boxes for me. It helps that I’m a massive fan of both as well. I think they’re both outstanding, and fans can genuinely side with either at this point which is what makes it so enjoyable.
With today being all about the now, I can see why some fans are getting restless and just want the pair to fight, but good things take time. When this one does indeed explode, get ready for something special. These two know nothing else but to tear the house down. Their NXT battles are legendary, and I am pumped to see what they have in store for us on the main roster once that heel switch is complete.
- Dolph Ziggler Def. Seth Rollins To Become The New Intercontinental Champion. (No, seriously).
I did not see this one coming. This from a guy who predicted Dolph Ziggler would win the Royal Rumble this past January. He’s such a class act in the ring, and his promos are underrated too. He has just been criminally mis-booked for far too long that even his most hardened of supporters have lost faith in him. That is why this title switch was such a surprise. And a welcome one at that.
You could nitpick and wonder why WWE decided to stop Seth Rollins’ superb Intercontinental Title reign in its tracks, and if they were going to, why not to Elias at Money In The Bank? Well, to answer the first question, Rollins is still favourite to face and dethrone Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam for the Universal Championship, so maybe this was the first step in making that happen. As for Elias not being the man to take the title off of Rollins? A strange one, but perhaps WWE have bigger plans for The Drifter, while putting the gold on Ziggler allows dissension between him and Drew McIntyre to grow before their eventual split. It helped that the match was first-rate too.
- Rusev Def. The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe and Big E In A Gauntlet Match To Face AJ Styles For The WWE Championship At Extreme Rules.
What a match this was. Pay-per-view quality, for sure. I know that’s not saying much in the much maligned WWE Network era, but you know what I mean. Five of Smackdown’s top Superstars clashed in a Gauntlet Match to determine who would face AJ Styles at Extreme Rules for the WWE Championship. Daniel Bryan (free of the Big Cass shackles after he was unceremoniously released by WWE) kicked off the 45-minute bout with Big E, who had his standout performance as a singles competitor. Both men pushed the other to their limit before Bryan eventually prevailed. If this was the tester to see if Big E could hang, then he passed with flying colours.
Samoa Joe and Bryan renewed old rivalries before The Yes! Man managed to come out on top. Suddenly, The Bludgeon Brothers made their presence felt and decimated Bryan to the point that he was easy pickings for The Miz to see off. I don’t know where WWE are going with the Tag Team Champions and Bryan, but I’m willing to give it a chance. The Gauntlet Match came down to The A Lister and Rusev, who pulled out the huge upset. He deserved this win for all his hard work these last few months in getting over organically. He has a slimmer chance of dethroning Styles than England do of winning the World Cup, but that’s not the point. The point is The Bulgarian Brute has a chance to steal the show on Rusev Day, no less.
- Ronda Rousey Unleashes Her Inner Stone Cold On Alexa Bliss And Kurt Angle.
Now, that’s what you call a kick-ass start to Monday Night Raw. They could’ve easily started with the Kurt Angle multi-man match announcement for Extreme Rules and kept things the same, mainly boring their own fans to tears. But thankfully they didn’t do that. They gave us something different. They gave us something fun. And most importantly of all they gave us a reason to cheer a babyface. Everything about Ronda Rousey is spectacular. She has the look, she is a natural in the ring and she’s a fan of sports entertainment. The only thing she struggles with currently is promos, but that will come with time. Hell, even Roman Reigns still struggles with them. When WWE just allow Rousey to be a silent badass, magic happens as evidenced by this show-stealing opener.
Many criticised the choice to have Alexa Bliss win Money In The Bank and then cash-in the same night to win the Raw Women’s Championship, but this is exactly the reason they did it. No one on the roster comes close to her character and her charisma on the mic. She’s the perfect antagonist for Rousey which is why this segment worked so perfectly. To have the former UFC Champion unleash her inner Stone Cold Steve Austin by decimating Bliss, Kurt Angle, officials and everyone else who dared to step in her way was simple but genius booking. The storyline suspension also makes sense and gives everyone a breather. When she comes back, she’ll be raring to go and the fans will continue to want to see more of her. Perfect all round.