This week, the MMC is AWE-ska, second round Cruiserweight Championship tournament matches begin, and NXT boasts a match between Shayna Baszler and Kairi Sane, as well as a victory speech from Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega.
Mixed Match Challenge
source: WWE
Finn Balor and Sasha Banks vs. Asuka and the Miz
Winners: Asuka and the Miz
As the match starts, Miz grabs a microphone. He gets mad as the crowd responds to his catchphrase where their mouths are supposed to be shut. Finn gets Miz in an unsuccessful roll-up pin, and Asuka freaks out over her streak being broken. She begs Miz to tag her in, but he doesn’t.
Finn gets Miz in a couple deep arm drags, but when Miz is able to turn it around, he looks to Sasha and mocks her. He goes for the it kicks and is countered, but rolls back to his corner and Asuka tags herself in.
The women go back and forth, and Sasha slaps Asuka, causing Asuka to slap her back and hit her with several hard strikes. Asuka then uses Miz’s it kicks on Sasha. Banks turns the tables with a double knees to the chest of Asuka on the corner middle ropes. She locks Asuka in a headlock with her own arms, and when Asuka escapes, she gives her a couple more knees in the corner.
Sasha glares at Miz before using his it kicks (AKA Daniel Bryan’s yes kicks). Asuka dodges the last one, getting up and catching Banks with a knee to the chest. Asuka tags in Miz, and he and a fresh Balor enter the ring. Balor gets the advantage right away, chopping Miz in the corner.
Miz barely survives a roll-up pin, but gets Finn in a Skull Crushing Finale. Sasha breaks up the Miz’s pin, and angry, Miz argues with the referee. Finn gives Miz a Coup de Grace, but Asuka breaks up the pin on Miz.
Sasha attacks Asuka and gets her in the Bank Statement while Finn gets Miz in a headlock, but when Asuka reverses into an Asuka Lock, Balor gets distracted by his partner in distress. Miz capitalizes on Finn’s distraction, getting him in a roll-up pin and fleeing with Asuka after he gets the three count.
This week, Asuka retained her winning streak in entertaining fashion. Asuka and Miz make a great team, despite their brief dissension at times. Sasha and Finn also work well together, and it’s unfortunate that their team has to come to an end.
The MMC showed a perfect blend of comedy and good wrestling, yet again. I look forward to next week’s matchup with Braun and Alexa facing off against Jimmy Uso and Naomi.
205 Live
source: WWE
Cedric Alexander vs. TJP
Winner: Cedric Alexander
Early on, Cedric Alexander power bombs TJP, then trapping him in a wrist lock. It takes a while for TJP to escape, but once he does, he counters with a leg lock. When Alexander gets out of that, he goes for a suicide dive to TJP but gets trapped in a hurricanrana that turned arm bar.
Alexander sends TJP out of the ring, but he stops himself at the apron. He reenters the ring and gets Cedric in a hold with one leg and stomps on his head with the other leg. He stretches his arm out with another hold, then suplexes him.
Cedric sidelines TJP with a super kick and a springboard flatliner. TJP comes back with a gut buster. When TJP goes for a kick through the ropes, he misses completely, and Cedric delivers a roundhouses kick that sends TJP to the outside. Alexander dives over the top rope and onto TJP, but tweaks his knee in the process.
TJP catches Alexander’s kick in a leglock, and after he escapes, he grabs Cedric’s tights and almost gets the three count. The men exchange strikes. TJP gets Alexander on his shoulders, but Alexander frees himself and gives TJP a Lumbar Check, getting the victory.
This match was full of holds, strikes, and reversals. Both men put up a good fight and had me wondering several times who was going to win. I’m glad Cedric Alexander is going to the semi-finals of this tournament, because he’s one of the few who deserves it the most.
Source: WWE
Roderick Strong vs. Kalisto
Winner: Roderick Strong
As the bout begins, Kalisto’s quick pace gains him the advantage with flips and a hurricanrana. Kalisto delivers a suicide dive to Strong and attempts a hurricanrana off the barricade, but Strong catches him for a moment before Kalisto completes the rana, flipping Roddy into the barricade.
Strong regains control by slamming Kalisto against the announce table. He targets the lower back of Kalisto as he pins him against the ropes and knees him in the back several times. Strong mocks Kalisto’s lucha chant, and Kalisto runs right into a brutal dropkick.
After an unsuccessful pin, Roddy traps him in a submission on his back. Kalisto slowly bounces back with a couple ranas and springboards off the ropes. He goes for the Salida Del Sol, but Strong launches him stomach-first onto the ropes.
Up on the top turnbuckle, Strong and Kalisto exchange blows. Kalisto throws Strong down on his right shoulder. They exchange strikes in the ring again, and Roddy picks up Kalisto and gives him a backbreaker, then delivering an end of heartache for the victory.
I just find Kalisto boring. He seems to do the same five or six high-flying moves and never talks. Roderick Strong brought the best out of Kalisto and actually made him look pretty good without making himself look bad. This match was decent, and I’m glad Strong gets to advance further in this tournament.
NXT
source: WWE
Velveteen Dream vs. Tyler Bate
Winner: Velveteen Dream
After a bit of chain wrestling, Dream hammers into Bate’s neck with elbows. He captures him in a headlock. Bate climbs to the top rope and kicks Dream in the back of the head, then picking him up and suplexing him.
Bate picks up Dream and spins him around, but with elbows to the face, Dream escapes. Bate clotheslines him, but he kicks out of the pin. Tyler Bate gives Velveteen Dream a European uppercut, but Dream bounces back with a spinebuster.
As they exchange blows in the center of the ring, both mean are winded. Dream ascends to the top turnbuckle, but a dropkick allows Bate to tire Dream and Bate climbs to the top rope as well. Dream pushes a standing Tyler Bate onto the ropes. Dream capitalizes on a fallen Bate and delivers a Purple Rainmaker, getting the three count.
While Tyler Bate’s apparent losing streak is sad due to his fantastic in-ring talent for someone so young, I’m glad we are seeing great matches like this every week on TV. Velveteen Dream never fails to disappoint, and he has proven that every opportunity he gets, he deserves.
source: WWE
Adam Cole vs. Cezar Bononi
Winner: Adam Cole
When the bell rings to start the match, Adam Cole stops Bononi and grabs a mic. He invites Bononi into the Undisputed Era, and Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly toss him a t-shirt. While Cezar contemplates his future, Cole attacks him.
As Cole celebrates his cheap advantage in the center of the ring, he is floored by a big boot from Bononi. Cezar wipes out Fish and O’Reilly from the apron, then delivering a power bomb to Cole.
Fish and O’Reilly get back up on the apron, providing a distraction to Bononi and an opportunity for Adam Cole to give him a superkick and a running knee to the back of his head. Adam Cole gets the pin, and he beats up Bononi a bit more after the bell. The Undisputed Era stands over Cezar Bononi’s fallen body.
Adam Cole is due for a title shot. I don’t believe he’s had a one-on-one opportunity for the NXT title yet, and even before NXT, he has proven that he’s ready to hold that title. With the Undisputed Era behind him, he is the perfect heel, and having titles on all three of them would make the whole team look even more dominant.
source: WWE
Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Baszler traps Sane in a headlock at the start of the match. She hits her with a couple hard strikes, then sends her knee into Sane’s neck on the turnbuckle. Baszler traps her arm in a submission, but eventually, Sane reverses it into a roll-up pin, forcing Baszler to break the hold.
Shayna goes for another knee on the turnbuckle, but Kairi moves out of the way. Sane sidelines Baszler with an spear after a couple strikes, then giving her a sliding forearm smash to Baszler in the corner.
Sane climbs to the top rope, delivering a flying elbow to Baszler. She goes to the top rope again, but Shayna gives her a roundhouse kick that gives her the advantage. Suplexing her off the top rope, Baszler traps Sane in a kirifuda clutch, causing Sane to submit.
After the match, Baszler yells at the announcers, calling out Ember Moon. She says Moon’s a coward, and in their next match, she’s leaving with her title or a limb.
This match was probably the best one we’ve seen from Baszler yet. There was a good back and forth, and it was anyone’s game until the end. Baszler dominated the match early on, but Sane gained the advantage and actually tired her out.
As time progresses, Shayna Baszler is getting better and better. It’s clearly benefitting her to be in NXT, and she’s not done here yet. Her promo skills are getting better, and I’m starting to look forward to another match between Baszler and Moon.
source: WWE
Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega brag about forcing Johnny Gargano’s exit
Vega and Almas come out to the ring, saying they weren’t looking for the respect of the fans, like Gargano was. Vega says that Almas is money, and unlike other women, she doesn’t profit off his success—she makes it.
Almas boasts his 4-0 victory over Gargano, and as they leave the ring, Aleister Black comes out. Black and Almas stare one another down from the ring to the stage, but as Black puts the microphone to his face, Killian Dane appears.
A battle between Black and Dane ensues in the ring, Vega and Almas are laughing on the stage. The show closes when Dane floors Black and stands over him.
I love how Andrade is becoming involved in this story between Dane and Black. Obviously, they’re fighting for the title opportunity, but it just means more to have them watching. Aleister Black and Killian Dane are both scary competitors, and its hard to know who will come out on top to face Almas. Whatever happens, fans can be sure that it’ll be entertaining.
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