source: WWE
DANIEL BRYAN IS BACK!! Bray Wyatt has been DELETED! What a fantastic week in wrestling.
Raw (March 19, 2018)
source: WWE
Brock Lesnar finally shows up
Kurt Angle announces that Roman Reigns’ suspension is still in effect, meaning he won’t be at the arena. Brock Lesnar is not at the arena yet, but Vince assured he would make it.
Angle goes on to address Braun Strowman’s win in the tag team battle royal without a partner, but right before he makes any decisions, Roman Reigns appears from the crowd. Roman says that someone has to represent Mania’s main event since Lesnar isn’t here, and Kurt just tells him to be patient.
Roman Reigns refuses to be patient. He doesn’t care, and refuses to leave the ring until he faces Brock Lesnar. He literally pulls up a chair and sits in the ring. US Marshals come out with handcuffs and read him his Miranda rights before cuffing him. Reigns pops off and attacks the three men with cuffed hands after they put their hands on him.
He beats up the officers until Brock Lesnar’s music hits. Roman tries to defend himself, but since he’s still in handcuffs, Lesnar capitalizes by hitting him several times with the chair and giving him several suplexes. Roman gets stretchered out as Lesnar retreats up the ramp with his title and Paul Heyman.
As soon as Roman is about to be rolled out, Lesnar comes back out and knocks over the stretcher, with Reigns strapped onto it. Too far, perhaps?
This segment was excellent. It’s not often that someone shows up to the arena while suspended, let alone gets arrested for it and handcuffed. Putting Roman in handcuffs allows for a clearly unfair advantage for Lesnar (a concept not new to the Beast Incarnate) and an out when Roman comes back. Since Lesnar attacked a restrained Reigns twice, Reigns has an excuse for not being able to get the advantage.
While WWE is doing their best to make this as realistic and different as possible, it’s kind of hard to believe if the US Marshal has to read the Miranda rights off of a piece of paper. I, an 18 year old girl with no police training, have the Miranda rights memorized. How hard can it be, seriously?
source: WWE
Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka
Winner: Asuka
Before the match, Alexa apologizes for her rude comments about Nia Jax—-that she didn’t say those things sooner. She feels no remorse, and admits that she never even liked Nia, she just used her, and now she can end Asuka’s undefeated streak.
Highlights:
Alexa says she feels like she has 300 pounds lifted off her shoulders
Alexa plants Asuka on the back of her neck with a modified suplex
Asuka catches Alexa in a ankle lock, but Alexa gets the rope break and Mickie James helps her limp away from the match and counts herself out
Nia Jax runs down the ramp, chasing Alexa around the ring and through the crowd to the back
After the match, Alexa demands to Kurt Angle that Nia be suspended and arrested
Alexa might be the best talker in the women’s division, and possibly even on the roster as a whole. She has just the right amount of mean in her voice, and you believe her when she’s so nasty. Her feud with Nia has everyone interested, and they’ve successfully phased Asuka out of the Raw women’s divison. I’m excited to see what’s next for this feud. When Kurt Angle calls out Alexa for being a bully instead of the role model she’s supposed to be, she looks even worse. It’s finally official, these two will have a match at WrestleMania.
source: WWE
Braun Strowman vs. Cesaro
Winner: Braun Strowman
Strowman comes out, saying that he has punched his ticket to Mania, but management has informed him that he needs a partner. He says that he knows he doesn’t need a partner, and is interrupted by Sheamus and Cesaro.
The Bar claims that Strowman cannot beat both of them, and no matter who his partner is, he won’t win the tag championships. Strowman says that they need to shut up, and he gets a partner at Mania and gets to face one of them tonight.
Highlights:
Cesaro says that to be a good tag team you need to “sleep together”
Sheamus tricks Cesaro into facing Braun Strowman
Strowman sends Cesaro into the barricade twice
Cesaro dodges a drive into the post, sending Braun into it shoulder first
Braun barrels into Sheamus after Sheamus pushes Cesaro out of the way
Strowman catches Cesaro off the top rope and powerslams him for the victory
source: WWE
The Revival vs. Titus Worldwide
Winners: The Revival
Highlights:
Apollo takes out both Dash and Dawson with kicks to the face at the same time
Dash Wilder attacks Titus before he can get the tag, so Apollo jumps out of the ring and onto him
Scott Dawson tags in Wilder while Apollo sets up a powerbomb
The Revival delivers a Shatter Machine to Apollo for the win
Dash and Dawson declare that they will be the first tag team to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania
This was relatively boring, as these are two teams who aren’t bad in any sense, but have been booked poorly to the point of no one really caring about either of them. None of the wrestling stood out, either.
source: WWE
Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Absolution
Before the match, Sasha calls out Bayley for leaving her twice in the past couple weeks. In response, Bayley admits that she isn’t over Sasha’s betrayal at the Elimination Chamber. She asks Sasha why it was so easy for her to do it without hesitation, but before Sasha answers, Paige comes out, vowing to show them how real women settle the score.
Highlights:
Sonya and Mandy take turns tagging in in order to double team Sasha in the corner
Bayley doesn’t reach for Sasha as she struggles to get to tag her in
Sasha distracts the ref and he misses Bayley’s backslide pin on Sonya
Bayley and Sasha argue in the ring, elbow Mandy, and then continue arguing
Deville kicks Bayley in the side of the head and gets the pin
source: WWE
John Cena calls out Undertaker again
Cena comes to the ring, telling fans that Undertaker has not replied to his WrestleMania challenge. He begs for any response, a yes, no, or even some weird symbolism. He’s about to enter the ring when Kane’s music hits. Cena asks Kane point-blank: is it yes or no? Kane responds by chokeslamming him and exiting the ring.
Highlights:
Cena calls Taker disrespectful to the fans
Cena looks into the camera and says that Undertaker is a coward
The crowd chants for Taker to “do something”
Kane chokeslams Cena
source: WWE
Miz and the Miztourage vs. Balor Club
The Miz comes out, demanding respect. He says that he will easily send Balor and Rollins back to the indies. He is interrupted first by the Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, and then Finn Balor. When it looks like the match is going to start, Seth Rollins comes out and goes over to the commentary table.
Highlights:
Miz briefly yells at Axel and Dallas for not being at MizTV, even though he bragged about the opportunity he got them last week
Miz mentions Tyler Black and Prince Nevitt (it’s Devitt, Miz)
Balor counters a Skull-Crushing Finale with an unsuccessful rollup pin
Finn rolls up Miz and gets the 3-count
Miz and the Miztourage attack the Balor Club after the match ends
Seth Rollins rushes to the ring, attacking Dallas and Axel before stomping Miz
Rollins tells Finn “you owe me”
source: WWE
The Ultimate Deletion
A true cinematic masterpiece: we are taken through different regions of the Hardy Compound, such as the Dilapidated City, the Land of Obsolete Men, the Dome of Deletion, and the Lake of Reincarnation as Matt Hardy finally deletes Bray Wyatt.
Highlights:
“Bray Wyatt, I knew you’d come!”
Vanguard 1 initiates fireworks beside the ring, distracting Bray and allowing Matt to capitalize with a steel chair
Matt hides behind various abstract crosses, disappearing when Bray gets to each cross and appearing behind another one
Bray sends Matt into a tree and breaks a branch on his back
Wyatt sends Hardy into a garage door, and the door slides up to reveal a ring, piano, and lawn mower
Matt goes back and forth, yelling at the “Chair of Wheels” and the Mower of Lawn”
Bray poses a threat to Vanguard 1, but says “Ill deal with you later”
Bray flips over Skarsgard (the boat), and Señor Benjamin is beneath it
Benjamin and Brother Nero sing “he’s got the whole world in his hands”
Hardy delivers a Twist of Fate and wins the match
Hardy pushes Wyatt into the Lake of Reincarnation
Bray Wyatt has been DELETED!
This Deletion was the perfect amount of similar to Hardy’s TNA deletion, but perhaps better. WWE actually used important parts of the Final Deletion (Skärsgard the boat, Senor Benjamin, Rebecca, Vangaurd 1, several landscapes, and even Brother Nero!) and utilized them in a well put together, better quality Ultimate Deletion.
However, I don’t understand why they didn’t save this for WrestleMania. Having it main event Raw was exciting, but it could’ve been built up just a little more. We could’ve seen sneak peeks in coming weeks, and we could’ve been introduced to Matt’s cast of characters in the “Woken” Universe before this culmination.
Now that Matt Hardy (and possibly Jeff and Bray Wyatt) have been revitalized with this event, I wonder what awaits them (if anything) at WrestleMania. This is their opportunity to actually do something with this storyline and continue to entertain, so let’s do it!
Smackdown Live (March 20, 2018)
source: WWE
Daniel Bryan addresses the world
Kicking off the show, Daniel Bryan comes to the ring, thanking WWE, doctors, fans, and most importantly, his wife Brie, for helping him fight for his dreams and granting him the ability to be cleared and return to the ring. After a tearful monologue that gave fans everywhere goosebumps, he exits the ring honorably.
Highlights:
Thousands of yes chants
Daniel Bryan encourages fans, saying “if you fight for your dreams, your dreams will fight for you”
Bryan says “Every hard thing seems impossible until it becomes real”
Virtually every fan pointing at the WrestleMania sign when Daniel says he doesn’t know where he will wrestle next
This is amazing news, and I don’t think anyone is disappointed. Bryan will continue to be WWE’s inspiring underdog story in everything he does, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has inspired a young generation. I’m glad his speech wasn’t interrupted. This was important, and more than storyline advancement.
source: WWE
Rusev vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Highlights:
AJ Styles watches intently ringside
Nakamura places Rusev on the top rope and delivers a knee to the ribs
Shinsuke traps Rusev in a rollup pin for the victory
English and Rusev attack Shinsuke after the match
Styles takes his time getting ready to interrupt them and save Nakamura, but by the time he’s about to get in the ring, Nakamura has cleared the ring of Rusev and English
As we get closer to WrestleMania, I get more and more nervous that English and Rusev won’t have an opponent at WrestleMania. WWE is planting seeds for the AJ/Shinsuke match, and in my opinion, they’re doing a great job. This match needs no more fanfare and build than it already has—it naturally has excitement and suspense.
source: WWE
Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger
Winner: Baron Corbin
Highlights:
It is announced that both men will be in the battle royal at Mania
Dillinger counters the End of Days, and Corbin sends him out of the ring
Corbin secures an End of Days and wins the match
It makes me sad to see Tye Dillinger in the squash spot yet again. So much for the Smackdown top 10 list being used to incorporate more people into storylines. Dillinger is becoming Tyler Breeze (pre-Breezango), and I’m just waiting for his breakout moment.
As for Corbin, I don’t really care about him and I don’t think WWE can make me.
source: WWE
Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair
Winner: Natalya
Highlights:
Charlotte gives Nattie a neckbreaker and kicks her in the chest
Natalya yells at the referee to “shut up”
Flair gives Natalya several chops
Charlotte floors Nattie with a big boot
Nattie gives Charlotte a Sharpshooter, but she escapes
Nattie runs at Charlotte outside the ring and into a spear
Carmella runs in and attempts to cash in her MITB briefcase
The bell never rang on Mella’s cash in, and Nattie rolls up Charlotte for the victory
Natalya is boring and annoying (as per usual), but Charlotte looked good in this match. Nattie put up a good fight for the champion, but Charlotte shines yet again. Carmella’s interruption, whether a part of Nattie’s strategy or not, was fantastic. I can’t wait for her cash in to finally culminate and for her to be the champion. How great would it be if she cashed in after Asuka won at WrestleMania and broke her streak?
source: WWE
Jimmy Uso vs. Harper
Winner: Harper
The Usos come to the ring, saying that they were beaten down by the Bludgeon Brothers, but they won’t back down. They say that they worked 9 years to have a WrestleMania match, and they weren’t going to let anyone take it from them. Jimmy Uso says he’s ready to take on Harper.
Highlights:
Harper rips off Jimmy Uso’s shirt like it’s a piece of paper
Uso dodges Harper’s big boot, sending him out of the ring.
Jimmy dodges Harper and sends him into the LED board on the apron, breaking it a little
Rowan distracts Jimmy on the apron by literally standing there
Harper nails Jimmy with a brutal clothesline for the victory
Jey drags Jimmy out of the ring by his hand to escape the Bludgeon Brothers
The Usos are slowly turning into babyfaces, but they are still making them tough and hardworking, intimidating even. The Bludgeon Brothers looks great (and scary) as well. It looks like these two will be involved in a WrestleMania match, and hopefully New Day joins them.
source: WWE
Jinder Mahal confronts Randy Orton and Bobby Roode
Jinder Mahal calls the audience hypocrites, touting his wealth, looks and physique. Bobby Roode interrupts, saying respect is a two way street, and Mahal doesn’t deserve any respect. He claims that he will win back his US title, and before he can say it’ll be glorious, Randy Orton interrupts him.
Randy says that without the help of his little stooge, he sucks. Jinder shoves Sunil Singh into Orton and escapes the ring.
Highlights:
Orton gives Singh his “vintage Orton” DDT off the second rope
Roode steals Orton’s pre-RKO momentum and gives Singh a Glorious DDT
Both Orton and Roode attempt their finishers on each other and counter
Outside the ring, Mahal gets their attention, pointing to the WrestleMania sign and retreating
While this match seems like a copy of Raw’s triple threat IC Championship match (or Raw is copying Smackdown), Raw is definitely doing it better. Maybe the personalities are bigger in Raw’s triple threat, but its hard not to compare the matches.
This was entertaining, but nothing to jump up and down about.
source: WWE
Naomi and Becky Lynch vs. the Riott Squad (Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan)
Winners: Becky and Lynch and Naomi
Highlights:
Liv and Sarah double team by running Lynch into Logan’s boot perched on the top ropeBecky sends Sarah out of the ring, but Ruby Riott sends her right back in
Lynch locks in the Disarm-Her
Naomi knocks off Morgan with a rear view before she can break up the submission
Sarah Logan taps out to Becky Lynch
This is merely a filler, but it's good to see Becky and Naomi on TV.
source: WWE
Daniel Bryan comes face to face with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Bryan calls out KO and Sami, and they joyfully skip to the ring. They congratulate Bryan and say that they weren’t gonna come, but wanted to congratulate him in person. They thank him for always supporting them when no one else did.
Sami proposes that him, Kevin, and Daniel are a dream team, but Bryan says that that’s not why he called them out. They review last week’s footage, and KO admits they were carried away, but didn’t Shane deserve it?
Daniel admits that he was living vicariously through Sami and Kevin, but they got more than carried away—they assaulted their boss. Bryan says he’s confused, because they won. Shane was leaving and they got a WrestleMania match.
Bryan says he hates to do this, but he fires them. When it looks like they’re about to exit the ring, chaos ensues and they attack Bryan.
Highlights:
KO says “everything’s dumber in Texas”
Bryan calls KO and Sami two of the best performers of this generation
Daniel says that they can reflect and come back better men after being fired
Sami beats up Bryan, but tells Kevin he can’t do it anymore
Kevin shoves Sami back to keep attacking Daniel, but Daniel retaliates
Daniel goes back and forth from corner to corner, dropkicking Sami and Kevin
Bryan gives KO “yes” kicks, but the numbers game gets to him
Zayn reluctantly gives Daniel Bryan a Helluva Kick
Kevin gives Daniel a popup power bomb onto the apron
Fans chant “you’re still fired” to Kevin and Sami as they leave
This was amazing—fans got to see Bryan wrestle, even briefly, before Sami and Kevin hammered into him. This may be the way to get KO and Zayn the biggest heel heat they’ve ever gotten, beating on a fresh, new Bryan.
Comments