SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
After a ten-year absence, A.J. Lee made her big return to WWE last Friday on Smackdown. Avenging her husband C.M. Punk, A.J. made a huge statement in her return as she sent a message to Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. With all the buzz that came out of her return, A.J. continued that momentum going into Raw this week. Appearing on Raw for the first time since March 2015, A.J. cut a promo in the ring about what brought her back after being away for so long. Before she could dive in any deeper, she was interrupted by Becky.
As the two of them got into it and were later backed up by their respective husbands Punk and Seth Rollins, this segment resulted in a huge match being made official for Wrestlepalooza. In addition to that, we had A.J. Styles seeking revenge against El Grande Americano, Nikki Bella going one on one with Asuka, and L.A. Knight continued his feud with The Vision as he faced Bronson Reed in the main event. As Knight also has issues with Jey Uso, those issues would escalate even further by the end of the show.
A.J. Styles vs. El Grande Americano
Latest developments:
Last week, A.J. Styles challenged Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship. At one point, Styles had the match won with a Styles Clash before Dominik got his foot on the rope to interrupt the pin attempt. As Dominik had the referee distracted, El Grande Americano pulled Styles down from the top rope as he went for a Phenomenal Forearm. In addition to that, Americano head-butted Styles with a piece of metal in his mask. This allowed Dominik to take advantage and nail Styles with a Frog Splash to retain the title.
Styles had a chance at revenge this week as he faced Americano one on one. Before the match, Styles cut a promo that wasn’t aired live where he talked about how he no longer has anyone to watch his back and how there’s clearly someone in the back who doesn’t want him here. Styles attacked Americano outside the ring before the match officially started and he had the advantage until Americano slammed Styles face first into the turnbuckle, but Styles rebounded with a kick to the face. As Styles went for the Styles Clash, someone in an Americano mask jumped on the apron to cause a distraction until Dragon Lee appeared to take them down with a Hurricanrana on the floor. Americano attempted a Sunset Flip, but Styles escaped and reversed it into a Styles Clash for the win.
Analysis:
Fun match that delivered the right outcome, especially considering how Americano cost Styles the IC Title last week. The reversed Sunset Flip into the Styles Clash was a great counter that showed how creative Styles is, even if he is nearing the end of his career. Now that he won here, it looks like Styles is going to get another crack at Dominik’s title. For how long this feud has gone on, it can’t just end with what happened last week. After how many times Styles has been cheated and outsmarted by Dominik, him not eventually winning the title at the end of this feud would be a huge fumble.
Even though it didn’t air live during the show, what was also interesting was the promo Styles cut before the match. It was odd to hear him say that someone in the back doesn’t want him here as saying something like that isn’t something we ever see from him.
While this was likely just part of the script, it feels like they’re now playing off the fact that Styles is older and that his contract is set to expire soon. With this January being the ten-year anniversary of his WWE debut, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that this promo could lead to a storyline that goes from now until Royal Rumble time. If they do plan to expand on this, it’s going to be interesting to see what the climax of it turns out to be.
Grade: B
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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C.M. Punk & A.J. Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch
Latest developments:
At Clash in Paris, Becky Lynch low blowed C.M. Punk as he was about to hit her husband Seth Rollins with the GTS and that allowed Rollins to retain his World Heavyweight Championship. The following night after Becky slapped and shoved Punk multiple times as they were face to face in the ring, Punk told her that she was going to regret ever putting hands on him. Last Friday on Smackdown as Becky provoked Punk once again, Punk said he wouldn’t put hands on a woman but that he knew someone who would. Punk’s wife AJ Lee then appeared for the first time on WWE TV in ten years and attacked Becky. As Becky & Rollins retreated, A.J. & Punk celebrated her return in the ring to end the show.
For the first time in a decade, A.J. appeared on Raw this week wearing Becky’s IC Title to cut a promo about her mental health struggles during her time away and how she was doing really good until she watched Raw and saw Becky put her hands on her husband. Becky came out to interrupt and told A.J. she doesn’t deserve to put a finger on her title, then A.J. then laid the title down in the ring and told Becky to come get it. Rollins then came out after Becky called him to the ring and he asked AJ to give the title back, which she said she’d do if Becky agreed to a tag match pitting AJ & Punk against Becky & Rollins. Rollins attempted to take the title as A.J. constantly stood in his way and as he yelled at her, Punk appeared and attempted a GTS on Rollins before he escaped. An angry Rollins then accepted the challenge for the match at Wrestlepalooza and A.J. threw the title back at Becky to end the segment.
Analysis:
Coming into Raw this week, this was the segment everyone was waiting for and it delivered. This feud involving both power couples has added a new spark to the show that’s been missing and a spark to the Punk and Rollins feud that was beginning to get stale. After how big A.J.’s return was last week, they did a good job here in continuing to build on that momentum. Crazy to think that less than two weeks ago, no one thought an A.J. Lee return was an actual possibility. Once Becky implemented herself into the feud between Rollins and Punk, it made her return a foregone conclusion.
As A.J. was always good on the mic, this segment gave us the chance to hear her talk in this kind of setting for the first time in a decade. She clearly hasn’t missed a step as here she was not only entertaining, but she also wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable as she talked about her mental health struggles since her absence. While we knew it was inevitable, this segment succeeded in making the Mixed Tag Team match official for Wrestlepalooza. Even though that card also has John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar on it, this feels like the match that should be the main event of that show with all the buzz surrounding it. With A.J.’s return, this upcoming match at the PLE, and the endless possibilities of feuds A.J. could have with other women she’s never worked with before, there’s a lot to be excited about for anyone watching Raw over the next few months.
Grade: A
Penta vs. Rusev
Latest developments:
Last week, Penta teamed up with the War Raiders to defeat the New Day & Grayson Waller. This week as Penta was backstage talking to the Raiders, he approached Adam Pearce. Feeling as if Pearce doesn’t love him, Penta asked him for a title shot. Rusev then walked into the conversation and also demanded a title shot. Rusev referred to Penta as a clown, and the two then got into each other’s faces. Pearce got in between them and made a match between them official for later in the night.
The match took place later in the night and as Rusev attempted to run into Penta against the steel steps, he missed. Penta continued to build momentum with the handstand that he turned into a kick against the sternum for a near fall. The New Day & Waller came to the ring to distract Penta, but Penta leaped over the top rope onto them. Penta then hit a Mexican Destroyer, but Rusev kicked out. Penta kicked Xavier Woods down as he was on the second rope but once he jumped off, Rusev hit him with the Machka Kick to get the win.
Analysis:
As appealing of a match as this is, it was given away too soon. In last week’s review, a feud between Penta and Rusev was suggested as it felt like a natural fit. From what we saw here, this match between them was just used to prolong the feud Penta’s been tied up in with New Day & Grayson Waller. Even though it felt like it was over last week with Penta along with the War Raiders defeating them, the fact that they got involved in his match this week is a clear sign that it’s not over. With that being said, the first Penta and Rusev match shouldn’t have been just wasted to extend a separate storyline that no one is even that interested in.
Despite the ending and the fact that this match was rushed, the action in the ring between the two of them was solid. To no surprise, these two showed that they can work well together and that there’s magic that can be made in a feud between them. As good as the action was, they don’t need to rush to do another match anytime soon. This is a feud with loads of potential that can produce some great matches, which means it deserves more time to be put into it than just one random match. As a feud with Rusev is something actually worth investing in long term, the ending to Penta’s feud with New Day & Waller can’t come soon enough.
Grade: B-
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Asuka vs. Nikki Bella
Latest developments:
This week as Nikki Bella was talking to Iyo Sky backstage, Asuka & Kairi Sane walked in on their conversation. Asuka told Nikki to leave and as Nikki spoke up for herself, Asuka told her to stay away from Iyo. Nikki told Asuka she doesn’t have to like her, but she will respect her. As Asuka laughed it off, she offered to beat the respect out of Nikki later in the night. Nikki accepted and as Kairi attempted to apologize, Asuka yelled for her to leave with her.
As the match took place, the two of them threw punches at each other until they both went down when they kicked each other simultaneously. Asuka hit Nikki with several hard strikes and a kick to the face, but it wasn’t enough to put her away. After Nikki escaped an Asuka Lock attempt, Nikki hit Asuka with an Alabama Slam for a near fall. Asuka escaped a Rack Attack 2.0 attempt and hit Nikki with an Empress Implant, then trapped her in the Asuka Lock as Nikki tapped out to give her the win.
Analysis:
The backstage interaction she had with Nikki followed by this match really showed how great Asuka is doing with her new heel persona. Even though chunks of the crowd still cheer her, she’s been doing great heel work ever since she started having tension with Iyo. This match itself was fine, but it was clearly used to get more heat on Asuka as that mission was accomplished. With her issues with Iyo and Rhea Ripley still heating up, it was definitely the right move to keep her momentum going here. With Iyo’s title match with Stephanie Vaquer right around the corner, there’s no way that Asuka & Kairi won’t somehow play a role in the outcome.
With Nikki losing here combined with her recent loss to Becky, it’s starting to feel as if she now has a certain role that most returning legends fall into. It now seems like for the foreseeable future she’s going to be used as more of an enhancement talent for the other women. Even though she’s a big name and has a strong fan base, this era of women’s wrestling doesn’t feel like one where she’s going to be the centerpiece like she was before. Although there’s nothing wrong with her work in the ring, the talent and quality of matches from the other women on the roster have surpassed what she was doing a decade ago. Unless her sister Brie comes back and they do some kind of Bella Twins reunion, it’s hard to see her in any other role right now other than the one she’s been in recently.
Grade: B-
L.A. Knight vs. Bronson Reed
After Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed defeated Jey Uso & LA Knight las week, Breakker & Reed brutally attacked Jey until his brother Jimmy came to his rescue. As Jey & Jimmy Uso opened the show this week with an in-ring promo, they were interrupted by Breakker & Reed. Jimmy informed them that Adam Pearce made a match between both teams official for Wrestlepalooza but as Jimmy & Jey called them down to the ring, Reed refused. Knight then attacked Breakker & Reed from behind until they both gained up on him. The Usos then leaped through the second rope onto Breakker & Reed and as Knight attempted the BTF onto Reed, Reed shoved him into Jey’s direction before he stopped himself from hitting him. Knight then moved out of the way as Reed ran into Jey as he was against the turnbuckle, and Jimmy SuperKicked Reed out of the ring.
Knight and Reed went one on one in the main event in a match where Knight tossed Reed over the timekeeper area as he attempted to run him through it and then jumped off the top of the announce table onto him. Knight later went for the BFT before he was pushed off and he then knocked Breakker off the apron, but Knight walked right into a Jagged Edge from Reed for the win. Breakker & Reed attacked Knight after the match until Jimmy Uso came out to make the save, but he was quickly taken down with a Spear from Breakker. Despite seeming like he left the arena earlier in frustration, Jey came out to fight off Breakker & Reed until he was also taken down by a Spear from Breakker. As Breakker stacked Jimmy & Jey on top of each other for Reed to hit them with a Tsunami, Knight hit Reed with a chair and then threw the chair into Breakker’s face. As Knight helped up Jimmy, Jey laid Knight out with a Spear to end the show.
Analysis:
Once again, the Raw main event is an afterthought due to everything else that happened after. As repetitive as these segments can be, this one gave us something different with Jey attacking Knight at the end of it. The tension the two of them have had recently has been a nice breath of fresh air that’s made their interactions with The Vision more interesting than they would’ve been otherwise. It’s to the point now where a Knight vs. Jey match at Wrestlepalooza would be a much better idea than the Usos against Breakker & Reed. Unlike another tag match with Breakker & Reed that would have a predictable outcome, this match would be something fresh with an unpredictability of what direction it would go in.
With Jey attacking Knight the way he did combined with Jimmy telling him he was beginning to sound more like Roman Reigns earlier in the show, there’s now the question of whether or not he’s going to turn heel. As popular as he is, that feels like it wouldn’t make much sense to do that from a business standpoint. However, when you consider the negative reaction he got here for what he did to Knight, a heel turn for Jey feels like a possibility. As great of a baby face as he’s been over the past two years, turning heel would be something that would freshen up his character. Whether he ends up turning along with Jimmy or if it’s Knight that ends up turning, this scenario has now made this storyline one where one is eager to see what happens next.
Grade: B+
Raquel Rodriguez vs. Lyra Valkyria
In her first match since Summerslam, Lyra Valkyria went one on one with Raquel Rodriguez this week. Raquel dominated Lyra until Lyra blocked a Superplex attempt and turned it into an impressive Powerbomb from the second rope for a near fall. Lyra went for a Nightwing, but Roxanne Perez got on the apron to cause a distraction. Raquel took advantage but as she threw Lyra across the ropes, Lyra drop kicked Perez through the second rope to get even for her previous interference. Lyra went to the top rope, but Raquel caught her foot and then hit her with the Tajana Bomb to pick up the win.
Analysis:
From an in-ring standpoint, this was arguably the best match on the show. Although Lyra and Raquel have worked together in the past, this was better than any of their other matches were. Raquel has improved tremendously ever since she started incorporating more power moves into her arsenal and she especially shines when she has a much smaller opponent like Lyra to work off. Although Raquel got the win, the most impressive spot in the match was when Lyra hit her with the Powerbomb from the second rope. With Lyra set to face Perez next week, it’s clear that this is slowly turning into a feud between Lyra and both women that’ll stretch out until we see Bayley come back.
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