SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett, Pat McAfee
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
-A new “Then, Now, Together, Forever” opening brand stamp aired, narrated by Paul Levesque.
-The showed an aerial view of the downtown of Indianapolis, Ind. Then they showed wrestlers arriving including The Usos, the full Vision, C.M. Punk & A.J. Lee, a split screen of Iyo Sky and Stephanie Vaquer, and a split-screen of Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. Cole excitedly introduced the show.
-A video aired with vintage clips of ESPN and WWE over the decades with an odd inclusion early of “Three’s Company.” It included a young Vince McMahon at ringside which got a reaction from the crowd. They went through the “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant era. They showed King Kong Bundy, Undertaker, and Paul Bearer interacting with an ESPN anchor decades ago. Then they showed other crossover sports appearances and aspects of WWE making its way into pop culture such as the DX chop in an NBA game. Levesque talked about the line between the scriped and what’s not. They showed Big Show being bloodied by Floyd Mayweather punches when the word “unscripted” was said. They showed Kurt Angle winning the Olympic Gold Medal and then athletes at ringside or participating (Shaq). Then they showed athletes doing the “You can’t see me” gesture. Then clips of Logan Paul, Dennis Rodman, Lawerence Taylor, and other athletes who crossed over into WWE angles and matches. Levesque said: “Wrestling isn’t a metaphor for the national condition; it’s a reflection of it, as are all games we play.” Then pyro blasted in the arena. Then Levesque was shown saying “sports is entertainment; it always has been and always will be.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Nice video in a lot of ways. It does feel a little “defensive” in the sense of trying to prove their worth to skeptical traditionalists – who aren’t watching this on the ESPN Unlimited app, by the way. It was cool and validating at the same time, though, to show how much of WWE has permeated into pop culture and how often sports athletes have participated in WWE or crossed over into WWE as performers. For someone who hasn’t paid much attention to those things, it could be revealing how much of that there has been.)
-Triple H stood mid-ring on top of a pizza chain logo and surrounded by other ads for national brands. He asked if Indianapolis could “feel it.” He said they are about to witness “the final form of sports and entertainment.” He said, “If tonight is your first night, let me welcome you to WWE. Let me welcome you to ESPN, let me welcome you to Wrestlepalooza!”
(Keller’s Analysis: As with the return to NBC for Saturday Night’s Main Event and the Netflix premiere episode of Raw, WWE keeps conveying that they think the platform and delivery method is going to bring all these new people to the product. The numbers on NBC and Netflix point toward there being very little of that happenings. When WWE moves, their fans find them (or in the case of moving Smackdown from Fox back to Smackdown, they lose track of them), but this idea that non-fans are doing anything but flipping quickly away from any WWE coverage on ESPN programming, they’ll fooling themselves. I almost feel bad how excited they get about exposing their product to new fans because I just don’t think there’s many people who decided to watch WWE for the first time because ESPN’s personalities pushed it the last few days. Maybe this time I’m wrong. I just don’t think WWE not being on ESPN was keeping potential fans from becoming fans.)
-They cut to Michael Cole and Wade Barrett at ringside to introduce the show. Pat McAfee then made a “surprise” return to the announce table. Cole told McAfee to keep his clothes on because they didn’t need to see more of his “junk.” Cole seemed more happy than a five year old kid whose mom or dad returned from a two week business trip.
(1) BROCK LESNAR vs. JOHN CENA
As Lesnar came out looking so muscular as to almost seem like an absurd caricature of his former physique, enhanced by the camera angle when he came out onto the stage. Barrett said Cole was hiding behind him. A fan opposite the hard camera held up a sign that said: “He shouldn’t be here and we all know why.” He’s the guy who should be hiding behind someone. John Cena made his ring entrance, followed by a parade of over two dozen little kids. (None of them were as close to as excited to be there as Cole was to be next to McAfee again.) The kids (weirdly, every single one of them white kids) waved their hands in front of their faces. A graphic noted it’s his first one-on-one match against Lesnar since Sept. 21, 2014 and he has a 2-4 career record against Lesnar. It also noted he has 99 PLE victories. (Over 90 of them came before the acronym “PLE” had been invented.)
Cena paused ring introductions to hear the fans chanted “Let’s Go Cena / Cena sucks!” Alicia Taylor then did the gushing ring announcement for him, calling him the greatest of all time. Then she was about to introduced Lesnar when Paul Heyman interrupted. “Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman!” He introduced Lesnar including his NCAA and UFC and WWF championships. “The last real ass-kicker,” Heyman said. Cole said it had a big-fight feel with an electric atmosphere in Indianapolis.
The bell rang 20 minutes into the hour. Lesnar attacked Cena at the bell, battering him and shoving him around. Fans chanted, “Let’s Go Cena!” Barrett predicted the match would be over in two minutes. When Cena punched Lesnar, Lesnar hit Cena with a clothesline. Barrett said the punch just pissed Lesnar off and barely registered. Lesnar whipped Cena hard into the corner and then jogged and smiled.
Lesnar landed a power slam that Cole said resembled that delivered by the British Bulldog. Lesnar delivered a suplex. Cole said, “Welcome to Suplex City!” Cena rolled to the floor, then pulled himself back in. Cole said they first wrestled in Ohio Valley Wrestling in 2001. He said the last time they were in the ring was 2015 in a Triple Threat match with Seth Rollins.
Cena powered out of a Lesnar rear bearhug. He hoisted KLesnar up, but Lesnar slipped out quickly and then clotheslined Cena with force. They cut to dismayed fans. Barrett said Lesnar is “the greatest fighter of all-time.” He said it pisses him off that Cena is called the greatest.
Cena slipped out of a bodyslam and pushed Lesnar into the corner. He went for a shoulder tackle, but bounced off of him. It took fourth knock Lesnar down. Fans cheered. Cena gave Lesnar three Attitude Adjustments and scored a dramatic near fall. Cena then went into his You Can’t See Me routine, but Lesnar stood up and countered the Five Knuckle Shuffle with two F5s. Cole said there has never been anyone in WWE like Lesnar. McAfee said not on Earth. Lesnar delivered a third F5. Lesnar winced. McAfee noted it. Cole said he hadn’t wrestled in two years. “Isn’t a retirement tour supposed to be a celebration?” asked Cole.
Lesnar waited for Cena to stand and then delivered a fifth and sixth F5. Cole called it “a massacre” and “a career assassination” of Cena. Lesnar covered Cena and scored a three count. Cole said he destroyed Cena.
WINNER: Lesnar in 14:00.
-Afterward, Lesnar attacked the ref with an F5. He then gave Cena another F5. Cole said someone needs to fine him. As Lesnar walked to the back, they cut to Tyrese Haliburton, the star Indiana Pacer NBA player, watching in amazement. Fans chanted, “Thank you, Cena!” Barrett asked who was going to step up to Lesnar next. They showed Cena sitting on the edge of the ring and walking to the back on his own gingerly. A louder “Thank you, Cena!” chant rang out.
(Keller’s Analysis: They are building up Lesnar right now for a longer story arc and it seems destined to include Lesnar vs. Reigns and ultimately perhaps Lesnar losing to Bron Breakker as a way to try to cement Breakker as a centerpiece new top act. Lesnar is just freaking scary looking and as intimidating as ever.)
-They cut to ringside where fans were wearing Hulkamania t-shirts. Then they all drank the Hogan-sponsored beer together. It’s now branded with a “Hulkamania Forever” slogan.
-They showed a clip from earlier backstage to Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker shoving the Usos. Then Raw G.M. Adam Pearce announced L.A. Knight would be the special referee. Knight then commented and said he’s the only one who can do the job.
(2) THE USOS vs. BRONSON REED & BRON BREAKKER (w/Paul Heyman)
Knight made his ring entrance. The Usos made their ring entrance (during which I ran some errands and had dinner with an old friend across town, but I got back before the bell rang). The bell rang 51 minutes into the hour. The Usos took it to Reed early. When Breakker tagged in, Barrett said, “Paul Heyman’s really cultivated this lunatic streak in Breakker and laser-focused it in order to maximize it for the destruction of his opponents.”
When Jimmy wound up a chair at ringside, Knight turned his back purposefully so Jimmy could whack Reed across the back. Barrett said Jimmy is the only guy in this match that Knight likes at all. Jey leaped onto Breakker at ringside. Back in the ring, Jimmy punched away at Reed in the corner.
Breakker shoulder-tackled Jimmy at ringside when the action spilled to the floor. Breakker threw Jimmy back into the ring. Reed splashed Jimmy for a two count. Reed bashed Jimmy with a chair across the back at ringside. Cole said if Knight is going to let Jimmy get away with it, he has to allow Reed get away with it as well.
Breakker and Reed beat up Jimmy for several minutes. Jimmy and Reed both crawled over and made hot-tqaghs. Breakker charged and ran over Jimmy, slipped, and knocked Jey off the ring apron and then threw him into the ringside steps. (Breakker could’ve gotten hurt there.) Breakker leaped off the top rope with a bulldog to Jimmy off of Reed’s shoulders. Jimmy kicked out. Jimmy avoided a senton. Cole noted Jey was still down at ringside. Jimmy avoided a charging Reed. Jey returned to the corner and reached for a tag. He led the crowd in clapping for Jimmy. Jimmy made the tag. Reed also tagged out to Breakker.
Cole noted Jey and Breakker battled for the IC Title over the last year. Jimmy charged at Breakker with a hip attack. Jey landed a crossbody for a two count on Breakker seconds later.
All four fought in the ring. Reed set up a table in the corner. The legs weren’t retracted, so Knight tried to fix it. Jey and Jimmy super kicked Breakker and then Reed. Then they gave Breakker their 1D for a near fall.
A minute later, Reed set up a move off the top rope against Jey. Jey fought back. Breakker took Jey off the top rope with a Frankensteiner and then sold a knee injury afterward. Fans chanted, “OTC!” His knee hit the mat hard, but didn’t twist. Jey moved out of Reed’s path on a top rope moonsault. Jimmy then landed a top rope Swanton. Breakker popped up and hit a spear on Jimmy. Jey then speared a celebrating Breakker. Jey then landed a top rope splash for a near fall.
Reed stood on the ring apron and distracted Knight. Jey super kicked Reed off the ring apron. Breakker kept rubbing the knee he landed on hard. Knight dropped to the floor to scold Reed. Jey leaped onto Reed, but almost hit Knight. Barrett asked if Jey was aiming for Knight. Knight confronted Jey over that. Jey returned to the ring and super kicked Breakker as Breakker swung a chair. Jey took the and almost hit Knight with it. Jey then jabbed Breakker with it and bashed him across the back. The chair bounced off of Breakker’s back and hit him in the forehead legit. He staggered and began bleeding heavily. He threw the chair at Reed’s head. Breakker then speared Jey who splattered blood all over Breakker’s chest and back. Yikes. Breakker then speared both Jimmy and Jey into a table propped in the corner.
Breakker dragged Jey to mid-ring. Reed then landed a Tsunami and scored a three count. Breakker sat in the corner and held his right knee.
Doctors immediately checked on Jey’s cut as Heyman raised the arms of Reed and Breakker in the ring.
WINNERS: Breakker & Reed in 16:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Jey might’ve given himself a concussion and certainly lacerated himself with that chair bounce back. Breakker’s knee is going to be at least very sore for a while based on that landing and how he didn’t have his footing after that and held it in pain every chance he had.)
-A commercial hyped Smackdown and Saturday Night Main Event on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
-Cole plugged WWE’s podcast line-up and trading cards. Then they showed The War and Treaty at ringside, then Burke Magnus, the ESPN President of Content. Then Jeff Teague, a former NBA player. Then Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers NBA team. They showed Drew McIntyre warming up backstage with resistance band arm curls.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
(3) IYO SKY vs. STEPHANIE VAQUER – For the vacant Women’s World Championship
The bell rang 23 minutes into the hour. Barrett said many wrestlers have been projected to be the top star in the future, but didn’t make it. He said he hopes that’s not the case with Vaquer. A few minutes in they exchanged a variety of roll-ups and counters leading to a two count by Sky. Fans applauded. Sky stood and smiled at Vaquer. Vaquer took over. Sky swept her leg before she could apply the Devil’s Kiss.
Vaquer applied an armbar while hanging from the top rope. She broke before five. Sky went for a sunset flip, but Vaquer stopped short and raked Sky’s eyes and then scored a two count after a running legdrop. Vaquer settled ihjto a chin lock mid-ring at 5:00. Iyo escaped and applied her own hold. Sky landed an underhook backbreaker. Both were down and slow to get up.
Sky stood first and went after Vaquer. Sky knocked Vaquer to the floor, played to the crowd, and then dove through the ropes and tackled Vaquer. A minute later, Vaquer leaped off the top rope and landed on Sky with a bodypress. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” Back in the ring, Vaquer landed a springboard crossbody. She followed with a suplex, but when she charged in the corner, Sky moved.
Vaquer later signaled for the Devil’s Kiss. Sky blocked it and applied a crossface. Cole said Vaquer played to the crowd too long and it cost her. Vaquer gave Sky a Dragon Screw into the ropes. Barrett called it “a ligament shredder.” She set up a SVB, but Sky avoided it. She then caught Vaquer with a head scissors takeover into a roll-up for a two count. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!”
Sky went for an Over the Moonsault, but Vaquer lifted her boots to block it. Vaquer went on the attack and then applied her Devil’s Kiss. “Where’s Booker?” asked Cole. She followed with her SVB for a near fall. Vaquer climbed to the top rope. Sky got up and punched Vaquer. She climbed up and punched Vaquer. Vaquer landed a headbutt. Sky landed a Spanish fly off the top rope leading to a two count. Sky lowered her kneepads and landed a running double knee strike.
Sky went for a moonsault, but Vaquer moved. Sky grabbed her exposed knees in pain. Sky landed on her knees. Fans chanted, “Stephanie! Stephanie!” Vaquer landed a spiral tap type move off the top rope for the three count.
Sky and Vaquer kneeled in front of each other in the ring. Sky presented Vaquer with the belt. Sky rolled out of the ring. Vaquer hugged her dad in the front row. Cole and her mom and dad supported her dream back in South America as she aspired for a moment like this. “A new era has dawned on Monday Night Raw,” he said.
WINNER: Vaquer in 19:00 to capture the Women’s World Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Excellent match from two of the best. They were given about 20 minutes to put together a really good match and tell a strong story. Fans were behind Vaquer, and it felt earned in a variety of ways, including her performance in this match.)
-They showed Cody hanging out with Haliburton in his bus. (Smart way to try to assure he got cheered by more people.)
-They went to Cole and McAfee at ringside. They showed the Indiana Sports Corp President in the front row.
(4) A.J. LEE & C.M. PUNK vs. BECKY LYNCH & SETH ROLLINS
Seth and Becky came out to their blended music that starts with Seth’s and ends with Becky’s and avoids the crowd singing. Then Punk came out to his music. A.J. joined him on the stage and they headed to the ring to her theme. Punk wore a jacket that says, “A.J.’s Husband.” (This is veering into the same category as “humble bragging.”) The bell rang 1 minute into the third hour.
Cole said Levesque called this the most anticipated mixed tag match since the debut of Ronda Rousey. Fans loudly chanted “C.M. Punk!” as he met Seth mid-ring and had words for him. Becky tagged herself in. Seth smiled. Becky shadow-boxed Punk and he held his ground. When she began pelting his chest, Punk looked at the ref. Fans called for a “GTS!” Punk reached back and tagged in Lee. Becky took a cheap shot at Lee, then ran around ringside. Lee chased her. Becky tagged Seth back in and then they kissed. Cole said, “Get a room!” (He’s one to talk given how head-over-heels he is around McAfee.)
Punk went on the attack against Seth in his corner. The ref scolded Punk for not breaking. Lee then yanked on Seth’s hair as fans cheered. Punk lured Becky into the ring, furthering the ref’s distraction. Punk then gave Seth an inverted atomic drop and chopped him to the mat.
Seth took over and went on sustained offense with a methodical attack. When Seth finally tagged Lee, the ref was distracted by Becky charging in. The tag was denied. Cole called it “a great move by Becky.” He said Lee should be legal. As Lee protested, Seth pressed Becky into the air and dropped her toward Seth. Seth rolled out of the way and Becky crashed onto the mat. She rolled out of the ring in pain. Seth apologized. Lee laughed. Punk ducked a charging Seth, who bumped over the top rope to the floor.
Punk leaped to tag Lee, but Becky yanked Lee off the ring apron and out of reach. Cole called it “a master class by Lynch and Rollins.” Seth landed a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Seth skipped around a fallen Lee at ringside, drawing boos. He skipped around the ring, too. Cole called it ridiculous and embarrassing. Punk gave Seth a GTS, but then collapsed. Becky frantically slapped Seth to try to revive him. Becky grabbed Punk’s boots to stop him from tagging. Punk stood and smiled and blew Becky a kiss, then tagged in Lee.
Lee smiled as Becky begged off. She tackled Becky with a Thesz Press. Fans chanted “A.J. Lee!” Lee splashed Becky in the corner and then punched away at her in the corner. Cole called her a trailblazer during her first WWE run. Lee stayed on the attack including a spinning wheel kick. She followed up with a top rope crossbody for a two count at 17:00. Fans chanted, “You still got it!”
When Seth entered, Lee slapped him and then pelted him with a barrage of strikes. Becky ran in and went for a Manhandle Slam, but Lee slipped free and then DDT’d Lee. She went after Seth, but Seth blocked her. Punk then flipped Lee onto Becky with unintentional help from Seth for a Sliced Bread. She scored a two count.
Punk and Lee gave stereo bulldogs to Seth and Becky. Then they hit stereo shining wizards. Lee skipped with a smile on her face. Lee and Becky battled mid-ring. Becky leveraged Lee’s shoulders down for a two count to break Lee’s hold. Lee applied a standing Black Widow submission. Punk blocked an interfering Seth and then applied a sharpshooter. Fans cheered. Seth escaped with an eye rake and super kicked Punk. Seth broke up the Black Widow, but Lee applied the Black Widow to Seth. Becky then gave Lee a Becksploder. Seth and Becky delivered stereo Pedigrees and they scored simultaneous two counts, although only one was official. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!”
Seth told Becky that they are all there because of them. They stood and tried to deliver GTS’s. Punk countered and clotheslined Seth over the top rope. He clotheslined himself on the bottom rope when he landed. Lee, meanwhile, took over against Becky, but Seth tripped her from ringside. Fans booed. Punk entered and delivered a Stomp on Pump. He mounted him and punched away at him. Becky slapped and chopped Punk. Punk got wide-eyed and stood and blocked Becky. He held onto her forearm and then blocked a kick and held her boot. Fans encouraged Seth to retaliate. He swept her leg. Seth got up. Punk punched him. Becky took Punk down and stomped on him and applied a sharpshooter mid-ring. Punk countered into his own sharpshooter. Seth broke it up.
Seth then gave Punk a Pedigree. He followed with a stomp. He rolled him over and made a cover, but Lee stomped Seth to break the cover. Becky gave Lee a Manhandle Slam for a near fall. Lee’s kickout as late enough the ref had to pull up before she lifted her shoulder. All four were down and slow to get up at 26:00. Cole called it a critical moment in the match.
Seth and Punk stood and exchanged wild swings. Lee and Becky pulled them into their respective corners. Lee said, “I got this!” She and Becky then exchanged wild swings mid-ring. Seth and Punk went back at it, too. Punk and Lee threw Seth and Becky to the floor They then went after them at ringside. Punk threw Seth over the announce table. Lee smiled and then cleared the Spanish announce table.
Lee battled Becky on table while Punk and Seth battled on the other. Punk lifted Seth onto his shoulders for a GTS. Becky shoved Lee into Punk. Punk and Seth took a nasty fall. Lee applied her Black Widow on Becky in the ring. Barrett said that’s how Lee won all her championships. Becky tapped out.
WINNERS: Lee & Punk in 30:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Fun match, but not a serious match. The crowd ate it up. It maybe got a bit long and a bit too cute in the closing 5-10 minutes with some of the choreographed sequences. Becky and Seth became a little slapstick too in their demeanors where it felt like a different version of their acts that might be tough to shift fully away from later. I’m not sure if it was the circumstances causing it, but it wasn’t a clean, crisp match when they did try to get a little more intense. Lee, of course, is going to show some rust, but everyone seemed a bit off.)
-Undertaker rode out as “American Badass” on a motorcycle. He sat next to Stephanie McMahon at ringside and played up that he just wanted to sit in the front row and see what it was like. Stephanie (played up?) being surprised. After more chit-chat about how far back they went and doing the DX “Are you ready?” bit, he informed her she’s going to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame next year. She (acted?) totally surprised and teared up.
(5) CODY RHODES vs. DREW MCINTYRE – WWE Title match
The bell rang 56 minutes into the third hour. Drew walked up to Cody with a shit-eating grin. Cody slapped him. Drew took Cody down with an elbow strike and followed up with chops. Drew then took Cody to the mat and winced on a headlock (like a headlock should always be applied; nothing casual about that).
Cody stood and pushed Drew into the ropes, forcing a break. Cody stared at Drew and then went on the attack. Cody’s leg gave out briefly, but then he landed a Cody Cutter. Barrett said he noticed that Cody seems a half step behind where he normally is. Cody dove onto Drew at ringside once and then went for it again. Drew caught him and shoved him hard into the ringpost and tossed him over the Spanish announce table.
Drew threw Cody into the ring and then overhead suplexed him. Barrett said Cody had his “bell rung” yesterday and “doesn’t see to be playing with his usually full deck.” Cole said Drew predicted it’d be a bad night for Cody. Barrett pushed the idea that essentially Cody was wrestling when he should be in concussion protocol, saying his brain was affected by what happened on Smackdown the night before.
Cody side-stepped Drew charging at him. Drew swept Cody’s leg on the ring apron and then catapulted him onto the ringside steps face-first. He scored a two count in the ring. Drew punched away at Cody who covered his head with his arms to absorb some of the impact. Cole noted Cody hadn’t delivered any sustained offense yet.
Drew climbed to the top rope at 6:00. Cody met him up there and superplexed Drew. Both were down and slow to get up. Cody won a rapid-fire exchange by landing a snap power slam. He pumped a fist and then landed a Disaster Kick to Drew. (When he pumped his fist, he was waiting for Drew to stand for the kick, not costing himself valuable time that allowed Drew to recover; it’s that simple.) Cody landed a Cody Cutter next.
When Cody climbed to the top rope, Drew leaped and head butted him. Drew then bit his face before lifting Cody onto his shoulders for a White Noise off the second rope. He scored a two count. Both were down and slow to get up. They cut to a wide shot of the crowd. Cole said over 15,000 were in attendance.
Drew kipped up and went for a Claymore, but Cody caught him and scored a two count with a stack cover. Drew landed a Glagow Kiss, but Cody sidestepped his dropkick and then quickly applied a figure-four leg lock mid-ring. Drew sat up and punched Cody to break the hold. The ref checked on Cody, who appeared knocked out. Cody extended his arms. Barrett said Cody was struggling “and this is not the usual Cody Rhodes.” Cole said Cody’s eyes were glassy.
Drew ripped a turnbuckle pad off the top turnbuckle. When the ref reached for it to put it back on, Drew tossed it away to ringside. Drew shoved Cody toward the ref, then rolled him up. The ref slid back into the ring and counted to two. Drew was enraged. Drew landed a quick Crossroads for a near fall.
Drew blocked a Cody Cutter. Then he landed a running flip dive onto Cody at ringside. Drew landed a Claymore kick and scored a near fall at 14:00. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” as Drew regrouped. Cody rolled to ringside.
Drew went after Cody at ringside. Drew set up a kick to Cody’s head against the Spanish announce desk. When Drew pushed past the ref and went for it, Cody moved and Drew sold that he hurt his ankle upon impact. He stomped the mat in frustration as he cried out in agony. He tried to stand, but collapsed.
Back in the ring, Drew landed a Glasgow Kick, but when he went for a Claymore, his leg gave out. Cody then gave Drew a super cutter. Cody played to the crowed briefly and then gave Drew a Crossroads for a three count.
As Cody celebrated, a trainer or doctor checked on Drew at ringside who was explaining what was going on with is ankle.
WINNER: Cody in 17:00 to retain the WWE Undisputed Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match in the style that Cody and Drew wrestle, where every move counts as part of an underlying story that drives the narrative. In this case, Cody overcame a cheap shot headbutt by Drew the night before and ultimately Drew paid a price for trying to do a move at ringside that WWE has framed as dastardly and crossing a line. The backfiring of that move made Cody’s win a minute later all the most satisfying.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was an example of the modern version of non-top-tier WWE PLEs. I watched it on delay due to covering AEW All Out live, so I was able to fast-forward through commercials. By the end, I was surprised by the total duration going well past three hours. There was a lot of filler. I do hope WWE gets past acting so smitten with the ESPN brand association. I get you want to make a big deal out of a new partnership, but it comes across like a boy who can’t believe the girl he asked to the dance said yes.
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