SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
After an eventful Clash in Paris last Sunday, we witnessed all the fallout from it take place on Raw. As C.M. Punk had the World Heavyweight Championship won at the PLE, Seth Rollins found another underhanded way to retain his title. Despite not having the members of The Vision to help him, he got an assist from none other than his wife and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. Punk showed up to Raw this week waiting for Rollins to arrive so that he could extract revenge. Instead of getting Rollins, Punk was confronted by Becky herself.
What followed was a heated back and forth between Punk and Becky that has potentially opened the door for a surprise return. While not official yet, the chances of that return happening are now the strongest that they’ve ever been. In addition to that, we had the Kabuki Warriors take on Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez of the Judgment Day, Dominik Mysterio defending his Intercontinental Title against AJ Styles, and The Vision’s Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed facing Jey Uso & LA Knight in the main event.
Kabuki Warriors vs. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez
Latest developments:
Last week, Iyo Sky came to the rescue of Rhea Ripley as she was being attacked by Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez. Backstage afterwards, Asuka & Kairi Sane of the Kabuki Warriors confronted Iyo for coming to the aide of Rhea. This led to an argument between Iyo and Asuka where an angry Asuka told Iyo to stay away from Rhea. This week as Asuka & Kairi were backstage, Iyo apologized to Asuka for last week. Asuka said it was ok as she laughed it off, but told Iyo that they didn’t need her help when she offered it to them.
This week, Asuka & Kairi took on Raquel & Roxanne in a match where Asuka had Perez trapped in an Arm Bar before Raquel broke it up. Raquel & Perez later took the advantage with a Slam from Raquel followed by a Springboard Moonsault from Perez, but Kairi interrupted the count. Raquel went for a Tajana Bomb on Kairi, but Kairi reversed it into a head scissors and pulled her over the top rope. Kairi then took out Raquel with an Insane Elbow from the top rope outside the ring. After a missed Pop Rocks attempt, Asuka trapped Perez in the Asuka Lock to pick up the win for the Kabuki Warriors.
Analysis:
Despite her tense interactions recently with Iyo, Asuka got a noticeably great reaction here from the Paris crowd. If this match had happened in the states, it would’ve felt a little more awkward with how the crowd would’ve reacted considering both teams are practically heels. With that aside, this match was good up until the last minute of it. There was a clear miscommunication between Asuka and Perez where Perez went for the Pop Rocks and then fell, and this was followed by a kick attempt from Asuka that she clearly missed. Despite that, Perez sold it as if she got hit and the whole sequence just looked out of sync.
Even though the brief interaction Asuka had with Iyo backstage this week was more peaceful compared to her recent ones, the way this all is going to turn out is inevitable. While it seemed as if Asuka & Kairi were going to turn on her as early as this week, it looks like it’s being delayed a little longer. With Iyo set to face Stephanie Vaquer for the vacant Women’s World Championship at Wrestlepalooza, the Kabuki Warriors are likely to play a factor in the outcome. As they said they’re going to have Iyo’s back for that match, their attempt to help her is either going to backfire or they’re going to purposely screw Iyo out of the tile. Regardless of which scenario plays out, there’s no way that match at Wrestlepalooza ends without any controversy.
Grade: B-
Penta & War Raiders vs. New Day &. Grayson Waller
Latest developments:
Over the last few weeks, Penta has been targeted by the New Day & Grayson Waller. After defeating Xavier Woods and Grayson Waller in separate singles matches, Penta faced Kofi Kingston last week. Despite Xavier & Waller being at ringside, Penta got the better of all three men throughout the match. As Penta stood on the second rope at one point, Waller distracted him. This allowed Kofi to take advantage and hit Penta with the Trouble in Paradise for the win.
This week, Penta had back up in the form of the War Raiders as they faced the New Day & Waller in a Six Man Tag Team match. Ivar made the hot tag to Penta, who laid out Waller with a devastating DDT. After Eric tagged in, New Day & Waller regained the advantage with a Splash from Kofi onto Eric’s back from the top rope, but Penta interrupted the count. The War Raiders rebounded as Ivar Splashed Xavier from the top rope as Eric held him up. Penta tagged in before this happened, and he then hit Xavier with the Mexican Destroyer for the win.
Analysis:
After what happened last week, it was clear that Penta needed to find some back up. Instead of getting some in the form of his brother Rey Fenix and possibly Andrade, he found some this week with the War Raiders. Although this match was fine, it would’ve meant more if they built up Penta being outnumbered for a few more weeks until he recruited the previously mentioned back up. Considering that Penta picked up the win here along with the Raiders, perhaps he’s now moving on to another feud. If that’s the case, that likely won’t disappoint too many people.
Even though Penta had a hot start when he debuted earlier this year and he still gets great reactions, he’s kind of cooled off recently. A big reason why is likely because this feud he’s been in with New Day & Waller feels like it’s dragging him down. With it not being that interesting and after the way the match ended this week, there’s no real reason to extend this any longer. A different feud that could potentially spice him up again would be one with Rusev. Now that Rusev is done feuding with Sheamus, a feud with Penta would only benefit both of them as they could have some kick ass matches throughout the rest of the year.
Grade: B-
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Dominik Mysterio vs. A.J. Styles
Latest developments:
At Summerslam, Dominik Mysterio successfully defended his Intercontinental Championship against AJ Styles after hitting him with his boot while the referee was distracted. One week later, Dominik teamed up with El Grande Americano against Styles & Dragon Lee in a match where Dominik put on a mask and placed a piece of metal in it as he head butted Styles to allow Americano to get the win. Last week, Styles attacked Dominik after he interfered in Lee’s match against JD McDonagh. Later in the night, Adam Pearce informed Dominik that he would defend his title against Styles this week. Backstage this week before the match, Pearce informed Dominik that McDonagh as well as Finn Balor were barred from ringside for the match.
Dominik gained an unfair advantage in the early goings of the match as he attacked Styles during the ring introductions. Dominik maintained the advantage with a Hurricanrana as Styles stood on the apron to the floor. Styles later caught Dominik as he attempted a 619 and nailed him with the Styles Clash, but Dominik got his foot on the ropes as Styles pinned him. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but El Grande Americano pulled him down as Dominik had the referee distracted and head butted him with his mask with the piece of metal in it. Dominik then hit Styles with a Frog Splash from the top rope to retain the title.
Analysis:
As great as Dominik is, not giving Styles the title here felt like a missed opportunity. The reaction Styles got from this Paris crowd was one of the strongest anyone had received the entire weekend, and it felt like this was a good opportunity to take advantage of that. Unfortunately, this match ended with more El Grande Americano shenanigans and Dominik escaped with his title. While the match was good and in many ways better than the one they had at Summerslam, the ending was a bit of a letdown. Considering that this match ended the way it did, perhaps this creates a scenario for another rematch.
It seems like in this feud that Dominik has outsmarted Styles at every turn and for it to end with Dominik outsmarting him again feels anticlimactic. Even though Styles didn’t win the title here and probably should have, the best ending for this storyline would be for him to win it eventually. Perhaps the way he wins it if that does happen is with an unlikely assist from Finn. With the issues between Dominik and Finn resurfacing recently, Finn costing him the title after it was Dominik who pinned him for it in the first place would make perfect sense. As disappointing as this ending was to this match, having that scenario play out down the road would more than make up for it.
Grade: B
Seth Rollins vs. C.M. Punk
Latest developments:
At Summerslam, Seth Rollins revealed that his knee injury was all a ruse as he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on an exhausted C.M. Punk to win the World Heavyweight Championship. At Clash in Paris, Punk had a chance to regain the title as he along with LA Knight and Jey Uso challenged Rollins in a Fatal Four Way match. As Punk had the match won with the GTS, s mystery person in a hoodie hit him with a low blow and that allowed Rollins to hit the Curb Stomp on Punk to retain the title. After the match, it was revealed that the person under the hoodie was Rollins’ wife and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. This week, Punk waited outside the entrance of the arena for Rollins to arrive only to be told hours later that he had already arrived through another entrance that Punk wasn’t aware existed.
Punk came to the ring to call out Rollins but as the music of Rollins hit, it was Becky who came out instead to confront Punk. After shutting down chants for AJ Lee from the audience, Becky said that Rollin was everything Punk would never be and brought up how it bothered her when people used to chant Punk’s name during her matches during the time when he was gone. Punk told her in response that her husband hides behind everyone, including her and that she married a bum. Rollins then came out on the stage and told Punk to say what he needed to say to his face, but Becky got in Punk’s way as he attempted to go to him as Rollins walked away. Becky then slapped Punk in the face and pushed him multiple times in the chest and called him pathetic. Punk told her he’s going to make Rollins regret ever cashing in on him and that she’s going to regret putting her hands on him before he left the ring.
Analysis:
After this angle was the main talking point coming out of Clash in Paris, the follow-up to it that happened here was very well done. This was the first time we ever saw Becky and Punk ever share a ring together and it turned out to be the best segment on the whole show. While Punk was great, Becky really shined here as she proved in this segment why she’s one of the best heels in the entire company(male or female). From what happened at Clash in Paris and here, this is clearly setting up a Mixed Tag Team match for Wrestlepalooza. Considering the AJ Lee chants from the crowd and what Punk said about how Becky’s going to regret ever putting her hands on him, it seems pretty clear who Punk’s partner is going to be.
As it’s been ten years since AJ retired from wrestling, this creates the best possible scenario for her to come back. With Punk’s never-ending feud with Rollins now having Becky added into it to back up Rollins, there’s no one better to back up Punk than his own wife. With how this is being set up and the fact that Becky even acknowledged the AJ chants from the crowd, anyone other than AJ being Punk’s partner would be a huge disappointment. If she does come back and it seems very likely that she will, the build for this Mixed Tag is going to make for some spicy television in the coming weeks. As the Punk and Rollins feud hasn’t been as interesting considering how long it’s dragged on for, adding their wives into the mix has already added a spark to it that’s been missing for a while that’s only going to escalate from here.
Grade: A
Jey Uso & L.A. Knight vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
Latest developments:
At Clash in Paris, Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed brutally attacked Roman Reigns following Reigns’ victory over Reed several moments earlier. Jey Uso came out to help his cousin despite having a title match later in the show, but he was hit with a Spear by Breakker for his troubles. As Jey, C.M. Punk, and LA Knight all failed to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Seth Rollins later that night, Jey and Knight got into an argument in the ring to start this week’s show before being interrupted by Breakker & Reed. After gloating about what they did to Reigns the night before, Breakker & Reed challenged Jey & Knight to a match for later in the night. Despite their personal issues, Knight & Jey chose to put those issues aside for the time being and accepted the challenge.
In the show’s main event, Jey hit Reed with a Spear followed by an Uso Splash. Despite looking like he had the match won, he was hit with a Spear by Breakker immediately after as Breakker pinned him to pick up the win for his team. Reed & Breakker attacked Jey after the match and while Knight attempted to save him, he was Speared by Breakker and thrown over the announce table. Breakker hit Jey with another Spear and Reed followed that with a Tsunami. Jimmy Uso then came out with a steel chair to help his brother before Breakker & Reed retreated to end the show.
Analysis:
After Breakker & Reed hospitalized Reigns the night before, there was no way they were losing this match here. With how brutal that beating was that they gave Reigns to the point where he’s gonna be gone for a while, having them defeat Jey & Knight in this match helps them continue to build on that momentum. From how they’ve looked recently, it looks like they’re going to be running through everyone for the foreseeable future. In addition to the two of them looking so dominant, the most noticeable thing coming out of this was Jimmy Uso coming to the rescue of his brother. Although he was several minutes too late, his appearance now sets the stage for an Usos reunion.
With both men not having much going on at the moment, teaming them up again is the best use of them right now. While Jimmy & Jey teaming up again will be a great attraction, the two of them facing Breakker & Reed doesn’t feel much different from Reigns & Jey teaming up recently to face them. Although that match was good and this one coming up will likely be good too, it just feels like Jey is switching partners every other week to go against Breakker & Reed. With Jimmy now being his third partner in the last month, it’s now becoming very repetitive. Even with the Usos getting back together to face them, Breakker & Reed are too dominant right now to be losing to anyone.
Grade: B
Finn Balor vs. Dragon Lee
After defeating JD McDonagh last week, Dragon Lee would have his hands full this week against McDonagh’s tag team partner Finn Balor. After taking Finn down with a Hurricanrana and a drop kick out of the ring, Lee leaped over the top rope onto him. Finn regained the advantage later on with a drop kick into the corner, but Lee kicked him as he went for the Coup De Grace and that caused Finn to hang from the top rope. McDonagh then appeared on the apron to cause a distraction before Lee hit him with a Hurricanrana onto the floor. Finn then pulled Lee off the top rope by his mask and followed that with the Coup De Grace to pick up the win.
Analysis:
Although short, this was a fun match for the time it lasted. While there’s no shame in losing to someone like Finn, it would’ve been nice to see Lee get the win here to build on the momentum he had from last week’s win. With McDonagh causing the distraction that led to Finn winning, it feels like this is leading to an eventual match for the World Tag Team Titles. Perhaps Lee’s partner could end up being a returning Rey Mysterio, which would definitely make for some exciting tag matches. If that ends up being the case, then this could give the Tag Team Division that much needed shot in the arm to make it interesting again.
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