19 Preview

On Smackdown this week, the confusion behind Roman Reigns’ attacker continues, as does the returning King of the Ring tournament and other events. Live from the Raising Cane’s River Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, let’s preview tonight’s episode of Smackdown Live. The official preview for the show can be found on WWE.com.

The final two first-round King of the Ring tournament matches will take place tonight. In two matchups – those being Ali versus Buddy Murphy and Chad Gable versus Shelton Benjamin will give the wrestler’s the final spots in the round of eight, which also includes Elias and Andrade on the Smackdown side. The RAW side of the bracket is completed, with Samoa Joe versus Richochet and Cedric Alexander versus Baron Corbin set for the round.

Smackdown ended last week with another plot twist in the Roman Reigns conflict. For weeks now, Reigns has been searching for a mysterious attacker who tried to throw a backstage set on him and hit him with a car. Daniel Bryan and Rowan revealed the attacked last week, with the supposed perpetrator being a Rowan lookalike. This week we will hopefully get some answers to the questions which were made as the show went off air last week.

Last week, Bayley crashed Charlotte Flair’s guest appearance on “A Moment of Bliss,” hosted by Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. The segment ended with Bayley pushing Flair out of her chair. Flair’s reaction to the situation has yet to be seen, but the preview hints at the storyline continuing on this show.

In the men’s title picture, WWE Champion Kofi Kingston attacked Randy Orton last week, giving him a Trouble in Paradise out of nowhere. The next step in the rivalry will likely be seen on TV tonight. Practical logic says they will face each other at Clash of the Champions.

Also promoted for the show is Drew McIntyre, Samoa Joe, Xavier Woods and Big E.

WWE RAW 8/26/19 Results and Review

Opening Segment

Monday Night RAW started with Sasha Banks coming to the ring. We were given a video package which reminded us of Banks’ return, attacking Natalya despite her emotional reminiscing about her late father, and beating up Becky Lynch who came in to save Natalya. The package made it obvious that Natalya is a stepping stone to get to Lynch. Back to the live feed, Banks said while she was gone and off TV all she heard was people talk about her. She talked about how she was frustrated over being in a Wrestlemania tag match while Lynch was in the main event. It’s interesting how she said Lynch main evented against Ronda Rousey, ignoring the fact that Charlotte Flair was also in the match. Banks said her return was the perfect timing. She took another cheap shot, mentioning Natalya’s father. Mid-promo, she was interrupted. Natalya came running down the ramp, brawling with her. They fought until they were pulled apart. The broadcast went to break after this. This was fine I guess. I still don’t like the digs Natalya’s father, and I don’t see myself coming around to liking it soon.

After the commercial break, The Street Profits were backstage hyping this episode of RAW. They talked about the King of the Ring matches and explained the tag team turmoil match which is happening later.

Match 1: Ricochet vs. Drew McIntyre (King of the Ring First Round Match)

The first match of the evening was Ricochet versus Drew McIntyre in a King of the Ring first round match. McIntyre was in control at the start, tossing Ricochet across the ring with a belly to belly german suplex. McIntyre was thrown outside the ring. Ricochet tried for a moonsault to the outside off the turnbuckles but McIntrye avoided it. McIntyre avoided a hurricanrana, throwing Ricochet onto the ringside barricade and then the ring apron before we went to commercials. When we came back, McIntyre had Ricochet in a submission hold in the ring. Ricochet started to make a comeback. After a few moves, Ricochet did a missile dropkick, sending McIntyre outside the out. He did a dive over all three ropes to McIntyre. Back in the ring, Ricochet tried to lift up McIntyre but couldn’t. He tried for an inverted huricanrana but couldn’t make McIntyre fly. McIntyre reversed by throwing Ricochet stomach first onto the mat for a two count. Ricochet was picked up and slapped. McIntyre dove into a corner but was caught by Ricochet. Ricochet did a northern lights suplex, but then his next move was reversed, getting tossed by McIntyre. Ricochet landed a kick and then an elbow off the top rope. He hit a standing shooting star press for a two count. Ricochet was on the ring apron and tried for a kick but it was caught, getting hit with a forearm that sent him out of the ring. Ricochet gave McIntyre a kick, then when Ricochet came flying at him, McIntyre countered by headbutting him. They went back in the ring where McIntyre had a Claymore Kick reversed by a superkick. Ricochet landed a few kicks but then was given a clothesline and a powerbomb for a close kickout. McIntyre went to the second rope, with Ricochet on his shoulders. Ricochet got out of the position, then landed a Recoil. Ricochet went to the top rope for a 630 to get the win. Fun match, and it was cool how they played up the size differential. He moves on and will face Samoa Joe next week.

Interview with Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman

In the next segment, we had an interview with Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins, who are the new RAW Tag Team Champions. The interview was recorded last week. Strowman, who is fixated on winning Rollins’ Universal Championship asked who he will face at Clash of Champions in a singles match. He challenged him for his Universal Championship at the PPV, to which Rollins accepted.

Match 2: The Miz vs. Baron Corbin (King of the Ring First Round Match)

The second match of the night was also a King of the Ring first round match. Before The Miz faced Baron Corbin, he cut a promo. The match started with Corbin distracting The Miz by throwing his button-up shirt at him, then punching and kicking him. The Miz gave Corbin a clothesline to outside the ring, then tried for a kick but Corbin avoided it, then landed a punch. So really, the same spot we saw at the start of the Ricochet and Drew McIntyre match too. Corbin ran Miz into a barricade then threw him back in the ring. Corbin did his run around the ringpost and then a clothesline before we went to break. Back from the break, Miz was starting to make a comeback. Miz did double knees in the corner to Corbin. Corbin hit a Deep Six for a two count. After a ton of counters, Miz tried for a roll-up but wasn’t successful. Miz got out of a Deep Six and landed a DDT for a close pin attempt. Miz did Yes Kicks, but Corbin dodged the final one, landing a roll-up. Corbin did his thing around the ring posts, but was hit with a Skull Crushing Finale when getting back in the ring. He kicked out at two. Miz threw Corbin into the barricade outside the ring and then put him back in the ring. Miz went off the top rope but Corbin avoided the move. Corbin hit an End of Days to win the match. This wasn’t an amazing match, but it was still pretty good. Corbin will face Cedric Alexander in the second round. After the match, Corbin put on the crown and sat on the throne on the stage. He cut a decent promo.

Match 3: Bayley vs. Nikki Cross

Before the next match, we were reminded that NXT is moving to USA on September 18th. We were also told that Rey Mysterio will return next week. Bayley faced Nikki Cross, since Bayley crashed Alexa Bliss’ show last week on Smackdown. I can’t say I completely understand this match, because while Bayley crashed the show, she was targeting Charlotte Flair, not Bliss or Cross. Plus people have crashed the show before and it didn’t really matter. Oh well. After a few minutes, Bayley did a sidewalk slam and then an elbow drop to win the match. Unintentional, but the referee sorta did Cross dirty with a quick count at the end.

Match 4: Ivar and Erik (The Viking Raiders) vs. Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas (The B Team) vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (The OC) vs. Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler vs. Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik w/ Kalisto (Lucha House Party) vs. Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder (The Revival) vs. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder vs. Tucker and Otis (Heavy Machinery) (Tag Team Turmoil Match) (RAW Tag Team Championships #1 Contender Match)

The next match was a “tag team turmoil” to decide the #1 contenders for the RAW tag team championship match. To explain the match, two teams face each other, and when one loses another comes out until all eight have come out and the final team has been pinned. The match started with The Viking Raiders and The B Team. The team hit the Viking Experience powerslam to eliminate The B Team. Next came out Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. One of the Viking Raiders did a dive to the outside, which took out his partner and Karl Anderson. After they all brawled in the ring, both teams got disqualified. Well, that’s a way to speed it up. The next two teams were Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler and Lucha House Party. Ziggler gave Metalik a kick to the back of the head to score a pinfall. The Revival were next. The Revival had a near fall, doing a leg drop double team move on Ziggler. They kept Ziggler isolated in their corner of the ring. Roode gave Dawson the Glorious DDT to eliminate The Revival. After a break, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder were eliminated. The final team was Heavy Machinery. Roode called a timeout, but Tucker didn’t respect it. Otis got his hot tag and did his caterpillar elbow drop. Roode tried for a roll-up on Otis but it didn’t work. Tucker was tagged in, and they were going to do a double team move but Ziggler disrupted it. He took out Tucket, then gate Otis, who was holding Roode, a ZigZag, onto Tucker. That was a really good move. Roode gave Tucker a Glorious DDT to win the match. Obviously, the crowd had no reaction to a newly made tag team beating Heavy Machinery.

Match 5: Sasha Banks vs. Natalya

In the next match, Sasha Banks faced Natalya. This was the in-ring return for Banks. Natalya gave Banks a good german suplex for a two count. Outside the ring, Natalya was thrown into an office chair and a ringpost. Banks put in a Banks Statement which Natalya tried to fight out of but eventually tapped out of. After the match, Banks left but came back to put in the Banks Statement yet again. What a heel.

Cedric Alexander vs. Cesaro

The next match was between Cedric Alexander and Cesaro. Early on in the fight Alexander tried for a dive but was hit with an uppercut. Cool spot, but that’s the third time tonight that the first dive of the night was reversed. Later on, Alexander landed a dive over the top rope, then did an elbow off the top rope back into the ring. Cesaro did a superplex off of the second rope a few minutes later. After Alexander kicked out, Cesaro transitioned into a half crab. Cesaro tried for an ankle lock, which Alexander got out of, launching Cesaro out of the ring. Cesaro got back in and was given a lumbar check to finish the match. This was a real good match, which should come as no shock to anyone.

AJ Styles vs. Braun Strowman (United States Championship Match)

The main event of the night was AJ Styles facing Braun Strowman in a match for Styles’ United States Championship. Right off the bat, Stowman threw Styles over the top rope and then rap through him with two shoulder tackles. Styles went off the top but was hit with a chokeslam. Styles avoided a pinfall, putting a leg on the bottom rope. Strowman gave Styles a big boot to knock him off the apron. After a break, Styles put in a calf crusher which Strowman escaped. He headbutted Styles for a two count. Stroman tried for a running powerslam, but Styles avoided and went into a ringpost. The referee dodged it by getting onto the ring apron, and then stayed there for a few moments, talking to Strowman for some reason. No surprise, he was knocked off the apron. Styles gave Strowman a low blow and then used a steel chair. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson came out and attacked Strowman. He fought back, and then used a steel chair on them. The referee turned around as Strowman was holding the steel chair, making him ring the bell, thinking he hit Styles with it. After losing, Strowman used the chair against all three members of The OC. The show ended with Strowman standing over everyone else.

WWE RAW 8/26/19 Preview

On this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW, we will see the in-ring return of Sasha Banks, the continuation of The King of the Ring tournament and much more. Set to take place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, let’s preview RAW for this week. The official preview written by WWE.com can be found here.

Last week, Samoa Joe and Cedric Alexander moved on to the second round of the King of the Ring tournament. Completing the first round of the RAW side on the bracket, this week we’ll have Ricochet versus Drew McIntyre and The Miz versus Baron Corbin. On the Smackdown side of the bracket, Andrade and Elias have already moved on, with the final two first-round matches taking place tomorrow. In a preview matchup last week, Ricochet and The Miz prevailed over their opponents this week.

We have seen Sasha Banks on TV twice since her return, both times targeting Natalya. Tonight, Banks will make her in-ring return by facing Natalya. The news of the match was originally broken on Monday morning by Tony Maglio at The Wrap. Worth noting that Banks also brawled with Becky Lynch in her return appearance.

Last week on Smackdown, Bayley interrupted “A Moment of Bliss,” pushing Charlotte Flair off of her chair during the segment. This week, the tag partner of Bliss, Nikki Cross will face Bayley one on one.

In the main event of RAW last week, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman were crowned the new RAW Tag Team Champions, dethroning Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. While nothing, in particular, is announced for them, they are booked for the show. Also scheduled to appear is AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson and “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt.

Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Live Coverage

In a weekend without a UFC show, Bellator took center stage with Bellator 225. Live from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. Their first meeting wasn’t a satisfying one, as an accidental groin strike only seconds into the bout made it end in a no contest. Fighting once again, the fighters will have a chance to put on a more competitive and fairer performance. Along with the main event was 13 other fights which were broadcasted through the Paramount Network and DAZN in a simulcast. If you’re following along live, this article will be updated as the night continues.

Bout 1: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1) (Welterweight)

The first fight of the evening was Gracie family member Khonry Gracie versus Oscar Vera. Gracie got a takedown after one minute of slow stand-up. He eventually went for an armbar which made Vera tap out. This was the second armbar loss that Vera took from a Gracie in a row.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gracie
Vera

Bout 2: Aviv Gozali (2-0) vs. Eduard Muravitskiy (9-8) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

The second fight was a catchweight bout at 165 pounds between undefeated Aviv Gozali and the more experienced Eduard Muravitskiy. Immediately, Aviv went for an imanari roll. He put in a heel hook and made Muravitskiy tap out in 11 seconds. This set the new record for quickest Bellator submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gozali
Muravitskiy

Bout 3: Sabah Homasi (12-8) vs. Micah Terrill (14-7) (Welterweight)

In the third fight, two more experienced fighters in Sabah Homasi and Micah Terrill faced off. Homasi trains out of American Top Team. Homasi came forward quickly with a right hook which dropped Terrill. In 17 seconds, the fight had concluded.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Homasi
Terrill

Bout 4: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-0-1) (Middleweight)

The next bout included the significant other of UFC fighter Paige VanZant, Austin Vanderford facing Joseph Creer. VanZant was in the corner for Vanderford for this fight. He is making the move down to middleweight in this bout. After a couple of minutes of close stand-up, Vanderford landed a slam takedown. He threw punches while on top in half guard. While in the position his mouthguard fell out, which he put back in without the referee having to step in. Vanderford landed some good hammerfist punches in the final minute of the round. Creer was cut open from an elbow. For the first time in the evening, a fight left the first round. Vanderford quickly got top position in the second round. More elbows cut Creer open badly in the second round. Much worse than in the first. The two major cuts were under and below the right eye of Creer. In-between rounds, Austin Vanderford extended his undefeated streak by doctor’s stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Vanderford	10	10
Creer	9	9

Bout 5: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-3) (Bantamweight)

In the fifth preliminary fight of the evening, Bellator prospect Ricky Bandejas faced Ahmet Kayretli, who was making his Bellator debut after a stint in LFA. A notable win that Bandejas picked up was over James Gallagher last year. Kayretli was landing good low kicks early. While Kayretli was coming forward with punches, Bandejas countered with a right hook which took down Kayretli and ended the fight. After two consecutive losses, Ricky Bandejas has finally found himself in the winners column.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bandejas
Kayretli

Bout 6: Mike Kimbel (3-1) vs. Chris Disonell (3-3) (Catchweight 140 lbs)

The next fight included Waterbury’s own Mike Kimbel. Kimbel made some waves in his second Bellator fight, getting a six second KO victory over Alex Potts. He faced Chris Disonell in the next fight. Both fighters took turns charging forward with punch combinations. Disonell initiated a clinch up against the cage. When they left the clinch, Kimbel had a good flurry of strikes. Kimbel landed a takedown. When they got back up they were both landing good shots, although Kimbel was clearly ahead. Disonell was able to put Kimbel on the ground. He postured up and swung away until the referee ended the bout. It was quite a turn of events for Chris Disonell, earning him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kimbel
Disonell

Bout 7: Jon Manley (11-6) vs. Thiago Rela (13-7) (Catchweight 175 lbs)

In a double debut bout, Jon Manley faced Thiago Rela in a catchweight bout. Rela came from CFFC on a losing streak while Manley has primarily fought in the CES and AMMO promotions. Both fighters have been in the UFC before. Early on, Rela caught a caught a kick and put Manley up against the cage. Rela got on Manley’s back, taking him to the ground. Manley tried for a kimura but couldn’t get it. They got back up, but Rela mounted Manley’s back once again and took him down. Rela chased a rear naked choke until the round concluded. Early in the second round Vera was kicked in the groin. A warning was issued as the kick was accidental. Rela took his time, but was able to continue in the fight eventually. Rela got on the back of Manley again, eventually taking him to the ground again. In the third round, Manley was on Rela’s back on the ground landing punches. These shots continued for quite some time, all unanswered. In the final seconds of the fight, Manley put in a rear naked choke which got him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Manley	9	9
Rela	10	10

Bout 8: Kastriot Xhema (3-3) vs. Connor Dixon (0-0) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

Another home-state fighter in Kastriot Xhema faced Connor Dixon, who was making his professional debut. After a chaotic first minute, Dixon tried for a guillotine but couldn’t secure it. Dixon was trying for tons of takendowns although he didn’t do a ton. He was clearly tired after trying for so many takedowns. Dixon was in control on the ground through the second round. Dixon tried for an arm triangle, then went for an armbar but couldn’t get either. In-between rounds, Xhema told his corner that he broke his right thumb. Xhema got cut badly at some point in the fight. Dixon got another takedown early in the final round. Dixon put in an armbar that made Xhema tap out. A great debut for Connor Dixon, in the final two rounds he always kept the fight where he wanted it to be.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Xhema	9	9
Dixon	10	10

Bout 9: Nick Newell (15-2) vs. Corey Browning (5-2) (Lightweights)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card, Nick Newell fought Corey Browning. Newell is known for having only one hand, and fought in his hometown on this show. Browning was coined as the “hype killer,” having a high profile win over Kevin Ferguson Jr., also known as “Baby Slice.” Newell early on took Browning to the ground and tried for an arm triangle choke. He fought for it for a few minutes, eventually making Browning tap out. Newell cut a great promo after the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Newell
Browning

Bout 10: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0) (Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card was two undefeated heavyweights in Tyrell Fortune and Rudy Schaffroth facing off. Fortune tried for a takedown in the second minute of the first round but couldn’t get it. Fortune was hit with leg kicks that seemingly affected him hard. Schafforth was caught with punches after a leg kick made him fall. Fortune hit him with tons of punches on the ground before putting in a rear naked choke which made Schaffroth tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Fortune	9
Schaffroth	10

Bout 11: David Rickels (21-5) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) (Catchweights 175 lbs)

Bellator’s greatest showman and longest-time employee David Rickels fought undefeated Yaroslav Amosov. Rickels did his best tribute to Japanese fighter turned politician Genki Sudo with his walkout. Among the many things he did to tribute Sudo was the “We Are All One” flag which a cornerman carried to the cage. Amosov landed a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. Amosov had top position for most of the round. Rickels was taken down again in the second round. Amosov put in a d’arce choke which made Rickels tap out. Yaroslav Amosov extended his undefeated record beyond the amount of pro wins that “The Caveman” has attained. This was also the first career submission loss for Rickels.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rickels	9
Amosov	10

Bout 12: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5) (Bantamweights)

In the only women’s fight of the evening, Alejandra Lara faced Taylor Turner. Turner was known for her win over championship level boxer Heather Hardy. Lara was making her bantamweight debut in this fight. Lara got a trip takedown early in the fight. Lara landed a few punches before Turner got up and went into a standing clinch against the cage. Lara scored another takedown. She landed a lot of strikes in top position. She took the back of Turner and continued with strikes until the referee ended it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lara
Turner

Bout 13: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Tim Johnson (12-5) (Heavyweight)

Before the co-main event of the show, we had the fighters from the Welterweight Grand Prix finals show up. Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald came to the cage for an interview with John McCarthy. They faced off at the end of the interview. That fight will take place on October 26th, being a rematch between the two. It was also announced on October 25th Frank Mir will fight Rory Nelson. In the co-main event of the evening, Vitaly Minakov faced Tim Johnson in a short notice matchup. Minakov opened with some good punches before he landed two suplexes to take Johnson down, although he got back up seconds later. They went back to striking. Johnson was stunned by a right jab, then taken out cold by a few more punches.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Minakov
Johnson

Bout 14: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7) (Heavyweight)

In the main event of the evening, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. In their faceoff at the start, referee Dan Mirgliotta ribbed on them, asking if their cups are in. Mitrione was active from the start, throwing tons of punches. Near the end of the round, Mitrione’s mouthpiece kept falling out. On the third time that it fell out, he was warned that a point could be taken away. In-between rounds, Mitrione said he was wearing the wrong mouthpiece. Mitrione’s mouthpiece fell out again in the second round. Mitrione was hit with a punch and then a knee which dropped him, then was finished shortly after. Mitrione looked distracted before he was hit with the shots, looking at where his mouthpiece went. While this fight, like their first meeting had a controversial finish, this time around a winner left the cage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mitrione	10
Kharitonov	9

From start to finish, Bellator 225 was only stoppages. Bellator will return on September 7th, with Ryan Bader facing Cheick Kongo, with the Bellator Heavyweight Championship on the line. The event will be the first of three September events that the promotion will be putting on.

Smackdown Live 8/20/19 Results and Review

Last week, Smackdown Live ended with Daniel Bryan saying he will reveal the culprit in the attack against Roman Reigns next week. From Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA, a very suspenseful Smackdown Live show started with Randy Orton.

Kofi Kingston Confronts Randy Orton

The evening began with Randy Orton coming to the ring. On the previous night at RAW, Orton interfered in a New Day tag match, taking out the trio with the help of The Revival. We were told by the commentary team that Xavier Woods is not present at tonight’s show. Speaking of the commentary, David Otunga was replacing Corey Graves this week. He talked about how Kingston dodged their championship match at Summerslam. He then bragged about his attack on Monday, continuing with the “Kofi is stupid” tagline he’s been running with for a while. New Day music hit as his promo was wrapping up. In very Orton-like fashion, Kingston came from the crowd and gave Orton a Trouble In Paradise out of nowhere. When you thought Kingston was leaving, he took a steel chair and wedged an ankle of Orton between it. He went to the second rope but got distracted by The Revival, who came down to the ring. He teed off on Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson with a chair while Orton got away. The commentary described this segment like we’ve never seen Kingston like this, although isn’t that what we got at Summerslam when he snapped? It was an okay segment though.

Before the break, we saw a video package the recent situation between Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan and Rowan. We were reminded that Bryan said he would come forward with the attacker this week. Honestly, this has been an interesting storyline so far. It’s had a legitimate cliffhanger for a week that I’ve been interested to find out about

Andrade w/ Zelina Vega vs. Apollo Crews (King of the Ring Tournament First Round Match)

In the first of two King of the Ring matches on this episode, Andrade faced Apollo Crews. Before the match, we were given the first televised announcement that NXT is moving to the USA Network on Wednesdays soon. The idea from people within the business was that it would be announced on Monday, and really that seems like the logical way to announce it, but whatever. Before the match, we saw Kevin Owens talking with Shane McMahon backstage. Owens was still torn apart about the 100k dollar fine he was given last week. Owens asked him to reconsider, to which McMahon said he will think about.

Starting off the match quickly, Crews gave Andrade a clothesline for a kickout. Isn’t that how a King of the Ring match started on Monday? Just like Monday, we got a replay of it seconds later as well. Andrade did double knees in the corner for a two count. Crews went for a rollup pin for a two count. Andrade did a hold while on the ropes. He went to the top rope but was hit with a dropkick on the way down. Crews caught Andrade outside the ring, but Andrade turned it into a huricanrana into a steel staircase as we went to break. I really liked that spot. Back from the break, Crews caught a crossbody. Crews hit a double knees for a two count. They traded strikes when they got back up. Crews did a jumping-clotheslines. Crews hit an Olympic Slam for another kickout. Andrade landed a boot after countering a move. He went to the second rope but was hit with a dropkick. Crews picked up Andrade but dropped him due to a hurt hand. Crews was thrown into a corner. Andrade tried for another double knees but Crews avoided it. Crews did a standing shooting star press after a few moves by both fighters. Crews tried picking up Andrade, but Zelina Vega held onto him from outside the ring. When they separated, Andrade hit a spinning back elbow. Andrade hit his Hammerlock DDT for the win. It’s weird how the commentators tout how good Andrade is (referencing how he made Rey Mysterio contemplate retirement), but don’t call out how he cheats to win. Even after the match they praised him.

Backstage, we saw Daniel Bryan and Rowan carry someone into a room with a towel over their head. After that, we saw Elias spot an undercover referee backstage. The referee told him that Drake Maverick was in a container. He made Maverick read a statement from Shane McMahon that suspended the 24/7 Championship for the night so that Elias could focus on his match.

A Moment of Bliss w/ Charlotte Flair

Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross hosted A Moment of Bliss with their special guest this week being Charlotte Flair. Bliss said that Flair asked to be on the show. Flair said she is the “Queen of all eras” and the “face of the Smackdown women’s brand.” Bliss claimed that “some would say” Bayley is the current face. After Flair explained why she thinks she’s better, Bayley came out to confront her. Bayley said Flair is angry that she isn’t the champ. Flair said she will restore the belt’s value when she beats her at Clash of Champions. Bayley accepts the challenge to face her at the PPV. She pushed Flair off of her chair and then left. Wow, easy night for Bliss and Cross. I don’t like Bayley being this very cocky character. It just doesn’t feel right on her, especially because of her track record as not being a super cocky character.

Daniel Bryan w/ Rowan vs. Buddy Murphy

Backstage we saw Roman Reigns confront Buddy Murphy. Murphy said he thought it was Rowan who attacked him. Reigns said he will beat him up if he lies again. A week after he faced Reigns, Buddy Murphy faced Daniel Bryan this week. Before the match, Bryan called him a liar. Similar to Bryan’s Wrestlemania 28 match, he was distracted when the bell rang, and was hit right of the bat. Murphy hit a flying knee for a two count. He gave Bryan landed tons of kicks in the corner. Later, Murphy sent Bryan outside the ring with a clothesline then landed a dive over the top rope as we went to commercials. Back from the break, Murphy landed a dropkick off the second rope. He went to the top rope again, landing a double knees this time. Bryan put in a Lebell Lock and then transitioned into a Rings of Saturn. Going back to the Lebell Lock, Murphy put a foot on the ropes to save himself. Bryan started doing Yes Kicks. Murphy avoided a kick and landed one of this own. Murphy was hung upside down in the ropes and was given a dropkick to the head. Bryan put Murphy on the top rope and did a belly-to-back superplex for a two count. He did kicks to Murphy in the corner while screaming “Liar! Liar!” Murphy reversed a move, doing a superkick in the corner and a running powerbomb for a close kickout. They got up and traded punches. Bryan tried for a move but was reversed into a rollup. Murphy did a brainbuster after a few strikes, but Bryan put his foot on the rope to kick out. Rowan got on the apron. Murphy got distracted by Rowan. Bryan tried for a rollup but was thrown off and into Rowan. Murphy tried for a superkick but hit Rowan. Bryan tried for a roll-up but couldn’t get it. Murphy landed a knee and then a Murphy’s Law to win the match.

This was a very good match. I have no real issues with it. Maybe a few too many pin attempts, but the match was great overall. It wasn’t really clear why Rowan stayed on the apron for so long, or got on it in the first place. Maybe he just wanted a better view.

After the break, Buddy Murphy was going to get interviewed backstage. He was jumped before the interview got off the ground, with Rowan beating him up. Bryan screamed at him about being a liar the whole time.

Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder (The Revival) vs. Otis & Tucker (Heavy Machinery)

The Revival came out and challenged The New Day to a Championship match. Their promo was cut off by their opponents for this week, Heavy Machinery. Both Revival members had wrapping around their mid-section due to the steel chair attack earlier. Tucker and Wilder started the bout. Tucker put Wilder in a bear hug. He tagged in Otis, and passed Wilder to him, where he continued the bear hug. Tucker got tagged back in. They did dual vertical suplexes, holding their opponents high for a long time. We went to break after that spot. After the break, Wilder and Tucker were back in the ring. Wilder did a bulldog off a corner for a two count. Dawson got tagged in and tried for a senton but Tucker avoided it. Otis got the hot tag against Dawson. He spun around Wilder before doing a slam. He did a splash in a corner, and then did his famous caterpillar elbow drop. Otis tried for a compactor but got it broken up. Tucker took down Dawson but Wilder went for a rollup to get the win because of the predicament. It was a decent match but the finish made it fall flat.

Chad Gable cut a promo backstage about being called an underdog in the King of the Ring tournament. Behind him, his opponent Shelton Benjamin put a sign on a door. The sign said “You must be at least this tall to participate in the King of the Ring Tournament.” He didn’t find that too funny.

MizTV w/ Sami Zayn

We were given another reminder that NXT is moving to Wednesdays. In the next segment, The Miz hosted another episode of MizTV with Sami Zayn. In a two-hour show, two of these talk show segments feels like too much. Zayn admits early that he only wanted to be on this show so he could get TV time. He said there is people on Smackdown who needs his help. He brought Shinsuke Nakamura out. Nakamura said Zayn speaks for him. Nakamura kicked Miz in the groin, then did tons of knees. He did a kick in the corner and a Kinshasa to end the brawl. So I guess Nakamura is a follower of Zayn now, which is weird since Nakamura has a belt and Zayn is on a losing streak.

Elias vs. Kevin Owens (King of the Ring Tournament First Round Match)

We saw Daniel Bryan and Rowan backstage again. They went into the room where the disguised attacker was. They said Roman Reigns was on the way. Shane McMahon brought Kevin Owens back into the room. McMahon asked for an apology for laying his hands on him last week. Without hesitation, he apologized. McMahon said if Owens ever touches another WWE official he will be fired. McMahon refused a handshake before Owens walked off.

In the final match of the night, Kevin Owens faced Elias in the first round of the King of the Ring. Elias landed a shoulder tackle early on. Owens send Elias over the ropes, but avoided doing a dive as Elias ran out of the way. Elias threw Owens into a barricade before throwing him back in the ring. Owens did a cannonball in the corner of the ring for a two count. After this, Shane McMahon’s music hit and he sat at ringside. Owens did a frogsplash onto the floor during the commercial break. Later on, Owens did a dropkick off the second rope and then a senton. He tried for a pop-up powerbomb but Elias reversed it. Owens went to the second rope, but Elias put him on his shoulders and landed a powerbomb for a kickout. Both on the top rope, Elias was knocked onto the canvas. Owens tried for a Shooting Star Press but Elias put his knees up. Owens sent Elias outside the ring and then did a cannonball off the apron. Outside the ring, McMahon interfered. He took off his shirt and revealed his referee shirt. Owens was back in the ring and distracted, getting attacked by Elias. Owens tried for a stunner but was almost thrown into Shane. Elias went for a roll-up, with McMahon giving him a fast count to end it. Well, I guess that’s better than being fired.

The Attacker Is Revealed

Backstage, we saw Roman Reigns arrive in the room backstage. They unmasked the person, who looked like a Rowan lookalike. Apart from balding grey hair, he had a similar face and the long ginger beard. All three of them stared at a confused Reigns as the show ended. So, quite a way to end it. Um, I guess Reigns’ emotion at the ended conveys mine as well: pure confusion. Going into next week it’s not as intriguing, but I’ll still be interested to see where they go from here.

This show had some pretty good matches. The best was easily Daniel Bryan versus Buddy Murphy and Andrade versus Apollo Crews. While this show had it’s flaws, it flew by pretty quickly.

Dana White Contender Series Season 3 Episode 9 Full Report

In the second last episode of the third season of Dana White’s Contender Series, 10 more fighters compete for their spot on the UFC roster.

Bout 1: Ricky Steele (5-0) vs. Phil Caracappa (8-0) (Bantamweight)

The first fight of the evening was a battle of two undefeated fighters. Ricky Steele was a competitor on Season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter, but withdrew after one fight due to injury. Phil Caracappa has found eight fights in the Ring of Combat promotion. Caracappa came forward with punches early on. They clinched up against the cage for a few moments and then separated again. Caracappa tried for a takedown for a whole minute before landing it. They got back up with two minutes left. Caracappa got another takedown in the final minute of the first round. Steele got up, but Caracappa stayed on his back. They went back to the ground with Steele in top position as the round ended. Steele got a takedown in the first minute of the second round, landing an elbow from above before trying for a guillotine. They got up and went back into clinch against the cage. In stand-up, Caracappa tried for another takedown but couldn’t get it. After being in clinch up against the cage for a while, Steele let his hands go, throwing a few punches. They went back to the ground in the final moments of the round as Caracappa slipped after missing a kick. They went back up against the cage in the final round. Steele landed a good elbow in this position. Caracappa landed some elbows which had Steel retreating. Steele got a takedown but found himself in a guillotine attempt. He escaped the hold and stayed on the bottom position until the round ended. In a split decision, Ricky Steele was favoured on two of the three scorecards (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Steele	9	10	9	28
Caracappa	10	9	10	29

Bout 2: Micol di Segni (7-2) vs. Mallory Martin (4-2) (Strawweight)

In the lighest weight class bout of the night, Italian fighter Micol di Segni faced Mallory Martin. After a minute of stand-up, Martin scored a takedown. Martin was in complete control on top position, transitioning seamlessly from side control to half guard many times, and while doing all of this landed strikes. Segni got up against the cage eventually, but Martin brought them back down short after. When they stood back up, Martin tried for a guillotine but wasn’t successful. They went back to striking for the final seconds of the first round. The first half of the second round had both fighters showing decend striking. Martin got a trip takedown. They got back up with a minute left in the second round. Martin got a second takedown as the round ended. Segni was getting absolutely dominated. In the final round, Segni was landing knees in a standing clinch. The fight went the distance with Mallory Martin getting the win (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Segni	9	9	9	27
Martin	10	10	10	30

Bout 3: Desmond Torres (7-1) vs. Steve Garcia Jr. (9-3) (Bantamweight)

In the third fight of the evening, bantamweights Desmond Torres and Steve Garcia Jr. faced off. When the match started you could tell Garcia had a huge size advantage. Torres chased after a takedown early in the fight but didn’t get it. After both fighters threw tons of strikes in a short amount of time, Torres got a single leg takedown which Garcia got up from immediately. Near the end of the first round, Garcia started to string together lots of shots, making Torres go into total defensive mode. Torres fell on the canvas and was given a few hammerfist strikes before the fight ended. Worth noting that Garcia missed weight for this fight (139.5 lbs in a 130 lb bout).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Torres
Garcia Jr.

Bout 4: Marcos Brigagao (11-0) vs. Jamal Pogues (6-2) (Light Heavyweight)

In the co-main event of the show, undefeated light heavyweight Marcos Brigagao faced Jamal Pogues. Right off the bat they were trading hard punches. Pogues scored a takedown a minute later. Pogues was clearly the better ground fighter. He tried for an armbar but couldn’t get it. When they stood back up in the final minute of the round, Pogues landed a good knee. Pogues got a third takedown to close out the round. Brigagao threatened a triangle choke but lost it. Pogues had another great round, landing many more takedowns and strikes in many positions. The final round felt like an identical one to the two before, with Pogues landing many more takedowns and grinding away at the tough Brigagao. The fight went the distance with Jamal Pogues getting the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Brigagao	9	9
Pogues	10	10

Bout 5: Leon Shahbazyan (7-1) vs. Philip Rowe (6-2) (Welterweight)

The main event of this episode was Leon Shahbazyan versus Philip Rowe in a welterweight bout. After a minute of close stand-up, Shahbazyan caught a leg and took down Rowe, landing punches on the ground. Rowe got back up but was in full defense mode. Rowe had his moments in the round but Shahbazyan never backed down. Rowe put Shahbazyan up against the cage in the first minute of the second round. With Shahbazyan up against the cage, Rowe started to land a ton of punches. Shahbazyan possibly saved himself by landing a takedown. Rowe landed some shots in top position on the ground. Rowe had a large flurry of strikes at the end of the round, with the horn potentially saving Shahbazyan. Rowe had a quick start to the final round, dropping Shahbazyan with strikes and landing a few more before referee Herb Dean ended it. Rowe was able to overcome a failed first round, turning the tides and closing the show in the following six minutes. Philip Rowe came off as a real character in his post-fight interview.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Shahbazyan	10	9
Rowe	9	10

At the end of the night, Dana White awarded a contract to Philip Rowe.

Smackdown Live 8/20/19 Preview

Smackdown Live heads to the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for this week’s episode. Along with some first-round matches in the King of the Ring tournament, a big reveal will come on the show when Daniel Bryan and Rowan will supposedly reveal the mystery attacker of Roman Reigns. Let’s look at what’s planned for this week’s episode of Smackdown.

As already mentioned, Daniel Bryan and Rowan will have a big reveal on the episode tonight. In recent episodes, Roman Reigns was attacked. In the first encounter, he was nearly squished by backstage equipment. In the second situation, Reigns was hit by a car in the parking lot of a venue. Upon interrogating Buddy Murphy, he was told that Rowan was the mystery attacker. Last week we found out that Murphy lied, and Rowan is actually innocent. The show ended on a cliffhanger last week, with Bryan and Rowan saying they did an investigation and said they will reveal who did it on this week’s episode.

The King of the Ring tournament will have it’s next series of matches tonight, with the first two of four Smackdown matches happening. On Monday, Cedric Alexander defeated Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe beat Cesaro to advance in the second round of the bracket. On this episode of Smackdown, it will be Kevin Owens versus Elias and Apollo Crews versus Andrade in first-round matches. Next week, Ali will face Buddy Murphy and Chad Gable will fight former tag team partner Shelton Benjamin on the Smackdown side of the bracket. Ricochet versus Drew McIntyre and The Miz versus Baron Corbin will also take place on RAW next week.

A faction started to form last night, with The Revival and Randy Orton beating up The New Day. Kingston and company are billed for the show, as well is Orton. This isn’t the first time that Orton has formed a trio with henchmen, as faction “Legacy” with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr. forming in 2008. We’ll have to wait and see what happens on this episode as two trios are expected to continue their feud.

Also billed for the show is Bayley, Drew McIntyre and Samoa Joe. Their appearances aren’t guaranteed to be on TV. Also, as usual, 205 Live will be airing right after Smackdown on the WWE Network.

WWE RAW 8/19/19 Results and Review

Monday Night RAW was live from St. Paul, Minnesota this week. On the stage was a throne because King of the Ring starts this week. Jerry Lawler replaced Corey Graves on commentary for this show.

Roman Reigns vs. Dolph Ziggler

The program started with Roman Reigns coming to the ring. As a refresher, we were shown a video package about his struggles lately. Reigns has been targeted by someone recently, and he doesn’t know who it is. Buddy Murphy was pressured into telling Reigns that Rowan was the attacker, but on Smackdown last week we found that Murphy lied. Smackdown ended last week with Daniel Bryan saying he knows who did it, and that he’ll reveal who it is next week. When Dolph Ziggler’s music hit, we found out a singles match was going to start off the show. Ziggler called out Reigns earlier in the week on Twitter. Before the match, Ziggler got on the mic and said he doesn’t understand why Reigns gets attention while he doesn’t. Ziggler said “I know you almost got hit by a car, but do you know how it feels to be speared by Goldberg?” That line made me chuckle.

Ziggler continued to talk about his recent troubles. While talking to Reigns, Ziggler landed a superkick which caught him off guard. When the fight officially started, Reigns gave Ziggler a punch which knocked him out of the ring. Reigns jumped off the steel staircase, but Ziggler dodged him. Ziggler landed a ZigZag on the floor before we went to break. Back from the break, Ziggler had Reigns in a headlock. Reigns threw Ziggler outside the ring. Reigns hit a Drive By then put Ziggler back in the ring. Reigns started to gain momentum. After a few moves, Reigns tried for a Superman Punch but Ziggler reversed it into a roll-up. Reigns kicked out, and then was hit with a DDT for another two-count. Ziggler tried for a ZigZag but couldn’t get it. He tried for another roll-up but Reigns kicked out. Ziggler jumped up but was caught. He escaped, then threw Reigns into a cornerpost. He hit another ZigZag for a two count. Wow, the ZigZag must be a really weak move. Ziggler called for a Sweet Chin Music Superkick. He tried for one, but was caught and then hit with a Superman Punch. Ziggler kicked out at two. Reigns tried for a Spear, but Ziggler hit his Famouser move instead. Reigns kicked out at two. Ziggler tried for something after taunting for a long time, but was hit with a Spear for the win.

This match was really good, but should Ziggler really be giving Reigns a run for his money like this? Ziggler has been completely jobbing himself out recently, so kicking out of finishers of Reigns and nearly winning either makes it seem like he’s gotten way better in a week, or Reigns isn’t as good as we thought. But besides that, it was a fun match to watch.

The King’s Court featuring Sasha Banks

After Sasha Banks returned last week, in a segment where she attacked Natalya (don’t forget Natalya was at the time talking about her father who died a year ago) and Becky Lynch, she got interviewed by Jerry Lawler this week on The King’s Court. Before the segment, we saw a recap of last week, and then a promo from Becky Lynch.

Jerry Lawler was in the ring with two thrones. Before he brought out Banks, he talked about the King of the Ring tournament. The bracket was shown on the screen. Lawler kept talking, but was interrupted by ominous noises. He knew it was what introduced The Fiend (F.K.A Bray Wyatt), so he left the ring. He went to the stage, where The Fiend was behind him. When he turned around, The Fiend put a hand in his mouth and choked him out. Lawler’s speech about the King of the Ring was amazingly boring, so it was sort of nice that this happened. Cool that they’re keeping the appearances of The Fiend to a minimum while keeping him on TV. The commentary did a sad little update after the break, with Vic Joseph replacing Lawler for the rest of the night, and I don’t know. Is it possibly too picky to complain about how this felt similar to when Lawler was actually taken off TV due to a heart attack? It could totally be an unintentional move, but it very much reminded me of that.

Ricochet & The Miz vs. Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin

In the next match, the four RAW wrestlers that are a part of the King of the Ring match who aren’t fighting tonight competed in a tag team match. The Miz did a baseball slide to the outside onto their opponents, and Ricochet did a moonsault off the top rope to the outside before the break. After the break, McIntyre gave Miz a belly-to-belly german suplex. While these two battled, the crowd became focused on something happening in the crowd. They were booing something that was happening. Miz hit a DDT to escape the long-lasting pressure from McIntyre. Ricochet got the hot tag against Corbin. Ricochet landed a standing moonsault for a two-count. McIntyre came in the ring and tossed Ricochet across the ring. He was setting up for a Claymore Kick, but was hit with a kick himself. The Miz gave McIUntyre a Skull Crushing Finale. It was just Ricochet and Corbin in the ring again. Corbin hit a Deep Six for a two count. Ricochet did a dropkick off the second rope and then jumped into a corner where Corbin dodged. Corbin charged into the corner but The Miz moved Ricochet out of the way. Ricochet hit the Recoil to end the match. Fun and quick matchup.

Braun Strowman vs. AJ Styles w/ Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (WWE United States Championship Match)

After the break we saw Sasha Banks backstage. She was setting up for an interview which will happen later this week. Before the next match, Booker T Skyped in to the show to talk about King of the Ring. The next match was a US Title match, which AJ Styles challenged Braun Strowman to last week. Styles slapped Strowman. He was hit with a shoulder tackle then went outside the ring. Strowman chased Styles around the ring. With Strowman in-between the ropes, Styles threw some kicks. Strowman tried for a choke slam but Styles go out. Strowman did a back body drop where Styles fell somewhat awkward. Styles kicked Strowman when the big man charged into a corner. Styles went off the ropes but was hit with a slap. Strowman tried for a running powerslam, but Gallows and Anderson came in to intervene, and of course end the match via DQ. Seth Rollins did a run-in to save Strowman. He took out Gallows and Anderson. Rollins shook hands with Strowman in the ring. After the break, Rollins asked Strowman if they want to team up to face Gallows and Anderson for their titles later tonight. I was waiting for that, because I knew the biggest program on the show wouldn’t be just five or so minutes on the show.

Samoa Joe vs. Cesaro (King of the Ring First Round Match)

The first of eight first round King of the Ring matches was Samoa Joe versus Cesaro. At the very start of the match, Cesaro landed an uppercut which caught Joe off guard. Joe kicked out. Joe hit a few moves, and then Cesaro did a corkscrew off the ropes. Cesaro was thrown over the guardrail into the front row as we went to break. After the break, Cesaro was back in the ring and trading blows with Joe. Later on, Cesaro dodged a Senton and then landed uppercuts in the corner. He got a big boot for a two count. Cesaro did a crossbody off the top for a two count. Joe reversed with a uranage and then a senton. Cesaro did his famous Cesaro Swing, but did it for a very small amount of time before putting in a Sharpshooter. He transitioned into a crossface but couldn’t get it. Cesaro jumped off the ropes but was put in a Cohena Clutch to end the bout. These guys put on a fun one to be honest.

Elias’ Defends The US Championship

Elias did a performance in the ring. He had microphone issues throughout the performance. He said this was his last performance because he can’t risk being on the show live due to being the WWE 24/7 Champion. When he started playing the guitar, it was out of tune. He was thrown a new guitar. Elias asked the person to hand him the guitar. The lights went up, and it was R-Truth. He went for a roll-up, but couldn’t get it. He tried again, and Elias kicked out. He landed a move and failed with another pin attempt. R-Truth grabbed a guitar and swung it, but Elias got out of the ring. A funny touch to this segment was while R-Truth took off his outfit, a referee got in the ring and took off the same outfit.

Rey Mysterio Gets Interviewed

In a backstage segment, Rey Mysterio was interviewed by Charly Caruso. Mysterio talked about the issues he’s struggling with recently. He mentioned how Andrade ripped off his mask. He also talked about how his injuries have caught up to him. He started to choke up as he was teasing his retirement. Just as he was about to unmask himself, his son came into the shot and said he wants to partner with him and pleaded him not to retire. Mysterio seemed persuaded by this. While Mysterio had some pretty good acting in this scene, his son didn’t.

New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder)

The next match on the show was The New Day versus The Revival. We were told by commentary that The New Day have never beat their opponents. The Revival were wearing snake boots which were gifted to them by Orton. At first I was confused, because it sounded like a knock on Orton. After a break, Big E had a hot tag, giving both Revival members belly-to-belly suplexes. He did a standing frogsplash onto Dawson. He tried for a double team ove with Woods, although Dawson threw Woods off the top. As Big E was about to hit a move, Randy Orton came in the ring and gave Big E and RKO. Orton is seemingly forming a new trio where he has two henchmen. Kofi Kingston did a run-in and took out The Revival but was hit with an RKO for his troubles. Woods was given a triple team RKO. Orton made Kingston watch as The Revival did a double team move to Woods. Woods sold the move like a leg was torn off.

Sasha Banks Interview

Sasha Banks was interviewed next. She was backstage while the commentators were at their desk. Michael Cole asked her to explain her actions last week. While we expected her to talk about attacking Natalya and Becky Lynch, she talked about her hair colour change. Cole asked more specifically. but Banks walked off set. Okay, cool. It felt like this killed the momentum from last week, although I didn’t like the segment last week either.

Nikki Cross & Alexa Bliss vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville

In the next match, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss defeated Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. Cross got the win for her team with the Cross Neckbreaker.

Cedric Alexander vs. Sami Zayn (King of the Ring First Round Match)

In the final King of the Ring match of the night, Cedric Alexander fought Sami Zayn. Zayn started fast in the match, but couldn’t get a pinfall. Alexander did a dive to the outside later. He followed it up with a kick off the ropes and lumbar check to win the match. Zayn got pretty squashed in this match. Backstage we had the Street Profits comparing their brackets for King of the Ring. They hyped up some of the upcoming matches in the tournament.

Backstage we saw Natalya cutting a promo about Sasha Banks. She had an arm in a brace. While she was talking, she was jumped by Banks. After the beatdown she said “Go to hell Nattie, and tell your daddy I said hi.” Ew. Just like last week, I don’t like the references to her actual deceased father. Just makes the show look trashy.

Braun Strowman & Seth Rollins vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson w/ AJ Styles (RAW Tag Team Championship Match)

In the main event of the evening, Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins challenged for the RAW Tag team Championships. Gallows and Strowman started off the match. Strowman got a shoulder tackle, and then did a double team move, tagging in Rollins. Rollins was isolated in his opposite corner, where Anderson was tagged in. Rollins gave Gallows a knee right after he tagged in which sent him outside the ring. Rollins also sent Anderson outside the ring. In not so wise of a move, Rollins tried beating up both of them outside of the ring, and because of the numbers game, got beat up. After the break, it was Anderson and Rollins in the ring. Rollins was given a spinebuster, stopping the momentum he was building up. Anderson put Rollins on the top rope. Rollins reversed a Superplex, knocking Anderson off the ropes. He hit a blockbuster but couldn’t get a hot tag as Gallows got tagged in and stopped it. Outside the ring, Strowman got distracted by Styles. Gallows threw Strowman into a ringpost, then got back in the ring where he was hit with a Superkick by Rollins. Anderson got tagged in, and was hit with a Swingblade. Rollins got Gallows out of the ring and did a dive. Back in the ring, Rollins gave Anderson a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Weird how Strowman getting hurt almost won Rollins the match. Rollins went to the top, but when the referee wasn’t looking, Styles knocked him off the top rope. Gallows and Anderson hit a double team move which Rollins kicked out of. They tried for another double team move, but Rollins fought out of this one. Anderson threw Rollins outside of the ring, where Styles was going to hurt Rollins. Strowman finally reappeared, taking out Styles and Gallows. Strowman got a hot tag against Anderson, hitting tons of shoulder tackles and other moves. Stroman gave Anderson a Running Powerslam while Rollins fended off Styles with a Curbstomp. Strowman got the pin, winning the belts for him and Rollins.

While this match was very good, man it made Gallows and Anderson look like idiots. They threw everything at the trio, but none of it worked. Strowman gave Rollins subtle stares throughout this show, obviously teasing that he’s gonna turn on him eventually. I mean, that’s obvious.

This was a good RAW. To be honest, this show pointed out the issues that WWE has. While this show produced many great matches, the logic and reasoning behind a lot of storytelling is odd or just doesn’t make sense. The best part of the show was probably the King of the Ring matches, which were both pretty good matchups.

WWE NXT To Air on USA Network Weekly, Starting September 18

It was announced on Tuesday morning that WWE NXT would move to the USA Network with a two hour weekly program starting on September 18th.

The show is set to be two hours, taking place on Wednesdays at 8-10 Eastern Time. The timeslot is the same that All Elite Wrestling’s TV show will share starting October 2nd. Per the announcement, the shows will continue to take place on the Full Sail University Campus, which have hosted NXT for the longest time.

The story was reported on Monday afternoon by Dave Meltzer before it was announced by WWE this evening. It was rumoured for quite some time before that WWE wanted to air the show in that timeslot, with FS1 being another option they looked at.

WWE RAW 8/19/19 Preview

Tonight on RAW, the beginning of the King of the Ring tournament will make it’s return. Along with the tournament’s kick-off will be a championship match, the first official return of Sasha Banks and more. Taking place from the XCEL Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, let’s preview this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

The King of the Ring tournament will start on Monday with two matches. The tournament has usually operated in the past as a one-night event, but this year will take place over a longer amount of time. The tournament matches which will happen on Monday are Cedric Alexander versus Sami Zayn and Cesaro versus Samoa Joe. The 16-man tournament consists of eight RAW brand and eight Smackdown brand fighters, with the finals being RAW versus Smackdown. The two other RAW brand matches are Ricochet versus Drew McIntyre and The Miz versus Baron Corbin. On the Smackdown side is Kevin Owens versus Elias, Ali versus Buddy Murphy, Chad Gable versus Shelton Benjamin and Apollo Crews vs. Andrade.

While WWE searches for a new King, an old King in Jerry “The King” Lawler will return to programming. In an episode of “The King’s Court,” Lawler will interview Sasha Banks. Banks made her return to WWE television last week on RAW, attacking Natalya and then Becky Lynch, who came to aid Natalya. The last televised appearance of Banks prior to this was on an April 1st episode of RAW.

In the final segment of RAW last week, a match between AJ Styles and Seth Rollins was interrupted by Braun Strowman. Shortly after the confrontation, Styles challenged Stroman to a United States Championship match on the next episode in a WWE.com interview. The match has since been confirmed to take place on RAW this week.

Also billed for the show is Seth Rollins, Baron Corbin, Becky Lynch, Lacey Evans, Bray Wyatt, Ricochet, Natalya and Alexa Bliss. Some of their appearances may take place off-screen.