19 Results and Review

RAW was from Pittsburgh, PA this week. The show opened with The Shield coming to the ring via the crowd. Michael Cole told us that they are here to give their “farewell address.” Roman Reigns talked about the situation with all three Shield members. Reigns said that if last night was their last night, he has no regrets. He encouraged Seth about his upcoming Wrestlemania match against Brock Lesnar, saying he will “slay the beast.” All three Sheild members put their fists together, and then Reigns and Ambrose left the ring. It’s hard to tell if that was their split because it felt so nonchalant. Rollins was talking in the ring by himself before Paul Heyman came out. Rollins said he is suited to beat Lesnar at Wrestlemania. Rollins pointed out how Lesnar has lost to Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles and Finn Balor in the past, who are all smaller guys. Heyman made the excuse that all those fights were short notice changes of opponents.

Heyman pointed at the video screen and played a video about Lesnar. This felt lame because the way Heyman talked made it seem like Lesnar was actually coming out. Who wants to see a video package? After the video, Heyman was talking to Rollins, which distracted him from Shelton Benjamin who came from the crowd to attack him. There was no real explanation for this other than maybe Benjamin is friends with Lesnar. Also, just because The Shield split doesn’t mean they can’t run out and help Rollins? Like, did Reigns and Ambrose just turn a blind eye to Rollins getting jumped?

Seth Rollins vs. Shelton Benjamin

We saw after a commercial break that Benjamin and Rollins started fighting. Paul Heyman was on commentary during this. Rollins won the match with a Curbstomp. A huge chunk of this match happened under commercials. I don’t really know why Benjamin is involved.

Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley (Intercontinental Championship Match)

The next match was Finn Balor and Bobby Lashley in a championship battle. When Balor did his entrance we saw this weird camera shot of Lashley staring at Balor via the big screen. Balor was ahead in this match and was heading to the top rope for a Coup de Grace, but was then distracted by Lio Rush, who rang the ringside bell. Rush got taken out by Balor, but when he went off the top rope he was given a Spear by Lashley to end the match.

Ronda Rousey In The Ring

Before the next segment, we got a slideshow recap of last night where Ronda Rousey interfered in the match between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Rousey was in the ring to talk. Right off the bat, she was very aggressive, being very mad at the crowd. After she cut her promo, which didn’t make a ton of sense, Dana Brooke came out. Yes, Dana Brooke. As Brooke was talking you could hear one person in the crowd very audibly shouting “who are you?” Brooke challenged Rousey to a fight and got beat up. I don’t think beating up Brooke will make Rousey look any more cool or bad or whatever they want her to be.

Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable

The next match was Aleister Black and Ricochet versus Roode and Gable. Of course the new guys got the win. They were impressive as usual. The Revival attacked Ricochet and Black on the stage after the match.

A Moment of Bliss With A Big Wrestlemania Announcement

On Alexa Bliss’ talk show, she unveiled who will be hosting Wrestlemania. After tons of build up, she announced that she is actually hosting.

Braun Stroman Hates Colin Jost

Last week, Colin Jost was attacked by Braun Stroman for questioning if wrestling was real or not. This week, Colin had a car delivered to RAW as an apology to Braun. He got in the car with a smile on his face and drove away. Just kidding, of course he destroyed the car. Stroman said Jost will “get these hands” in New York.

Elias Has A Hometown Concert

Elias played in front of the crowd next. This was his hometown, so he had very positive support. Elias made the crowd turn against him by saying that not many people from Pittsburgh aren’t a “waste of life.” No Way Jose came out with his conga line and interrupted the concert. Jose was rocking a new neon green haircut. Elias attacked Jose and that was the end of the segment. Wow, boring, but I guess they wanted to find a way to put Elias on this show.

Nia Jax w/ Tamina vs. Natalya w/ Beth Phoenix

Before the next match, we had Beth Phoenix come out with Natalya to support her in this match. Right as the match started, Phoenix did a run-in to end the match via DQ. We saw backstage that Sasha Banks and Bayley got into a brawl with Jax and Tamina. I don’t know why Phoenix attacked so quickly in the match. This felt very rushed.

Triple H Calls Out Batista

Triple H came to call out Batista. Batista came out in a button up and shiny blazer. Batista had eight security guards with him. Batista stayed on the apron and refused to come into the ring. Batista kept saying that he wants to be given what he wants. After saying “give me what I want” a dozen times, he unveiled that what he wanted was a match with HHH at Wrestlemania. Alright, well he got the match, and HHH made it a No Holds Barred match. While the repeated line from Batista was odd, I thought the last thing he said was a good line, saying that he will have his final match on his own terms, and that it will be HHH’s final match.

Kurt Angle vs. Apollo Crews

Kurt Angle came out to address his future. He announced that at Wrestlemania he will have his farewell match. He also said that he should give Philadelphia one last match. He faced Apollo Crews and got the win. He thanked the crowd and hugged Crews.

Roman Reigns Attacked Before Match

The next match was scheduled to be Roman Reigns versus Baron Corbin. When Reigns got into the ring he was attacked by Drew McIntyre. Reigns was given a Claymore Kick at ringside. If The Shield decided to break up in the final segment of RAW then none of this would have been an issue. Seth Rollins did run out to see if he was okay though. There was some weird skit that they did where Roman convinced the doctors that he wasn’t injured or something. Backstage we saw Dean Ambrose say to HHH he wants to fight Drew McIntyre tonight. HHH granted the wish, with the match happening next.

Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre (Falls Count Anywhere Match)

Ambrose charged at McIntyre, attacking him on the ramp and then brawling into the crowd. They went up the stairs and into a standing area when Ambrose threw a table. During the break, McIntyre threw Ambrose over a concessions stand table. Back around the ring, McIntyre did an very painful looking vertical suplex onto the floor. They brawled over to the commentary table and were both on top of it. McIntyre did a low blow and then raked the eyes of Ambrose. Off the table now, McIntyre threw Ambrose head first like a dart into the LED entrance screen. Ambrose was wedged in between a barricade and then given a Claymore Kick to end the match. While the final spot was pretty good, I thought the match, in general, was pretty lame. They brawled around the arena but it was just the same thing after a while. Renee Young was being over the top during this segment about Dean being beaten up.

This show had a lot of either boring or just bad wrestling. I can’t figure out one whole segment that I would consider good on this show. I’m not being harsher than usual, I genuinely think this was a lame episode.

WWE RAW 2/25/19 Results and Review

Let’s look at this week’s RAW, which included an unannounced return, an announcement from Roman Reigns and much more.

Opening Segment

Monday Night RAW started with a video package about when Roman Reigns came out in October to announce that the was battling leukemia. After that, Roman Reigns’ music hit. The crowd was very loud and supportive of him. Reigns looked like he was on the brink of tears when he first saw the crowd. He went around the border of all of the front row high fiving fans. At first he said thank you to everyone. He said that he was scared before his announcement in October. He was overwhelmed by all of the support he got after the announcement and that he will use his platform to raise awareness and help others who were in his situation. Reigns eventually said he will give us his long awaited update. The update was that he is in remission for his leukemia. The crowd started cheering and chanting because of this. He said thank you one more time and then left. This was genuinely great news and a great way to start the show. Roman Reigns is truly inspiring because of this. You could tell that the support from others had him in high spirits through his battle and even moreso afterwards. I can’t wait to see him return.

The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet

In another one of these NXT versus main roster matches we had Aleister Black and Ricochet face The Revival. Before the first break both Black and Ricochet were diving all over the place. Black ended the match with Black Mass. Like I’ve said before, these matches are good but I don’t like that they take up so much TV time since they have nothing to do with any storylines. Like I understand squash matches but it took up so much of the show last week. Also, they should focus on the dudes they called up earlier in the year before they focus on a new pack.

After a break we saw backstage a red carpet for Ric Flair’s Birthday Celebration. We also saw a video from Snoop Dogg wishing Ric Flair a happy birthday.

Elias Can’t Get A Song Going

Elias was in the ring to play on his guitar but then was cut off by Lacey Evans and Dean Ambrose. When Dean came out he issued a challenge to Drew McIntyre in a No DQ match. Poor Elias can’t get his own part of the show. Elias tried playing his guitar but Ambrose asked what he was doing. Elias tried surprising Ambrose with a guitar shot but he dodged it and was hit with the Dirty Deeds.

Sarah Logan & Ruby Riott w/ Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Ronda Rousey

The next match on this show was two members of the Riott Squad versus Natalya and Rousey. Rousey and Natalya did a double team on Morgan on the outside. Natalya got beat up for a long time and then Rousey got a hot tag. As Ronda was on a roll the match got called off because Becky Lynch came from the crowd and hit Natalya. Ronda and Lynch tried fighting but got separated. Lynch was handcuffed and brought away. After the break Ronda got on a mic and called out Vince McMahon. Vince didn’t come out, but Stephanie McMahon came out. Ronda begged for Becky to being reinstated but Stephanie refused to do so. After more arguing and a semi-good promo from Ronda (at points it seemed like she stumbled but a lot of it was good), she left Stephanie with the decision.

Jinder Mahal vs. Kurt Angle

After commercials, we saw a video from Stone Cold Steve Austin wishing Ric Flair a happy birthday. In the ring we saw Jinder Mahal issue an open challenge to anyone who was invited to Flair’s party. Kurt Angle took the challenge. Kurt Angle won after hitting a ton of spots and whatever. Cool, but why?

A Moment of Bliss w/ Finn Balor

Alexa Bliss started her talk show by talking about how she is available for the Wrestlemania main event. I think she was under the assumption that Ronda was out of the Wrestlemania main event or something? Anyways, Finn Balor is her guest this week. He was dressed in in-ring attire, so I assumed his match was next. Bliss was about to make a deal that if Balor showed his abs she would show something but she got interrupted while talking. Why cut a deal when he’s going to fight? His abs are gonna be visible in like seconds. The thing that cut off Bliss was Lio Rush coming out. Rush said something about Balor’s IC title. Balor interpreted this as Lio wanted a title shot, so he gave it to him.

Finn Balor vs. Lio Rush (Intercontinental Championship Match)

Early in this match Rush was getting tons of moves in. He did a Moonsault off the apron and then two Tope Suicidas. In fact the match felt like it was meant to make Rush look really good. Like, nearly on Balor’s level type of good. Balor eventually ended the match after reversing a move and then landing a Coup de Grace. After the break Lashley was behind the curtain scolding Lio Rush. He said that he was supposed to get a title shot for him, not Rush. He then forced a beaten up Lio Rush to come out with him.

Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush vs. Braun Stroman

Stroman fought Lashley next. Well, he was going to, but their match never started. Lashley tried jumping Stroman but ended up losing the brawl. I could easily be wrong, but I get the feeling that Rush is turning babyface soon and Lashley will turn against him.

Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre (No Disqualification Match)

Dean Ambrose called out Drew McIntyre earlier in the night. Later in the show he got his wish. During this match Elias came down and attacked Ambrose. This was of course because Elias was interupted by Ambrose earlier. After that, McIntyre gave him a Claymore Kick to end the match. After the match it was Elias, McIntyre, Lashley and Corbin all beating up Ambrose. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns came out to save Dean. Reigns landed Superman Punches, and Seth landed a Curbstomp. Reigns did a Spear to McIntyre.

Bayley w/ Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax w/ Tamina

To preview what is most likely the first rivalry for the women’s tag belts, Bayley fought Nia Jax. The finish of the match was Nia Jax being distracted by pulling Banks’ hair, giving Bayley the chance to kick her and land an elbow drop for the win.

Ric Flair’s Birthday Celebration.

The finale of the show was the Ric Flair Birthday Celebration of course. This has been promoted for weeks. Now. The ring had a cake, balloons and a table with something covered. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out while the rest of the roster stood on the ramp. They brought out Shawn Michaels, Ricky Steamboat, Kurt Angle and Sting. After seeing a video package about Ric Flair, they unveiled a custom World Heavyweight Championship belt. When he was finally introduced, he didn’t come out. Backstage we saw Batista storming into Flair’s dressing room, most likely beating him up, and then dragging him out. He said “Hey Hunter, do I have your attention now?” HHH then ran backstage to attend to Flair. The show ended with HHH shouting for a doctor. Not going to lie, this was a big surprise to me and I’m kind of hyped because of it. It’s been a long time since Batista last wrestled, and I’m so ready to see it again.

While the ending of the show was good, the whole show wasn’t amazing. There was lots of just plain boring segments. My favourite match this week is easily Rush versus Balor.

WWE Smackdown Live 2/19/19 Results and Review

Smackdown came back on Tuesday after WWE Elimination Chamber took place on Sunday. Live from New Orleans, Louisiana, let’s look at this week’s Smackdown Live.

Smackdown Live started with Shane McMahon coming to the ring. As he made his way there, we were shown a video package about the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. As Shane was talking about the show, The Miz came out. Miz said he had to get something off of his chest. He acted guilty about how they lost their tag belts on Sunday. Miz confessed that he used Shane. His speech eventually went into the idea of a rematch against The Usos. So it looks like The Miz is going to use him again. The Usos came out and trashed talked a little. Shane booked the rematch for Fastlane.

Aleister Black vs. Andrade w/ Zelina Vega

At RAW the night before there were many NXT wrestlers who got shown to the mainstream audience. It happened again this week but on Smackdown this time. The first match was between Aleister Black and Andrade. Andrade and Black were in a close battle for quite some time. Andrade tried for his Hammerlock DDT, but Black escaped and landed the Black Mass Kick to end the match. Not a bad match. Backstage we saw Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa being interviewed. Sheamus and Cesaro came over and told them to leave Smackdown. Gargano said that they are there to break the bar. This made Sheamus and Cesaro burst into laughter, and that was it. Kofi Kingston gave an olive branch that had pancakes on it to Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles as a way to apologize for being opponents on Sunday.

The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)

The next NXT versus Smackdown Live was one between the previously mentioned Bar and #DIY. During this match Ciampa did a Sunset Flip off the second rope on Sheamus, but looked very scary. It looked like Ciampa nearly buckled his left knee with the move. It seemed to really scare the commentary team. Gargano put Cesaro in the “Gargano Escape” but Cesaro got out of it. Sheamus gave Gargano a knee off the top rope with help from Cesaro, but Ciampa broke up the pin attempt. Gargano was hit with a backbreaker from Sheamus for another two count. Sheamus was given a Superkick for a two count. Gargano tried for a roll-up and then tagged in Ciampa who did a roll-up to win the match. This caught Sheamus off guard because he was attacking Gargano in the corner at the time. An enjoyable match by all four. While I like these matches, I do feel that they can get sort of lame since they are basically special attraction matches.

Asuka vs. Mandy Rose w/ Sonya Deville

In the ring we saw Asuka get interviewed. She said that she’s ready for a challenge. Who answered her call? Mandy Rose. The match was made, but wasn’t for the title. Not even a minute into the match, Lacey Evans came out. She did he walk down the ramp, and then turn around and left. This actually distracted Asuka, giving Mandy an opening. She went for a pin attempt after putting Asuka into a corner, but wasn’t successful. Asuka landed a Shining Wizard later on for a two count. Rose faked a face injury to make Asuka let her guard down. She then shoved Asuka into a corner and then did a roll-up to win the match. Asuka was undefeated at one point in her career. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Ricochet vs. Eric Young w/ Killian Dain & Alexander Wolfe

Ricochet versus Eric Young in the next match. Ricochet landed his 630 Splash to end the match. Of course, Ricochet had a good showing.

Kofi Kingston, Jeff Hardy & AJ Styles w/ Big E & Xavier Woods vs. Samoa Joe, Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan w/ Erick Rowan

The main event was a tag match including all members of the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. Daniel Bryan talked to the crowd on his way out. You could see huge welts on his chest from Sunday. Bryan says that his next opponent will be none of the men from the Chamber match since they’ve all been defeated. During this match Kofi had the crowd behind him (as he should to be honest). Kingston tried for a dive off the top rope but was shoved off by Bryan. Orton threw Kingston onto a commentary table, but it did not break. He did it again after a commercial break. Styles and Bryan were in the ring when Styles gave him a Calf Crusher. It was broken up by Samoa Joe, who was given a Twist of Fate. Orton slid Hardy out of the ring and then got clotheslined out by AJ. Bryan put AJ in an Labell Lock after a combination of moves. Bryan tried for a knee but got hit with a Pele Kick. Kingston got a hot tag but got dumped to the outside where many people were. Kofi came back in and did a dropkick off the top rope. He went to the top rope and did a dive to the outside onto Bryan and Rowan. Kingston landed a Trouble In Paradise to win the match. After the match Shane McMahon came out and booked Daniel Bryan versus Kofi Kingston for the Fastlane PPV.

Is this happening? Kingston is legitimately big with the crowd, and he’s getting some real wins. I’m ready to see this match. I don’t think that Kofi will legitimately win because this has all been so short term, but I’m excited to see what they can do in the next week weeks and in their match at the PPV.

This show felt somewhat lame. Like sure the NXT dudes are putting on good matches, but WWE needs more than just good matches to keep me interested. They need storylines that go along with them, which none of them really had. The main event was fun, and helped further build Kingston as a fan favourite.

WWE RAW 2/18/19 Results and Review

Let’s look at the RAW that happened the night after the 2019 Elimination Chamber PPV.

Opening Segment

Before RAW started, we saw a photo remembering Pedro Morales. Monday Night RAW started with Triple H in the ring. He talked about the Elimination Chamber, which was last night. HHH mentioned how the first members of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019 is D-Generation X. He then dropped an even bigger announcement, saying that NXT wrestlers will be debuting tonight. The wrestlers that debuted were Ricochet, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Gargano and Ciampa are both champions in NXT currently.

Braun Stroman vs. Baron Corbin (Tables Match)

Braun Stroman faced Baron Corbin in the first match, with the stipulation being a tables match. This comes after Stroman was Triple Powerbombed through two tables on the night before. At the start of the match, both guys fought extensively outside of the ring. They made their way to the announce table but were back in the ring when we came back from commercials. Corbin went off the apron at one point and was met with steel stairs from Stroman. Corbin did a move where he went outside the ring, around a ringpost and back in, but when he went back in he was caught for a Running Powerslam through a table to end the match. I love when we get stipulation matches on TV, but this wasn’t the best match. It felt like 90% of it was outside the ring, which was a little too much for me. As Stroman was leaving, Paul Heyman was on the ramp. Stroman grabbed onto Heyman but didn’t do anything to him.

Paul Heyman Talking

Heyman had a microphone but struggled to speak. After a break, he was more able to speak. He talked about Brock Lesnar, and then a video package played that featured him. It included footage of his college wrestling and his earlier years of wrestling, and MMA photos.

Finn Balor & Ricochet vs. Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush

Finn Balor came into the ring in the next segment and talked. He was giving a generic story about representing the title or whatever until Lio Rush came out. Rush said that Bobby Lashley deserves to be the champion. Lashley came from behind and jumped Balor. Both guys picked on Balor until Ricochet came out. Ricochet saved Balor, and then after a break, we got a match. After Balor was in the ring for a long time, he started to tease tagging in Ricochet. Ricochet eventually got tagged in and went wild on everyone. Ricochet did a back 450 Splash to end the match. Ricochet didn’t get a ton of time in the ring, but showed off his skills in the time he had.

Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik) w/ Kalisto vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder

The next match was Lucha House Party versus Hawkins and Ryder. A week or so ago there was a segment where Ryder told Hawkins that he will get him out of his losing streak. Hawkins seemed to be somewhat in control of this match but then lost it all after Metalik on the apron distracting him, making him get put into a roll-up to end the match. Curt’s losing streak continues, but he seems to be improving.

Heavy Machinery & Lacey Evans Segment

Heavy Machinery was brought out to be interviewed. They talked about how they get the job done. During the interview, Lacey Evans walked up and down the ramp and then left, similarly to what she did the night before. Heavy Machinery walked down the ramp after, doing a chest bump at one point. They did a Bushwacker march around Evans.

The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) vs. #DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano)

The Revival fought Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano in the next match. Fun fact, all members of this match currently hold championship belts. #DIY won the match with a double team move onto Scott Dawson where Gargano did a Superkick while Ciampa did a running knee. This felt like a tough match because no matter who wins you’re making someone who should be treated important lose. We saw another promo with Kevin Owens this week. He nearly dropped his phone but picked it up. These videos feel so weird. Like, what are they getting at with this goofier Owens.

Sasha Banks and Bayley Celebrate Their Win

Sasha Banks and Bayley, who are the first women’s tag team champions, made an appearance. They both talked about their win. As they finished their segment, Nia Jax and Tamina came out. They tried to storm Banks and Bayley but were unsuccessful. The crowd went mild. Before the next segment, we saw a video package promoting DX being inducted into the Hall of Fame. We were told that the tickets for the Hall of Fame Ceremony go on-sale on Friday.

Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre

The next match was Dean Ambrose versus Drew McIntyre. Ambrose got McIntyre outside the ring an then did a dive. Back in the ring Ambrose landed a Neckbreaker. McIntyre dodged a move and then hit a Claymore Kick. Korakuen Hall crowd right now. He landed another to end the match. It’s like they’re playing a game of which WWE writer can bury Ambrose the most. We saw another video package about Brock Lesnar.

Elias vs. Aleister Black

Elias came out for a performance. Before he got to start his song, Aleister Black came out. They had their scheduled match after. Black won the match with a Black Mass Kick. This match was short but made Aleister look good. We were reminded that next week will be the Birthday Celebration for Ric Flair, live from Atlanta, GA.

Ruby Riott w/ Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan vs. Ronda Rousey (WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match)

The main event of RAW was a rematch from last night. I’m sorry, why? Riott got beat pretty decisively the night before. Riott turned a Triangle Choke into a pin attempt which made Ronda let go of it. This match went way longer than their PPV match, with Riott actually getting quite a bit of moves in. Riott tried for a move off the top rope but Rousey tried turning it into an Armbar. Riott’s buddies dragged her out but ate a Crossbody off the top rope to the outside because of it. Riott tried for a Reverse Huricanrana but got thrown into a corner instead. Rousey put in the Armbar to win the match and retain her Championship.

This was an interesting RAW. No storylines moved forward, but it wasn’t a bad episode either.

WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Results and Review

It’s time to review what is easily my favourite show every year. Of course I am talking about the Royal Rumble. Along with the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches, the third biggest match on the show was Brock Lesnar versus Finn Balor, who is replacing Braun Stroman after Stroman angered Vince McMahon on RAW three weeks ago. On the Smackdown brand, AJ Styles was challenging for the WWE Championship against Daniel Bryan. Also, Asuka faced Becky Lynch for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Let’s start with the pre-show matches.

Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs. Rezar w/ Drake Maverick & Scott Dawson

At the analyst desk for the Royal Rumble Kickoff was Johnathan Coachman, Beth Phoenix, Booker T and Jerry Lawler. After 45 minutes of the pre-show, we had our first match. The match that kicked off the show was an odd one. Since Akam, one-half of The Authors of Pain is injured, he teams with Scott Dawson from The Revival for a tag match. I can only assume this is to remind people that AoP exists. There was some sort of stipulation announced that if Rezar and Dawson won they would both get title shots for their teams or something. Early on there seemed to be issues with the team of Rezar and Dawson as Rezar gave a shocked expression when he was involuntarily tagged out. Roode was on a roll late in the match, hitting a Blockbuster. Dawson pulled the tights during a roll-up but it didn’t help him. Rezar got hit with Dawson’s move by accident and then was taken out of the ring by both Roode and Gable. With the help of Roode, Gable hit a Moonsault on Dawson to end the match. This was a dumb match. Why bring back Rezar while his partner is injured just to lose? The finish didn’t feel like it was proper, and the bad chemistry between Rezar and Dawson existed but wasn’t really shown enough, especially at the end.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev (WWE United States Championship Match)

The first championship match of the show was Nakamura versus current champion, Rusev. During this match Nakamura wore a very red outfit. Rusev was dominant early on, clotheslining Nakamura out of the ring after a couple of suplexes. He then threw Nakamura towards the steel stairs, but Nakamura dodged it and came back with a kick. He threw Rusev into a barricade and then kneed him in the chest. Back in the ring, Rusev got hit with a knee in the corner for a two count. Rusev got himself back together and got on a roll. He landed a Spin Kick off the ropes for a two count after a combo of moves. They must have cut to Lana 20 times during this match. Nakamura escaped an Accolade attempt and landed some kicks. Was there a “kicks only” stipulation for this match that I missed? Rusev landed a Matchka Kick and than a slam move which got turned into an Armbar by Nakamura. Shinsuke turned the Armbar into a Triangle Choke, and then a Guillotine when Rusev tried escaping. Rusev landed a Suplex to finally escape. The pin attempt following it got a very close count. Nakamura went to the turnbuckle after a near fall and took off a pad. Lana got on the apron and tried to let the ref know. Nakamura got in her face, and Rusev tried to attack him during this. Shinsuke dodged Rusev, and hit Lana instead. This distracted Rusev, letting Nakamura hit a Kinshasa to win the match. This match could have cooled down on the kicks. It’s hard to tell if the crowd is quiet or they are just hard to hear.

Kalisto vs. Akira Tozawa vs. Hideo Itami vs. Buddy Murphy (WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match)

The final pre-show match was a fatal-four-way for the Cruiserweight Championship. Early in the match there was a nice move where Tozawa dove to the outside and hit Kalisto, who Huricanrana’d Murphy. Later on Murphy did a dive onto all three opponents. Hanging off the second rope Murphy was hit with a Huricanrana and seemingly planted his head in the canvas. Murphy landed a Powerbomb onto Kalisto but Tozawa broke up the pin. Kalisto gave Itami a Salida del Sol for a two count. Murphy gave a good knee to Kalisto as he was coming off the ropes. After a combo of moves against Itami he hit Murphy’s Law for the win. This match had some good stuff in it, with a lot of impressive spots.

Becky Lynch vs. Asuka (WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship Match)

Opening the PPV was Becky Lynch versus Asuka. Early on in the match Asuka was kicked off the apron, landing flat on the floor. Outside the ring Lynch did a Beckslpoder onto the barricade. Lynch went off the second rope and was hit with a knee. Asuka landed a close count after a hit attack. Asuka went off the top rope but Lynch avoided her, and then hit a Rock Bottom for a two count. Lynch fell into an Armbar and almost escaped but then got put in an Asuka Lock. Lynch rolled to the ropes to get out. Back on the apron, Asuka gave Becky some sort of Suplex onto the floor. Becky made it back into the ring before the ten count. They traded slaps in the ring until Asuka landed a spinning kick for a two count. The fight found its way onto the top rope, where Lynch landed a Super-Becksploder for a two count. Asuka dodged a Leg Drop off the top rope into an Asuka Lock. Lynch did a Disarmer and then turned it into an Asuka Lock of her own. Asuka got out and then did a kick. After a chain of moves Asuka did a Chokehold to retain. I thought Lynch would win, but she didn’t. This match had good moments but felt like it wasn’t always entertaining. Like I mentioned before the crowd sounded dead, which didn’t help this match.

The Miz & Shane McMahon vs. Sheamus & Cesaro (The Bar) (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match)

The next match was for the Smackdown tag titles. Right off the bat Sheamus was caught off guard was Shane speared him. Outside the ring Cesaro was put on a commentary table for an Elbow drop but got out of it. Instead, Shane did an elbow drop to Sheamus, who was standing. Late in the match Shane got a hot tag and did a ton of moves, including his horrible punches. Shane was going to give both members of The Bar a Coast-To-Coast, but Cesaro caught him and did his spinning move. Shane put in a Triangle Choke which Sheamus broke up by going off the ropes. The Miz went after Sheamus but was given a Clothesline outside the ring. Sheamus got tagged in, and then the team did a Double Team move for a two count. Sheamus tried for a Brouge Kick but The Miz shoved Cesaro, letting him get hit with it. The Miz gave Sheamus a Skull Crushing Finale, and then Shane surprisingly hit a Shooting Star Press to win the match.

Sasha Banks vs. Ronda Rousey (WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match)

After the Smackdown Women’s Championship match started off the show, the RAW women’s title match was two matches later. Near the start the fight went to the outside where Ronda punched a ringpost because Sasha dodged a strike. Sasha landed a dive and then put Ronda back in the ring. After a Double Knees in the corner Sasha got a two count. After Ronda dodged another Double Knees she tried for a Pipers Pit which was turned into an Armbar. She turned it into a Banks Statement, which Rousey eventually got out of. Rousey landed a Pipers Pit. Rousey was really selling her injured arm from the ringpost spot. Rousey went to the top rope, and Banks went up to it as well. Banks landed a Superplex for a two count and then went right back into another arm move. Ronda did Judo Throws and then got thrown outside of the ring. Rousey put Banks in a move outside the ring after catching a dive. Banks tapped out of this but that didn’t matter since they were outside of the ring. Banks put Rousey in a Banks Statement and used part of her attire to choke Rousey. This was transitioned into an Armbar which Rousey escaped and turned into a Gutwrench Powerbomb. She then landed a Pipers Pit to win the match. This was a good match in my opinion. It’s wild to think that Rousey debuted at the Rumble a year ago and put on a match like this only a year after.

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

The first Royal Rumble match of the evening was the women’s one. Beth Phoenix was a guet commentator for this match. #1 Lacey Evans was the first entrant, starting against #2 Natalya. Evans did a promo before the match started. #3 Mandy Rose was the next entrant. Evans missed a Moonsault while Mandy was coming out. Natalya gave both of them a Sharpshooter. #4 Liv Morgan. Morgan charged at Natalya and was thrown out. Evans gave both Mandy and Natalya a Bronco Buster. #5 Mickie James. #6 Ember Moon. #7 Billie Kay. Kay refused to get in the ring once arriving. She told the English announcing team that she was waiting for Peyton Royce. #8 Nikki Cross. Cross attacked Kay at ringside and then did a Crossbody off the top onto everyone in the ring. #9 Peyton Royce. Royce went in and tried to aid Kay. They teamed up on Nikki Cross. #10 Tamina. Tamina gave Nikki Cross a Frogsplash.

#11 Xia Li. Mickie James was kicked off the apron and eliminated by Tamina. #12 Sarah Logan. Ember Moon resisted elimination by having her feet hung on the bottom ropes. Nikki Cross was taken out by The Iiconics. Cross came off as very weak in this match. #13 Charlotte Flair. Xia Li was taken out with a kick from Charlotte. #14 Kairi Sane. Sane gave Logan an InSane Elbow Drop. #15 Maria Kanellis. Kanellis was hit with a Spear from Charlotte after doing a dance or something. #16 Naomi. Naomi and Mandy fought early on since they are currently in that homewrecker story. On the apron Naomi kicked Rose and then shoved her to the floor. Naomi was almost taken out by Rose but got onto the barricade, and then jumped to the steel steps. Rose shoved her eventually, eliminating her anyways. Charlotte eliminated Lacey Evans. #17 Candice LeRae. #18 Alicia Fox. After Fox gave a few people dropkicks Maria Kanellis tried forming an alliance. This worked, as they both worked on Sane. Maria stomped on Alicia’s hat, which made her freak out. This was a comedy spot that fell flat. Maria was eliminated shortly after #19 Kacy Catanzaro. #20 Zelina Vega.

#21 Ruby Riott. Ruby Riott came out with Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan, who were eliminated previously. They pulled Charlotte out of the ring (still in the match) and then teamed up on her. They did the same thing to Fox. Vega went under the ring on the other side. Fox was thrown out of the ring by Ruby. Candice was Powerbombed into a barricade, brought back into the ring and then eliminated. #22 Dana Brooke. Kairi Sane was eliminated by Ruby Riott. They kept cutting to Vega who was smugly hiding under the ring. #23 Io Shirai. Shirai went after The Riott Squad immediately, who were beating up Sane at ringside. Shirai landed a Moonsault off the top rope to the trio. #24 Rhea Ripley. Catanzaro was given a Baseball Slide to the outside but did a Handstand to the corner and got back in the ring. This match felt like a Best of John Morrison and Kofi Kingston with all of these close call eliminations. She was eliminated only moments later. #25 Sonya Deville. Ripley kicked Brooke out of the ring. Vega poked her head out of the ring again but this time Hornswoggle came out as well. Hornswoggle chased Vega, making her get into the ring and get thrown out by Ripley. #26 Alexa Bliss. Up to until this point Charlotte felt like the only person who had a realistic chance of winning. Deville was eliminated after getting hit with a punch from Bliss. #27 Bayley. Bayley took out Ruby Riott and Rhea Ripley. Not sure where the rest of the Riott Squad went. #28 Lana. Lana was playing up her injury from Rusev’s match. She had to get checked by medical staff halfway down the walkway. #29 Nia Jax. On the way to the ring Nia Jax attacked Lana and her leg. Jax caught a Moonsault from Io Shirai and threw her out of the ring. Shirai sort of folded when hitting the floor. Natalya was thrown out shortly after. #30 Carmella.

Carmella earned her #30 sport because she won the second season of the Mixed Match Challenge. Becky Lynch came out and negotiated with Fitt Finlay, and replaced Lana in the match. Bliss and Ember battled on the apron for some time. Bliss did a leg sweep to take out Moon. Bayley and Carmella teamed up to eliminated Bliss, but got clotheslined by Nia Jax right after. Charlotte kicked Carmella off the apron, making it only four left. Jax picked up Bayley and the got kicked, making her drop Bayley out of the ring. The final three were Jax, Lynch and Charlotte. Charlotte lifted Nia Jax and then dropped her. Charlotte put Jax on the apron, and then Lynch pushed her off the apron since she was outside the ring. Lynch was pushed by Jax which made her fall and get hurt. Just before Charlotte’s hand was raised, Lynch came in and the match continued. Charlotte targeted the injured leg frequently. Charlotte went over the ropes after charging Lynch, and then was hit, making her fall the floor. Becky Lynch won the Women’s Royal Rumble.

I enjoyed this Rumble. I thought it was good that they laid off the legends since they were a big focus of the women’s Rumble last year. Instead they gave many spots to NXT wrestlers. I thought the stars or potential contenders for the Rumble were a little too stacked at the end of the list. In the first ⅔ of the Rumble, Charlotte was the only real big name that came out. Lynch was the right one to win, as she will most likely challenge Asuka.

Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles (WWE Championship Match)

The WWE Championship was in the unfortunate position of cool-down. In this match Styles started bleeding through his nose. Bryan got a close pin attempt after a good looking Dragon Suplex. Later on, Bryan stopped a Springboard 450 by putting his knees up, and then put on the Lebell Lock. During the match Erick Rowan came to the ring. The ref was taken out, which gave Rowan the opportunity to give Styles a Chokeslam. Bryan pinned Styles to win. This was very disappointing. For one, the match placement was horrible. Also, the match was way too long and the crowd didn’t like it.

Finn Balor vs. Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman (WWE Universal Championship Match)

Right off the bat Balor jumped Lesnar as he had his back to him. Balor eventually lost control of the match, with Lesnar throwing him around. Lesnar took apart a commentary table, but then was rammed into it by Balor. Balor did two dives to the outside at one point, with the second one looking really good. Back in the ring Finn tried for a Coup de Grace, landing it, but Lesnar kicked out. Lesnar put in a Kimura right after, with Balor tapping. After the match he beat up Balor further. This match also felt like it didn’t have a ton of hype behind it, but didn’t have the cold reaction that Bryan versus Styles got. This was okay, I guess. Lesnar won, which is predictable. They kept it short, which was nice.

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

The main event of the evening was the men’s Royal Rumble match. #1 Elias was the first entrant. He was going to perform for the crowd, but was interrupted by #2 Jeff Jarrett. Elias asked Jeff if he wanted to do a duet with him. Before it start Elias attacked Jeff, making the match start. Elias smashed his guitar on Jarrett’s back and then threw him over the ropes. #3 Shinsuke Nakamura. #4 Kurt Angle. Angle came out to a good reaction. #5 Big E. Nakamura kicked Angle on the ropes and took him out. #6 Johnny Gargano. #7 Jinder Mahal. Mahal was accompanied by the Singh Brothers. Mahal was eliminated very quickly by Gargano via kicks. #8 Samoa Joe. Big E was thrown out by Joe. #9 Curt Hawkins Hawkins came in and out of the ring making weak attacks. He got caught in a Cohena Clutch from Joe, but escaped it because of Elias. Hawkins went under the ring. #10 Seth Rollins. Elias was eliminated by Rollins because he was holding onto a corner post but then got his hands hit.

#11 Titus O’Neil. When running out to the ring Titus was cautious to avoid falling. O’Neil went under the ring because he saw Hawkins, and then chased Hawkins into the ring and then went over the ropes. Hawkins celebrated, but was thrown out right after. #12 Kofi Kingston. #13 Mustafa Ali. Ali dropkicked Nakamura off the top rope and to the outside. Ali was thrown into a corner by Joe brutally. #14 Dean Ambrose. Kofi got thrown to the outside but avoided elimination by keeping his feet on the apron and rolling to the stairs. Ambrose eliminated Johnny Gargano. #15 No Way Jose. No Way Jose came out with his big conga line. When coming in the ring he was eliminated immediately, possibly breaking the Santino record. He barely missed a beat, partying with the conga line to the back. #16 Drew McIntyre. McIntyre headbutted No Way Jose and threw around a few conga line members on the way to the ring. He took out everybody when entering the ring. #17 Xavier Woods. Kofi avoided elimination by giving Xavier a Sunset Flip but keeping one foot in the air. Xavier held on to Kofi, putting him on the stairs. Once entering the ring they were both taken out by Drew McIntyre. #18 Pete Dunne. Dunne had a good combo of moves on many guys when coming in. #19 Andrade. #20 Apollo Crews.

#21 Aleister Black. Black eliminated Ambrose with a kick. #22 Shelton Benjamin. Joe was thrown out by Ali after being hit with a very nice kick from Benjamin. #23 Baron Corbin. Crews was eliminated by Corbin. #24 Jeff Hardy. Corbin threw out Black, catching him off guard. Dunne almost did a finger breaking spot on Corbin but was hit with a kick from McIntyre. Drew threw out Dunne after. #25 Rey Mysterio. Corey Graves talked about how Rey has had a “career resurgence” as of late, as if Rey was in a slump recently. #26 Bobby Lashley. Bobby Lashley was accompanied by Lio Rush. Lashley was thrown out the match very quickly, and the took Seth out of the ring from the bottom rope. Rush and him took apart commentary tables. Seth was Chokeslammed through the English table. #27 Braun Stroman. Stroman took out Corbin since he costed him the title shot that he was supposed to have. He took out Benjamin shortly after. #28 Dolph Ziggler. Jeff Hardy was eliminated at Ziggler came out. Ziggler immediately eliminated McIntyre. #29 Randy Orton. There was a four man Superplex spot involving Rollins, Andrade, Stroman and Mysterio. #30 R-Truth.

While coming out Nia Jax attacked R-Truth. Nia Jax took R-Truth’s spot. Jax took out Mustafa Ali. She turned around and had a face off with Randy Orton. He tried for an RKO, but was shoved against the ropes by Jax. Jax told Rey to do a 619 but then caught him when running. When Rey was held by Jax she was Superkicked. She then was hit with a 619 and then an RKO. She was taken out shortly after. Orton gave Rey and RKO and then eliminated him. Andrade took out Orton right after. Ziggler and Andrade were duking it out until Stroman came back in the ring. Rollins gave Stroman a Frogsplash. Stroman took out Andrade, making the final three Stroman, Ziggler and Rollins. Stroman threw Rollins and Ziggler over the ropes but they hung on. Stroman charged at them, which eliminated Ziggler. Rollins tried flipping Stroman over but he escaped the perdicament after Chokeslamming Rollins. Both guy went over the top rope and fought on the apron. Stroman was shoved into the post, kicked him and then did a Curbstomp to eliminated Braun Stroman. Seth Rollins won the 2019 Men’s Royal Rumble Match.

This match was okay. I was hoping that there would maybe be one or two more surprise entrants that weren’t NXT wrestlers. One small production thing that ticked me off was how they never showed the entrance stage when someone’s music hit. They would only ever show the stage after someone appeared, like it was a WWE video game.

In general the Royal Rumble had a lot of good stuff. There were some matches that didn’t do as well as they could, with only some of that being their fault (match placement, etc). I know it most likely won’t change so there’s no point in complaining about it, but the show was just too long. Even if it’s great wrestling, more than five hours of it is asking for a lot of viewers.

NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2 Results and Review

The Saturday night before Survivor Series played host to one of the wildest gimmicks that has been brought back in recent years: War Games. NXT had their big show of the recent weeks with most of their titles on the line. The show began with Matt Riddle coming to the ring to talk. Since he was on the left ring the commentary team probably had a bad view. Riddle said that was not scheduled to fight on this show. He called out Kassius Ohno, who interrupted him on the Takeover Pre-show. They are scheduled to fight on Wednesday, but he wants to fight now. Ohno came out and accepted the challenge.

Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

Riddle hit Ohno with a flying knee to end the match instantly. It looks like on top of Riddle’s “Bro” thing that he’s got going that they will try to push his MMA background and how he could KO people.

Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler (2 Out of 3 Falls Match) (NXT Women’s Championship Match)

After the very quick first segment we went head on into the Women’s Championship match. No promo video or anything, we just got right to it. The match was the third title bout between these two, with their past dating back even farther than that. Their first big bout was in the finals of the Mae Young Classic. Fitting that the two finalists of the women’s prospects tournament are now on top of the NXT Women’s division. Sane was hot out of the gates getting lots of moves in. After Sane pushed Baszler into the ring Baszler’s friends appeared and attacked Sane while the ref was distracted. Baszler landed the first point after putting in a Rear Naked Choke. A little later Sane found herself in the move again but made it to the ropes. Sane almost got her first fall with a roll-up. Sane reversed a Rear Naked Choke into a pin but Baszler got out of it. Baszler tried for a move on the apron but it got countered into a DDT. It looked like Baszler legitimately landed on the top of her head from this. Sane did an Elbow Drop off of the top rope to the outside onto the trio. After that she rolled Baszler back into the ring for an Insane Elbow for her first pinfall, and to tie it up. Sane reversed a move into a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the top rope for a close count. When Sane tried to go to the top rope for another Elbow Drop, Baszler’s two friends interfered with one pushing Sane off of the top rope. Dakota Kai and Io Shirai came out to even the odds with Shirai doing a Moonsault to everyone (including Dakota?). Baszler dodged another Elbow Drop from Sane and turned it into a Roll-Up Pin to win.

A few things about this match rubbed me the wrong way. For one, the finish seemed out of place since Sane had her friends come out there to make it more fair. Also, I don’t like ring apron spots. They always make me cringe. The 2 out of 3 falls gimmick doesn’t really make sense to me under any context (unless it’s a tag match). X-Pac was shown at ringside before the next match. Is he signing with NXT? Just kidding.

Johnny Gargano vs. Aleister Black

The next match had no stipulation and no title involved. This match was explosive from the very start. Here was some of my favourite parts of the match. Black did a front flip off the apron onto Gargano who was on the outside. Gargano did a Tope Suicida into a DDT outside the ring, which looked insane. It was all happening so quickly that I couldn’t write a lot of it down. At one point when they were both laid out the crowd was cheering loud in appreciation. Gargano threw Black head first like a dart into the second rope at one point. As Gargano was setting up for a move Black sat up and said “give me your best shot.” Black kicked out from a Running Knee that happened after another quick combo of moves. After both wrestlers traded blows Gargano sent Black to the ropes then pushed him to the outside. Gargano did a dive to the outside but went head first into a knee. Back in the ring Gargano was holding Black’s leg out of mercy. Black got tricked into thinking that Gargano wanted to get finished, with Gargano reversing a kick into a roll-up and then a submission move. He eventually escaped and then landed a Spinning Knee. Black did a Step-Up Knee and two Black Mass’ for the finish.

This match was fast and wild. It went so fast that I missed like 90% of it. Even if I had a play-by-play written down, it’s worth watching in its entirety. Both wrestlers absolutely tore the house down and exceeded my expectations.

Velveteen Dream vs. Tommaso Ciampa (NXT Championship Match)

The Velveteen Dream got a title shot against Tommaso Ciampa before the main event. He came out dressed as Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Early on in the match Ciampa took Velveteen’s weightlifting belt, so in return Velveteen took his Championship. After Velveteen was dominating in the ring Ciampa tried to escape outside the ring. Ciampa was given no breathing time as Dream dove onto him seconds later. Velveteen tried doing something on the ropes but was thrown to outside the ring. Later on, Velveteen hit a trio of Legdrops and a Spinebuster for a two count. Velveteen did another Figure Four after doing one on the ringpost outside the ring. As the match was nearing its end a Project Ciampa was hit for a very close pinfall. Velveteen hit a Sister Abgail onto the title which was in the ring. Velveteen went for a pinfall but Ciampa kicked out. After that Dream was thrown out of the ring by Ciampa then was given a Draping DDT for a close count. Ciampa tried for a Draping DDT on the outside without the ring mat, but instead Dream pushed Ciampa into the commentary table seats. Ciampa swung at the commentators which got him distracted. He was given a Rolling Fireman’s Carry on the floor and then was brought into the ring for an Elbow drop. Ciampa kicked out. Ciampa then took Dream to the metal grid in-between the two rings for a Draping DDT for the win.

This match was amazing, maybe even better than the match before. We saw in two bouts with two completely different styles. One was of a very fast, sometimes hard to keep up with style. The second one was slower and more dramatic match, but might have even gotten the attention even more from the crowd than the match before. I didn’t have any complaints whatsoever about this match. The crowd went nearly silent once Ciampa had officially won.

The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) vs. War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe), Pete Dunne & Ricochet

The main event was of course the War Games match. The match starts with one member of each team, with more joining throughout the match. The starting wrestler for The Undisputed Era was Adam Cole. The other team had Ricochet starting. With five minutes on the clock, Ricochet and Cole were in a standoff deciding who goes to whos ring. Ricochet did an amazing Springboard Uppercut from the rope of the ring beside the one that Cole was in. The next entrant was Kyle O’Reilly. Three minutes later Hanson came out, holding back Dunne who wanted to come out instead. Hanson did a spot where he took turns clotheslining Cole and O’Reilly in their respective corners. After that he did a Bronco Buster onto both wrestlers. I was surprised that he wasn’t dead after this spot because it looked extremely tiring. Ricochet did a Shooting Star Press onto O’Reilly, jumping off of Hanson’s back. The next wrestler to join the ring was Roderick Strong. I thought it was somewhat awkward each time a door was opened because the referees would take a good five seconds to open the door. Rowe got in next for his team. Rowe did an amazing spot where he slammed O’Reilly and Strong at the same time. Bobby Fish was taken out of his cage and went over to Pete Dunne’s cage. He attacked Dunne’s arm through the cage and then put his lock on Dunne’s lock and threw away the key. Fish brought in Undisputed Era branded chairs and was using them liberally on his opponents.

Dunne’s countdown eventually ended but he still couldn’t come into the ring. The referees eventually found a wrench and broke the lock. Dunne came in with a kendo stick. Before Dunne entered the ring Ricochet did a Crossbody off the top rope onto all of The Undisputed Era. Dunne threw two trash cans and two tables into the ring as well. After The Undisputed Era had the momentum for the longest time Dunne’s team was finally getting it back. Rowe bodyslammed Hanson onto O’Reilly then did a double team Clothesline onto Cole. UE regained control after throwing a garbage can at a War Raiders member. Cole gave Ricochet a Backstabber. This laid out all members of a team except for Dunne. Pete Dunne fought all four of them off, putting Fish into a Leg Lock. UE put Dunne in an Ankle Lock while everyone else from Dunne’s team were seperated in the other ring. Ricochet broke into enemy territory by going flying. Ricochet and Dunne both did a spot off of the top turnbuckle at the same time. After War Machine set up the two tables, Rowe got speared through one by Fish.

O’Reilly put Ricochet in a Triangle on a table, but Hanson broke it up by diving onto O’Reilly and going through the table. The pinfall was broken up by a garbage can hitting them. Ricochet and Cole both climbed to the top of the cage and traded blows. Cole was turned into a Superplex spot that included everyone except for Ricochet. Ricochet did a 450 Backflip onto everyone in the ring. Once everyone was up the two teams were separated by the two rings. They joined each other in the middle and started slugging it out once again. War Raider did a Fallout, then shortly after Hanson did a Handstand Double Back Elbow which was unexpected. Dunne tried for a move but Cole countered it into a DDT. Two moves later Cole did a Last Shot for a two count. Dunne hit a Bitter End, then Ricochet hit a splash for the three count.

This match was nothing short of madness. Absolute madness, and I loved every second of it. This really put the war in War Games. This didn’t win match of the night for me, but it was still great. The crowd was engaged from start to finish, much like they were for every other match on this show. I’d give match of the night to Gargano vs. Black since it was great wrestling with no gimmick stipulations. It’s been a while now since an NXT show was a let down to viewers. Dunne and Ricochet posed on top of the ring as the show went off air.