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| Credit: www.underconsideration.com |
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| Credit: WWE.com |
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| Credit: WWE.com |
Match #1 - United States Championship: Reigns vs Rusev
(J): Nice to see them kick Raw off with a match rather than a monologue, even if it was a rematch from last night (the first of many we'll see tonight I'm sure).. This match was just about as good as last nights match, but given that this was one of the only matches that actually ended definitively and cleanly, I felt like they tarnished it. It was nice to see Roman take the chair to Rusev after you thought he was going to be playing the totally white-hat baby-face. Match Rating: 3/5.
(S): Holy Hell, a 30+ minute match to kick off the show and no talking? Is this 1997? Really good match from these guys and I truly wondered if Rusev was going to take back the belt. Double countout lets this drag to HiaC as I expected. I would of rather seen these guys do other stuff but I am ok with one or two more matches. The end bit with the chair was kind of funny and the way Reigns played nice onl to mess it up got a pop from the crowd. They are definitely on the right track to get him out of his Corwd hate, and this is where he needs to be. That ending though kind of made Rusev look stupid somewhat imo. Overall 3.5/5
In-Rig segment: Foley, Shemus, and Cesaro
(J): Seriously? A tag team set up? So much for my Iron man match. These two tried the team stuff and it didn't play out. Here's hoping they can pull something out of it.(S): Could be interesting. Let's see how they play this out.
Match #2 - WWE Tag Team Championship: New Day vs Gallows and Ander
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| Credit: WWE.com |
(S): Thought G & A was going to take it. My god Kofi was bleeding terribly, I think he legitimately clipped the ring steps and pokes a skull hole. Since Gallows and Anderson lose clean here, what the heck do we do with them? Bad choice in my opinion. Good match otherwise. 3.5/5
Backstage Segment: Foley, Cesaro and Sheamus
(J): What speech from Foley. I'll give them that explanation for why they are going to be a team. Solely on Foley's delivery, I'll give them this one.(S): Again, could be interesting. This has worked before, and if anything this can be good for Sheamus.
Match #3 - Bayley vs Anna Fields
(J): A meh, job match to let Bayley get some momentum behind her. Nothing to speak of here. Match rating: 2/5.
(S):I agree this was just to help Bayley as she took the pin last night. I guess this means she's out of the title hunt for now. Good luck Sasha.
(S):I agree this was just to help Bayley as she took the pin last night. I guess this means she's out of the title hunt for now. Good luck Sasha.
Backstage Segment: Foley and Stephanie
(J): Uuhhhhh... ok. Steph definitely seems to be slipping back into that heel persona. She makes a good point, and I actually felt really bad for Mick in that segment. She really laid into him, and I'm not sure if it was her delivery or Mick's reaction, but I just felt bad afterwards.(S): Slipping? I'd say diving. I could barely hear Foley, and it was awkward. Can she go away for a while please or do something to actually make this storyline advance? Ugh.
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| Credit: WWE.com |
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| Credit: WWE.com |
Match #4 - Cruiserweight Tag Team match: Rich Swann and Cedric Alexander vs Drew Gulak and Lince Dorado
(J): This was easily the best match of the night! So incredible to see those guys knock it out of the park with their performnace. I don't know what kind of driver that move was that Cedric Alexander used on Dorado to drive his head into his knees, but it was damned impressive. The cruiserweights are going to take this company by storm. Match rating: 5/5.
(S): Cedric Alexander was on Raw Last week in that fatal fourway, NXT in a match, and now back on Raw this week. Great tag match, and I'm digging Swann. 4/5 |
| Credit: WWE.com |
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| Credit: WWE.com |
Match #5 - Cesaro and Sheamus vs a couple of Jobbers
(S); I think this was too soon of a rush for this “team” this should have been next week at the earliest. But I guess they needed to steup the “dynamic” before the inevitable clash with the New Day. Also who's face and who's heel in that match? Sheamus was the heel, Cesaro could be heel at any given second given his attitude, but New day has numbers and cheats. Confusing. 2/5 for at least letting the two of them trash talk and mess with each other the whole match.
In-ring segment: Charlotte and Sasha
(J): Charlotte has not disappointed me. She has been running this division, and she's done it "with Flair". The only thing that I'm disappointed in is that it seems like she and Dana are suddenly back on the same page. I'm hoping that they are just realizing that having that dynamic while setting up this major rivalry with Sasha would just be too much business with Charlotte.(S): Sets up the Sasha/Charlotte match for next week. I wonder if there is some mandate that Sahsa goes undefeated at PPVs but loses titles on raw? I expect her to retain this time though due to obvious interference and Sasha get another one at HiaC. That's generally hwo this goes. Or rather Sasha wins by Dana accident and the rematch is at HiaC. I guess it depends on the boss' back issues.
Back Stage Segment: Rollins and Foley
(S): Standard segment here. Nothing new, move along.
(J): Surprise, surprise, Rollins is still here. And Foley doesn't want him going to the Highlight Reel later. I'm sure there weill be consequences and repercussions, like having to wrestle Bo Dallas. Wait that might actually be a punishment. I know it would punish me to have to watch it. Glad they threw him out. I'm sure that will keep Rollins from doing anything to get at Owens... If you can't read the sarcasm here, it is dripping.
Match #6 - Cruiserweight Championship: Perkins vs Nyce
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| Credit: WWE.com |
(J): Great macth here! This was just awesome. Tony Nyce really lives up to the monacre of "Premiere Athlete". It did feel like Perkins wrapped him up and submitted him a little quickly though. Match Rating: 4.5/5.
(S): Good match, and so far the cruiserweights are stealing the show. 4/5
Highlight Reel: Kevin Owens
(J): I love the dynamic between JeriKO. I was glad to see Enzo and Cass interrupt. I was concerned that they were going to just let them wait until next week, and since they weren't on the pay-per-view and did actually pick up a win last week, it would take away that momentum from the win. That lap section was hilarious! I was trying not to laugh too hard so that I didn't wake anyone up. And I guess we have a match. Seems an odd choice for a main event, but one I want to see!
(S): Wsince Rollins might be legit hurt from the prior night and need a week of rest we get Enzo and Cass rather than the expected Zaybe & Rollins team. Good stuff from everyone involved. Enzo and Cass are super over with casual viewers. My wife loves their catch phrases.
(S): Wsince Rollins might be legit hurt from the prior night and need a week of rest we get Enzo and Cass rather than the expected Zaybe & Rollins team. Good stuff from everyone involved. Enzo and Cass are super over with casual viewers. My wife loves their catch phrases.
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| Credit: WWE.com |
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| Credit: WWE.com |
Match 9 - JeriKO vs Enzo and Cass
(S): Surprised by straight forward match after the prior night, but that's a good thing. This rivalry created JeriKO so it makes sense to hit this well if Rollins is truly banged up too much to get physically involved. 3.5/5
FINAL THOUGHTS:
(J): Tonight was an interesting show. Coming off of a PPV where pretty much nothing happened, we had a bit of a shake up to several of the dynamics. I feel like Clash of Champions was just a bonus Raw episode to fill a slot until they could get a few items settled and now we're going to get to the real stories that they wanted to tell. We still got a couple of job matches tonight that really brought down the quality of the show, but at least we weren't subjected to Strowman/Jax/Bo matches that would just eat up time. To be fair though, Jax at least has actually looked impressive lately. Overall raiting: 3.5/5
(S): Raw was better than Clash of Champions, I will say that much. It was still lackluster but can't win em all I guess. I want the Foley/Steph stuff to get somewhere fast and one of them to go away. Smackdown doesn't have Shane on all that often it seems, and Bryan does most of the work as it is supposed to. Steph needs this or to fire Foley and just be the evil boss. I want that done asap. Overrall 3/5
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