What's up folks? This week's UnWrest was late for a lot of reasons. But here it is: Raw, Smackdown, NXT, and ROH thoughts are here. In addition, you get your rewind match and your podcast recommendation. Without further ado, let's do this!!!!
Raw Notes
- I thought Ronda Rousey nailed that opening promo like a champ. She was put in a very uncomfortable position having to comment on the death of The Anvil, Natalya's father. And I thought she nailed it and found a good way to transition from that to her match Sunday against Alexa Bliss. I will also add that Rousey continues to grow by leaps and bounds on the mic and in the ring. Compare THIS Ronda to the one that was trying to cut promos in February and March, and they are completely different. Hats off to Ronda.
- Finn Balor is a very small man. Just don't put him next to AJ Styles. I can't wait for this Corbin-Balor feud to end.
- Paul Heyman turning on Roman was a slow burn that was given gasoline at the wrong moment. The intrigue of Heyman possibly aligning with Roman was something that could have been used to fuel interest in SummerSlam. But... maybe, we're still going to get something with Heyman screwing Lesnar and/or Roman? Or Heyman may get a MONSTER to be his new client? Or maybe, just maybe, we'll KO the end of this show? Enough lame puns. WWE just dropped the ball here. They went the easy way when they should have done a new-age Mr. Perfect SummerSlam 1992 story where Heyman's allegiance is up in the air.
- Dean Ambrose, America's favorite 30 year old crazy uncle, returned this week looking like a cross between Roddy Piper and Triple H after the haircut. It was cool to see Ambrose after all this time. But... well, check out my preview for SummerSlam for more on this.
SmackDown Live Thoughts
- I for one do not like this Triple Threat match for the Smackdown Women's Championship. I think there's more equity and more opportunity to promote a Becky Lynch singles match with Carmella. The segment on this show was boring; a typical "I'm going to awkwardly stand in the ring while the camera gets all of us and tell you why I'm going to beat you until I get interrupted."
- It was nice of Shinsuke Nakamura to come to the ring to get laid out by Jeff Hardy.
- Aiden English may end up betraying Rusev Day openly and siding with Andrade and Zelina. Again, it's a slow burn, but I was a little turned off by the match this week. It just didn't entertain me very much.
- I enjoyed The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan videos. But this feud has been warmed up a little too quickly for my taste.
Overall, I actually enjoyed Raw a little bit more than I did SmackDown Live. I didn't go into the Joe/AJ stuff or The New Day rendering Sanity even more irrelevant, but the show as a whole just didn't measure up. The crowd was HOT during Raw as well which helped the overall product.
NXT Thoughts
- That parking lot at Full Sail is one shady place.
- Watching the Street Profits play with a fan's hair was funny.
- I like these nWo-like vignettes from the Undisputed Era. Just make Adam Cole NXT Champion already. That way, Kyle O'Reilly can air guitar the hell out of that thing for him. Lol. (By the way, on my Twitter, there's a poll up for Best Air Guitar. @cdub1898. Vote by next Friday.)
- Kairi Sane was impressive in her match this week. Three Elbow Drops... Macho Man would be proud.
- Line of the Night: "So this is what it sounds like when doves cry?"- EC3 to Velveteen Dream. BURN!
- The main event was just there to me. It was little more than a setup match for the big tag title match on Sunday. It wasn't either man's best match, but it wasn't designed to be either. Bate got a big win to end the show.
Overall, NXT did what it set out to do: set up NXT Takeover. And it did it well. Thumbs up.
ROH Thoughts (Episode 8/10/18, Watched 8/17/18)
- I just can't get into The Briscoes wrestling a team like The Bouncers. Sorry. I believed absolutely nothing about The Bouncers having a chance against The Briscoes with the belts on the line. Thankfully after the match, they cut a promo setting up their brawl with SCU (SCU!!!!). I'm looking forward to this rivalry and seeing how it turns out.
- We're still in Fairfax, and there are still several thousand empty seats.
- Madison Rayne won a 4 Woman Match to become #1 Contender for the WOH Championship. Ok, then. I guess it's not all about Tenille then.
- I love how ROH's TV tapings have given us the illusion that Cody changes his hair every week from black to blonde just for this TV show.
- Nick Aldis comes out to tell Cody he needs to put something on the line in his match against him for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Cody gives him his prized ring as collateral. Cody then tells Nick that he needs to consider that he's wrestling at All In in front of 10,000 plus. And he needs to consider that the NWA Championship is getting more exposure since Aldis's claim to fame is beating a 53 year old history teacher for the title. (Former NWA World Champion Tim Storm IS a history teacher in Texas. I didn't know that... much less who the hell Tim Storm was before today. The more you know...)
- Bully Ray again attacks Flip Gordon before the main event where he was to team with Cheeseburger and Josh Woods against Shane Taylor, Bully Ray, and Punishment Martinez. It ends up being 3 on 2 at Cheeseburger's demands. The match happens, and Colt Cabana (CM Punk's former best friend) gets involved in the match. But as predicted, the heels win. This was just another match to further make everyone hate Bully Ray.
All in all, when you see Cheeseburger main event a show, you know you should watch something else. Skip.
<<Rewind Match <<
Tables and Ladders and Chairs, Oh My. In the year 2000 (In the year 2000!!!!! Sorry. I had a Late Night with Conan O'Brien flashback), there were no bigger tag teams in wrestling than The Dudleys, The Hardys, and Edge and Christian. These three teams had been entangled in many matches involving two or all three teams. At WrestleMania XVI (2000), they stole the show in an epic Ladder Match that is still mentioned as one of the great matches in WrestleMania history. Then, the rivalry between the three teams was renewed with more fire. And Commissioner Foley made the match. With the pacing from The Wizard of Oz, Foley announced the three teams would compete in a TLC match. Tables and ladders and chairs, OH MY!
This was another match that set the bar too high as far as expectations from the audience. These 6 men practically destroyed each other with the chair shots, high spots, and broken tables. Watching Jeff Hardy go through tables in a reckless manner off of a 15 foot ladder is still sick to see, as is Matt Hardy falling dangerously off the ladder in the ring through tables at ringside. Bubba Ray takes the falling ladder through mounted tables. Just an incredible match in SummerSlam history. I know many think TLC II at WrestleMania X-Seven was the best, but I will always have a soft spot in my black heart for this match.
Next Week's Rewind: Perfection vs. Excellence in The Garden
Podcast Recommendation
There have been several quality podcasts this week from my point of view. But Wade Keller's Pro Wrestling Podcast "Thursday Flagship" with Todd Martin discussing the big wrestling news and SummerSlam was my favorite this week. You can find it on any podcast service, including iTunes among others.
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I'm cutting this blog short today, folks. Why? In a few moments, I'm posting my second blog of the evening with my NXT TakeOver Brooklyn IV thoughts. And maybe, just maybe, Friday Night will also see me post my SummerSlam thoughts.
Until these posts and later, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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