The WWE Society II
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Orton on Mahal a while back
[video="youtube;dlgFworswmU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlgFworswmU[/video]
Fuily want Mahal to get the WWE title tbh, would be hilarious.
Also after watching Guardians of the Galaxy 2, I
ing miss Batista. Daniel Brian for burying him man
[video="youtube;dlgFworswmU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlgFworswmU[/video]
Fuily want Mahal to get the WWE title tbh, would be hilarious.
Also after watching Guardians of the Galaxy 2, I
ing miss Batista. Daniel Brian for burying him man(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by AR_95 Daniel Brian for burying him man
Daniel Brian for burying him manWWE did that by booking him babyface. Fully agree with you though. I really miss Batista.
You know who else I miss? Carlito. Hearing Epico and Primo mention him on Talking Smack a week or two back reminded me.
Awkward...
Tyler Bate vs Pete Dunne confirmed for NXT TakeOver. Expect the heel to go over and debut on NXT very soon.
Typically, WWE events in the UK pander to the crowd somewhat and should be treated as standalone events. Even so, I felt last night'a RAW was disappointing. There was a lack of progression in some key storylines - namely Finn Balor vs Bray Wyatt. In the opening segment, Dean Ambrose and the Miz - branded co-GMs for the night - clashed before Braun Strowman and Kalisto interrupted. The lack of Stephanie McMahon and Kurt Angle made the show feel less special right from the start, and worryingly, Strowman has a legitimate injury according to reports, and could miss 6-8 weeks. Seeing him in a sling was a big blow.
In terms of in-ring action, Finn Balor beat the Miz in the opening bout after the heel had pulled the referee and into Balor and demanded a disqualification, which Ambrose reversed. The ongoing Intercontinental Championship feud spilled over into the main event, too, with the Miz providing Bray Wyatt with a victory over Ambrose. Ambrose's mic work has been fantastic of late, and he keeps impressing and breathing life into his stale character, which is a positive, but seeing Wyatt need ANOTHER interference to land a win was a shame, and there was a real lack of progress in his programme with Balor. Strowman also took on Kalisto in a rematch of their Dumpster bout the other week, but Roman Reigns - who else? - interfered, making Strowman retreat into the crowd after chair shots. I hope Strowman's injury isn't too serious, but the signs are ominous. He could miss Extreme Rules and Great Balls of Fire. If he recovers to take on Reigns at the next PPV, he needs to go over. WWE needs to go all-in with him and book him vs Brock Lesnar at the latter event.
Sadly, the women's division felt like it took a step back this week. Sasha Banks beat Alicia Fox in a glorified squash, while Alexa Bliss beat Mickie James in a short match too. It's a shame to see such little in-ring action for the females, but thankfully, the Nia Jax/Bliss alignment could really bolster the division long-term. It makes complete sense and I'm very excited to see where WWE goes with it.
Much better was the Samoa Joe vs Seth Rollins feud, which FINALLY excited me. Joe was booked like a monster, giving Rollins a disqualification win before beating down the babyface. In truth, Joe's booking has lacked something since his debut from NXT on the main roster. But last night was exactly what WWE should be doing with him. I was very impressed by the match and the subsequent aftermath. After a really disappointing Payback match and build-up, the programme now finally feels on the right track. Likewise, the cruiserweight division now feels really good, with Jack Gallagher a breakout star in waiting, TJP's alignment with Neville doing the pair of them no end of good, and TJP picked up a win over the Englishman last night.
In the Tag Team Turmoil match, we saw Sheamus and Cesaro - perhaps unsurprisingly - emerge victorious, beating The Golden Truth (who were showcased more than they have been in months and made it to the final two), Heath Slater and Rhyno, and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, and Enzo and Cass. The latter duo were so hot upon debuting, but they have descended into nonsensical humour and annoying promos and it's a damning indictment of how annoying they've become and how far their stars have fallen that they were eliminated first.
In terms of in-ring action, Finn Balor beat the Miz in the opening bout after the heel had pulled the referee and into Balor and demanded a disqualification, which Ambrose reversed. The ongoing Intercontinental Championship feud spilled over into the main event, too, with the Miz providing Bray Wyatt with a victory over Ambrose. Ambrose's mic work has been fantastic of late, and he keeps impressing and breathing life into his stale character, which is a positive, but seeing Wyatt need ANOTHER interference to land a win was a shame, and there was a real lack of progress in his programme with Balor. Strowman also took on Kalisto in a rematch of their Dumpster bout the other week, but Roman Reigns - who else? - interfered, making Strowman retreat into the crowd after chair shots. I hope Strowman's injury isn't too serious, but the signs are ominous. He could miss Extreme Rules and Great Balls of Fire. If he recovers to take on Reigns at the next PPV, he needs to go over. WWE needs to go all-in with him and book him vs Brock Lesnar at the latter event.
Sadly, the women's division felt like it took a step back this week. Sasha Banks beat Alicia Fox in a glorified squash, while Alexa Bliss beat Mickie James in a short match too. It's a shame to see such little in-ring action for the females, but thankfully, the Nia Jax/Bliss alignment could really bolster the division long-term. It makes complete sense and I'm very excited to see where WWE goes with it.
Much better was the Samoa Joe vs Seth Rollins feud, which FINALLY excited me. Joe was booked like a monster, giving Rollins a disqualification win before beating down the babyface. In truth, Joe's booking has lacked something since his debut from NXT on the main roster. But last night was exactly what WWE should be doing with him. I was very impressed by the match and the subsequent aftermath. After a really disappointing Payback match and build-up, the programme now finally feels on the right track. Likewise, the cruiserweight division now feels really good, with Jack Gallagher a breakout star in waiting, TJP's alignment with Neville doing the pair of them no end of good, and TJP picked up a win over the Englishman last night.
In the Tag Team Turmoil match, we saw Sheamus and Cesaro - perhaps unsurprisingly - emerge victorious, beating The Golden Truth (who were showcased more than they have been in months and made it to the final two), Heath Slater and Rhyno, and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, and Enzo and Cass. The latter duo were so hot upon debuting, but they have descended into nonsensical humour and annoying promos and it's a damning indictment of how annoying they've become and how far their stars have fallen that they were eliminated first.
SmackDown is usually my favourite show of the week - but that was poor last night. The opening segment was fun enough, with Randy Orton interrupted by Jinder Mahal, before AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens all made their presence felt. But the multi-man booking of the main event was something out of a Teddy Long playbook. I get that WWE may want to make every star feel special during special abroad shows, but it was lazy booking. I really liked Zayn attacking Corbin, though, and the six-man tag-team bout was fun. At this stage, Mahal needs wins - Owens is currently re-energised with the Face of America gimmick and doing some great work, and Corbin was booked strong when attacking Zayn on Talking Smack the other week - so I was happy to see him pick up the win.
Apart from that, the in-ring action underwhelmed. Natalya put away Becky Lynch in under three minutes, in a damning showcase of the women's division. The Welcoming Committee is still a terrible, terrible name for a faction, but I'm happy they are being booked strong. Carmella is immensely unlikeable and her promo before the bout, alongside James Ellsworth, was perfectly done. It was a shame the London crowd didn't get to see Naomi or Charlotte in the ring. In other quick matches, Erick Rowan beat Luke Harper in a match nobody cared about (and why should we? These men are in the wilderness now Bray Wyatt is on RAW - and it seems a long time ago Harper was being talked about as a potential third competitor in the Orton vs Wyatt WM bout). And we saw Tyler Breeze and Fandango pick up a quick win over the poorly booked Ascension, after a fun backstage Fashion Files segment again.
The other segment of note was the Dolph Ziggler vs Shinsuke Nakamura feud, which was showcased with the former cutting a scathing in-ring promo. The promo was very good from Dolph: he sounded impassioned and like he meant every word. Nakamura sent him scurrying at the end of the segment, and WWE has done incredibly well to maintain his momentum without him wrestling a match. He's a star, a special quality, and he's being booked as such. I can't wait for Backlash. I think these two will tear the house down.
On 205 Live, the crowd was pandered to a bit, with Jack Gallagher kicking off the show with a Union Jack-clad ring, and toasting Austin Aries with a pint. Neville, naturally, interrupted and drew some heat from the crowd with insults, before TJP ambushed Aries leading to both babyfaces eventually getting the upper hand and sending the heels into retreat mode. The show then treated us to two fantastic, fantastic matches - Tony Nese losing to Mustapha Ali, with Drew Gulak watching backstage in a match which contrasted styles magnificently - and The Brian Kendrick losing to Akira Tozawa, before attacking the babyface after the bell to close out the show.
Apart from that, the in-ring action underwhelmed. Natalya put away Becky Lynch in under three minutes, in a damning showcase of the women's division. The Welcoming Committee is still a terrible, terrible name for a faction, but I'm happy they are being booked strong. Carmella is immensely unlikeable and her promo before the bout, alongside James Ellsworth, was perfectly done. It was a shame the London crowd didn't get to see Naomi or Charlotte in the ring. In other quick matches, Erick Rowan beat Luke Harper in a match nobody cared about (and why should we? These men are in the wilderness now Bray Wyatt is on RAW - and it seems a long time ago Harper was being talked about as a potential third competitor in the Orton vs Wyatt WM bout). And we saw Tyler Breeze and Fandango pick up a quick win over the poorly booked Ascension, after a fun backstage Fashion Files segment again.
The other segment of note was the Dolph Ziggler vs Shinsuke Nakamura feud, which was showcased with the former cutting a scathing in-ring promo. The promo was very good from Dolph: he sounded impassioned and like he meant every word. Nakamura sent him scurrying at the end of the segment, and WWE has done incredibly well to maintain his momentum without him wrestling a match. He's a star, a special quality, and he's being booked as such. I can't wait for Backlash. I think these two will tear the house down.
On 205 Live, the crowd was pandered to a bit, with Jack Gallagher kicking off the show with a Union Jack-clad ring, and toasting Austin Aries with a pint. Neville, naturally, interrupted and drew some heat from the crowd with insults, before TJP ambushed Aries leading to both babyfaces eventually getting the upper hand and sending the heels into retreat mode. The show then treated us to two fantastic, fantastic matches - Tony Nese losing to Mustapha Ali, with Drew Gulak watching backstage in a match which contrasted styles magnificently - and The Brian Kendrick losing to Akira Tozawa, before attacking the babyface after the bell to close out the show.
Backlash card, as it stands, is very good. I'd expect Styles vs Owens to headline, and Nakamura vs Ziggler to be a show-stealer. Hopefully Zayn vs Corbin gets added.
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Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship
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The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) vs. Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
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Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles for the WWE United States Championship
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Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
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Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Naomi vs. The Welcoming Committee (Natalya, Tamina, and Carmella)
https://twitter.com/llymlrs/status/862090978823372801
"The fans love me here in England, Maggle!"
WWE's approach to bullying and feigning anti-bullying as a marketing ploy is almost as shameless as The Student Room's. Almost.
"The fans love me here in England, Maggle!"
WWE's approach to bullying and feigning anti-bullying as a marketing ploy is almost as shameless as The Student Room's. Almost.
Theoretically, if Strowman doesn't recover, who faces Lesnar at Great Balls of Fire? Balor is the obvious choice, seeing as though he has a logical argument for a title shot. WWE will likely delay Reigns vs Lesnar for WM34, too.
Strowman's injury couldn't have come at a worse time, really.
Strowman's injury couldn't have come at a worse time, really.
Do you guys reckon they are keeping Reigns a face even though hes getting booed due to the fact that the Shield may re-unite for a match or two? Then after that they would turn him heel, makes sense.
If Strowman doesnt face Lesnar it should become a triple threat match between Lesnar, Reigns and Balor, would be an epic match.. Balor winning would give him a huge push and this could lead to a fued between Reigns and Lesnar maybe because they're blaming each other for the loss.
Dean Ambrose needs to have a fued with Jeff Hardy when the tag team go their seperate ways. Seeing Hardy as the Intercontinental Champion would in my make the title more special. Miz really needs a good rival as well. Maybe Matt Hardy. Bullet Club also deserve a long tag title reign.
Also Randy Orton is being poorly booked. He got pinned by Mahal.. Really?! Orton needs to be booked with great rivals as hes a great wrestler.
Corbin needs to win the fued with Zayn as he needs a big push. Maybe a US title run or something.
If Strowman doesnt face Lesnar it should become a triple threat match between Lesnar, Reigns and Balor, would be an epic match.. Balor winning would give him a huge push and this could lead to a fued between Reigns and Lesnar maybe because they're blaming each other for the loss.
Dean Ambrose needs to have a fued with Jeff Hardy when the tag team go their seperate ways. Seeing Hardy as the Intercontinental Champion would in my make the title more special. Miz really needs a good rival as well. Maybe Matt Hardy. Bullet Club also deserve a long tag title reign.
Also Randy Orton is being poorly booked. He got pinned by Mahal.. Really?! Orton needs to be booked with great rivals as hes a great wrestler.
Corbin needs to win the fued with Zayn as he needs a big push. Maybe a US title run or something.
Orton is so boring it's almost untrue. I hate to say this about superstars, but sometimes I question whether his heart is even in it anymore. He doesn't reinvent himself or take chances - ever.
As for Reigns, apparently he's en route for a Miz feud. That's smart. He needs an out and out heel, not somebody like Strowman, or Owens, or Wyatt, who it's cool to cheer.
As for Reigns, apparently he's en route for a Miz feud. That's smart. He needs an out and out heel, not somebody like Strowman, or Owens, or Wyatt, who it's cool to cheer.
Original post by King_786
Do you guys reckon they are keeping Reigns a face even though hes getting booed due to the fact that the Shield may re-unite for a match or two? Then after that they would turn him heel, makes sense. If Strowman doesnt face Lesnar it should become a triple threat match between Lesnar, Reigns and Balor, would be an epic match.. Balor winning would give him a huge push and this could lead to a fued between Reigns and Lesnar maybe because they're blaming each other for the loss. Dean Ambrose needs to have a fued with Jeff Hardy when the tag team go their seperate ways. Seeing Hardy as the Intercontinental Champion would in my make the title more special. Miz really needs a good rival as well. Maybe Matt Hardy. Bullet Club also deserve a long tag title reign. Also Randy Orton is being poorly booked. He got pinned by Mahal.. Really?! Orton needs to be booked with great rivals as hes a great wrestler. Corbin needs to win the fued with Zayn as he needs a big push. Maybe a US title run or something.
Reigns is a heel if anything, but 'face' and 'heel' stopped being a thing years ago, probably starting with the Lesnar/Taker feud. Now you just have people. At any given time, a few are obviously dicks (Owens, Miz), a few are obviously good guys (Becky, Cena) but generally everyone is shades of both.
Splitting up the Hardyz, let alone before they get to be 'Broken', would destroy them.
Mahal got the pin because Orton is beating him in the title match.
Corbin is getting a world title push this year.
(edited 6 years ago)
This is good news: http://whatculture.com/wwe/wwe-reconsidering-charlottes-face-turn
For my money, Charlotte will never be a true babyface. She's just far too good in the heel role. She could be the women division's Triple H (without the burying and nepotism, hopefully). Her vs Naomi is a really stellar feud. The Shake-Up has given us plenty of options going forward: Becky Lynch vs Carmella, Becky Lynch vs Natalya, Naomi vs Natalya, Charlotte vs Natalya, Charlotte vs Naomi. Even Naomi vs Tamina, or Charlotte vs Tamina, has great potential too. That's why it's so disappointing just three minutes was afforded to the blue brand women on SmackDown this week.
For my money, Charlotte will never be a true babyface. She's just far too good in the heel role. She could be the women division's Triple H (without the burying and nepotism, hopefully). Her vs Naomi is a really stellar feud. The Shake-Up has given us plenty of options going forward: Becky Lynch vs Carmella, Becky Lynch vs Natalya, Naomi vs Natalya, Charlotte vs Natalya, Charlotte vs Naomi. Even Naomi vs Tamina, or Charlotte vs Tamina, has great potential too. That's why it's so disappointing just three minutes was afforded to the blue brand women on SmackDown this week.
Original post by ozzyoscy
Reigns is a heel if anything, but 'face' and 'heel' stopped being a thing years ago, probably starting with the Lesnar/Taker feud. Now you just have people. At any given time, a few are obviously dicks (Owens, Miz), a few are obviously good guys (Becky, Cena) but generally everyone is shades of both.
Splitting up the Hardyz, let alone before they get to be 'Broken', would destroy them.
Mahal got the pin because Orton is beating him in the title match.
Corbin is getting a world title push this year.
Splitting up the Hardyz, let alone before they get to be 'Broken', would destroy them.
Mahal got the pin because Orton is beating him in the title match.
Corbin is getting a world title push this year.
I still really like Reigns, his matches are amazing but its gonna be difficult for people to like him again. So just like @Mackay said it would be great for him to have a fued with Miz and it would give Miz a slight push too if they give him a match against him where he wins or has a few great moments of wrestling.
Yeah, forgot about the Brocken act. If they become Brocken it would be great for the tag team division.
Yh, thats the thing, WWE are too predictable, who actually thinks Mahal has a chance. Orton is to big of a superstar to lose against him. Yeah I agree with @Mackay that Orton is getting a bit boring with the way hes being booked but he can still be a great wrestler. When he was in a fued with the Authority thats when he was at his best. He needs to have a fued with AJ Styles or Baron Corbin.
Corbin deserves a push, hes a great wrestler. His finisher is madness. Very cool.
Original post by King_786
I still really like Reigns, his matches are amazing but its gonna be difficult for people to like him again. So just like @Mackay said it would be great for him to have a fued with Miz and it would give Miz a slight push too if they give him a match against him where he wins or has a few great moments of wrestling.
Yeah, forgot about the Brocken act. If they become Brocken it would be great for the tag team division.
Yh, thats the thing, WWE are too predictable, who actually thinks Mahal has a chance. Orton is to big of a superstar to lose against him. Yeah I agree with @Mackay that Orton is getting a bit boring with the way hes being booked but he can still be a great wrestler. When he was in a fued with the Authority thats when he was at his best. He needs to have a fued with AJ Styles or Baron Corbin.
Corbin deserves a push, hes a great wrestler. His finisher is madness. Very cool.
Yeah, forgot about the Brocken act. If they become Brocken it would be great for the tag team division.
Yh, thats the thing, WWE are too predictable, who actually thinks Mahal has a chance. Orton is to big of a superstar to lose against him. Yeah I agree with @Mackay that Orton is getting a bit boring with the way hes being booked but he can still be a great wrestler. When he was in a fued with the Authority thats when he was at his best. He needs to have a fued with AJ Styles or Baron Corbin.
Corbin deserves a push, hes a great wrestler. His finisher is madness. Very cool.
Corbin will be set for the MITB briefcase, I expect. He'll end up facing Orton/Styles at Summerslam. The next logical feud for Orton is Styles. He's in desperate need of a heel turn and some life breathed into his stale character.
Original post by Mackay
Corbin will be set for the MITB briefcase, I expect. He'll end up facing Orton/Styles at Summerslam. The next logical feud for Orton is Styles. He's in desperate need of a heel turn and some life breathed into his stale character.
Agreed. Maybe at MITB, Orton vs AJ with Orton about to win after hitting an RKO on Styles but Corbin comes in and cashes in just before Orton is about to pin AJ. and nearly loses as he is hit by an RKO straight away but Orton is then phenomenal fore armed. Then after a slight pause Corbin gets the End of Days on AJ and wins. After the match both are pissed but AJ brings up a hand but gets RKO'd instead. Would be a great ending in my opinion. And a great way for Orton to turn heel and lights up the fued even more between the 2. Lets just say this is there first one on one match.
Yes I know, I should become a WWE writer.
(edited 6 years ago)
Man, the news Strowman is out for 6 months is a major, major blow. Regardless, RAW did well to build excitement for Extreme Rules last night. Kurt Angle declared a Fatal 5-Way No. 1 Contender Match in the opening segment - featuring Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, Bray Wyatt and Seth Rollins. Naturally, each competitor interrupted - Reigns first, declaring RAW "his yard" and taking credit for injuring Strowman, then Balor, Joe, Wyatt and finally Rollins. The latter rightly said they'll all face each other over the coming weeks, a hint that WWE has 50/50 booking and plenty of singles match-ups planned. We saw Balor stand tall in the opening segment once violence erupted, but he ate a pin vs Reigns later in the night. To be honest, that booking is smart. Balor has a win over Reigns already on his resume, so evening the score means WWE potentially has a deciding match to play with later on down the line. The match was good, much better than the main event, which saw Wyatt face Rollins in their first ever singles match. The crowd was stale by this point, owing to the three-hour running time, but the in-ring action was good enough and it was pleasing to see Wyatt stand tall by delivering a Sister Abigail to both Joe (he interfered to cost either man the win) and Rollins.
In terms of other matches, Jeff Hardy defeated Sheamus in the opening bout of the night, in a fun match but one which hinted this rivalry is losing steam quite quickly. WWE needs to freshen it up, because we're seeing the same formula week in, week out, right now. I have every faith Sheamus and Cesaro will take the straps off the Hardyz, it's just a matter of time. Similarly, one of my favourite storylines - Neville vs Austin Aries - is also losing steam. The duo were booked in a tag team match, with TJP and Jack Gallagher partnering both respectively (the heels won). All four are so talented, but it felt repetitive. We're seeing the same thing every week, on RAW and 205 Live, it seems. I'd like to see Neville retain at Extreme Rules and then get a new challenger.
The women's division had mixed fortunes Monday night. We saw Alicia Fox run over Sasha Banks in three minutes - hardly a glowing endorsement of the Women's Division - before Alexa Bliss cut a scathing and talented promo later in the night. She's so good as the cocky heel, and she was excellent once again last night. Bayley showed some steel and fire, which is a welcome development to her character ahead of Extreme Rules, where she will need to get nasty and mean. It was a shame we didn't see the spectre of Nia Jax hanging over the pair, but oh well. Bayley's in desperate need of a character shift, owing to the fact some sections of the crowd are booing her now. Being an out-and-out babyface just isn't cool, is it?
The Intercontinental Championship was highlighted again, with Dean Ambrose set to face the Miz at Extreme Rules. I'd like to see the Miz in the main event, really, but these two have good in-ring chemistry and they are solid workers WWE can rely on to deliver a secondary championship storyline. Last night, Ambrose retained the belt but lost to the Miz, laying him flat with a low blow to draw the disqualification. This feud seems well-trodden at this point, owing to the fact they feuded on SmackDown, and both competitor needs a fresh opponent post-Extreme Rules.
The other segments of note were contrasting: we saw Goldust turn on R-Truth, breaking up The Golden Truth with a shocking beatdown before they were scheduled to meet the Club. That was a really shocking development and I loved it. It completely swerved me. But the other segment, which saw Big Cass beat Titus O'Neil after Enzo cut an annoying promo (as usual) was just worthless and did nothing for me. The O'Neil/Apollo Crews alliance is potentially interesting, but WWE needs to do something to rebuild the pair after months (and, in O'Neil's case, years) of being perennial lower carders.
In terms of other matches, Jeff Hardy defeated Sheamus in the opening bout of the night, in a fun match but one which hinted this rivalry is losing steam quite quickly. WWE needs to freshen it up, because we're seeing the same formula week in, week out, right now. I have every faith Sheamus and Cesaro will take the straps off the Hardyz, it's just a matter of time. Similarly, one of my favourite storylines - Neville vs Austin Aries - is also losing steam. The duo were booked in a tag team match, with TJP and Jack Gallagher partnering both respectively (the heels won). All four are so talented, but it felt repetitive. We're seeing the same thing every week, on RAW and 205 Live, it seems. I'd like to see Neville retain at Extreme Rules and then get a new challenger.
The women's division had mixed fortunes Monday night. We saw Alicia Fox run over Sasha Banks in three minutes - hardly a glowing endorsement of the Women's Division - before Alexa Bliss cut a scathing and talented promo later in the night. She's so good as the cocky heel, and she was excellent once again last night. Bayley showed some steel and fire, which is a welcome development to her character ahead of Extreme Rules, where she will need to get nasty and mean. It was a shame we didn't see the spectre of Nia Jax hanging over the pair, but oh well. Bayley's in desperate need of a character shift, owing to the fact some sections of the crowd are booing her now. Being an out-and-out babyface just isn't cool, is it?
The Intercontinental Championship was highlighted again, with Dean Ambrose set to face the Miz at Extreme Rules. I'd like to see the Miz in the main event, really, but these two have good in-ring chemistry and they are solid workers WWE can rely on to deliver a secondary championship storyline. Last night, Ambrose retained the belt but lost to the Miz, laying him flat with a low blow to draw the disqualification. This feud seems well-trodden at this point, owing to the fact they feuded on SmackDown, and both competitor needs a fresh opponent post-Extreme Rules.
The other segments of note were contrasting: we saw Goldust turn on R-Truth, breaking up The Golden Truth with a shocking beatdown before they were scheduled to meet the Club. That was a really shocking development and I loved it. It completely swerved me. But the other segment, which saw Big Cass beat Titus O'Neil after Enzo cut an annoying promo (as usual) was just worthless and did nothing for me. The O'Neil/Apollo Crews alliance is potentially interesting, but WWE needs to do something to rebuild the pair after months (and, in O'Neil's case, years) of being perennial lower carders.
A weird episode of SmackDown for me, largely because I just don't accept Jinder Mahal as a credible challenger. We saw him beat AJ Styles, thanks to interference from Kevin Owens, after the three kicked off the night with an in-ring segment. It's clever to build up Mahal, and I know they need to, but five weeks ago he was losing to Mojo Rawley in a squash match, and now he's beating Styles. 50/50 booking would dictate Styles gets the win over Owens this weekend, but I can't see that happening, given his injury and the fact WWE will want to milk this feud for all its worth. I see them both being in the MITB Ladder Match, before a deciding match further down the route. The Owens/Styles feud is the best thing on SmackDown at the minute, bar the Fashion Files, and the Highlight Reel shtick was a good segment.
Mahal also beat down Randy Orton to close out the show, ahead of their Backlash bout, following the champion's victory over Baron Corbin in the main event. Corbin looked a real star here, meshing well with Orton, and it was a refreshing match-up which hints Corbin may be ready for the push WWE are reportedly set to give him. This weekend, Corbin will face Sami Zayn at Backlash, and we also saw Tye Dillinger vs Aiden English booked for the pre-show.
As for the Fashion Files, it shone yet again - and was my highlight of the show. The Usos cut a great promo after Breezango ran over the Colons, and this feud is rapidly developing. It's been really good and promising thus far. To be honest, I don't see the babyfaces winning this weekend, given the fact The New Day are set to return in June (according to reports). It makes sense for WWE to have a money feud between the New Day and the Usos. Whatever happens, Breezango must be developed post-Backlash. It's a great gimmick and they've enjoyed a career resurgence of late. Keep them highlighted, give them screen time, and it will add depth to the division.
The other segments of note were Carmella picking up a much-needed win over Naomi, lending her momentum and credibility going forward. That bout, which was surprisingly good, followed the Welcoming Committee staring down Naomi, Charlotte and Becky Lynch. The two teams were introduced by Shane McMahon in the ring, and while the entrances dragged (thus causing the segment to lose steam), it did its job in hyping Sunday's bout. James Ellsworth is a heck of an annoying heel, and I'd love to see an inter-gender match between him and Lynch somewhere down the line (something Lynch has gone on record as saying she'd be open to).
On 205 Live, we saw Noam Dar - alongside Alicia Fox - defeat Gran Metalik in the opening bout, either side of a pair of decent backstage interviews: Austin Aries hyping his bout with TJP later in the night, and the Brian Kendrick, who hyped his streetfight next week with Akira Tozawa. We also saw Cedric Alexander's return hyped by a vignette, which is really promising. As I've mentioned time and time again, I want Neville to run with the belt for as long as possible. I think Aries, who beat TJP in the main event, is a really good performer but he's a better heel. Last night, he got the win but triggered a beatdown from Neville and TJP, only for Jack Gallagher to make the save. 205 Live, and the cruiserweight division in general, is suffering from monotonous and repetitive booking. We see these four stars go toe-to-toe every week, just like we see Mustapha Ali (who fought to a no contest vs Tony Nese, after Drew Gulak ambushed him en route to the ring) clash with Gulak every week. It's getting same-y. The other segment of note was a farcical storyline centring around Gallagher, Rich Swann, Ariya Daivari and a box of powder. The less said, the better.
Mahal also beat down Randy Orton to close out the show, ahead of their Backlash bout, following the champion's victory over Baron Corbin in the main event. Corbin looked a real star here, meshing well with Orton, and it was a refreshing match-up which hints Corbin may be ready for the push WWE are reportedly set to give him. This weekend, Corbin will face Sami Zayn at Backlash, and we also saw Tye Dillinger vs Aiden English booked for the pre-show.
As for the Fashion Files, it shone yet again - and was my highlight of the show. The Usos cut a great promo after Breezango ran over the Colons, and this feud is rapidly developing. It's been really good and promising thus far. To be honest, I don't see the babyfaces winning this weekend, given the fact The New Day are set to return in June (according to reports). It makes sense for WWE to have a money feud between the New Day and the Usos. Whatever happens, Breezango must be developed post-Backlash. It's a great gimmick and they've enjoyed a career resurgence of late. Keep them highlighted, give them screen time, and it will add depth to the division.
The other segments of note were Carmella picking up a much-needed win over Naomi, lending her momentum and credibility going forward. That bout, which was surprisingly good, followed the Welcoming Committee staring down Naomi, Charlotte and Becky Lynch. The two teams were introduced by Shane McMahon in the ring, and while the entrances dragged (thus causing the segment to lose steam), it did its job in hyping Sunday's bout. James Ellsworth is a heck of an annoying heel, and I'd love to see an inter-gender match between him and Lynch somewhere down the line (something Lynch has gone on record as saying she'd be open to).
On 205 Live, we saw Noam Dar - alongside Alicia Fox - defeat Gran Metalik in the opening bout, either side of a pair of decent backstage interviews: Austin Aries hyping his bout with TJP later in the night, and the Brian Kendrick, who hyped his streetfight next week with Akira Tozawa. We also saw Cedric Alexander's return hyped by a vignette, which is really promising. As I've mentioned time and time again, I want Neville to run with the belt for as long as possible. I think Aries, who beat TJP in the main event, is a really good performer but he's a better heel. Last night, he got the win but triggered a beatdown from Neville and TJP, only for Jack Gallagher to make the save. 205 Live, and the cruiserweight division in general, is suffering from monotonous and repetitive booking. We see these four stars go toe-to-toe every week, just like we see Mustapha Ali (who fought to a no contest vs Tony Nese, after Drew Gulak ambushed him en route to the ring) clash with Gulak every week. It's getting same-y. The other segment of note was a farcical storyline centring around Gallagher, Rich Swann, Ariya Daivari and a box of powder. The less said, the better.
Updated Backlash card:
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Usos (c) vs. Breezango
United States Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. AJ Styles
Naomi, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch vs. Tamina, Carmella, and Natalya
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper
Kickoff Show: Aiden English vs. Tye Dillinger
Predictions: Dillinger, Harper, Corbin, Nakamura, Tamina/Carmella/Natalya, Owens, The Usos, Orton.
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Usos (c) vs. Breezango
United States Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. AJ Styles
Naomi, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch vs. Tamina, Carmella, and Natalya
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper
Kickoff Show: Aiden English vs. Tye Dillinger
Predictions: Dillinger, Harper, Corbin, Nakamura, Tamina/Carmella/Natalya, Owens, The Usos, Orton.
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