WWE Great Balls of Fire Results and Review: Sometimes the Name Fits Too Well

Written by: Kevin Berge (All Images Courtesy of: WWE.com)

Great Balls of Fire. They named it Great Balls of Fire, and they expect me to give it a genuine opening. Still, I'll give this show credit. The card looked great coming in with many brand new clashes including Samoa Joe vs. Brock Lesnar and Neville vs. Akira Tozawa.

Sorry to those who follow about missing Monday Night Raw. I was on vacation. Maybe it will make me more excited for this show though. I might even be lenient.

Someone forgot to tell Tozawa this was a "low blows allowed" match.

Neville def. Akira Tozawa to Retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Overview: Akira Tozawa seemed to be out of his depth as Neville dissected him from the start. Neville continued to use his situational awareness to escape Tozawa's bursts of energy and managed to crotch Tozawa on the top rope followed by kicking the rope hard. He finished Tozawa off with a low blow spinning back kick to take the win.

Highlights:

• Tozawa sent Neville to the floor with an enzuigiri, but his suicide dive was blocked by an enzuigiri.
• Neville tossed Tozawa back-first into the barricade.
• Neville planted Tozawa with a low-angle dropkick.
• Neville pushed Tozawa away after a series of chops but then took a stiff shot to the face followed by a sudden German suplex with Neville rolling away to avoid a diving senton only to take back-to-back suicide dives.
• Neville caught Tozawa mid-air only for Tozawa to reverse into an octopus hold.
• Neville avoided another diving senton then trapped Tozawa in the ropes for a series of chest kicks then a dropkick.
• Neville planted Tozawa with a corner dropkick then a running forearm in the other corner but then missed a second-rope Red Arrow.
• After a series of roll throughs, Tozawa landed a shining wizard and hit the diving senton with Neville rolling to safety.

Analysis: Neville and Tozawa built from a solid start to a fantastic homestretch. However, the finish was hard to take. Even commentary struggled to explain exactly how Tozawa lost with Neville somewhat winning with a low blow, right in front of the referee. Either way, the story did not fit the finish of a strong opening match between the two.

Rating: 8.25/10

Apparently Seth Rollins didn't wrestle Curt Hawkins enough in preparation for this match.

Bray Wyatt def. Seth Rollins

Overview: Bray Wyatt's power constantly shut off the speed and ferocity of Seth Rollins. When Rollins got rolling back in this match, Wyatt caught Rollins through the ropes with a thumb to the eye then hit the Sister Abigail back in the ring for the win.

Highlights:

• Wyatt caught Rollins mid-suicide dive with a vicious forearm.
• Wyatt landed a spike DDT on the apron.
• Rollins hit a springboard forearm then a running forearm in the corner into a Slingblade followed by a blockbuster.
• Rollins fought off a Sister Abigail then hit an enzuigiri only to take a sudden clothesline.
• Wyatt tripped Rollins on the top rope followed by a jawbreaker then uranage.

Analysis: This was a solid but unexciting match. The two men did not show fantastic chemistry, but I appreciated the story of this contest. Wyatt looked incredible throughout, dominating. His win was a heel win, but it never felt like Wyatt was too far out of this contest, just choosing to cheat because he could.

Rating: 7.75/10

Vince McMahon has been waiting to have this match since the moment he saw these two together. You just know he loved every minute of Cass squashing Enzo.

Big Cass def. Enzo Amore

Overview: Enzo Amore cut an impassioned promo about this match before Big Cass came out with a new theme. Enzo came out in this match with intensity but was completely and utterly outmatched. He threw Enzo around with ease before finishing it off with a big boot.

Highlights:

• Big Cass went for a running boot in the corner but slowed to a stop before hitting it and mocked Enzo, stopping Enzo's attempted flurry and placing him on the top rope for a series of forearms to the back.
  
• Cass gorilla pressed Enzo out of the ring to the floor.
  

Analysis: This was a complete squash as you would expect. Big Cass dominated this match from the outset, and this didn't last long. Enzo's promo did remind everyone how good he is, but the match then just showed he's doomed to fall into the background. Shame Big Cass's push has started with such a generic theme.

Rating: 6/10

Hey, give Jeff credit. He's still able to dive at the 29 minute mark. Maybe nothing else but it's something.

Cesaro and Sheamus def. The Hardy Boyz to Retain the Raw Tag Team Championships

Overview: Cesaro distracted Jeff Hardy right off the bat to allow Sheamus to Brogue Kick Jeff for the 1-0 start. Cesaro and Sheamus isolated Jeff for the White Noise/diving neckbreaker finisher for 2-0. Matt's hot tag allowed them to roll over Cesaro, ending with a Jeff Twist of Fate to go 2-1.

Cesaro managed to keep Matt outside after a flurry of action and threw him into the post to set up a count out to bring it to 3-1. Matt caught Cesaro mid-corner running uppercut to set up a backslide with Jeff running to help with a double leg drop to seal the pin to go 3-2.

Matt managed to even the score with a top rope Twist of Fate to get it to 3-3. Sheamus took the Swanton Bomb, but Cesaro was the legal man and rolled up Jeff for the 4-3 lead, escaping with the win.

Highlights:

• Matt hit a diving elbow to the neck of Cesaro then tagged in Jeff for a Poetry in Motion then Side Effect.
• Sheamus took a full force Hardyac Arrest.
• Matt gave Jeff air for a Poetry in Motion outside onto both men.
• Sheamus tossed Matt outside to set up Cesaro to hit a double axe handle off the apron followed by a running European uppercut into the barricade.
• Sheamus ran right into a Side Effect off a clothesline attempt.
• Jeff was forced to break up a Sharpshooter on Matt from Cesaro.
• Jeff saved himself from the White Noise/diving neckbreaker and sent Cesaro to the floor.
• Matt reversed a White Noise into a corner tilt-a-whirl DDT.
• Matt knocked Sheamus to the mat followed by a moonsault with Cesaro barely saving the pinfall (though not really).

Analysis: The energy was high for this match, but it was a complete mess technically from the start. Unsurprisingly, at their advanced age, The Hardys were gassed ten minutes in. Surprisingly, Cesaro took this match off for long stretches as well, missing even his most common moves.

If it wasn't for Sheamus, this would have been a disaster. Luckily, Sheamus was there and kept the match together with the popularity of the rest of the talent keeping this match exciting for the crowd.

Rating: 7.5/10

Luckily, Sasha actually wants to hurt Alexa. Because she's a WWE wrestler, not just a silly fan.

Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss By Count Out; Alexa Bliss Retains the Raw Women's Championship

Overview: Alexa Bliss used her trick in the book in this match with Sasha Banks fighting through physical pain. Banks' fortitude allowed her to catch Bliss off balance until Bliss decided to escape the contest, slapping Banks through the ropes and staying outside for the count out loss. Afterward, an angry Banks attacked Bliss and hit her with a double knee drop off the announce table.

Highlights:

• Bliss faked an arm injury then hit a sudden vicious forearm.
• Banks caught Bliss with the backstabber into the Bank Statement with Bliss escaping outside.
• Bliss tripped Banks off the apron, landing on her neck, then stomped on her neck repeatedly.
• Bliss whipped the neck of Banks right into her knee.
• Banks blocked a suplex with knees to the gut then hit an exploder into the corner.
• Banks hit a running low-angle knee strike but then strolled into a sunset flip powerbomb.
• The Twisted Bliss fell into Banks' knees followed by a quick Bank Statement with Bliss making it to the ropes.

Analysis: I was enjoying this match from the start as the two seemed to click well, but they tried so hard off the start that they lost the pace of the match down the stretch. Add to this another weak finish that basically just said this feud has only started, and you have a bad opening to Raw's lead female rivalry.

Rating: 7.25/10

I would pay attention to this match, but how can I not be enamored with whatever is wearing Bo Dallas?

The Miz def. Dean Ambrose to Retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Overview: Dean Ambrose attacked Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel as the match began to try and even the odds, but he was quickly overwhelmed back in the ring by The Miz. As Ambrose began to dominate, The Miztourage began interfering with Bo attacking Ambrose from behind to set up a Skull Crushing Finale for the win.

Highlights:

• Ambrose caught Miz with a sudden swinging neckbreaker.
• Ambrose planted Miz with a double underhook suplex off the top rope.
• Ambrose was caught in the tree of woe with Miz then hitting multiple running corner dropkicks with Ambrose escaping and hitting a running clothesline.
• Miz missed a kick in the corner with Ambrose then planting him with a diving elbow drop.
• Maryse saved Miz from Dirty Deeds by getting his foot on the ropes.

Analysis: Ambrose and Miz have found solid chemistry, but this was proof that The Miztourage may be a mistake. There was too much messy interference with so many people saving Miz. Somehow this match was the feud coming full circle as WWE managed to ruin these two just as they got good together. I really hope this is it for these two, but it probably isn't.

Rating: 7.5/10

What a courageous hero this monster is. Going through hell to emerge victorious then surviving attempted vehicular manslaughter.

Braun Strowman def. Roman Reigns in an Ambulance Match

Overview: Braun Strowman started this match off dominant until Roman Reigns managed to target the injured elbow. The two physically destroyed one another and used every weapon at their disposal before Strowman dodged a Spear that sent Reigns into the ambulance with Strowman quickly closing the doors.

Afterward, Reigns freaked out and attacked Strowman, forcing him into the ambulance to then run the ambulance into a wall to attempt to end Strowman once and for all.

Highlights:

• Strowman repeatedly ran the steel steps into the skull of Reigns but barely missed slamming Reigns into the post with them.
• Strowman caught Reigns mid-air for a reverse chokeslam.
• Reigns fought out of a running powerslam then took a big boot only to then catch Reigns running for a sudden powerslam.
• Reigns hit Strowman with a Samoan drop then dodged a charging Strowman, sending him into the post followed by a Drive By to the elbow.
• Reigns began striking the elbow of Strowman into the post followed by using a steel chair with Reigns continuing to try to use the chair with Strowman shrugging it off then knocking it away.
• Strowman tried to powerbomb Reigns through the announce table then managed to throw him into the side of the ambulance instead.
• Reigns Superman Punched Strowman twice and tried to send him into the ambulance only for Strowman to push him off and smack him with a back board.
  
• Reigns went for a Spear into the screen only for Strowman to catch him for a powerslam which Reigns fought out of to push Strowman through the screen.

Analysis: Ambulance matches are never supposed to be this good. No one has managed to master this stipulation before, but two young stars managed just that. Reigns and Strowman are phenomenal together and had their best and most brutal match to date together. The only issue was the finish which was missed that same physicality.

Rating: 9/10

There may be an image of this match, but is there really?

Heath Slater def. Curt Hawkins

Overview: As medical personnel arrived on the scene of Reigns' attack, Heath Slater and Curt Hawkins fought. Slater apparently won though it happened off-screen. Meanwhile, Strowman was taken from the ambulance, bloody and in pain, only to walk away of his own power angrily glaring at anyone trying to help him.

Highlights:

• Sirens began blaring during this match as though the new ambulances were loud enough to be heard throughout the arena.
  
• Slater won a match clean with the most amazing finisher you will never see.
• The firefighters had absolutely no idea how to do their jobs in helping Strowman escape the destruction.
• Some say this match didn't even happen given they missed the amazing finish.

Analysis: This happened. It actually happened. They somehow killed the excitement from a fantastic ambulance match. And I didn't even get to see the finish! What is wrong with these people? I will never know how Slater won. Did he win? Maybe I was totally wrong, and Hawkins got his first win in years. There better be a video package tomorrow to explain this match.

Basically, every segment leading up to this match was a test run for the actual match. The segments might have been longer.

Brock Lesnar def. Samoa Joe to Retain the WWE Universal Championship

Overview: Before the bell could ring, Samoa Joe assaulted Brock Lesnar and sent him through an announce table with a uranage. Lesnar continually struggled with Joe but managed to escape the match with a sudden F5 to win.

Highlights:

• Lesnar tried to fight out of Joe's grip with knees, but Joe refused to let up with strikes.
• Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch then slammed him into the corner.
• Lesnar began firing back with a trio of suplexes with Joe managing to low blow his way out of a fourth with the referee's sight obscured.
• Joe landed another uranage then tried to lock in the Coquina Clutch with Lesnar blocking then turning it into a sidewalk slam.
• Lesnar went shoulder-first into the post but dodged Joe's grip and hit another trio of suplexes.
• Joe reversed the F5 into a Coquina Clutch with Lesnar sending him into the corner but unable to break the grip until he turned it into a F5.

Analysis: This match itself wasn't horrible, but it went from a heated clash of heavyweights at the start into a messy meander to a far-too-quick finish. It is not as if WWE was trying to hurt Joe. Lesnar just doesn't wrestle full matches anymore, so this was as close to a competitive match as we'll get.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: WWE took a great card and managed to make it the joke its name implied. Great balls indeed.

Grade: F