Written by: Kevin Berge (All Images Courtesy of: WWE.com)
Before starting this week's go-home show final builds to SummerSlam, I want to take a moment to offer my condolences to the Neidhart family on the passing of Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Neidhart seemed like a genuinely great guy and was an important part of 1990s WWF.
While he could never match up to Bret Hart's success, he was always fun to watch as the bruiser to Bret's technical acumen. As a member of the Hart Foundation, he helped advance tag team wrestling in the company to new heights. He was the right guy for the time, and I wish he had gotten a Hall of Fame induction before his passing.
Nowadays, his legacy lives on with Natalya, who has consistently done him proud. Much like her father, she may never quite be the standout charismatic performer, but she's a great in-ring hand, who is always able to help build a good story.
Now on to this week....
While he could never match up to Bret Hart's success, he was always fun to watch as the bruiser to Bret's technical acumen. As a member of the Hart Foundation, he helped advance tag team wrestling in the company to new heights. He was the right guy for the time, and I wish he had gotten a Hall of Fame induction before his passing.
Nowadays, his legacy lives on with Natalya, who has consistently done him proud. Much like her father, she may never quite be the standout charismatic performer, but she's a great in-ring hand, who is always able to help build a good story.
Now on to this week....
Who knew Dean Ambrose would discover the bench press in his time off just to impress Triple H? I'm sure this will lead to a solid 3 month push before he stops caring again.
Monday Night Raw August 13, 2018
We Are Finally in Position for a Dean Ambrose Heel Run
Overview: After the whole night was built around the idea that Seth Rollins was having travel issues, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre came out ready for Rollins to forfeit his SummerSlam match by failing to sign the contract. However, Rollins appeared and revealed it was his back-up who was having travel issues: a returning Dean Ambrose.
Analysis: Ambrose is back and looks more in shape than I ever thought he could be. That said, I don't think he fits well right now as a top face on this roster. He and Rollins were a good team earlier in the year, but that was when the Raw tag team division mattered.
Now it seems like the best option would be for The Lunatic Fringe to turn heel. It would make sense as Rollins was the one who inadvertently injured him. It makes more sense given the surprise of Ambrose returning was spoiled six days before SummerSlam. Something more has to be coming.
Paul Heyman Should Turn on Brock Lesnar and Align with Bobby Lashley
Overview: Paul Heyman came out during Roman Reigns' promo and offered him a potential agreement. However, as Reigns looked over the contract, The Advocate blinded him with pepper spray to set up Brock Lesnar to assault The Big Dog and hit an F5.
Analysis: Heyman's actions this week seemed to indicate that he got back on Lesnar's good side, but I don't think all of this makes sense with The Advocate just returning to The Beast's side. In fact, I would be shocked if Heyman doesn't cost his client the title on Sunday.
While it would make sense for this to lead to him allying with Reigns, I think that pairing doesn't quite fit WWE's direction. The easiest story to tell would be Reigns rejecting Heyman's offer after winning the title, and Heyman choosing a new client like a guy who cannot talk to save his life in WWE, Bobby Lashley.
If Alexa Bliss Beats Ronda Rousey, It Will Be Depressing
Overview: Ronda Rousey opened the show to introduce Ember Moon, who faced Alexa Bliss this week. After taking out Bliss's private security with ease, she then got taken out by Bliss and Alicia Fox outside the ring. Fox attacked Moon to cause a disqualification in the match, setting off Rousey who sent both heels up the ramp.
Analysis: I'm already sick of this latest Bliss title reign, but I give her credit for really pushing Rousey's popularity over the top. I am now 100% on board with The Baddest Woman on the Planet as champion. She would make that title so much more interesting.
This story has made Rousey look unstoppable, and it would be such a letdown if it just ends with The Goddess surviving her retribution.
Conclusion
This was a strong episode of Raw that really hit all the stories it needed to for SummerSlam. Beyond the generic half-developed six-man tag match nearing the end of the night, there wasn't a bad moment on this show, and it got me more excited about Raw's SS card.
Sure, Lesnar vs. Reigns is a bore at this point, but I'm starting to come around on the rest. Rousey vs. Bliss was always the main draw, and it should be really good if it is well laid out. With Ambrose involved, Ziggler vs. Rollins could start some new interesting stories.
I'm even starting to get behind Strowman vs. KO just because the two have really strong comedic timing. They're main eventer who should be treated more seriously, but they are producing some of WWE's best comedy in recent memory. It's a lesser brand with a lesser card, but at least the talent are making it interesting.
***As a quick aside, Renee Young was a breath of fresh air on commentary. She still has to grow in confidence and focus in the role, but she already comes off more natural than Jonathan Coachman or Booker T and more comfortable than Beth Phoenix or Lita. Just replace Coachman with her permanently.
Overview: After the whole night was built around the idea that Seth Rollins was having travel issues, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre came out ready for Rollins to forfeit his SummerSlam match by failing to sign the contract. However, Rollins appeared and revealed it was his back-up who was having travel issues: a returning Dean Ambrose.
Analysis: Ambrose is back and looks more in shape than I ever thought he could be. That said, I don't think he fits well right now as a top face on this roster. He and Rollins were a good team earlier in the year, but that was when the Raw tag team division mattered.
Now it seems like the best option would be for The Lunatic Fringe to turn heel. It would make sense as Rollins was the one who inadvertently injured him. It makes more sense given the surprise of Ambrose returning was spoiled six days before SummerSlam. Something more has to be coming.
Paul Heyman Should Turn on Brock Lesnar and Align with Bobby Lashley
Overview: Paul Heyman came out during Roman Reigns' promo and offered him a potential agreement. However, as Reigns looked over the contract, The Advocate blinded him with pepper spray to set up Brock Lesnar to assault The Big Dog and hit an F5.
Analysis: Heyman's actions this week seemed to indicate that he got back on Lesnar's good side, but I don't think all of this makes sense with The Advocate just returning to The Beast's side. In fact, I would be shocked if Heyman doesn't cost his client the title on Sunday.
While it would make sense for this to lead to him allying with Reigns, I think that pairing doesn't quite fit WWE's direction. The easiest story to tell would be Reigns rejecting Heyman's offer after winning the title, and Heyman choosing a new client like a guy who cannot talk to save his life in WWE, Bobby Lashley.
If Alexa Bliss Beats Ronda Rousey, It Will Be Depressing
Overview: Ronda Rousey opened the show to introduce Ember Moon, who faced Alexa Bliss this week. After taking out Bliss's private security with ease, she then got taken out by Bliss and Alicia Fox outside the ring. Fox attacked Moon to cause a disqualification in the match, setting off Rousey who sent both heels up the ramp.
Analysis: I'm already sick of this latest Bliss title reign, but I give her credit for really pushing Rousey's popularity over the top. I am now 100% on board with The Baddest Woman on the Planet as champion. She would make that title so much more interesting.
This story has made Rousey look unstoppable, and it would be such a letdown if it just ends with The Goddess surviving her retribution.
Conclusion
This was a strong episode of Raw that really hit all the stories it needed to for SummerSlam. Beyond the generic half-developed six-man tag match nearing the end of the night, there wasn't a bad moment on this show, and it got me more excited about Raw's SS card.
Sure, Lesnar vs. Reigns is a bore at this point, but I'm starting to come around on the rest. Rousey vs. Bliss was always the main draw, and it should be really good if it is well laid out. With Ambrose involved, Ziggler vs. Rollins could start some new interesting stories.
I'm even starting to get behind Strowman vs. KO just because the two have really strong comedic timing. They're main eventer who should be treated more seriously, but they are producing some of WWE's best comedy in recent memory. It's a lesser brand with a lesser card, but at least the talent are making it interesting.
***As a quick aside, Renee Young was a breath of fresh air on commentary. She still has to grow in confidence and focus in the role, but she already comes off more natural than Jonathan Coachman or Booker T and more comfortable than Beth Phoenix or Lita. Just replace Coachman with her permanently.
Wait until Samoa Joe reveals he's been sleeping with AJ Styles' wife the whole time.
SmackDown Live August 14, 2018
Daniel Bryan and The Miz Make SummerSlam Feel More Special Than Everything Else on the Card Combined
Overview: A series of three video packages were shown on SmackDown that went over the entire history of Bryan and Miz (only missing Bryan's United States Championship win over The A-Lister), ending with both men cutting fired up promos about how ready they are to win at SummerSlam.
Analysis: I'm excited for SummerSlam overall. The card is solid. Beyond the embarrassing retread of Reigns vs. Lesnar, there's not much to complain about. That said, only Bryan vs. Miz feels truly worthy of Big Four status. It comes off like a WrestleMania main event.
All these years of build up are paying off with Bryan and Miz doing some of the best work of their careers on the mic. Now it comes down to the ring work, and I would not be surprised if they put on a match of the year.
The Story of AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe Could Quickly Go Off the Deep End
Overview: AJ Styles tried his best to focus on Sunday, but Samoa Joe came out to read a letter he was given by Styles' wife Wendy. The letter stated that Joe was right and Wendy wanted Styles to lose to move on from his wrestling obsession.
Analysis: I understand playing mind games, but bringing up family in a feud is always a slippery slope. At this point, I am expecting Wendy to actually have to speak on SmackDown at some point. She's not a competitor and should not be treated as such.
My greater fear though is this leads to some sort of fidelity story where Styles has to prove how faithful he is to his wife. I'm already getting terrible flashbacks, and I don't even want to mention from what storyline.
It Would Be a Tragedy if Becky Lynch is Not SmackDown Women's Champion in 2018
Overview: Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Carmella opened the show for one last face off. Just as Carmella was seemingly getting under her opponents' skin, Paige interrupted to make a tag team match between Lynch & Charlotte and Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville.
In the end, Lynch did not consider tagging out, rallying to take out both former members of Absolution and locking Rose in the Dis-arm-her for the submission. Afterward, tension was still high as Charlotte and Lynch tried to play nice backstage.
Analysis: The tag team match here was some of Lynch's weakest work in months, but I take that to mean she's fully focused on preparing for Sunday. The triple threat should be fantastic, hopefully utilizing Carmella's strengths better than most of her title defenses.
That said, I just don't see how this story cannot end with Lynch eventually winning the SmackDown Women's Championship. I mean, I can because WWE always screws her over, but Lynch needs to win the title this year even if it isn't on Sunday. She is ready for that spotlight again.
Conclusion
SmackDown really took this week off for whatever reason. Multiple segments felt rushed. The matches were a mixed bag with multiple stars seemingly saving themselves for Sunday. It was the weakest the brand has been in over a month when it mattered most.
It still did enough to make SummerSlam more interesting, but I have now come to expect more from this brand. The New Day vs. Sanity was basically the best thing on this show, and it was still depressing because it showed just how far Sanity has fallen so quickly.
I'm willing to write this week off as lazy writing with full focus on Sunday. I just hope that it makes SummerSlam better.
Overview: A series of three video packages were shown on SmackDown that went over the entire history of Bryan and Miz (only missing Bryan's United States Championship win over The A-Lister), ending with both men cutting fired up promos about how ready they are to win at SummerSlam.
Analysis: I'm excited for SummerSlam overall. The card is solid. Beyond the embarrassing retread of Reigns vs. Lesnar, there's not much to complain about. That said, only Bryan vs. Miz feels truly worthy of Big Four status. It comes off like a WrestleMania main event.
All these years of build up are paying off with Bryan and Miz doing some of the best work of their careers on the mic. Now it comes down to the ring work, and I would not be surprised if they put on a match of the year.
The Story of AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe Could Quickly Go Off the Deep End
Overview: AJ Styles tried his best to focus on Sunday, but Samoa Joe came out to read a letter he was given by Styles' wife Wendy. The letter stated that Joe was right and Wendy wanted Styles to lose to move on from his wrestling obsession.
Analysis: I understand playing mind games, but bringing up family in a feud is always a slippery slope. At this point, I am expecting Wendy to actually have to speak on SmackDown at some point. She's not a competitor and should not be treated as such.
My greater fear though is this leads to some sort of fidelity story where Styles has to prove how faithful he is to his wife. I'm already getting terrible flashbacks, and I don't even want to mention from what storyline.
It Would Be a Tragedy if Becky Lynch is Not SmackDown Women's Champion in 2018
Overview: Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Carmella opened the show for one last face off. Just as Carmella was seemingly getting under her opponents' skin, Paige interrupted to make a tag team match between Lynch & Charlotte and Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville.
In the end, Lynch did not consider tagging out, rallying to take out both former members of Absolution and locking Rose in the Dis-arm-her for the submission. Afterward, tension was still high as Charlotte and Lynch tried to play nice backstage.
Analysis: The tag team match here was some of Lynch's weakest work in months, but I take that to mean she's fully focused on preparing for Sunday. The triple threat should be fantastic, hopefully utilizing Carmella's strengths better than most of her title defenses.
That said, I just don't see how this story cannot end with Lynch eventually winning the SmackDown Women's Championship. I mean, I can because WWE always screws her over, but Lynch needs to win the title this year even if it isn't on Sunday. She is ready for that spotlight again.
Conclusion
SmackDown really took this week off for whatever reason. Multiple segments felt rushed. The matches were a mixed bag with multiple stars seemingly saving themselves for Sunday. It was the weakest the brand has been in over a month when it mattered most.
It still did enough to make SummerSlam more interesting, but I have now come to expect more from this brand. The New Day vs. Sanity was basically the best thing on this show, and it was still depressing because it showed just how far Sanity has fallen so quickly.
I'm willing to write this week off as lazy writing with full focus on Sunday. I just hope that it makes SummerSlam better.
Kyle O'Reilly can't afford to lose another tag team partner, Tyler. Don't go too hard.
205 Live August 14, 2018
Lio Rush Already Needs a New Gimmick
Overview: Lio Rush taunted Akira Tozawa before their rematch, certain of his coming victory. While Tozawa had him attempting to escape the match at multiple times, he still managed to trip Tozawa and hit The Final Hour for the win.
Analysis: There are so many great wrestlers at the top of their game right now on 205 Live. Rush is clearly talented and impressively fluid, but he will not match up well with the rest of this roster. His promos are embarrassing right now. He's basically coming off as a TJP knockoff, who isn't even treated as a top 5 star in the division.
Overview: Lio Rush taunted Akira Tozawa before their rematch, certain of his coming victory. While Tozawa had him attempting to escape the match at multiple times, he still managed to trip Tozawa and hit The Final Hour for the win.
Analysis: There are so many great wrestlers at the top of their game right now on 205 Live. Rush is clearly talented and impressively fluid, but he will not match up well with the rest of this roster. His promos are embarrassing right now. He's basically coming off as a TJP knockoff, who isn't even treated as a top 5 star in the division.
NXT August 15, 2018
NXT's Tag Team Division is Almost Back on Track
Overview: The Mighty fought Street Profits with Montez Ford rolling up Nick Miller with a handful of tights to win. Tyler Bate fought Roderick Strong with their partners in their corners. After a solid back and forth, Kyle O'Reilly was taken out on the outside as was Trent Seven before Bate caught Strong with the Tyler Driver for the win.
Analysis: This week's main event was a really strong match on paper, but it felt like Strong and Bate never got going. Despite this, I can't help but be excited for the tag team title match coming up. The two teams have had strong matches both times so far, and this will be the supposed climax.
This tag team division is the weakest division in NXT right now, but there's some hope at the moment. Moustache Mountain and Undisputed Era are putting on top tier matches lately, and War Raiders, The Mighty, Street Profits, and Heavy Machinery are the start of a solid new foundation.
Overview: The Mighty fought Street Profits with Montez Ford rolling up Nick Miller with a handful of tights to win. Tyler Bate fought Roderick Strong with their partners in their corners. After a solid back and forth, Kyle O'Reilly was taken out on the outside as was Trent Seven before Bate caught Strong with the Tyler Driver for the win.
Analysis: This week's main event was a really strong match on paper, but it felt like Strong and Bate never got going. Despite this, I can't help but be excited for the tag team title match coming up. The two teams have had strong matches both times so far, and this will be the supposed climax.
This tag team division is the weakest division in NXT right now, but there's some hope at the moment. Moustache Mountain and Undisputed Era are putting on top tier matches lately, and War Raiders, The Mighty, Street Profits, and Heavy Machinery are the start of a solid new foundation.
Match of the Week
Cedric Alexander vs. Jack Gallagher - 205 Live August 14 (Rating: 8.5/10)
This was a really solid showcase match for Jack Gallagher who went after Cedric Alexander from the opening bell. He got creative and really got to dig into his technical move set. It was as good as Gallagher has looked as a heel since turning.
Honestly, the only issue with this match was the finish which just came out of nowhere. Alexander won with a Spanish Fly after getting beat down the whole match. It made The Gentleman look like enhancement talent in a match where his overall performance was worthy of the top of the card.
Honorable Mention: The B-Team vs. The Revival vs. The Deleters of Worlds - Monday Night Raw August 13 (Rating: 8.25/10)
This felt like a solid PPV filler match with all three tag teams giving it their all. In truth, the talent in this match is not that high. The Revival are all stars, but Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas are just fine in the ring at best. Matt Hardy is broken down, and he's still getting more in-ring time than Bray Wyatt for some reason.
That said, you really felt that everyone here was motivated. The spots were surprisingly impressive and pushed the action over the top. The Revival's tactics really started to feel like they were the same group from NXT, and Axel and Dallas actually played the game well rather than lucking into a win.
This was a really solid showcase match for Jack Gallagher who went after Cedric Alexander from the opening bell. He got creative and really got to dig into his technical move set. It was as good as Gallagher has looked as a heel since turning.
Honestly, the only issue with this match was the finish which just came out of nowhere. Alexander won with a Spanish Fly after getting beat down the whole match. It made The Gentleman look like enhancement talent in a match where his overall performance was worthy of the top of the card.
Honorable Mention: The B-Team vs. The Revival vs. The Deleters of Worlds - Monday Night Raw August 13 (Rating: 8.25/10)
This felt like a solid PPV filler match with all three tag teams giving it their all. In truth, the talent in this match is not that high. The Revival are all stars, but Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas are just fine in the ring at best. Matt Hardy is broken down, and he's still getting more in-ring time than Bray Wyatt for some reason.
That said, you really felt that everyone here was motivated. The spots were surprisingly impressive and pushed the action over the top. The Revival's tactics really started to feel like they were the same group from NXT, and Axel and Dallas actually played the game well rather than lucking into a win.
