Written by: Kevin Berge (All Images Courtesy of: WWE.com)
It has been a fascinating year of wrestling with WWE making dramatic shifts in an interesting direction. 2019 should hopefully take that momentum and run with it. If my best match of 2018 list showed anything, the brand's wrestling quality is absurd right now.
There's no reason that shouldn't only improve in the coming months. Let the stars shine through. Let talent in every division have time to stand out. This is how WWE can battle any sense that the show is not getting better.
All this is to say, welcome to 2019. For now, it's going to feel a lot like 2018.
There's no reason that shouldn't only improve in the coming months. Let the stars shine through. Let talent in every division have time to stand out. This is how WWE can battle any sense that the show is not getting better.
All this is to say, welcome to 2019. For now, it's going to feel a lot like 2018.
Dean Ambrose is impressed by Apollo Crews' sheer determination, given the champ's rarely put this much effort in on his best days.
Monday Night Raw December 31, 2018
Apollo Crews May Never Stand Out in WWE, But He's a Great TV Title Contender
Overview: Seth Rollins demanded a rematch against Dean Ambrose, but Triple H forced him to fight Bobby Lashley instead to embrace his aggression again, getting disqualified while assaulting him with a steel chair. This left an opening for a battle royal with the winner competing against Ambrose.
Apollo Crews eliminating eight wrestlers, last taking out Baron Corbin to win. He then pushed the Intercontinental Champion to his limit before getting caught with Dirty Deeds.
Analysis: Crews' run in WWE feels like a pretty clear showcase of how WWE has been using their wealth of talent. He's a solid wrestler with the potential to be so much more, but the company has not fostered his potential. He pushed past NXT and mainly just gets random title shots.
To be fair, he does well with them as a whole. He always makes a solid impression that could become something more if he actually got to work longer angles. He needs experience he is just not getting consistently in WWE.
Dolph Ziggler Had a Quality 2018 But 2019 Likely Won't Be a Great Follow-Up
Overview: Drew McIntyre fought Dolph Ziggler in a steel cage match to start the show. While The Showoff fought valiantly, The Scottish Psychopath caught Ziggler with a Claymore into another Claymore to take the victory. Afterward, McIntyre continue to hit Claymores on Ziggler before announcing he would compete in the Rumble.
Analysis: This was a strong match to end the year that showcased much of what made this an important year for Ziggler. After years of occasionally having a couple good months, his work with McIntyre this year was some of his most consistently excellent work.
Now that he and McIntyre have broken up and their feud was not even given a single pay-per-view spotlight, it feels like he's being shuffled off to the side. I don't know how he'll be used in 2019, but it is unlikely he'll find as much success as he did in 2018 especially with the roster continuing to grow.
Conclusion
This was a perfectly fine show that felt a bit like WWE was tying up loose ends. McIntyre vs. Ziggler and Rousey and Natalya vs. Jax and Tamina felt like final acts in these feuds. Rollins may be moving past Ambrose while Corbin seems to be just about at the end of his current run.
It was a fine show that could be largely ignored, which is better than some of the typical three hours of wrestling the red brand has produced. Hopefully though, with the holidays over, WWE is about to take some serious risks to set up Royal Rumble.
Overview: Seth Rollins demanded a rematch against Dean Ambrose, but Triple H forced him to fight Bobby Lashley instead to embrace his aggression again, getting disqualified while assaulting him with a steel chair. This left an opening for a battle royal with the winner competing against Ambrose.
Apollo Crews eliminating eight wrestlers, last taking out Baron Corbin to win. He then pushed the Intercontinental Champion to his limit before getting caught with Dirty Deeds.
Analysis: Crews' run in WWE feels like a pretty clear showcase of how WWE has been using their wealth of talent. He's a solid wrestler with the potential to be so much more, but the company has not fostered his potential. He pushed past NXT and mainly just gets random title shots.
To be fair, he does well with them as a whole. He always makes a solid impression that could become something more if he actually got to work longer angles. He needs experience he is just not getting consistently in WWE.
Dolph Ziggler Had a Quality 2018 But 2019 Likely Won't Be a Great Follow-Up
Overview: Drew McIntyre fought Dolph Ziggler in a steel cage match to start the show. While The Showoff fought valiantly, The Scottish Psychopath caught Ziggler with a Claymore into another Claymore to take the victory. Afterward, McIntyre continue to hit Claymores on Ziggler before announcing he would compete in the Rumble.
Analysis: This was a strong match to end the year that showcased much of what made this an important year for Ziggler. After years of occasionally having a couple good months, his work with McIntyre this year was some of his most consistently excellent work.
Now that he and McIntyre have broken up and their feud was not even given a single pay-per-view spotlight, it feels like he's being shuffled off to the side. I don't know how he'll be used in 2019, but it is unlikely he'll find as much success as he did in 2018 especially with the roster continuing to grow.
Conclusion
This was a perfectly fine show that felt a bit like WWE was tying up loose ends. McIntyre vs. Ziggler and Rousey and Natalya vs. Jax and Tamina felt like final acts in these feuds. Rollins may be moving past Ambrose while Corbin seems to be just about at the end of his current run.
It was a fine show that could be largely ignored, which is better than some of the typical three hours of wrestling the red brand has produced. Hopefully though, with the holidays over, WWE is about to take some serious risks to set up Royal Rumble.
Grade: C
Cena has chosen who he will pass the torch given to him by The Rock, but Lynch doesn't need the torch. She's already WWE's biggest star and a great enough actress to make people think they might want to watch Marine 6.
SmackDown Live January 1, 2019
If John Cena is Just Back to Help Solidify Becky Lynch as WWE's Top Star, It Was Worth Bringing Him Back
Overview: Becky Lynch interrupted John Cena in his return to WWE and made clear she was ready to take down the face of WWE to solidify her own status in WWE. Andrade Cien Almas and Zelina Vega got involved and challenged them to a match, which The Irish Lass Kicker won with the Dis-arm-her after knocking down Cena.
Analysis: The Cenation Leader has found surprising early success in Hollywood with both Blockers and Bumblebee. His next few movies, Project X-traction and The Voyage of Doctor Doolittle, likely won't be as big of hits, but they do mean he's not going to around much in 2019.
For that reason, his limited appearances should be focused first on putting over other stars. It's not as much about losing match as giving others the spotlight. This was shown clearly with his interaction with Lynch. The two worked well off each other, and the interaction established how big she has become.
The Next Month Will Be Majorly Telling for AJ Styles
Overview: Vince McMahon continued to push AJ Styles to be better backstage before the main event. Despite being sent through a table by Samoa Joe, The Phenomenal One recovered in time to connect with a springboard 450 splash on Randy Orton and get the pinfall for the victory, earning another shot at Daniel Bryan at the Rumble.
Analysis: For most of 2018, Styles was WWE champion. He was clearly SmackDown's lead man even if other wrestlers slowly gained more attention. When he lost the title, he lost his stable role on the brand. It became less clear what he would do.
It is unlikely he will regain the championship against The Beard, but his presentation in January will be important to where he lands at WrestleMania and beyond. He could be a huge star outside of the title scene, wrestling in a major singles match, or he could lose badly and fade into the background.
Conclusion
This was a simple and effective SmackDown. The show was limited to just six major segments that all had a clear purpose. The weakest part of the show was Naomi vs. Mandy Rose, and even that feels like it is going somewhere that can benefit the talent involved.
This felt like a hint of how the blue brand is evolving. The young talent continue to get major roles and excel in those moments. The veterans are doing a great job helping the younger stars thrive. It's just fun to watch even if more can be done to make this roster feel deeper with many stars left out.
Overview: Becky Lynch interrupted John Cena in his return to WWE and made clear she was ready to take down the face of WWE to solidify her own status in WWE. Andrade Cien Almas and Zelina Vega got involved and challenged them to a match, which The Irish Lass Kicker won with the Dis-arm-her after knocking down Cena.
Analysis: The Cenation Leader has found surprising early success in Hollywood with both Blockers and Bumblebee. His next few movies, Project X-traction and The Voyage of Doctor Doolittle, likely won't be as big of hits, but they do mean he's not going to around much in 2019.
For that reason, his limited appearances should be focused first on putting over other stars. It's not as much about losing match as giving others the spotlight. This was shown clearly with his interaction with Lynch. The two worked well off each other, and the interaction established how big she has become.
The Next Month Will Be Majorly Telling for AJ Styles
Overview: Vince McMahon continued to push AJ Styles to be better backstage before the main event. Despite being sent through a table by Samoa Joe, The Phenomenal One recovered in time to connect with a springboard 450 splash on Randy Orton and get the pinfall for the victory, earning another shot at Daniel Bryan at the Rumble.
Analysis: For most of 2018, Styles was WWE champion. He was clearly SmackDown's lead man even if other wrestlers slowly gained more attention. When he lost the title, he lost his stable role on the brand. It became less clear what he would do.
It is unlikely he will regain the championship against The Beard, but his presentation in January will be important to where he lands at WrestleMania and beyond. He could be a huge star outside of the title scene, wrestling in a major singles match, or he could lose badly and fade into the background.
Conclusion
This was a simple and effective SmackDown. The show was limited to just six major segments that all had a clear purpose. The weakest part of the show was Naomi vs. Mandy Rose, and even that feels like it is going somewhere that can benefit the talent involved.
This felt like a hint of how the blue brand is evolving. The young talent continue to get major roles and excel in those moments. The veterans are doing a great job helping the younger stars thrive. It's just fun to watch even if more can be done to make this roster feel deeper with many stars left out.
Grade: B
5'7" 175 pounds and Tyler Bate still seems bigger and more powerful than most of the main roster.
NXT and NXT UK January 2, 2019
It's Hard to Tell Still if Matt Riddle is Actually a Top Star in the Making
Overview: Kassius Ohno got his second shot at Matt Riddle and lasted longer this time. He wore down The King of Bros, but he could not keep him down. Riddle managed to catch KO with the Bromission and got the tap out. Afterward, Ohno brutalized his rival and mocked him.
Analysis: Riddle feels like he's supposed to be NXT's next big star, but I just don't really see it. His gimmick does not feel interesting. His athleticism and strength is crazy, but that's not enough. Ask guys like Apollo Crews and Cesaro (less so but still) how far just being athletic and strong can get you. He needs to show more soon.
Tyler Bate is Way Too Good for NXT UK Sometimes
Overview: Moustache Mountain fought Gallus's Mark Coffey and Wolfgang for a spot in the NXT UK Tag Team Championships final at NXT UK TakeOver Blackpool. Bate single-handedly got his team back into this match against the bigger men with Mark calling for Joe Coffey to uneven the odds.
Pete Dunne came out to make sure nothing happened with Dunne and Coffey brawling. Meanwhile, Moustache Mountain hit Mark with a lariat/dragon suplex combination for the win. Dunne announced he would fight Joe Coffey at Blackpool.
Analysis: This match showcased two big things: Wolfgang is not that great a wrestler, and Bate is an absurdly good wrestler. This match really took off when Bate got the hot tag, and it never let up. Trent Seven is a solid support to Bate, but this often felt like it was a handicap match that Bate was winning.
Even though Wolfgang was awkward in the ring at times, the former NXT UK Champion pulled his weight consistently and showed off unreal ability at every turn. He was way too good for this match and elevated far more than it deserved.
Deonna Purazzo Has Quietly Impressed Early in NXT UK's Women's Division
Overview: Deona Purazzo and Toni Storm talked backstage about her competitive clash with Rhea Ripley as the two agreed to a match to see who truly deserve to fight Ripley at Blackpool.
While Purazzo gave Storm a true challenge, the No. 1 contender took the victory with Storm Zero then stood firm as the NXT UK Champion arrived to intimidate her opponent.
Analysis: Since I skipped reviewing last week, I never got to talk about how good Purazzo vs. Ripley was, but Storm vs. Purazzo was also pretty good. She has easily established herself as the No. 3 in the division, and she might be the next up for a title shot once Storm and Ripley are done.
It's great to see the women standing out more as the division feels a bit inconsistent. There's real stars here emerging with Purazzo really benefiting from the move as she was barely used in NXT.
Overview: Kassius Ohno got his second shot at Matt Riddle and lasted longer this time. He wore down The King of Bros, but he could not keep him down. Riddle managed to catch KO with the Bromission and got the tap out. Afterward, Ohno brutalized his rival and mocked him.
Analysis: Riddle feels like he's supposed to be NXT's next big star, but I just don't really see it. His gimmick does not feel interesting. His athleticism and strength is crazy, but that's not enough. Ask guys like Apollo Crews and Cesaro (less so but still) how far just being athletic and strong can get you. He needs to show more soon.
Tyler Bate is Way Too Good for NXT UK Sometimes
Overview: Moustache Mountain fought Gallus's Mark Coffey and Wolfgang for a spot in the NXT UK Tag Team Championships final at NXT UK TakeOver Blackpool. Bate single-handedly got his team back into this match against the bigger men with Mark calling for Joe Coffey to uneven the odds.
Pete Dunne came out to make sure nothing happened with Dunne and Coffey brawling. Meanwhile, Moustache Mountain hit Mark with a lariat/dragon suplex combination for the win. Dunne announced he would fight Joe Coffey at Blackpool.
Analysis: This match showcased two big things: Wolfgang is not that great a wrestler, and Bate is an absurdly good wrestler. This match really took off when Bate got the hot tag, and it never let up. Trent Seven is a solid support to Bate, but this often felt like it was a handicap match that Bate was winning.
Even though Wolfgang was awkward in the ring at times, the former NXT UK Champion pulled his weight consistently and showed off unreal ability at every turn. He was way too good for this match and elevated far more than it deserved.
Deonna Purazzo Has Quietly Impressed Early in NXT UK's Women's Division
Overview: Deona Purazzo and Toni Storm talked backstage about her competitive clash with Rhea Ripley as the two agreed to a match to see who truly deserve to fight Ripley at Blackpool.
While Purazzo gave Storm a true challenge, the No. 1 contender took the victory with Storm Zero then stood firm as the NXT UK Champion arrived to intimidate her opponent.
Analysis: Since I skipped reviewing last week, I never got to talk about how good Purazzo vs. Ripley was, but Storm vs. Purazzo was also pretty good. She has easily established herself as the No. 3 in the division, and she might be the next up for a title shot once Storm and Ripley are done.
It's great to see the women standing out more as the division feels a bit inconsistent. There's real stars here emerging with Purazzo really benefiting from the move as she was barely used in NXT.
205 Live January 2, 2019
It's Been So Long Since Akira Tozawa and Kalisto Were in the Title Scene That It Feels Completely Fresh
Overview: With a timely distraction from Lucha House Party, Kalisto caught Lio Rush with a Salida Del Sol. Akira Tozawa defeated Drew Gulak after The Human Torture Machine made the mistake of going up to the second rope. Both qualified for a Fatal 4-Way match against Buddy Murphy at Royal Rumble 2019.
Analysis: It feel likes so long ago that Tozawa and Kalisto were cruiserweight champions. The brand has changed so much in the last year with the two certainly remaining integral members of the roster but staying out of the title scene. Both will benefit from the Rumble spotlight even if it's likely on the Kickoff.
Cedric Alexander vs. Hideo Itami will decide the fourth man, and I desperately hope that Itami gets that spot. Let fresh stars get that chance rather than Alexander who has gotten so many of the limited cruiserweight pay-per-view spotlights.
Overview: With a timely distraction from Lucha House Party, Kalisto caught Lio Rush with a Salida Del Sol. Akira Tozawa defeated Drew Gulak after The Human Torture Machine made the mistake of going up to the second rope. Both qualified for a Fatal 4-Way match against Buddy Murphy at Royal Rumble 2019.
Analysis: It feel likes so long ago that Tozawa and Kalisto were cruiserweight champions. The brand has changed so much in the last year with the two certainly remaining integral members of the roster but staying out of the title scene. Both will benefit from the Rumble spotlight even if it's likely on the Kickoff.
Cedric Alexander vs. Hideo Itami will decide the fourth man, and I desperately hope that Itami gets that spot. Let fresh stars get that chance rather than Alexander who has gotten so many of the limited cruiserweight pay-per-view spotlights.
Match of the Week
AJ Styles vs. Mustafa Ali vs. Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe, SmackDown January 1, 2019 (Rating: 8.75/10)
This was a bit of a mess of action, but it was certainly an entertaining mess. So much was happening at any moment with five guys working well together to keep the tempo high. The hints of Ali's potential working with Joe and Mysterio in the future certainly made for a tantalizing showcase.
Unsurprisingly, the only one who really didn't stand here was Orton. He wasn't terrible, but everyone else was working overtime here especially SmackDown's newest member, who looked right at home with some of the most experienced veterans in wrestling.
Honorable Mention: Akira Tozawa vs. Drew Gulak, 205 Live January 2, 2019 (Rating: 8.5/10)
It was tough to pick the best of the bunch for the honorable mentions as a few stood out. However, this match had a spark that was hard to ignore. These two have been great rivals for years now, and they always bring the best out of each other. This was no different in a physical war.
The welts showed on both men as they got into a real strike fest. Both men tried their hand at the other man's best work with Gulak ultimately failing because he did not stick to what he does best. With the added stakes of a title opportunity hanging in the balance, this was a quality clash.
This was a bit of a mess of action, but it was certainly an entertaining mess. So much was happening at any moment with five guys working well together to keep the tempo high. The hints of Ali's potential working with Joe and Mysterio in the future certainly made for a tantalizing showcase.
Unsurprisingly, the only one who really didn't stand here was Orton. He wasn't terrible, but everyone else was working overtime here especially SmackDown's newest member, who looked right at home with some of the most experienced veterans in wrestling.
Honorable Mention: Akira Tozawa vs. Drew Gulak, 205 Live January 2, 2019 (Rating: 8.5/10)
It was tough to pick the best of the bunch for the honorable mentions as a few stood out. However, this match had a spark that was hard to ignore. These two have been great rivals for years now, and they always bring the best out of each other. This was no different in a physical war.
The welts showed on both men as they got into a real strike fest. Both men tried their hand at the other man's best work with Gulak ultimately failing because he did not stick to what he does best. With the added stakes of a title opportunity hanging in the balance, this was a quality clash.