The SmackDown Files: The Raw Empire Strikes Back Edition (11-14-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. With this being the final live show before Survivor Series, one can only assume that Raw will carry out a counterattack on the blue brand after Shane McMahon put them under siege a few weeks ago. Did Kurt Angle and company unleash the fury of a thousand burning suns or did they make peace with their blue counterpart over a warm glass of milk instead? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        SD Live opened with the corniest pep rally in history. It was cheesier than a bowl of mac and cheese drenched with Velveeta on top.  

·        Fortunately, Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles salvaged things as Bryan did his best Paul Heyman impersonation as he hyped Styles vs. Brock Lesnar to the hilt. Bryan accused Lesnar of being a quitter when things got tough. He quit WWE in 2004 and left UFC when a weak ass knee bar forced him into retirement in 2011.

·        Lesnar was big and strong, but he was afraid to swim in the deep end. His thick head would keep him afloat for about ten minutes before he mentally checked out. Styles’ speed and athleticism would wear Lesnar down because he had the stamina to withstand The Beast’s onslaught.

·        Bryan stated that Lesnar will be beaten, victimized, and conquered mentally by Styles at Survivor Series because he is the best wrestler of this generation.

·        Styles thanked Bryan for speaking on his behalf, but he could speak for himself, unlike Lesnar who is nothing more than a puppet that Heyman props up time and time again.

·        Styles put Heyman on notice that Lesnar was about to star in an AJ Styles Production that will see the WWE Champion come out on top as the opening segment came to an end.

·        Bullshit pep rally aside, this was a good way to start the show. Bryan cut a passionate promo as he put over Styles’ unparalleled talent and tenacity while shading Lesnar’s tendency to quit under pressure. Here’s hoping the bout lives up to expectations because both men are capable of delivering a classic if they’re given enough time to do so.

·        Baron Corbin retained the United States Championship when he defeated Sin Cara with End of Days in a solid match. Sin Cara dictated the pace, but Corbin outsmarted him when he avoided Sin Cara’s Senton from the top rope which led to the finish moments later.

·        Corbin will face The Miz at Survivor Series in a United States Champion vs. Intercontinental Champion match that looks absolutely bland on paper. Heel vs. Heel matchups are usually a fail and I expect Miz to be the de facto babyface because he has more credibility in terms of experience and tenure. Try reading that with a straight face five years ago.

·        Despite Daniel Bryan bleeding blue through and through, he still has a bone to pick when it comes to Shane McMahon abusing his power. I guess Shane-O-Mac is heading to the principal’s office despite being the head honcho in charge…

·        Charlotte became a five-time Women’s Champion when she made Natalya tap out to the Figure Eight in a good match. Charlotte’s Drive for Five has come to an end as she will represent SD Live when she faces Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series on Sunday.

·        Charlotte and Natalya had one of their better matches since their epic battle at the first NXT Takeover in May 2014. It was hard-hitting and physical throughout. When both ladies are given time to put in that work, they always over deliver and tonight was no exception.

·        After the match was over, Renee Young interviewed Charlotte in the ring about her win. Charlotte thanked the hometown crowd and noted that she’s been gunning for the SmackDown Women’s Title since the Superstar Shakeup earlier this year. She looked forward to her match against Little Miss Bliss because The Queen wanted to put the Goddess in her place while representing Team Blue to the fullest.

·        Finally, Charlotte dedicated her win to Ric Flair. Her father couldn’t be there tonight, but she knew that he was watching from home which made the moment even sweeter.

·        As she was heading up the ramp, Flair’s music hit which meant only one thing…The Nature Boy appeared on WWE television for the first time since his health scare as he received a big pop in Flair Country.

·        Charlotte ran into her father’s arms as tears were shed by all. That was a nice moment to push her victory over the top.

·        Jimmy Uso defeated Chad Gable with a Superkick in a solid match. Gable has developed a mean streak in recent weeks which suits him perfectly. He is such a dynamic performer that he can get over as a heel or a babyface. If WWE commits to Gable and Shelton Benjamin long-term, they could be an elite tag team in 2018.

·        The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn came to an abrupt end when The Shield put SD Live under siege. I think the trio jumped the gun because the crowd sensed something was about to happen as they focused their attention on the middle aisle instead of the action unfolding in the ring. Sure enough, The Hounds of Justice were on the prowl and all hell was about to break loose.

·        Owens and Zayn stood side by side with The New Day, but they had no sense of brand loyalty as they left them high and dry in the ring. The Shield pounced which led to a full-on brawl.

·        The Usos ran out to make the save which led to an interesting standoff with their cousin Roman Reigns. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins quickly went on the attack as Reigns looked on remorsefully. His sense of family was short-lived as the ass-kicking commenced.

·        The camera cut backstage to the women from Team Raw barging inside the SD Live Women’s Locker Room as they kicked their asses from pillar to post. Even Lana wasn’t spared from the onslaught. Charlotte tried to stand up for her team, but she got decked by Alexa Bliss instead.

·        Back in the ring, Shane led his team into battle as they traded blows with The Shield. Cesaro, Sheamus, Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, Apollo Crews, and Titus O’Neil joined the fight as they hit everything that moved.

·        Kurt Angle appeared on the main stage and brought out Braun Strowman to finish the job. From there, Shane was a sitting duck as The Shield made him watch the carnage unfold at ringside. Angle got in Shane’s face and vowed that he will finish him off at Survivor Series before giving The Shield the Thumbs Down to drop Shane-O-Mac with the Triple Powerbomb. Angle followed things up by laying him out with the Angle Slam for good measure.

·        The Shield dropped Shane with another Triple Powerbomb as SD Live went off the air with Team Raw standing tall while the blue brand was in retreat mode.

·        It should be noted that AJ Styles and Jinder Mahal were protected from the ass whopping. I guess they left the building early which was very smart on their part.

·        In all seriousness, this was a great way to end the show. Unlike Under Siege: Part I, the sequel was better in terms of execution and crowd heat. Shane McMahon fired the first shot and Kurt Angle delivered the final salvo five days before Survivor Series. Angle didn’t flash a smile or show compassion for his adversary because his job is on the line Sunday. Will both men harken back to their classic match at King of the Ring 16 years ago minus the Plexiglas from Hell spot? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. The in-ring action was so-so with the exception of the SmackDown Women’s Championship Match between Charlotte and Natalya. The main event was nothing more than a segue to Under Siege II which has been teased on television over the past few weeks. It was worth the wait as Team Raw fed SD Live a big slice of humble pie with a side order of crow.

·        However, the red brand can’t claim victory just yet. The matches will tell the true story of Survivor Series as AJ Styles vs. Brock Lesnar and The Men’s Traditional 5-on-5 Elimination Match will determine which show reigns supreme. It’s like Bragging Rights 2009-2010 minus the fake ass Stanley Cup Trophy.

·        Raw vs. SmackDown is a tried and tired concept, but I commend WWE for making the November Classic feel special for the first time in years. It should be a great show if everything goes accordingly to plan. With NXT Takeover: War Games taking center stage the night before, the main roster better step their game up or they will be left in the dust by Triple H’s brainchild. Here’s hoping the E’s four-night stand in Houston is unforgettable for all the right reasons. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls! 

The Total Evaluation Of Women's Wrestling

The Total Evaluation of Women’s Wrestling

By Sylvester Barzey

I was sitting with my New Day Unicorn and my box of Booty O’s on Monday (We did it! New Day Rocks, New Day Rocks) when I had to shut everything around me out and get lost in what might have been one of the best promos I’ve seen all year! I’m talking about Sasha Banks vs Charlotte in an Iron Man Match at Roadblock! Many may say this back and forth rivalry has run its course because they are stealing TV time from other stars. Some may even call it boring, but I’m not one of those people. In fact, every last one of those people has made The List!

I saw what you posted on Twitter! You just made the list, buddy!

There is nothing boring about what’s going on in Women’s Wrestling right now. This is hands down the best time to be a female in the industry because every company is making moves to showcase their female talent in a big way. We’ve had the first ever female Hell in a Cell Match, Lucha Underground had a female Champion! Do you understand how big that is? Sexy Star is the first female Lucha Underground Champion. If that doesn’t say the sport is changing, I don’t know what does.

Let’s take a look at The Total Evaluation of Women’s Wrestling and see what the future holds as the evolution continues.

We’re not gonna get into who started the WWE Women’s Revolution because we all know it was AJ Lee. Instead, let’s look at how WWE’s push to change their Women’s Division has created a ripple effect throughout the industry. The modern era of Women’s Wrestling has stepped away from the days of “Puppies” and Swimsuit Contests. WWE disconnected from that era and took a big step into the future when they killed the Diva’s Division and rebranded it the Women’s Division.

With this re-branding came far more exposure than anyone expected. We’ve seen women main event Raw in two amazing matches, Smackdown Live let their superstars break out the tables at TLC which lead to Alexa Bliss being crowned the new Smackdown Live Women’s Champion, and let’s not forget Lucha Underground and TNA, where female stars not only shine as bright as their male counterparts, they also throw down in intergender match ups.

The Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Trifecta

A Hell in the Cell Match

A Falls Count Anywhere Match

A 30 minute Ironman Match

Say what you want about WWE, but they are killing it when it comes to breaking the glass ceiling in the wrestling industry. All of this is paving the way for moments like the rumored 20 Woman Royal Rumble Match next month. This is all just speculation right now, but the internet is blowing up with fan images, predictions, and just all around excitement! I’ve been a wrestling fan since I could walk over to my dad and drop an elbow on him and I’m gonna be a wrestling fan until the casket drops. I can honestly say with every fiber of my being that I’m more excited about what’s been going on in the world of Women’s Wrestling than anything that’s been going on with the guys lately.

Yes, The Final Deletion was Awesome

Yes, Goldberg Beating Brock Pissed Me Off

Yes, AJ Styles’ heel turn is one of my favorite moments of the year

But I’m A Boss Guy who gets royally blissed off if you try to run to the bathroom during any of these awesome matches in this new era of Women’s Wrestling.

Just like I called Zack Ryder winning The IC title, I am going to call these things into existence as well:

Sasha Banks will Main Event WrestleMania at some point in her career!

Alexa Bliss or Becky Lynch will hold the IC title! (Watch your back, Miz)

And if there is a Female Royal Rumble this year, my girl Naomi is gonna make the women’s locker room feel the glow and be the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble winner.

The game has changed boys and girls.

So get with it or get left behind.

The Raw Exposé: The Tale of the Ill-Fated Booty Call in Room 704 Edition (12-5-2016)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. After last week’s excellent Falls Count Anywhere match between Sasha Banks and Charlotte for the Raw Women’s Championship, how did The Boss celebrate her third title reign in four months?

Also, did Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho hug it out after the tiff from last week? The answer to these questions can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

·        Kevin Owens opened Monday Night Raw by handing a few gifts to Chris Jericho. First, Jericho will face Roman Reigns for the United States Championship later tonight. Second, Y2J has a match against Seth Rollins at Roadblock: End of the Line two weeks from Sunday. Finally, Rollins was gifted a match against The Big Show to kick off the in-ring portion of the show.

·        Rollins wanted Triple H and a shot at Owens’ WWE Universal Championship, but it appears that Santa left him a lump of coal instead.

·        This was a nice way to start the show. The bickering between Owens and Rollins was okay, but it got better when Owens did his spiel on the mic about being Jericho’s best friend.

·        Also, Owens will face Sami Zayn later on as well. Considering the fact that WWE vowed that their match at Battleground would be their last, it waters down the feud both men had over the summer. Despite that small quibble, the match should be very good. If it saves Zayn from getting destroyed by Braun Strowman, I’m all for it.

·        The Big Slim Show looks trim and fit. Kudos to him for getting in shape ahead of his WrestleMania match against Shaquille O’Neal next year.

·        Big Show left Owens high and dry when he chokeslammed him into the ring during his match with Rollins.

·        Owens tried to cheer on Big Show, but he was too abrasive when it came to telling The World’s Largest Athlete what to do.

·        Big Show vs. Rollins was okay for the most part. This was basically an exhibition match for Big Show to knock off some ring rust. Rollins looked good as he got a measure of revenge when he laid out Owens with a Pedigree. This was a no harm, no foul segment that didn’t overstay its welcome.

·        Nice profile video for Jack Gallagher. He was one of my favorite wrestlers from the Cruiserweight Classic. Let’s hope his gentlemanly ways translates on the main roster.

·        Gallagher notched his first win on Raw by defeating Ariya Daivari in a solid match. Gallagher looked crisp, but he held back from being more comedic in the ring. His offense impressed the crowd which will give him more leeway to let loose in the future.

·        Daivari showed poor sportsmanship when he viciously kicked Gallagher’s knee after the match was over. The crowd booed him which was nice to hear because it means that they cared about Gallagher’s well-being. Plus, it builds to their burgeoning feud on Raw and 205 Live. It was simplistic but very effective.

·        WWE Presents: The Backstage Quarrel Between Friends and Lovers. The bromance between Owens and Jericho just went from frosty to ice cold while Lana and Rusev had a falling out which ended with Lana taking off her wedding ring and throwing it on the ground.

·        Enzo Amore consoled The Ravishing Russian while she laughed at his “How You Doin’?” catchphrase. Who knew that Enzo walking around naked backstage would have creative legs two weeks later?

·        Lana invited Enzo back to her hotel room. I think it’s safe to say that there’s going to be some trouble brewing in Room 704. Just a hunch…

·        Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn had a very good match that featured great action throughout. Zayn put on an aerial showcase by delivering Tornado DDTs on the ring apron, through the ring, and inside the squared circle itself. Owens fought back as he delivered a wicked reverse Suplex from the top rope. Zayn countered with a series of Suplexes of his own followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.

·        Zayn went to the well too many times as he dropped Owens against the barricade with an Exploder Suplex. As both men rolled back in the ring, Owens laid out Zayn with a quick powerbomb for the win.

·        Despite both men having dozens of matches against each other over the years, each outing still feels fresh. Therefore, their rivalry will not get old in that respect.

·        Speaking of rivalries, The Sasha Banks and Charlotte Saga will continue at Roadblock as Sasha challenged Charlotte to an Iron Man Match for the Raw Women’s Championship. Charlotte mentioned that iron sharpens iron on Twitter after her loss last Monday. If their feud is FINALLY coming to an end, this would be a fitting conclusion to one of the best (if not the best) rivalry(ries) in WWE this year.

·        I do question Sasha challenging Charlotte to these high stakes matches for the Women’s Title. She failed to retain the title at Hell in a Cell. If she drops the belt for the third time at a major PPV, she needs to rethink her match strategy moving forward.

·        Rich Swann and TJ Perkins had a solid match which harkened back to their quarterfinal bout at the CWC earlier this year. It was a pretty Even Steven match as both men know each other so well. Perkins targeted Swann’s leg midway through the match which grounded the Outlandish One for a while. However, Swann recovered when he nailed TJP with a spin kick from mid-air for the win.

·        Swann built momentum heading into his Cruiserweight Championship rematch against The Brian Kendrick tomorrow night on 205 Live.

·        Bayley defeated Alicia Fox in a hard-fought bout when she pinned her with the Bayley-to-Belly. Michael Cole explained that Alicia was mad that Bayley gave Cedric Alexander a Bayley Bear backstage during the Raw Preshow. At least there was a purpose for the match taking place. Too bad the live audience wasn’t clued in because they were quiet for the most part. The crowd did muster a faint “We Want Some Bayley” chants.

·        It appears that Enzo and Lana are going to seal the deal in Room 704. I did crack up when Enzo started singing lyrics from R. Kelly’s “Bump N’ Grind”.

·        The Tussle in Texas: Mark Henry vs. Titus O’Neil. It should be retitled: The One-Side Beat Down In Texas Starring Mark Henry and Featuring Titus O’Neil.

·        Mark Henry validated my name change by quickly dispatching Titus O’Neil with the World’s Strongest Slam. The match was short and sweet.

·        Ric Flair just helped Enzo in his booty call quest by letting his limo driver take The Certified G to Lana’s hotel. What a classy guy.

·        Roman Reigns retained the United States Championship when he nailed Chris Jericho with a Spear for the win. It was a very good match as the fans were 60/40 behind Reigns while the adult male contingent cheered for Jericho.

·        Owens tried to will Jericho to victory by coming down to the ring and kicking Reigns in the head behind the referee’s back. Jericho capitalized by nailing Reigns with the Codebreaker. Reigns kicked out at two which sent KO into a tizzy. Jericho noticed that Owens was at ringside and proceeded to berate him for not staying in the back. Y2J shoved his best friend and told Owens to hit the bricks. Owens walked away which led to the finish moments later.

·        The forecast on the bromance has gone from ice cold to piping hot because Jericho is a 10 on the Habanero Pepper Scale of being pissed off at his BFF. Let’s just say that their fake spat a few weeks ago has turned into the real thing.

·        As suspected, Lana was laying the sticks for Enzo to fall into a trap. She tempted him with champagne and strawberries before ripping off his shirt and telling him to take off his pants. Before Enzo could seal the forbidden deal, Lana called for Rusev and the beat down was on. Rusev kicked his ass from pillar to post as Lana cheered her husband on. The Bulgarian Brute finished Enzo off by hitting him in the head with a vase before dragging him out of the hotel room.

·        After Lana looked semi-turned during Enzo’s promo last week, it was all a setup to make the Certified G look like a Certified Fool. It was an elaborate plan that built nicely throughout the show. The creative team deserves credit for weaving an entertaining plot line that had a beginning, middle, and end.

·        Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson vs. Sheamus and Cesaro was good until The New Day got involved which drew an automatic disqualification. Both teams survived the 10:00 p.m. Lull Period of Death as they had an entertaining match which saw Sheamus getting unanimously cheered for the first time since forever. Cesaro was great as usual while Gallows and Anderson held up their end as well.

·        A melee took place after the match was over as Cesaro and Sheamus took out The New Day. One can only assume that Mick Foley is going to book a Triple Threat Match next week with the Tag Team Championship on the line. Will the New Day tie Demolition’s record? We shall see. In any event, all three teams should have one hell of a match in Philly.

·        Charlotte and Ric Flair tend to have overly emotional moments whenever they are in the ring together. Charlotte apologized to her father for being a bitch of a daughter when she publicly shamed him on an episode of Raw six months ago. She was heartbroken when Flair showed up last week to raise Sasha Banks’ hand because it was a sign that she wasn’t the better woman that night. That moment gave her clarity which led to her mea culpa.

·        Flair came out per his daughter’s request and it seemed as if they hugged out their problems. When Flair tried to embrace her a second time, she slapped him in the face and called her father a son of a bitch.

·        Charlotte tore into her dad for choosing Sasha over her. Sasha came out to confront Charlotte, but The Queen quickly took control and laid out The Boss by ramming her head into the ring post as Flair looked on tearfully.

·        Charlotte rolled Sasha back in the ring to taunt her dad some more as Raw went off the air.

·        The first half of the final segment was iffy at best, but things got better once Charlotte slapped her old man.

·        Charlotte didn’t get rattled which helped her get hated for all the right reasons as the segment went on. Flair did a great job looking sad as he is one of the best criers in the business.

·        I know some fans are ready to throw in the towel on the Sasha-Charlotte feud, but it’s best to stretch things out a couple more weeks. Their 30-Minute Iron Man Match at Roadblock should be very good. Their rivalry has turned personal and I expect both ladies to show up and show out if this is truly the end of their feud. Hopefully. This was a good way to end the show minus the shaky start.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was competent. It wasn’t a blow away show, but WWE did a nice job hyping the Roadblock PPV. There was little fluff on the broadcast as everyone that was given airtime deserved it. A Neville sighting would be nice, but I digress.

·        The in-ring action ranged from solid to very good with Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn winning best match of the night honors with Jericho vs. Reigns coming in a close second.

·        The Enzo/Lana/Rusev faux love triangle was fun as it told a nice story throughout the night culminating with Enzo getting played. I am not expecting a technical masterpiece from Big Cass and Rusev, but it should be a good big man bout as Cass stands up for his best buddy.

·        As for the friendship between Owens and Jericho. It’s currently on the rocks, but I expect both men to hug it out before their respective matches at Roadblock.

·        The go-home show should be interesting next week as WWE will be hyping Roadblock while getting into the holiday spirit at the same time. That’s not the best combination, but we shall see how the company balances everything out. On the Brightside, the Triple Threat Match for the Tag Team Titles should be very good which should give people extra incentive to watch next week’s show as Raw emanates from Philadelphia. Let’s hope that the rest of the show lives up to the hype. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls!