The Raw Exposé: Absolution Is A Mystery... (11-27-2017)

By: Keila Cash 

Location: The University of Tennessee (AKA Citizen Kane Country) 

·        The Roman Reigns Intercontinental Championship Invitational kicks off with Reigns defending his newly won title against Elias later tonight. It’s not the sexiest match in the world, but it should be solid.

·        Seth Rollins defeated Cesaro with a knee to the face in a good match. Cesaro dominated the action early on, but Rollins picked his spot as he got back on offense down the stretch. The announcers emphasized that there would be no outside interference due to Dean Ambrose being on his honeymoon in Hawaii while Sheamus was on sabbatical in Ireland.

·        Sheamus’ absence didn’t stop Cesaro from cheating as he poked Rollins in the eye behind the referee’s back. This allowed Cesaro to deliver the Big Swing to Rollins before locking in the Sharpshooter. Rollins managed to grab the bottom rope to break the hold, but Cesaro kept the pressure on as he attempted to nail Rollins with a Springboard European Uppercut. Rollins countered with a kick in midair which set up the finish moments later.

·        After the match was over, Charly Caruso interviewed Rollins in the ring and tried to stir up trouble by claiming that The Shield was on the verge of breaking up due to each member flying solo this week. Rollins shot the rumor down and announced that he and Ambrose will face The Bar for the Raw Tag Team Championship next week in Los Angeles as he bid “Charles” adieu.

·        Kurt Angle announced that there would be a pair of Fatal Four Way matches taking place tonight and next week with the winners facing off the following week to determine the number one contender for Enzo Amore’s Cruiserweight Championship. It’s shocking to see WWE book three weeks of television in advance with a semblance of forethought and care. Talk about a Christmas miracle!

·        Samoa Joe defeated Titus O’Neil with the Coquina Clutch in a quick match. O’Neil put up a good fight, but the outcome was never in doubt. Apollo Crews came to his manager’s aid, but Joe choked him out to send the message that no one is safe from his wrath.

·        The six-woman tag team match featuring Paige, Sonya Deville, and Mandy Rose vs. Sasha Banks, Mickie James, and Bayley never got underway as Paige & Company attacked James and Bayley backstage.

·        Paige reminded the crowd that she planted the flag when it came to abolishing the word Diva from the WWE Lexicon. She was at the forefront of the Women’s Evolution and wanted credit for breaking the proverbial glass ceiling.

·        Deville and Rose pledged their allegiance to Paige while Banks was strongly encouraged to do the same.

·        Banks attacked Paige which led to a three-on-one beatdown as Deville nailed Banks with a Step-up Enzuigiri while Rose and Paige finished her off with the Sitout Facebuster and Ram-Paige respectively.

·        The group known as Absolution stood tall in the ring as the segment came to a close.

·        Paige made some valid points about being the one who built the foundation for the Women’s Revolution. However, Rose and Deville struggled on the mic as they were trying their best to remember their lines. The crowd showered them with the dreaded “What?” chant, but their attack on Banks ending things on a high note.

·        As I mentioned last week, I don’t think Rose and Deville are ready for primetime. It’s imperative that Paige does the talking for her team while her minions dish out punishment to those that refuse to kiss the ring. Minor criticism aside, the group continues to impress and I dig their name. It has a nice ring to it. It sure as hell beats the Submission Sorority from a couple of years ago…

·        Bray Wyatt defeated Matt Hardy with Sister Abigail in a decent match. The more important development was Hardy leading the crowd in a “Delete!” chant after the match was over. Is this the first sign of Broken Matt Hardy rising from the ashes? We shall see.

·        Wyatt’s rambling promo prior to the match annoyed me to no end. He is too talented on the mic to be saddled with such nonsensical bullshit. It was painful to watch.

·        Fatal Four Way Match #1 featuring Rich Swann, Noam Dar, Akira Tozawa, and Ariya Daivari ended with Swann defeating Dar with the Phoenix Splash in a solid match. The action was fast paced and hard hitting throughout, but the crowd heat was so-so at best.

·        It’s imperative that the creative team give the Cruiserweights distinct personalities which allow fans to care about them on an emotional level. Flashy aerial acrobatics can only go so far when there’s no substance to balance things out.

·        Roman Reigns retained the Intercontinental Championship when he pinned Elias with the Spear in a surprisingly good match. Elias put in that work and looked impressive throughout. Outside of his series of matches against Finn Bálor earlier this year, this was The Drifter’s best showing to date. He gave Reigns a fight as The Big Dog had to come from behind in order to squeak out the win.

·        The Miztourage got involved, but Reigns laid them out at ringside. However, the diversion allowed Elias to slam Reigns into the ring post which led to a beautiful elbow drop from the top rope followed by an equally impressive Sitout Powerbomb. However, it wasn’t enough to put away Reigns as the announcers heaped Elias with praise in order to give the impresario cover for coming up short. It speaks to his future as a star if he’s given more opportunities to shine in the ring like he did against the biggest star in WWE.

·        Reigns was heading up the ramp when Samoa Joe put him in the Coquina Clutch from behind. WWE officials broke things up, but Joe went on the attack once again as it appears that the Black Sheep of the Samoan Dynasty is next line for a shot at the Intercontinental Title. Let the Battle of the Badass Samoans begin!

·        Asuka made Dana Brooke tap out to an Armbar in the quickest match of 2017. Asuka’s dominance was on full display as Brooke’s game plan to attack out of the gate blew up in her face.

·        After the match was over, Absolution made their way to the ring to confront Asuka. However, the trio backed down and let The Empress of Tomorrow walk away unscathed. Was this a sign of mutual respect or did they realize that Asuka could annihilate them without blinking? Hmm…

·        Kane defeated Jason Jordan via count-out after Jordan failed to get back in the ring before the count of ten. Jordan came out blazing against The Big Red Machine, but Kane quickly overpowered him by tossing Jordan out of the ring. Jordan reinjured his right knee which led to the count out finish. Kane continued to attack Jordan as he tossed him against the barricade before going after the injured knee. Finn Bàlor made the save which led to Bàlor vs. Kane which took place after the commercial break.

·        Finn Bálor vs. Kane ended via Disqualification when Kane hit Bàlor with a steel chair at ringside which drew the automatic DQ. Kane continued his assault as a small section of fans chanted “One More Time.”

·        Kane wrapped the chair around Bálor’s neck and was about to end his career by stomping on the chair from the top rope when Braun Strowman made the save.

·        Strowman went after Kane and cashed his receipt from last week as he kicked the Big Red Machine’s ass from pillar to post. Strowman attacked Kane with the steel chair before taking the fight to ringside. Strowman picked up the steel steps and hit Kane in the head before tossing the steps in the ring.

·        He dropped Kane with a Running Powerslam onto the steps before slamming Kane throat first against the steel chair while using the steps as leverage. Strowman gave the crowd an encore as Kane gasped for air. He stumbled out of the ring as Raw went off the air with Strowman standing tall.

·        This was a fine way to end the show. Kane got his comeuppance, but it was at the expense of Finn Bálor. Bálor is already treading water due to Vince McMahon reportedly canceling his Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble because he’s not getting over with the crowd. That is such a load of bullshit because WWE controls their own narrative.

·        Bàlor has charisma oozing out of his pores. His in-ring ability is next level as he can go toe-to-toe with anyone on any given night. However, getting bitched out every week by the future Mayor of Knox County is doing him no favors when it comes to winning over casual fans.

·        They are the group that the company needs to reach out to in order to garner television ratings and network subscriptions. Therefore, Bálor needs to be presented as a star at all times. If the creative team can bolster Roman Reigns’ stock by orchestrating a Shield reunion in order to get him over as a babyface heading into his presumed Universal Championship match at WrestleMania, I’m pretty damn sure they have the capability to give Bàlor the same courtesy.

·        Sadly, they have to serve multiple masters as Bálor has to make Kane look strong during his feud against Braun Strowman. There a number of wrestlers who are low on the food chain who can do the honors, but the founding father of the Bàlor Club has to bite the bullet because he’s not “over” enough. WWE Logic for the win! *Insert Sarcasm Here*

·        In other news, Kane and Strowman continue their twisted game of one-upmanship as they try to destroy each other in the most violent way possible. Their brawls have improved, but I am still leery of them having an actual match unless it’s contested under hardcore rules. Here’s hoping both men deliver the goods because Bàlor is paying the price in more ways than one.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. The in-ring action was solid, but nothing jumped off the page as must-see television.

·        Paige, Sonya Deville, and Mandy Rose continued to assert themselves as badasses while showing a modicum of respect to Asuka in the process. They know what hill not to die on…

·        Next week’s show should be livelier as Raw emanates from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. If I’m not mistaken, this is WWE’s FOURTH time in LA this year which has to be some kind of record. The company goes out of their way to make Raw feel special every time they visit La La Land.

·        However, running multiple shows in the same market can water down the product which is a lesson they learned in September when their west coast swing led to low attendance across the board. Here’s hoping history doesn’t repeat itself as the year winds down. 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!

The Raw Exposé: WWE Presents - Monster Mash 2.0 Starring Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe, and Braun Strowman (7-24-2017)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. After Braun Strowman destroyed Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe at the end of last week’s show, how did newfound father of six Kurt Angle respond to Strowman’s latest rampage? Did he give him some milk and cookies or reward him with a shot at Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship at SummerSlam? That answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of Raw in no particular order.

·         Raw got off to a hot state when Kurt Angle announced that Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe, and Roman Reigns will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam. Joe tried to change Angle’s mind, but Strowman interrupted him and said that he cared more about piling bodies instead of complaining about a match stipulation.

·         Reigns sucker punched Strowman which led to a melee as Reigns and Joe tossed Strowman over the barricade. The Badass Samoan Alliance was short-lived when Joe punched Reigns in the face as they took the action back in the ring.

·         Strowman re-appeared and laid out Joe with a clothesline before ramming Reigns’ shoulder into the ring post. Angle called for security, but Strowman destroyed them one-by-one in a great feat of strength. I hope those rent-a-cops were paid handsomely for taking such amazing bumps.

·         Joe locked Strowman in the Coquina Clutch as Angle called for more reinforcement. The locker room cleared out as they tried to pull both men apart. Strowman was able to back Joe in the corner to break the hold, but Joe reapplied his submission as Reigns speared both men in a great spot.

·         Half of the wrestlers were able to hold Joe off while the rest tried to get Reigns out of the ring. Their pleas fell on deaf ears when Strowman laid him out with a Running Powerslam as the opening segment came to an end.

·         This was a great way to start the show. WWE played it smart by booking a Fatal Four Way Universal Title Match featuring the top stars on the Raw roster. Each man brings something unique to the table which should create an electric atmosphere in Brooklyn next month. Here’s hoping the company doesn’t swerve us by trying to book a Triple Threat Match to determine a single opponent for Lesnar at SummerSlam.

·         Elias Samson defeated Finn Bálor thanks to an assist from Bray Wyatt. Bálor had the match won when he hit Samson with the Coup De Grace, but the lights went dark in the arena which meant that Wyatt was about to magically appear in the ring.

·         He nailed Bálor with the Sister Abigail as Samson crawled across the ring to make the cover.

·         The Eater of Worlds told the crowd to Follow The Buzzards as the segment came to an end.

·         Before Wyatt interfered, Samson and Bálor had a good No Disqualification Match. The Drifter targeted Bálor’s injured shoulder for the most part, but Bálor willed himself back into the match. The crowd was muted in spots, but they were solidly behind the Demon King throughout.

·         The ending makes sense because Wyatt warned Bálor last week that he was coming for him. Step two of that plan came to fruition and it’s up to Bálor to respond next week. Both men should deliver the goods at SummerSlam as long as their feud doesn’t veer off into the supernatural.

·         As for Samson, this was the biggest win of his career and he looked good in the ring despite the cheap win. It gives him legitimacy as a performer which speaks well for his future. The Drifter has to build on this momentum by getting better in the ring and we shall see whether or not he will thrive or wilt under the pressure.

·         After Emma threatened to date Jason Jordan in order to get ahead, Kurt Angle booked her in a match against Nia Jax later tonight. Loose lips sink ships…

·         Big Cass defeated Enzo Amore with a Big Boot in a very one-sided match. It was almost an exact replica of their bout from Great Balls of Fire a few weeks ago.

·         Big Show tried to save Enzo, but Big Cass threatened to snap his neck which was a clear threat of attempted murder.

·         Big Show got in the ring as Cass tossed Enzo into him before nailing the World’s Largest Athlete with a Big Boot.

·         Cass kicked Big Show’s ass and dropped five Empire Elbows for good measure to send a message that there is room for only one 7 footer in WWE.

·         The prolonged beat down overstayed its welcome as the fans were quiet for the most part. Cass got booed towards the end, but this ass kicking could’ve been accomplished in half the time in order for him to get even more heat than he did. Minor criticism aside, WWE has done a solid job building up Big Show vs. Big Cass for SummerSlam.

·         Nia Jax defeated Emma with a Somersault Senton in a quick match. This was another lopsided bout where Emma got zero offense. Jax’s finisher popped the crowd which could be a good or bad thing depending on how she’s presented in the future.

·         If Jax is going to be a heel long-term, she shouldn’t be performing babyface moves. If she’s undergoing a character shift, this might be her go-to spot down the road. Either way, it’s an impressive move that makes her stand out from the pack.

·         Ariya Daivari put Neville and Akira Tozawa on notice when he laid out both men with a pair of Rainmakers.

·         Neville came out and talked shit to Tozawa which resulted in Tozawa hitting him with a Senton from the top rope. The move caused further damage to Tozawa’s injured shoulder which allowed Daivari to pick the bones.

·         It appears that Daivari is inserting himself in the Cruiserweight Championship picture which could produce mixed results depending on how he presented on television over the next few weeks. Will his cocky playboy persona translate on Monday nights? We shall see.

·         Bayley defeated Sasha Banks and will move on to face Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. After a shaky first half, Bayley and Sasha upped the tempo after the commercial break and delivered a very good match. It was physical as the fans got into the action down the stretch.

·         Banks went to the top rope and hit the Frog Splash on Bayley only for The Hugger Extraordinaire to counter Banks’ momentum with a roll through for the win.

·         Banks was heartbroken in the ring as Bayley punched her ticket to SummerSlam. Alexa Bliss made her way to the ring and confronted the new number one contender for her title as the segment came to an end.

·         Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Title at SummerSlam is an interesting choice. They had a terrible Kendo Stick on a Pole Match at Extreme Rules which caused Bayley to hit rock bottom as a character. The crowd reactions have been so-so since then and I wonder how the Brooklyn crowd will treat her next month. Will they forget how badly her character has been mishandled or will they back Bliss instead?  We shall find out soon enough.

·         As for Banks, it appears that she will be sitting on the sidelines next month. Is this a prelude to a heel turn for The Boss? Hmm…

·         Jason Jordan defeated Curt Hawkins with a neckbreaker in a quick match. Jordan looked impressive while Hawkins made another star in his self-proclaimed Star Factory.

·         When did Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows magically become babyfaces? Did I miss the memo?

·         The Revival defeated Gallows and Anderson when Dash and Dawson hit Anderson with the Shatter Machine for the win. The Hardy Boyz came out towards the end of the match to scout their opponents and decided to cash in their receipt on The Revival after the Top Guys blindsided them a few weeks ago.

·         Matt and Jeff hit Poetry in Motion on Dash before Matt nailed him with the Twist of Fate. Jeff was about to finish him off with a Swanton Bomb, but Dawson pulled his partner out of the way. The heels headed up the ramp as The Hardys stood tall in the ring.

·         The Revival-Hardy Boyz feud is far from over while Sheamus and Cesaro await the next challengers for their Raw Tag Team Titles.

·         As expected, Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, and Samoa Joe will face off in a Triple Threat Match next week. Fortunately, this is a straight-up bout without SummerSlam implications. Whew!

·         Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins defeated The Miz, Bo Dallas, and Curtis Axel when Ambrose pinned Miz with Dirty Deeds in a solid main event match. The 2-on-3 handicap stipulation paid dividends for the heels early on as Rollins was isolated from Ambrose for a large chunk of the match.

·         Rollins eventually made the hot tag as Ambrose cleaned house to crowd’s delight. It appeared that the Lunatic Fringe had things under control until Miz hit him with the Skull Crushing Finale for a near fall that was broken up by Rollins.

·         Rollins and Ambrose regrouped and did a double suicide dive onto Miz and his Miztourage. They tossed Miz back in the ring as Rollins nailed Miz with a flying knee which prevented him from hitting Ambrose with another Skull Crushing Finale. Ambrose hit his finisher moments later to send the crowd home happy.

·         Ambrose and Rollins shared an embrace in the ring, but Ambrose wasn’t ready to bump fists with Rollins just yet as he left his former Shield brother hanging in the ring as Raw went off the air.

·         WWE is doing a nice job milking Ambrose forgiving Rollins. Ironically, it’s similar to the relationship between Ruth and Debbie on the Netflix series GLOW because a betrayal ruined their friendship, but they put their differences aside for the greater good. Based on the camera cutting to Cesaro and Sheamus during their match, it appears that they will be entrenched in the tag team division for a while. If that’s the case, business just picked up in the best possible way.

·         Most importantly, it appears that the Miz-Ambrose feud has finally come to an end. Hallelujah!

·         Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. After a hot first hour, things tapered off during the second hour due to a pair of rapid fire matches followed by a non-match that cooled the crowd down. Fortunately, Sasha Banks vs. Bayley woke them up to kick off the third hour as they kept the 10:00 P.M. Lull Period of Death at bay for the most part.

·         Meanwhile, the marquee match for SummerSlam is set as Brock Lesnar, Samoa, Braun Strowman, and Roman Reigns will face off in a Fatal Four Way Match for the Universal Championship. This should be an absolute barn burner if everything goes according to plan. 

·         Elsewhere, it appears that Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins will become a tag team and vie for the Raw Tag Team Titles based on Sheamus and Cesaro watching the last two tag matches that closed out the show.

·         Also, Next week’s Miz TV will feature Jason Jordan as his special guest which might hint at an Intercontinental Championship match at SummerSlam if The Miz goes rogue during his interview with Jordan.

·         Based on these developments, the Raw side of the SummerSlam card is coming together nicely as the creative team has a clear sense of direction heading into the Biggest Party of the Summer. If only those creative juices seeped their way onto SmackDown Live in order to salvage the shit fest known as Battleground. Just saying…

·         On a lighter note, WWE continues to hype Raw a week in advance as they advertised Miz TV and the Triple Threat Match featuring Reigns, Joe, and Strowman for next week. Giving fans added incentive to watch is always a good thing. Here’s hoping the Pittsburgh crowd is willing to play along because their reputation for being dead during live shows has been well-documented over the years. Can the company reverse that trend? We shall see.

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