The Raw Exposé: Concerto No. 5 - The Ballad of Braun Strowman (2-12-2018)

By: Keila Cash

Date: 2-12-2018

Location: SAP Center in San Jose, California

All About That Bass: Braun Strowman singing bars on bars on bars.

Welcome to the Elimination Chamber Second Chance Sweepstakes: There must be a winner. Or two…

·        Raw kicked off with John Cena waxing poetically about main eventing WrestleMania. However, that dream could be shattered if Cena doesn’t win the Elimination Chamber match in two weeks. He wanted to prove the naysayers wrong by making the impossible possible by surviving the Chamber and beating Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at Mania.

·        The Miz came out to remind Cena that it wasn’t 2013. Miz scoffed at the notion that Cena could beat Lesnar because he is the founder of Suplex City after The Beast destroyed him at SummerSlam three years ago.

·        Miz claimed he had a better shot at being a dual Champion because he wasn’t afraid to cross the line in order to get ahead. Cena admired Miz for speaking his mind, but he didn’t give him a snowball’s chance in hell of beating Lesnar at the biggest show of the year.

·        Cena challenged Miz to match with the loser entering the Chamber first. Miz turned him down, but it was a ruse as Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel blindsided Cena.

·        Miz accepted Cena’s challenge and called for a referee. Kurt Angle came out to make the match official as the opening segment came to an end.

·        John Cena defeated The Miz with a Super AA in a very good match. The action was hard-hitting and physical throughout as both men kicked out of the other’s finisher. Michael Cole noted that Cena has a 3-3 record inside the Chamber with one of those wins coinciding with him entering the match first. Cena’s Road to WrestleMania would be hard, but manageable based on his .500 Chamber record.

·        Cena went up to the top rope, but Miz knocked him on the turnbuckle to set him up for the Skull Crushing Finale. Cena blocked Miz which led to the finish moments later.

·        This was a strong way to kick off the show. Over the past few weeks, Cena has been treated like another guy on the roster. This week, he got a chance to verbalize his feelings heading into the Elimination Chamber PPV. Cena wants to main event WrestleMania because it’s the one night of the year where dreams are born and legends are made. If he doesn’t win the Chamber match, he doesn’t have a guaranteed spot at the biggest show of the year. The notion of Father Time catching up to Cena could be a great storyline heading into Mania if he fails to punch his ticket to New Orleans in two weeks.

·        The Miz played his part well as he openly admitted that he was willing to cheat in order to get ahead. Honesty is the best policy…

·        The Revival defeated Gallows and Anderson when Scott Dawson pinned Karl Anderson with the Shatter Machine. Dash and Dawson attacked Gallows and Anderson from behind which gave them the unfair advantage before the referee rang the bell. The match was fine, but the constant 50/50 booking is doing both teams a disservice at the moment.

·        Kurt Angle made a couple of announcements that have Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania ramifications. Angle announced that Jason Jordan underwent minimally invasive surgery that will prevent him from competing at Mania. A few fans cheered at Jordan’s injury which was beyond tasteless. Angle called them out on it, but he was met with a mixed reaction.

·        Things got better once Seth Rollins came out and explained that he was in Jordan’s shoes a couple of years ago when he missed WrestleMania 32 due to injury. Rollins was tired of being a part of Monday Night Raw. He wanted to be the centerpiece of the show. 

·        Rollins wanted a spot inside the Elimination Chamber. Angle noted that he couldn’t change the Fatal 4-Way Match on a whim. Rollins agreed and wanted to make the bout a Fatal 5-Way. Angle polled the audience and made the match official for later tonight as the segment came to end.

·        The second under the radar announcement from Angle was Ronda Rousey appearing at the Elimination Chamber PPV to sign her Raw contract. The crowd reaction was mixed, but I expect the Las Vegas fans to be a bit more receptive towards Rousey because UFC’s business roots are firmly planted in Sin City which should create an interesting atmosphere, to say the least.

·        Bayley reversed the Hometown Curse when she defeated Sasha Banks with the Bayley-to-Belly from the middle rope in a very good match. Bayley and Sasha have squared off against each other on the main roster over the past couple of years, but they always wrestled tentatively because both ladies were babyfaces. That dynamic went out the window tonight as The Boss heeled it up while Bayley was the Hometown Girl through and through. For the third week in a row, the women’s division delivered the goods which nice to see heading into the first-ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

·        Bayley tried to hug it out with Sasha after the match was over, but Nia Jax ruined the Hallmark Moment when she laid them out with a pair of Samoan Drops.

·        Charly Caruso asked Jax why she interjected herself into a situation that didn’t concern her. Jax clapped back by stating that she laid out the two women who almost beat Asuka in seconds while she vowed to end Asuka’s winning streak in similar fashion at the Chamber PPV in a couple of weeks. Her explanation totally made sense while putting Caruso in her place at the same time. Good for her.

·        Meanwhile, I liked how WWE delayed Sasha and Bayley hugging it out in the ring. There should be a hint dissension between both ladies heading into the Chamber match. By doing this, it leaves the door open for Banks’ heel turn which should lead to a full-on feud with Bayley heading into WrestleMania. It’s happening a year too late, but I digress…

·        Asuka is so next level that she has a By-The-Numbers video package detailing her badassery.

·        Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville defeated Mickie James and Alexa Bliss when Rose pinned James with the Facebuster in a decent match. Paige got involved down the stretch when she distracted Bliss long enough for Deville to pull her off the ring apron which set up the finish moments later.

·        She ordered her Absolution sisters to attack James after the match was over, but Bliss made the save which falls in line with the goal of keeping her frenemies close heading into the Chamber match in a couple of weeks.

·        Elias’ concert was interrupted by Braun Strowman. Strowman grabbed a big ass bass and immediately broke the strings. He was on the verge of breaking character, but he managed to sing his ditty before kicking Elias’ ass. As Elias was crawling up the ramp, Strowman smashed the bass over The Drifter’s back as the crowd popped something fierce.

·        Outside of the Mixed Match Challenge and the Elf Spoof during the holidays, Strowman has rarely shown his comedic side on broadcast television. He is becoming a well-rounded performer which speaks well for his future. Strowman can bring the funny while scaring the shit out of people at the same time. It’s a win-win situation!

·        Roman Reigns defeated Sheamus with a Spear from midair in a good match. This bout was in danger of being hijacked by the fans when they started up a Rusev Day chant after the commercial break. However, both men maintained their composure and delivered the goods down the stretch as the last five or six minutes featured hard-hitting action and crazy near falls that popped the crowd.

·        Cesaro tried to get involved, but Reigns knocked him over the barricade with a Superman Punch. This set up the finishing sequence as the match avoided the dreaded 10:30 Lull Period of Death. For now…

·        The Fatal 5-Way Match featuring Bray Wyatt, Matt Hardy, Apollo Crews, Seth Rollins, and Finn Bàlor ended in controversy when Rollins and Bàlor pinned Wyatt at the same time. The referee counted to three like an idiot and had the nerve to admonish both men for not claiming the win based on his bullshit decision. Raw went off the air with Michael Cole wondering who won the match as Rollins, Bàlor, and the dumbass ref argued in the ring.

·        This was a good match, but it lacked crowd heat during the last few minutes. Some fans tried to start a “CM Punk” chant early on, but they were quickly hissed down. Everyone got a chance to shine, but the flat finish left a lot to be desired.

·        In some ways, WWE telegraphed the outcome as the announcers kept talking about this being the last chance for someone to possibly punch their ticket to WrestleMania. Based on what happened tonight, Kurt Angle will probably book Rollins vs. Bàlor with the winner getting the last spot in the Chamber. Short of both men sharing a pod, this is the best way out a ludicrous situation. The match should be great, but this was such a shitty way to get from Point A to Point B.

·        To maintain the integrity of my original thoughts, I am breaking some news that happened after Raw went off the air. Kurt Angle announced that Rollins AND Bàlor earned a spot in the Elimination Chamber. For the first time ever, there will be a seven-man Chamber match. This blockbuster news should’ve been announced on television, but the match should be great considering the talent involved. The end of the main event was still a bullshit soufflé, though.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. This show was trending towards being pretty good until the main event. The dreaded 10:30 Lull Period of Death reared its ugly head as the Fatal 5-Way left a bitter taste in my mouth. The booking of that match damn near ruined the show. Fortunately, the first 2 ½ hours was strong as the in-ring action ranged from solid to very good. The Braun Strowman-Elias Dual Concert was the best thing on the show from an entertainment standpoint while Sasha Banks vs. Bayley win Match of the Night honors.

·        Also, WWE did nice job hyping the Elimination Chamber PPV by running down the key matches on the card. These points were hammered home to maximum effect until the company dropped the ball during the main event. Now that the situation has been rectified via social media, here’s hoping next week’s go-home show in Phoenix, Arizona is a nice make-good after tonight’s ho-hum ending. 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: Paul Heyman vs. The Plural - Welcome To The First Great Feud Of 2018 (1-1-2018)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to the first Raw Exposé of 2018. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The New Year represents a fresh start for WWE as the Road to WrestleMania makes its first pit stop at the Royal Rumble in a few weeks. It’s a new year that should bring change in the best possible way. Did the E give us a sampling of what’s to come or did they drag along the carcass of 2017 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.

·        The first Raw of 2018 kicked off with Kurt Angle making a major announcement regarding the men and women’s Royal Rumble matches. The rules for the men’s Rumble match will apply to the women’s as the inaugural bout will feature 30 entrants with each elimination consisting of the women being tossed over the top rope with their feet hitting the floor. Parity is alive and well!

·        Sheamus and Cesaro interrupted Angle mid-promo and blamed him for costing them the Raw Tag Team Championship last week. The Bar accused Angle of favoritism as he gave Jason Jordan a title shot based on his DNA alone. They wanted a rematch tonight, but Angle turned them down.

·        Jason Jordan came out to defend his father by referencing his track record for earning a shot at the Tag Team Titles last week. Cesaro and Jordan got into which resulted in Angle booking them in a singles match which took place after the commercial break.

·        Seth Rollins came out to support Jordan, but he didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart. Rollins accused Jordan of being self-absorbed which could result in his downfall if he wasn’t careful. Despite winning the Tag Titles last week, there is still tension between Rollins and Jordan which could lead to a heel turn from the latter sooner rather than later.

·        Jason Jordan defeated Cesaro with an Elevated Neckbreaker thanks to an assist from Seth Rollins. Jordan and Cesaro had a good match, but it lacked crowd heat because the fans are not buying Jordan’s goody-two-shoes act. Cesaro targeted Jordan’s left knee and dominated the action from the mat with a series of submission holds. Jordan made a comeback by dropping Cesaro with back-to-back Northern Lights Suplexes for a near fall.

·        Cesaro countered by putting Jordan in the Boston Crab, but Jordan grabbed the bottom rope to break the hold. Sensing that Sheamus was about to take another cheap shot at Jordan behind the referee’s back, Rollins laid him out at ringside which led to the finish moments later.

·        Rollins wanted to celebrate the win with his tag team partner, but Jordan hogged the spotlight for himself instead. WWE is not veering off course when it comes to turning Jordan heel. It’s a slow burn process that feels inevitable based on his shaky partnership with Rollins. He still needs to draw the right kind of heat because the fans should want to see him get his ass kicked instead of chanting “This Is boring” during his matches. Jordan is getting better, but there is still room for improvement when it comes to fleshing out his quasi-heel character.

·        Bray Wyatt defeated Apollo Crews with Sister Abigail in a solid match. Crews got in a surprising amount of offense and almost won the match when Dana Brooke climbed on the ring apron to distract Wyatt. Brooke’s plan backfired when Wyatt scared her off the apron which caused her to fall on top of Titus O’Neil. The distraction allowed Crews to nail Wyatt with an Enzuiguri which stunned the Eater of Worlds. Crews tried to finish him off with the Spin-Out Powerbomb, but Wyatt countered with Sister Abigail for the win.

·        After the match was over, Woken Matt Hardy appeared on the big screen and dropped some whimsical knowledge on Wyatt before laughing manically to end things on a bizarre note. The Great War of 2018 is upon us, ladies and gentlemen.

·        Asuka defeated Alexa Bliss with an armbar in a good match. Asuka dominated in the action early on, but Bliss took control after the commercial break when she targeted Asuka’s midsection. Bliss’ ground game was impressive as Asuka did a great job selling the rib injury.

·        Bliss’ cockiness got the best of her when she slapped Asuka in the face which resulted in the Empress of Tomorrow returning the favor. Asuka nailed Bliss with a serious of stiff kicks and knee strikes before making her tap out for the win.

·        This was one of Asuka’s better matches since coming to the main roster. If both ladies are given more time to clean up the choppiness, they can deliver an even better match down the road. All in all, this was an enjoyable non-title bout.

·        Samoa Joe throwing shade in front of Renee Young when it comes to Dean Ambrose living off her paycheck was awesome. Joe is the best heel in WWE because he gives zero fucks about other people’s feelings. I love it!

·        Braun Strowman defeated Rhyno with a Running Powerslam in a quick match. Heath Slater got involved at the behest of Strowman, but he took both men out with the greatest of ease.

·        After the match was over, Strowman put on a show as he dropped Slater and Rhyno with a series of powerslams that popped the crowd something fierce. This was the best thing on the show by far. Big Hoss FTW!

·        Jason Jordan trying to talk tough to Roman Reigns was hilarious. The best part was Reigns and Seth Rollins giving Jordan the side eye after he left the locker room. My theory of Jordan trying to become an honorary Shield member might come to fruition after all…

·        Roman Reigns retained the Intercontinental Championship when he nailed Samoa Joe with the Spear in a very good match. It was a hard-hitting bout that had the crowd hooked from start to finish.

·        It should be noted that Reigns could lose the IC Title if he was disqualified. He was tempted midway through the match when Joe slammed his head into the steel steps. Reigns wanted to retaliate by throwing the steps on top of Joe, but the referee talked him down. Reigns eventually nailed Joe with a pair of Superman punches for a near fall.

·        Reigns had the match in hand when Joe shoved Reigns into the ref. The official was about to disqualify Reigns, but Joe took advantage of the situation by dropping the Big Dog with an Urnage for a near fall.

·        Joe tried to put Reigns in the Coquina Clutch, but Reigns rolled through and hit Joe with the Spear for the 1-2-3.

·        This was a strong match, but it hurt Joe because his tough talk rang hollow in the end. This would’ve been the perfect time for a title switch unless WWE is holding it off until the Rumble. It should be interesting to see how Joe gets a rematch after losing so decisively tonight.

·        Cedric Alexander and Goldust?!? defeated Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari when Alexander pinned Gulak with the Lumbar Check. I guess the 205 Live weight limit doesn’t apply to Goldust…The match was fine while it lasted.

·        Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Finn Bàlor defeated Elias, Curtis Axel, and Bod Dallas when Bàlor pinned Dallas with the Coup De Grace in a decent match. Seeing The Bàlor Club team up was “too sweet” (pun intended). A part of me wants to see them feud against The Shield, but Dean Ambrose’s injury has put the kibosh on that for now. *sniff*

·        Paul Heyman cut a fiery promo about how WWE likes to stack the deck against Brock Lesnar by booking him in a match against multiple opponents. Back in the day, the challenger would face the champion one-on-one. In 2018, the challengers didn’t have to pin the champ in order to win the Big One.

·        Therefore, the odds would always be in Lesnar’s favor because no can beat him. Heyman was bold enough to say that Lesnar would destroy everyone in the Royal Rumble match which caused Corey Graves to say that such an assumption was a slight exaggeration. Heyman read Braun Strowman and Kane their last rites in Latin before dropping the mic like a boss.

·        Kane came out to confront Lesnar. Both men eyeballed each other until Kane dropped Lesnar with a chokeslam. The Big Red Machine was about to leave the ring when Lesnar sat up and laughed at Kane for not finishing the job. Lesnar grabbed the Universal Title and knocked Kane off the ring apron as both men fell to the floor.

·        Kurt Angle called for reinforcements as the locker room cleared out to separate both men. Lesnar got in one more cheap shot as Raw went off the air with The Beast standing tall.

·        This was an anti-climactic way to end the show. The brawl between Lesnar and Kane was fine, but it ended abruptly. Strowman watched the action unfold backstage and kept his word that he would take care of Lesnar on his own time. The Triple Threat Match featuring Strowman, Kane, and Lesnar for the Universal Championship should be a beautiful disaster if it’s booked properly. The Philly fans will either push things over the top or hijack the Rumble PPV because they want to see Finn Bàlor vs. Brock Lesnar instead. We shall see how it all plays out soon enough.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. The first hour was so-so, but the second and third hour featured good wrestling action that kept the crowd awake. The nail-biting conclusion of the Rose Bowl probably drew viewers away from the USA Network early on, but the rest of the broadcast gave diehard fans a reason to tune in once the insanity was over.

·        The build for the Royal Rumble continues with more stars on the men and women’s side throwing their names in the proverbial hat. It should be a star-studded night in Philly if everything goes according to plan.

·        Meanwhile, the Jason Jordan Heel Turn is back on track based on his actions tonight. Jordan tried to elbow his way into The Shield as Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins brushed him off.

·        Jordan turning heel should remain the end game because it helps him generate heat for all the right reasons. Rollins doesn’t trust him while Angle remains the doting father who is blind to his son’s underhanded ways. It’s a good storyline that can go in several directions if the creative team plays their cards right.

·        Besides The Miz’s return, nothing else was advertised on next week’s show in Memphis. The College Football Playoff Championship Game is going to kill WWE in the ratings unless they load up the broadcast. Here’s hoping the social media team generate some buzz online because I have zero incentive to watch the show at the moment because my Georgia Bulldogs are one step away from winning their first national championship since 1980. Go Dawgs! Just saying…

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. Happy New Year, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: Have A Holly Jolly Strowmas (12-25-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to the Christmas Edition of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. This is the first time WWE has aired a LIVE show on Christmas night which is quite remarkable, to say the least. Did the company give us something to cheer about this holiday season or did they give us a lump of coal instead? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Since the first hour of Raw was commercial free, here is my random stream of consciousness covering all the yuletide festivities. Enjoy!

·        John Cena is a classic act for giving his t-shirt and hat to a young fan in the audience.

·        Elias saying that WWE stands for Walk With Elias is absolutely genius.

·        Elias serenaded the crowd with a song dissing the city of Chicago. Cena cut him off and told The Drifter to make amends for being a jerk.

·        Elias agreed and remixed the song to make it more fan friendly. Cena joined in by singing the last line from “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, but Elias sucker punched Cena as he dissed Chicago and the Christmas holiday for being overrated.

·        Elias challenged Cena to a match which took place after the commercial break moments later.

·        John Cena defeated Elias with the AA in a decent match. Elias dominating 80% of the action got a little tedious down the stretch, but this was a nice spot for him to showcase his stuff against the biggest star in WWE. Elias has grown by leaps and bounds since his main roster call-up, but there is still room for improvement heading into 2018. His future is super bright versus the go away heat he received in NXT.

·        Kurt Angle announced two championship matches set for later tonight as Sheamus and Cesaro defend the Raw Tag Team Titles against the unlikely duo of Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan while Roman Reigns squares off against Samoa Joe for the Intercontinental Championship.

·        Hideo Itami defeated The Brian Kendrick with the GTS in a decent match. Kendrick had a few hope spots, but the outcome was never in doubt. Itami should fit in the Cruiserweight Division if he rediscovers the fire that burned so brightly in Japan before the injury bug bit him during his run in NXT.

·        Absolution defeated Bayley, Mickie James, and Sasha Banks when Paige pinned Bayley with the Ram-Page in a good six-woman tag team match. The heels dominated the action early on with the best spot of the match taking place at ringside when Sonya Deville nailed Banks with a sick clothesline. Banks played the babyface in peril until she made the hot tag to Bayley.

·        Bayley and Paige went at it and appeared that Bayley had the match won when she dropped Paige with the Bayley-to-Belly, but Mandy Rose and Deville pulled their leader out of the ring before the referee counted the pinfall.

·        This led to a full-on melee which saw Banks and James take out Rose and Deville which allowed Bayley to take out Paige by herself. However, Paige outsmarted Bayley and pinned her clean as a sheet as the first hour of Raw came to an end.

·        The Chicago crowd cheering on Bayley put a smile on my face because her character has been put through the ringer over the past six months or so. Major market crowds have turned on her, but Chi-Town still showed the Hugger Extraordinaire some love because they can see through the bullshit booking. For that, I give them virtual air kisses and hugs for not being bamboozled.

·        Step one of Rhyno toughening up Heath Slater backfired when Kane defeated Slater with a Chokeslam in a quick match. Rhyno tried to avenge his tag team partner, but he ate Chokeslam as well. Season Beatings!

·        Curtin Hawkins’ losing streak now stands at 0-147 as Finn Bàlor pinned Hawkins with the Coup De Grace in a quick and decisive match.

·        Woken Matt Hardy unleashed his new character in front of a live audience for the first time when he attacked Bray Wyatt from behind. Hardy tried to nail Wyatt with the Twist of Fate, but the Eater of Worlds rolled out of the ring. Hardy grabbed the microphone and laughed manically as he led the crowd in a Delete chant while Wyatt looked on from the main stage. The Great War of 2018 is upon us. Yaaaaaaaassss!!!!

·        Cedric Alexander, Mustafa Ali, and Akira Tozawa defeated Drew Gulak, Ariya Daivari, and Enzo Amore in a Miracle on 34^th Street Fight when Alexander nailed Daivari with the Lumbar Check for the win. Christmas Trees, wrapped presents, candy canes, and cookie trays were used as weapons as the crowd ate up the holiday hijacks. It was a harmless and fun way to set up the Cruiserweight Championship match between Enzo and Alexander which takes place next week from Miami, Florida.

·        Nia Jaz and Enzo Amore were about to share a kiss under the mistletoe until Alexa Bliss cock blocked her best friend. Bah Humbug!

·        Samoa Joe defeated Roman Reigns via disqualification when Reigns kicked too much ass which caused the referee to ring the bell. Until the bullshit finish, Joe and Reigns were having a good match that featured hard-hitting action throughout.

·        Joe putting Reigns in the Coquina Clutch was the highlight of the match as the fans became unglued at the possible tap/pass out. Joe had the hold cinched in, but Reigns grabbed the rope to break the hold.

·        From there, Joe targeted Reigns’ left elbow as he dropped him with a tope which caused Reigns to slam into the barricade.

·        Reigns got back on offense by using his right hand to attacked Joe in the corner which resulted in the DQ moments later.

·        Reigns didn’t let up as he nailed Joe with a Superman Punch before hitting him in the shoulder with the steel steps. He nailed Joe with another Superman Punch at ringside and was about to finish him off by hitting him with a steel chair, but he hit the ring post instead as Joe moved out of the way to avoid certain doom.

·        Reigns wanted to avenge Dean Ambrose and almost succeeded by taking out Joe’s elbow. The Battle of the Badass Samoans will continue because Joe is due a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship after Reigns got intentionally disqualified. It should be a good one if no one gets DQ’d the second time around.

·        Braun Strowman destroyed Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel in a Secret Santa match when Strowman pinned Dallas with a Running Powerslam. Axel suffered the same fate as Strowman gave everyone what they wanted 6X over. Have a Holly Jolly Strowmas!

·        Alexa Bliss cut a great promo about wanting credit for the women having the first-ever Royal Rumble match next month in Philly. Asuka came out and announced that she was entering and winning the Rumble because no one was ready for Asuka before kicking Bliss in the head. I guess the message sent and received accordingly.

·        Who says title changes can’t take place on Christmas. Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan defeated Sheamus and Cesaro to become the NEW Raw Tag Team Champions when Jordan dropped Cesaro with an Elevated Neckbreaker for the win. This was a very good match that featured fast-paced and hard-hitting action throughout.

·        Rollins played the babyface in peril as The Bar isolated him from Jordan early on. Jordan tried to intervene, but Sheamus slammed him against the barricade which prevented Rollins from making the hot tag.

·        The crowd willed Jordan on his feet as he got back in the ring to attack Sheamus. This allowed Rollins to make the tag as Jordan cleaned house. Jordan was in a couple of near fall situations, but Rollins bailed him out of trouble. Rollins took out Sheamus by slamming him against the steel steps which led to the finish moments later.

·        Raw went off the air with Rollins and Jordan celebrating in the ring while Sheamus and Cesaro sulked on the floor as their 2017 came to a disappointing end.

·        This was an interesting title switch. One can assume that Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose were going to win the Tag Team Titles until Ambrose’s elbow injury sidelined him for an unspecified period of time. Jordan being Ambrose’s surrogate should create an interesting dynamic heading into 2018. Jordan had no problem saying that he was better than Ambrose and proved it by winning his biggest match to date. Will he become an honorary Shield member or is he too vanilla to don the SWAT gear?

·        In all seriousness, don’t expect Jordan to change his less than innocent ways based on this title win. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and I expect the other shoe to drop sooner or later because WWE has been dropping hints that Jordan is not exactly the boy next door. The big reveal should be good if everything is executed properly. In the meantime, Angle is the doting father celebrating his son’s biggest win to date. All is right in the world. For now…

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was solid. It was a light and carefree show that featured good wrestling action throughout. WWE didn’t go overboard with the holiday hijinks as they kept the cornball comedy to a minimum. All in all, this was a nice way to spend Christmas night as a diehard wrestling fan.

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. Merry Christmas, boys and girls! 

The Raw Exposé: WWE Presents - Monster Mash III Starring Kane, Braun Strowman, and Brock Lesnar (AKA The Threequel From Hell)

By: Keila Cash

Location: Quicken Loans Arena (The Q)

State and City: Cleveland, Ohio (AKA: LeBron James Country)

·        Samoa Joe kicked off Raw by calling out Roman Reigns. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose were watching Joe’s promo from backstage as Ambrose ran off to find Reigns.

·        Joe continued to goad Reigns into a fight as he bragged about costing Ambrose and Rollins the Raw Tag Team Championship last week. He ruined The Shield’s chance of becoming a dominant force that holds all the gold in WWE. Reigns joined his Shield brothers backstage and told them that he would handle Joe on his own.

·        Reigns came down to the ring to fight Joe as the crowd popped for the confrontation. Reigns had things under control until Cesaro and Sheamus jumped him from behind. The ambush allowed Joe to lock Reigns in the Coquina Clutch as Rollins and Ambrose ran down to make the save.

·        The numbers game got the best of them as Sheamus and Cesaro laid Rollins out with the White Noise/Diving Neckbreaker before Joe dropped Ambrose with an Urnage as the opening segment came to an end with the heels standing tall in the ring.

·        This was a hot way to start the show. Samoa Joe cut a great promo explaining why he wasn’t intimidated by The Shield. Joe’s confidence was valid because he injured Seth Rollins’ knee the night after the Royal Rumble while Dean Ambrose was too scared to fight him like a man.

·        Joe put Roman Reigns to sleep more times than he could count which demonstrated his dominance on the main roster this year.

·        Therefore. The Black Sheep didn’t need backup in order get ahead. *cough* Bullshit… *cough*

·        Heels lie, but Joe still looked strong as he laid out The Shield thanks to an assist from The Bar. This was a nice way to set up the trio of matches set for later tonight featuring Joe vs. Ambrose, Rollins vs. Sheamus, and Reigns vs. Cesaro for the Intercontinental Championship.

·        Paige and Mandy Rose defeated Mickie James and Bayley when Rose pinned James after Paige kicked her in the head behind the referee’s back. The match was solid as Paige’s offense was crisper versus her so-so outing against Sasha Banks last week.

·        Absolution continues to dominate the women’s division, but the scripting of Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville needs to be overhauled ASAP. Paige needs to be the spokeswoman for the group. She has the charisma and presence to pull off WWE Speak than the NXT upstarts who have little experience in that department outside of their various promo classes at the Performance Center. They will get better in time, but they should stick to kicking ass instead of talking trash because it leaves the audience cold.

·        WOKEN Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt are raging a war that will see Woken Matt face off against the pilot embodying the spirit of Sister Abigail. Hardy mooing like a cow while cackling at the same time made me laugh to no end. Week two of the WOKEN Experiment is a success!

·        Finn Bàlor defeated Curtis Axel with the Coup De Grace in a quick match. Axel and Bo Dallas double teamed Bàlor before the bell rang, but Bàlor overcame the odds and pulled out the win. Who knew beating The Miztourage was such hard work? *Insert Sarcasm Here*

·        Seth Rollins defeated Sheamus with the King’s Landing/Ripcord Knee in a gritty match. Sheamus targeted Rollins left knee which caused Rollins to work with one leg midway through the bout.

·        Rollins sold the knee beautifully as he dropped Sheamus with a Superplex from the top rope followed by the Falcon’s Arrow while favoring the left knee at the same time. He tried to make the cover, but he couldn’t get the three-count because he was clutching his knee to numb the pain.

·        Sheamus got back on offense and was about to win the match with the Brogue Kick when Rollins countered with a Superkick followed by the Running Knee Strike for the win.

·        This was a strong match that the fans got into towards the end. Kudos to both men for a job well done.

·        The Second Chance Fatal Four Way match featuring Cedric Alexander, Tony Nese, Mustafa Ali, and Ariya Daivari ended with Alexander pinning Daivari with the Lumbar Check in a good match. Alexander will face Drew Gulak next week to determine the number one contender for Enzo Amore’s Cruiserweight Championship.

·        The match was fast-paced and hard-hitting throughout, but it lacked crowd heat. The audience has no reason to care about Alexander and Ali going at it unless they watch 205 Live on a regular basis. The standing Spanish Fly into a Lumber Check was the hottest spot of the match, but it still didn’t get the crowd on its feet. Until the wrestlers develop fleshed out personalities that grabs the audience’s on an emotional level, the apathy towards the Cruiserweight Division will continue which sucks considering the world-class talent involved.

·        However, an honorary mention goes to Drew Gulak for deflecting Michael Cole’s questions about beating Enzo for the Cruiserweight Title. Gulak dodged the issue like Neo from The Matrix. His sharp wit is refreshing which makes him stand out from the pack. He is a star on the rise who can get over if he’s given the chance to do so.

·        The burgeoning romance between Nia Jax and Enzo Amore continues. Drew Gulak being a part of the zaniness is the cherry on top.

·        Roman Reigns defeated Cesaro with the Spear to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a very good match. This was another bout where the heel targeted a body part as Cesaro went after Reigns’ right arm. Cesaro locked him in various armbars in order to gain the advantage.

·        Reigns powered through and got back on offense when he dropped Cesaro with a Powerbomb. He went for the Superman Punch, but Cesaro blocked him by targeting his arm. He nailed him with a sick European Uppercut for a near fall, but it wasn’t enough to put away Reigns.

·        Cesaro let his emotions get the best of him when he drilled Reigns with a series of uppercuts in the corner. The referee had to break things up which led to the finish moments later.

·        The Roman Reigns Intercontinental Championship Invitational rolls on with The Big Dog still holding the gold. For now…

·        Here’s my match tracker ranking Reigns’ IC Title defenses so far:

·        Reigns vs. Jordan > Reigns vs. Elias < Reigns vs. Cesaro.

·        Asuka’s match against Alicia Fox never took place because Absolution attacked Fox backstage.

·        After giving Asuka a pass over the past couple of weeks, Paige gave Asuka the chance to step aside or get pushed aside by Absolution. The Empress of Tomorrow stood her ground and was kicking Absolution’s ass until the numbers game caught up with her.

·        Paige was about to drop Asuka with the Ram Paige when Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mickie James, Alicia Fox, Dana Brooke, Nia Jax, and Alexa Bliss ran out to make the save.

·        Paige & Company are formidable as a trio, but they couldn’t withstand a seven-on-three beat down. For one night, the women’s locker room joined forces for the greater good. Don’t expect the warm and fuzzies to last long because egos will inevitably get in the way of keeping the peace long-term.

·        Samoa Joe made Dean Ambrose pass out to the Coquina Clutch thanks to an unlikely assist from Jason Jordan. Jordan was watching the match from ringside and decided to get an up-close look at the action as he made his way down ringside.

·        The action spilled to the outside as Jordan tossed Ambrose back in the ring to help him pick up the win via count out.

·        Joe put Jordan in the Coquina Clutch, but Ambrose broke things up with a dive through the ropes which took out both men.

·        Ambrose tossed Joe back in the ring and laid him out with an elbow from the top rope. Ambrose had the match won, but Jordan distracted the referee which gave Joe enough time to kick out at two (or seven).

·        Ambrose rolled out of the ring to confront Jordan. Jordan was about to drop the Lunatic Fringe with a Suplex until Joe laid out both men with a dive of his own before putting Ambrose to sleep for the win.

·        Samoa Joe’s plan wasn’t a total fail as he managed to save the night by taking care of Ambrose. Jordan continues to straddle the fence when it comes to his good intentions, but his true motive remains suspect as he cost Ambrose the match by “accident.”

·        After last week’s shaky performance, Jordan is starting to click as a quasi-heel that gets under the crowd’s skin for all the right reasons while Kurt Angle remains oblivious to his son’s less than noble actions as of late.

·        Braun Strowman vs. Kane ended via double count-out after both men failed to get back in the ring before the count of ten. Strowman and Kane were having a decent match that spilled into the crowd while the referee was counting.

·        Strowman slammed Kane through the barricade which led to the disappointing finish. The fans booed, but both monsters won them over when they continued the fight at ringside.

·        There was a steel steeps duel which saw Kane suffer the brunt of the hit. Strowman introduced a table to the proceedings as the crowd popped something fierce.

·        He set up the table, but Kane nailed him with a chair shot to the knee before nailing him several chair shots to the back.

·        Strowman fought back which resulted in both men taking a breather. Kane sat up first, but Strowman channeled his inner Undertaker by sitting up moments later as the Big Red Machine looked on in shock.

·        Kane tried to chokeslam Strowman, but the Monster Among Men countered as he put Kane through the table with a Running Powerslam.

·        Raw went off the air with Strowman standing tall while Corey Graves wondered who will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble next month.

·        Based on the finish, I expect Kurt Angle to book a Triple Threat Match between Kane, Strowman, and Lesnar for the Universal Title. It makes sense despite Strowman and Lesnar having a less than stellar match at the No Mercy PPV a few months ago. Kane is a wild card, but I don’t expect this match to set the world on fire outside of a few power spots.

·        Finn Bàlor was sacrificed at the altar for this smorgasbord of ridiculata. Considering Joe’s dominating performance at Great Balls of Fire earlier this year, he’s more deserving of a rematch than the two resident monsters of WWE. Unless an 11th-hour decision is made next week, Monster Mash III is going down at the Royal Rumble next month. Oh, joy! *Insert Sarcasm Here*

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. The in-ring action was strong throughout the night which had a better flow from start to finish versus last week’s show. Every segment had a purpose which forwarded several storylines heading into the end of the year.

·        WWE is delaying Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe for the Intercontinental Championship which is smart since they have a lot of time between now and the Royal Rumble. Jason Jordan continues to stick his nose in their business which adds an extra wrinkle to their feud.

·        Meanwhile, Woken Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt continue to entertain which should lead to the Great War of 2018 if everything goes according to plan.

·        Sheamus and Cesaro & Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins will eventually settle their score while a certain duo waits in the wings to strike. No Flips, Just Fists…

·        Absolution got a dose of their own medicine when the numbers game caught up to them, but don’t expect the rest of the women’s locker room to play nice for long because the heel to face ratio is still unbalanced.

·        These moving parts are keeping Raw afloat as the march towards the 25^th Anniversary special rolls on. I’m not a huge fan of Brock Lesnar defending the Universal Championship against Kane or Braun Strowman at the Royal Rumble, but it shouldn’t be too bad if it makes sense from a booking standpoint. Finn Bàlor deserves the shot more, but that ship has sailed because he’s not OVER enough. Le sigh!

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!