#//stretches out. hello. finally made a promo for this blog

[bleedingovereden]

poisoned by the very air i breathe ; a love with hatred laced between

independent, semi-selective duo blog feat. two fandomless original characters: ink nikodemos and arthur huffman. 18+.

an exploration of a past that never truly leaves you and a future that will never come.

featuring verses inspired by the unsleeping city, the magnus archives, and more!

follows back from @multi-lefaiye

[popculturebuffet]

Patreon Membership Drive: Turbo Championship Hyper Fighting Edition!

Hello all you happy people! For those wondering “who the hell is this.” I”m Jake Mattingly. I review animation and comics here on this tumblr 5 times a week, and love doing so. I do so by recapping an episode of an animated show or a volume of a comic piece by piece, how detailed depends on the work and how condensed it needs to be, analyzing the episode and sometimes throwing in some jokes because i’m a silly weirdo and tis my nature. 

 So far i’ve been able to scrape by with the help of my patreon’s kev and emma, with Kev suplimenting that iwth various comissions (I.e. paying me to review a specific episode of a show much like someone would comissoin). But I don’t want to place my entire finacial future in the hands of two people so last month I lauched my patreon membership, trying to get people to join my patreon to releive some of the pressure on them. And not a person signed on during the first month. 

But I realize a large part of that is I simply didn’t advertise propertly, not really explaning what it is I do, what they get, or throwing in any extra incentives for signing up apart from “If so many people pledge to my patreon i’ll do X review” Which is still the main thrust of my campaign but I realized I need MORE than that to give you all proper money for your buck, especailly with Tumblr trying to monteize in the most half assed way possible making people presumibly more wary of spending money on me. 

So for this promo i’m going into what it is I review exactly, how to sign up for my patreon and how any of that works, what you get out of it, and various juicy stretch goals i’m hoping ya’ll can help me reach so

WHAT IS IT YOU DO EXACTLY?

As I mentioned above I review animation and comics, more animation than comics. My meat and potatoes are Disney Duck works, primarily the 2017 reboot and the Don Rosa and Carl Barks comics. For the former i’ve done retrospectives on Lena’s arc, the Della storyline from season 2 and ALL the Season 2 storylines, the last one currently in progress. I intend to review the entire series, the lackluster tie in comics, and the this duckburg life podcast, though the last one has some strings attached we’ll get to under my goals.  I”ve also been reviewing various Carl Barks first apperances and most importantly doing a complete retrospective on Don Rosa’s masterwork the Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck. 

I also review certain shows week to week, almost entirely Disney as aside from the True Colors Debacle they have the most reliable schedule and announce release dates farther in advance than Cartoon Network and Nick which just sorta pop up announce things. I covered all of season 3 of Ducktales and season 2 of amphibia (With season 3 coverage coming in october) and i’m currently reviewing Owl House every week till that hiatus hits. 

Finally i’m currently looking at all the Tom Luictor episodes of star vs the forces of evil tracking both Tom’s character arc and the show’s steady decline straight into the dumps. 

Comics wise i’m more sporadic but in addition to duck comics stuff, I’ve also been doing a retrospective on the Scott Pilgrim franchise: all 6 volumes of the comic, those reviews avaliable now and in two weeks from this post, just in time for  the video game and movie anniversaries to finish things up. I recently started another one for the comic book Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, I intend to finish one I did for New X-Men, and I have a few in my mind’s eye I want to do soon on John Ostrandre’s Suicide Squad run, Justice League International, and Mega Man that i’m going to do pilots for to see if anyone’s interested. 

Finally recently i’ve started doing quick thoughts, quick reviews on recent stuff from trailers to full on movies I don’t have to cover normally. 

So What Is Your Patreon?

Patreon is a site where creators can get paid for work and can put up exclusive content and what not. You pledge anywhere from a dollar a month, and become one of my patrons and help me do this blog for a living. I genuinely love writing about media, analyzing it and making weird jokes, and this lets me do that as my job and my passion. I simply don’t want to put finacing that on the backs of only two people. 

So What’s In It For Me?

Unlike Tumblr itself I feel my supporters deserve to get the most bang for their buck. As such Patreon Membership starts at JUST ONE DOLLAR. That’s right for a dollar a month, 12 bucks a year so the price of a movie, you get access to my occasoinal exclusive reviews, exclusive poles once I get more than two members so that’s actually sensical to do to vote on reviews, and to pick a theatrical short when i review a bunch of them for character birthdays or holidays or just cause. 

In addition to these though i’ve decided to sweeten the pot. ON SIGN UP ANY PATREON OF ANY TIER GETS ONE FREE REVIEW OF ANY SINGLE EPISODE OF TELEVISION OR ISSUE OF A COMIC BOOK. That’s right for just one buck, you get a review of your choice. Whatever you want. You want to force me to watch something you hate so someone else can bitch about it for you? Go on about an episode yo ulove? shine a light on something obscure? Well i’m your man and for ONE BUCK A MONTH, you can get that. Whatever you want put on my schedule as soon as I have room and your payment’s gone through. 

And if you want me to review stuff on a more regular basis, five bucks a month gets you a review a month, same permaiters as above along with said free review. I will PERSONALLY make sure there’s a space on the schedule every month for your patreon review and review whatever you want no matter how good, bad or stuppid. 

But that’s not ALL. 

STRETCH GOALS:

To explain these better than what I did next time: My stretch goals are goals on my patreon: if I hit a certain number of Patreons I will review (Insert Thing Here) And these are meaty projects too: full season reviews, retrospectives and what have you and something’s unlocked with each person who signs up, adjusted from orignally basing it on price. So your dollar a month not only gets you your own review, but also will get my solemn vow to review a bunch of other thigns, and the more people who sign up the more thigns I’ll add to my plate. Not only that but just for this pledge drive i’m adding a bunch of super neat drive exclusvie stretch goals that will VANISH AT THE END OF AUGUST. dosen’t mean I won’t EVER do these reviews, but it does mean i’ll probably sit on them a bit. 

TLDR: You singing up gets me to guarantee to review some extra stuff. 

SO WHAT ARE THE GOALS. 

I”m glad you asked. Each one is based on a person joining, so 

REGULAR PATREON GOALS THAT AREN’T GOING TO EXPIRE BUT ARE STILL PRETTY NEAT:

One goal for each new patreon so

1 New Patreon: Starting off light but still juicy, I will review the complete season one of Amphibia across two posts. I’ve already rewatched the season recently, so all someone has to do is sign up and i’ll get on it in septmeber in time for season 3! And that’s not the only show as i’ll also review BOTH seasons of the birdtastic show after my own heart Tuca and Bertie! 

2 New Patrons: This one’s a big lighter but you still get some neat things: for my scottaholics in the audience I will review the rest of Brian Lee O’Malley’s works so far: Lost at Sea (his first graphic novel) Seconds (his first post scott work) and Snotgirl (his first ongoing and first work he didn’t draw himself), which follow a girl trying to reclaim her soul/cat, an immature restrauntieur who discovers reality changing muschrooms, and an influencer who might of done a murder. For those who don’t really like Scott Pilgrim i’ll review a buch of paramount plus shows first seasons: Kamp Korral, the rugrats rugboot and iCarly. So if any of that sounds good get on the bus won’t you?

3 New Patrons: My juicest one and one that stands alone: I will review the complete first season of the Owl House across two posts. Every episode, every bit of lumity progressoin, every bit of foreshadowing in hindsight, all for you, all if three people join my patron. So if you want more bisexual magic, step up. 

4 New Patrons: Duck Goals Woo-Ooo! This one unlocks a review from Duck Master Carl Barks EVERY MONTH. Not only that I will be taking suggestoins from my patrons , meaning you can help decide which ones I do! And while tha’ts plenty i’m jucing this one up as getting me this far also nets a review of This Duckburg Like, the interquel podcast that’s given us our last ducktales content for what will likely be an eternity. 

5 New Patrons: Gravity Falls Retrospective! I”m not only talking both season of Alex Hirsch’s era defining masterpice, but also the side materials I have acess to: the shorts, Journal #3, and the lost legends tie in comic. I”d throw legend of the gnome gemulets in there two if I had a working 2ds or 3ds bu tas it stands this is what I got. 

6 New Patrons: Avatarverse Retrospective. No not James Cameron the Bravest Pioneer’s movie he wants to turn into a franchise despite NO ONE wanting this please stop James, we’re begging you. Of course i’m talking about Avatar the Last Airbender, the epic franchise that’s blowing up in size. This will include all three books of Avatar: The Last Airbender, All Four Books of the Legend of Korra, and all the juicy side stuff I can cover: the sequel comics for both series, the kioshi novels and the eye gougingly bad M Night Shamlyn Movie. Yes I really will   myself to that. I have not till now i’m happy that way but I will sufer for you. Speaking of suffering:

7 New Patrons: It’s a crapstravaganza!  If i’ve made it this far I clearly have enough fan support that I can fly into the eye of the crapstorm so i’m going to review some of the worst things I can think of:  * Chuck Austen’s X-Men the run that dared to ask the tough questions your coke addleed uncle you don’t let see your kids would like “What if Angel could cure AIDS with his blood and had sex with a minor while her parents watched?” “What if a rouge relgious sect tried to make Nightcrawler pope and then desingrate people with commuiion wafers in a scheme that makes no sense?” and “What if an x-man made a plant horny?”  * America: The comic that has the infamous and oft used by me line to compare it to other bad lines “What in the holy menstration are you doing here”. And it’s still not the most bonkers thing int his somehow 12 ISSUE SERIES tha twastes one of marvels best creations.  * The Prince: Aka that series HBO what farted out onto the service with no intention of renewal after realizing “Holy shit we greenlit this what is wrong with us” which is basically family guy but with the royal family. I’d say it was a somehow worse family guy but Famiily Guy once had an episode that was about 22 minutes of transphobic punchlines so as long as there isn’t an episode of that your good.  * Mordecai is a Bastard Man: Aka that arc of Regular Show that took a ship I really liked, Mordecai and CJ, and then destoryed it with cheating, attempted murder and saxophone.  *Star Vs Final Arc: Aka a look at how a once great show descended into a mess with unfinished plot lines, wasted characters and a finale so terrible it’s only topped by “Kids this is the story of how I really want you to say it’s okay to bang aunt robin” 8 New Patrons: Infinity Train, all four books and any finale movie if it happens. (Please let it happen) All aboard! 9 New Patrons: Two juicy disney retrospectives! The Incredibles (both movies and both comics series) and Darkwing Duck (Both the Boom! and Joe Books runs) Let’s get incredibly dangerous! 10 New Patrons: My highest tier for now and i’ts anothe rdouble feature and two big projects. If you get me this far, you’ve earned em: A She Ra and the Pricesses of Power Retrospective and a Bojack Horseman retrospective. The two greatest things Netflix has made back to back for life. 

And THAT’S NOT ALL... as I said I have some special stretch goals JUST FOR THIS PLEDGE DRIVE. 

SPECIAL DRIVE SPECIFIC GOALS BABY!:

These are a simple five extra projects for hitting the goals within the rest of the drive FROM AUGUST 1ST TO AUGUST 31ST. I will not add these to the regular goals for a full year if you do not reach them, so one buck helps you unlock projects that otherwise might not happen for YEARS. Like the other goals their measured by patrons but ONLY for this month sooooo

1 New Patron: Quack Pack series review! the most hated Disney Afternoon show in one big two part review. God help me. 2 New Patrons: Rise of the TMNT Retrospective: Both seasons, a movie and regular coverage on the offchance a third season hopefully gets greenlit.  3 New Patrons: Peanuts and Garfield Specials retrospective!: Retrospectives for the technicolor years long world of Peanuts specials and the shorte rlived but still neat garfield specails. All the specials plus all the animated movies for both!  4 New Patrons: Craig of the Creek-AThon: Rewatching season one and watching BOTH seasons i’ve missed since then with full reviews as well as reviews of each bomb of episodes as their released on teh app from here on out!  5 New Patrons: Steven Universe Retrospective! All 5 seasons, The Movie, Future, the comics, graphic novels and games. EVERY. THING. 

So if ANY of this sounds enticing 

STOP BY MY PATREON RIGHT HERE IN THIS LINK, SIGN UP TODAY, HELP ME GET PAID DOING WHAT I LOVE AND GET REVIEWS FOR EVERYBODY. YOU WON’T REGRET IT AND YOU’LL BE MAKING MY LIFE BETTER. 

And even if you can’t support it feedback on the goals, reblogs to get the word out and general words of encouragment are appricated so join me as I try to get at least one extra dollar a month in the span of this month. PITTER PATTER, let’s get at er!

[geektified]

New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/13/the-raw-expose-the-beast-vs-the-black-sheep-of-the-samoan-dynasty-edition-6-12-2017/

The Raw Exposé: The Beast vs. The Black Sheep of the Samoan Dynasty Edition (6-12-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Lafayette Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana. After Samoa Joe choked out Paul Heyman on last week’s show, Heyman vowed that The Beast would be unleashed and Joe will cower in fear. Did Lesnar deliver the goods or did he stand in the ring like a statue per his usual cameo appearances? The 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.

  Samoa Joe proved that he was man enough to take on Brock Lesnar when he attacked The Beast head on to kick off the opening segment of Raw.

  The Lesnar-Joe brawl was pretty good as both men got some licks in before Kurt Angle called for security. Both men quickly got rid of the extra muscle and resumed their fight until the rest of the locker room came out to break things up for good.

  Joe got the last shot when he kicked Lesnar in the face as the opening segment came to an end.

  Paul Heyman set things up beautifully as he cut a fiery promo about how he took Joe too lightly by heaping him with praise only to get choked out for his efforts.

  Because of Joe’s actions, The Beast was unleashed and there would be hell to pay. Heyman blasted Joe for being a punk and mutt who gave his Samoan brethren a bad name because he was considered the black sheep of the family. Heyman claimed that Joe wasn’t man enough to put Brock Lesnar in the Coquina Clutch which caused Joe test that theory by going toe-to-toe with The Beast.

  He didn’t lock in his submission hold, but the Samoan Badass proved that he wasn’t afraid to knock Lesnar on his ass and live to tell the tale.

  Overall, this was a hot way to start the show. The Joe-Lesnar brawl was similar to the epic fight between Lesnar and The Undertaker from a couple of years ago. This didn’t pack the same punch, but it was a solid pull-apart scuffle that built anticipation for their Universal Championship match at the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  Elias Samson defeated Dean Ambrose with a Swinging Neckbreaker after The Miz and Maryse came out to provide the distraction down the stretch. The Drifter continues to get heat by sucking as a singer, but his in-ring work is very basic which caused some fans to shower him with “You Can’t Wrestle” chants midway through the match. I hope he can work out the kinks because his gimmick has the potential to get over if it’s handled properly.

  This was a nice way to forward the never ending Intercontinental Championship feud between Miz and Ambrose. Let’s hope both stars part ways at next month’s PPV because it’s time for them to move on to bigger and better things.

  Cedric Alexander made quick work of Noam Dar when he pinned him with the Lumbar Check. Alicia Fox facetiming Dar before and during his match was very annoying.

  “Why be a king when you can be a God?” – Eminem.

  That quote from the song “Rap God” sums up the promo exchange between Bray Wyatt and Seth Rollins. Anyone who used Wyatt’s name in vain would be judged accordingly. Rollins was amused that Wyatt took offense to his false prophet and wannabe martyr comment from last week. He challenged Wyatt to prove him wrong, but Wyatt pulled a Houdini by disappearing into thin air and cutting the rest of his promo from the big screen. He told Rollins that it was easy to slay a king while killing a God is an impossible feat to pull off. Wyatt told Rollins to run as the segment came to an end.

  It’s hard to take Wyatt seriously after he lost to Roman Reigns last week. He takes a good game, but he can’t back up in the ring on a consistent basis. Wyatt feuding with Rollins is more nay than yay when it comes to history repeating itself. We shall see if I’m proven wrong in the weeks to come.

  Apollo Crews defeated Kalisto with a Spinout Powerbomb in a decent match. It wasn’t as good as their kickoff bout at Extreme Rules last Sunday, but the action was solid for the most part.

  Mickie James, Dana Brooke, & Sasha Bank defeated Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, & Emma when Banks made Emma tap out to the Bank Statement. The match was decent as Alexa Bliss continued to look out for herself after she left her team high and dry down the stretch.

  The promo exchange leading up to the six-woman tag team match was fine, but it was nothing to write home about. At least Banks was over with the crowd which added heat to the segment.

  Corey Graves’s interview with Bayley covered a lot of ground as Bayley was honest about why she didn’t get extreme during her Kendo Stick on a Pole match against Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules. Bayley vowed to stay true to herself in order to walk into next year’s WrestleMania as the Raw Women’s Champion.

  The Hugger Extraordinaire spoke with humility and confidence which helped repair some of the damage done to her character over the past few weeks. Hopefully is this the start of Bayley’s redemption arc because she has a lot to offer as a performer if she isn’t booked like shit.

  Corey Graves saying that he needed a cigarette after hugging Bayley was awesome. I’m surprised they didn’t break character because Graves’ deadpan delivery had me rolling.

  Heath Slater and Rhyno defeated The Miz and The Mysterious Dancing Bear when Dean Ambrose did a switcheroo with the bear after Miz’s paranoia got the best of him once again. The distraction caused Miz to knock Maryse off the ring apron which allowed Ambrose to nail him with Dirty Deeds. Ambrose dragged Slater on top of Miz to pick up the win for his team.

  The match as pure comedy as the announcers traded bear jokes that were so corny that I couldn’t even crack a smile at how dumb they were. Ambrose continues to make Miz look like chump which is entertaining, but it’s not making me long for their feud to continue.

  Neville vs. Rich Swann never got underway as Neville attacked Swann from behind. He slammed Swann into the barricade before putting him in the Rings of Saturn. Neville took pleasure in destroying Austin Aries, TJP, and Swann and blew off Akira Tozawa as a viable challenger for his Cruiserweight Championship. It appears that Titus O’Neil is trying to push his new client on Twitter, but he might be doing more harm than good by kicking the hornet’s nest. At least there’s a storyline reason as to why O’Neil is stirring up trouble on 205 Live.

  Big Cass was attacked backstage by a mystery assailant, but he still tagged with Enzo Amore as they took on Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Cass tried to compete, but Enzo had to do the heavy lifting for his team. It wasn’t enough as Anderson and Gallows laid him out with The Magic Killer for the win.

  Anderson and Gallows continued to attack Enzo until The Big Show made the save. Cass didn’t look happy as Enzo embraced Big Show in the ring. Cass remains my top suspect in the backstage attacks.

  Big Show calling Big Cass S-A-W-F-T pretty much says it all.

  The 2-out-of-3 falls match featuring The Hardy Boyz vs. Sheamus and Cesaro for the Raw Tag Team Championship ended in a tie when both teams didn’t make it back in the ring before the count of ten during the deciding fall. This was a smart way to prolong the feud while keeping both teams strong heading into the July PPV That Shall Remain Nameless Unless Absolutely Necessary.

  This was a very good main event match that featured hard-hitting action throughout. Both teams work well together which makes their feud still feel fresh despite the multiple rematches. I can’t knock the monotony if the wrestling is up to par. Let’s hope they can keep the momentum going heading into The Fire with Great Balls.

  Overall, I thought this was a serviceable episode of Monday Night Raw. It was clear from the start that WWE wanted to get their best stuff out of the way before Game 5 of the NBA Finals featuring the Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers tipped off at 9:00 p.m. Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe took care of business with their pull-apart brawl while the show was bookended by The Hardy Boyz vs. Cesaro and Sheamus in a 2-out-3 falls match for the Raw Tag Team Titles.

  The rest of the show was filled with a lot of fluff, but there was an interesting development in the form of a Roman Reigns video package. Michael Cole announced that Reigns would reveal his plans for SummerSlam on next week’s show. It appears that Reigns won’t be a part of the Raw exclusive PPV next month and will focus on the biggest party of the summer instead. His promo will be newsworthy, to say the least.

  Finn Bálor was also kept tonight’s show, but he was given the video package treatment as well. Bálor not having a viable feud at the moment sucks, but I don’t want him on television unless he has a clear purpose. The creative team better live up to their name because Bálor is too talented to be sitting on the sidelines without anything meaningful to do.

  Raw should be locked in for the rest of the summer because they no longer face competition from the NBA Playoffs. The television real estate is light on content and it’s important that WWE strikes while the iron is hot. If not, let the summertime sadness commence.

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

[geektified]

New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/04/18/the-raw-expose-welcome-to-monster-mash-monday-starring-braun-strowman-the-big-show-4-17-2017/

The Raw Exposé: Welcome to Monster Mash Monday Starring Braun Strowman & The Big Show (4-17-2017)

By: Keila Cash

  Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. The Raw and SmackDown Live rosters were infused with fresh blood after the Superstar Shakeup last week. With the tables reset heading into the spring and summer months, did Raw’s first full week with a revamped roster pay dividends or did they experience a case of buyer’s remorse?

  Elsewhere, Braun Strowman destroyed Roman Reigns in epic fashion last week. Did Reigns channel his inner John Cena by making a miraculous recovery or did the new Big Dog lick his wounds as Strowman continues his path of destruction? 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.

    Braun Strowman kicked off Raw by gloating about how he put Roman Reigns out of commission after his classic backstage beatdown last week.

  Kurt Angle burst Strowman’s bubble when he announced that Reigns would be well enough to face Strowman at Payback in two weeks. Strowman vowed that it would be Reigns’ funeral and demanded that Angle give him competition or else. Angle didn’t give him a clear answer which caused Strowman to storm backstage as the opening segment came to an end.

  This was a good way to start the show. Strowman was smug and gleeful during his promo, but the crowd reaction was mixed. Logically, he should be booed out of the building but Reigns is a lightning rod when it comes to getting de facto heel heat. It’s refreshing that an actual heel gets booed for being an evil and irredeemable human being for a change.

    I love Chris Jericho’ Lite Brite scarf. It’s so fetching.

  Samoa Joe defeated Chris Jericho when he made Jericho tap out to the Coquina Clutch in a solid match. Jericho had a few hope spots, but the outcome was never in doubt because Joe wasn’t going to lose his first match on a random episode of Raw.

  It won’t be business as usual when Samoa Joe faces Seth Rollins at Payback in two weeks. Joe reminded Rollins of his debut the night after the Royal Rumble. He wanted Rollins to remember his ligaments tearing apart in his knee. That was business, but things would get very personal at the PPV because Rollins defeated Triple H at WrestleMania and put Stephanie McMahon through a table as an added bonus.

  Rollins told Joe that payback’s a bitch as the segment came to a short and sweet end.

  I guess Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. The Golden Truth is canceled as Strowman attacked Goldust and R-Truth backstage. Braun Smash! Braun Crush!

  Big Cass’ Ohio State Buckeyes shout out didn’t go over too well with the Columbus crowd. Tough room. In all honesty, the joke was pretty lame.

  Anderson and Gallows defeated Enzo Amore and Big Cass when Anderson pinned Enzo after dropping him knee first into the top turnbuckle. The finish was a little ugly as it appeared that the referee didn’t complete the three count. Enzo’s shoulders came up, but I never heard the ref’s hand hit the mat. Perhaps there was some kind of miscommunication, but the fans were not ready for the finish based on the tepid reaction after the match was over.

  The match was fine, but Enzo playing the babyface in peril was tiresome in spots. Big Cass took control down the stretch and had the match won until the fluky finish. This was a case where both teams gained nothing by facing each other which is a shame considering the talent involved.

  The Miz and Dean Ambrose’s feud from earlier this year has been re-ignited thanks to an explosive episode of Miz TV.  Miz talked about how he looked and acted like a WWE Superstar while Ambrose wore cheap clothes which afforded him multiple opportunities on SmackDown Live last year.

  However, Ambrose was a blimp on this year’s WrestleMania card while Miz and Maryse were front and center. Miz called Ambrose lazy and complacent which has prevented him from breaking the glass ceiling in WWE.

  Ambrose had a great rebuttal as he explained that his outward appearance didn’t matter because his heart said it all. His love for professional wrestling had no limits. He was willing to shed his blood, sweat, and tears in front of 20 or 100,000 people. After all, Ambrose defeated The Miz to win the Intercontinental Championship to kick off the year in style.

  Maryse got in Ambrose’s face and called him a street rat. Aladdin reference for the win! She talked about how the man makes the championship and called Ambrose a boy which added insult to injury.

  Ambrose told Maryse to hold his mic as he removed several items from his leather jacket before folding it up neatly. Miz went on a tirade about how Ambrose made the IC Title a joke while Ambrose chucked the jacket at Maryse before attacking Miz.

  Maryse hit Ambrose from behind with the microphone which allowed Miz to set up the Skull Crushing Finale. Ambrose wiggled out of the move and was about to drop Miz with Dirty Deeds, but The Hollywood A-Lister made a quick escape as he and Maryse scurried up the ramp.

  I am not a big fan of WWE revisiting this feud, but the mid-card scene is pretty light on star power. Until that situation is sorted out, Ambrose vs. Miz for the IC title is a fine placeholder. For now…

  Kalisto first week on Raw resulted in him being tossed in a dumpster by Strowman. Sad times…

  The Big Show body checked Strowman as he shoved him into the garage door backstage. Big Show vs. Strowman II is set for later tonight. Their first match was a pleasant surprise. Let’s hope lightning strikes twice.

  TJ Perkins defeated Jack Gallagher with the Detonation Kick thanks to an assist from Neville. The first half of the match was good as it featured fluid action throughout. However, the heat cooled off considerably after the commercial break as the crowd reaction was lukewarm at best.

  Jack Gallagher pulling a Mary Poppins liven things up as he laid out Perkins with a Thesz Press while falling gracefully to the floor with his umbrella.

  However, things took quite the turn when TJP tossed Gallagher into Austin Aries while he was watching the match from ringside. Aries got up to confront TJP, but Neville yanked Aries off the ring apron which led to the aforementioned finish.

  This was a nice way to forward the Neville-Aries feud while also giving TJP a chance to shine as a heel who is not above taking a short cut in order to pick up wins.

  Alexa Bliss became the number one contender for the Raw Women’s Championship when she capitalized on Nia Jax’s handiwork by pinning Sasha Banks after Jax laid her out with a Samoan Drop. Bliss kicked Jax out of the ring and picked up the tainted, but completely legal win.

  The Fatal Four Way match featuring Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, Mickie James, and Nia Jax was good. It featured solid action throughout and I loved the interaction between James and Banks. Bliss was the ultimate opportunist as she knew what battles to fight and which ones to run away from.

  Jax’s power offense was impressive and relatively safe for a change. Jax needs more seasoning in the ring and WWE’s unique approach of having her learn on the job is exposing her weaknesses instead of accentuating her strengths as a badass who needs to do very little in order to get over. It worked for Strowman. Let’s hope the Powers That Be realizes that when it comes to the presentation of Jax in the future.

  In any event, Bliss will be a nice foil for Bayley heading into Payback while the slow burn heel turn of Sasha Banks continues.

  Finn Bálor made quick work of Curt Hawkins when he pinned Hawkins with the Coup De Grace. I’m glad that Bálor’s concussion scare wasn’t serious as he was back in the ring this week. If Bálor defeated Jinder Mahal in 30 seconds or less last week, that whole forearm to the head thing could’ve been avoided.

  On a lighter note, Hawkins is aware that his sole purpose on Raw is to elevate people to the main event. Smart man.

  Quick Synopsis of Bray Wyatt’s sermon to Randy Orton: There will be hell, fire, and brimstone. Here endeth the recap.

  Chris Jericho putting The Drifter on The LIST made my night.

  Jeff Hardy and Cesaro survived the 10:30 Lull Period of Death by having a competitive one-on-one match which saw Cesaro put on an uppercut party of the highest order.

  The match was solid, but it was a bit one-note due to all the uppercuts. Hardy eventually got back on offense when he grazed Cesaro with Whisper in the Wind followed by a dropkick that sent the Swiss Superman tumbling out of the ring.

  The ending came when both men countered out of their finishes with Hardy coming out on top with the Side Effect followed by the Swanton Bomb for the win.

  The Hardy Boyz and Cesaro & Sheamus shook hands as a sign of mutual respect heading into their Raw Tag Team Championship match at Payback in two weeks. We shall see if the face vs. face dynamic holds up heading into the go-home show next week.

  The Big Show vs. Braun Strowman had another classic battle that featured baseball slides, dropkicks, arm drags, powerslams, kip-ups, chokeslams, and knockout punches. However, the biggest spot of the match took place when Strowman delivered a superplex to Big Show that sent both men crashing down the canvas which caused the ring to implode. The referee flew out of the ring as the crowd popped with shock and elation.

  The ring crew checked on all three men as various camera angles surveyed the damage. Amazingly, Strowman got up and declared himself the winner as Raw went off the air with the Monster among Men celebrating on the main stage.

  The match was a total spectacle and I loved every minute of it. Big Show and Strowman worked well together and told a great story in the ring. Whoever laid out the match did a tremendous job teasing the superplex spot. The fans were on their feet, but their instant gratification was denied which made the actual moment even sweeter when it finally happened.

  This was a great way to end the show and I must give kudos to WWE for spacing out the epic ring implosion moment over the years. Big Show has been a part of all of them and each time it feels special and out of the blue. It’s a trick that will never get old as long as it’s used sporadically. Tonight was no different.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw was solid. The show was verging on being so-so until the main event salvaged things. Plus, WWE showed restraint by keeping Roman Reigns off television this week. It would’ve been dumb for Reigns to show up fresh as a daisy after Strowman kicked his ass to the nth degree. Building anticipation for their rematch was the way to go and I fully expect the new Big Dog to show up on the go-home show next week. Perhaps he should bring a bulldozer for added protection against Strowman. Safety first!

  Up until the main event, the Fatal Four Way Match featuring Sasha Banks. Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, and Nia Jax were in the running for match of the night honors. The ladies had a solid outing that might have been the best in-ring work I’ve seen in the Women’s Division since Bayley defeated Charlotte for the championship a little over two months ago. Bliss has one week to promote her match against the Hugger Extraordinaire. With her razor sharp mic work, I am confident in her capabilities to get the job done.

  The rest of the show felt stagnant in spots. Due to Dash Wilder recovering from a broken jaw, The Revival’s push is on hold which causes a bit of stagnation in the Tag Team Division. The Hardy Boyz have to be the standard bearer until Top Guys make their triumphant return. Let’s hope the nostalgia doesn’t wear off between now and then.

  After last week’s Superstar Shakeup, nothing really changed with the exception of Dean Ambrose and The Miz rekindling their feud from SmackDown Live and Bray Wyatt spewing nonsense on the TitanTron. Everything else is pretty much the same. Let’s hope the creative team shakes things up over the next couple of months because the broadcast seems a little wishy-washy outside of Strowman being an indestructible badass. Fingers crossed!

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

[geektified]

New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/05/09/the-raw-expose-the-samoa-joe-is-the-worlds-most-dangerous-fake-chiropractor-edition-5-8-2017/

The Raw Exposé: The Samoa Joe Is The World's Most Dangerous Fake Chiropractor Edition (5-8-2017)

By: Keila Cash

  Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the O2 Arena in London, England. The biannual European Tour is in full swing as WWE makes a pit stop in the land of tea and crumpets for the next couple of days. With the crowd having a reputation of being extra rowdy, did they live up to expectations or did they have something to cheer about for all the wrong reasons? The 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.

  Kurt Angle and Stephanie McMahon appointed Dean Ambrose and The Miz as co-General Managers of Raw since they were unavailable to run the show tonight.

  Braun Strowman made his way to the ring and demanded another match against Roman Reigns after he recovers from his shoulder injury. Once Reigns is out of the way, Brock Lesnar is next on Strowman’s hit list.

  Kalisto came out and challenged Strowman to another match after Strowman pushed him off the stage while trapped in a dumpster a few weeks ago. Strowman laughed off Kalisto’s comments and claimed that he could beat him with one arm. Ambrose decided to test that theory by booking Strowman vs. Kalisto for later tonight.

  Ambrose continued to show off his matchmaking skills by putting Miz in a match against Finn Bálor as the opening segment came to an end.

  This was a fine way to start the show, but it was nothing to write home about for the most part. Also, it appears that the crowd noise has been edited in post-production. It kills the viewing experience because the London crowd is usually hot. Perhaps their rowdiness will be detected later in the show, but it was definitely muted here.

  The Miz defeated Finn Bálor via disqualification when Miz shoved Bálor into the referee who was busy trying to keep Maryse out of the ring. Dean Ambrose overruled his co-GM by restarting the match and banning Maryse from ringside.

  Bálor attacked Miz and tossed him back in the ring. He nailed Miz with the Slingblade/Running Dropkick/Coup De Grace trifecta for the win. The match was decent, but it didn’t get past a certain level due to the screwy booking down the stretch. Despite that small quibble, this was a nice showcase for Bálor after Bray Wyatt cost him a shot at the Intercontinental Championship last week. Speaking of Wyatt, he didn’t show up to confront Bálor which is a little surprising. The night is still young, though.

  Alexa Bliss defeated Mickie James thanks to an assist from Nia Jax. James went up to the top rope, but Jax tugged her leg to provide the distraction.

  Bayley laid out Jax with a cross body at ringside, but it wasn’t enough as Bliss knocked James off the top rope and pinned her clean as a sheet.

  Bliss continued to attack James until Bayley chased her up the ramp.

  However, James was ripe for the picking as Jax laid her out with a running avalanche followed by an elbow drop for good measure. Jax is doing Bliss’ dirty work because she wants a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship. Bliss promised to discuss the matter with Kurt Angle, but I have a feeling she is going to duck Jax because she is a smart woman who values her livelihood.

  Samoa Joe sounds like the chiropractor from hell as he described how he was going to break every bone and ligament in Seth Rollins’ body.

  Rollins attacked Joe from behind and a backstage brawl ensued until WWE officials broke things up. This was a nice way to forward their feud leading up to their presumed rematch at Extreme Rules next month.

  Braun Strowman vs. Kalisto ended via No Contest when Roman Reigns made his way to the ring to confront Strowman. Reigns and Strowman had another epic brawl which saw Reigns nail Strowman with three Superman Punches before focusing his attention on Strowman’s injured elbow.

  Reigns rammed the elbow into the ring post before grabbing a steel chair to finish the job. Strowman eventually retreated through the crowd while Reigns stood tall in the ring soaking in a mixture of cheers and boos.

  This was a nice way to forward the Reigns-Strowman feud. Both men showed great intensity during their brawl which bodes well for their return bout at Extreme Rules. Expect a special stipulation to push things over the top in terms of batshit craziness.

  Sadly, their rematch is postponed because Strowman needs to have minor surgery on his elbow which explains the injury angle. This is sucky news because it throws the main event of the next two Raw PPVs into chaos. However, this medical timeout might be a blessing in disguise because Strowman should be back in time for SummerSlam which will allow WWE to build up Strowman vs. Reigns or Strowman vs. Lesnar for the Universal Championship. Either direction is fine, but it gives the creative team more flexibility when it comes to plotting out Lesnar’s Title defenses for the rest of the year.

  Sheamus and Cesaro survived Tag Team Turmoil as they defeated Enzo Amore & Big Cass, Heath Slater & Rhyno, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows, and The Golden Truth to become the number one contenders for the Raw Tag Team Championship. The series of matches were good with Anderson and Gallows giving Sheamus and Cesaro a run for their money.

  The Golden Truth tried to pull off the upset, but it was to no avail as Cesaro pinned R-Truth with a roll-up. The finish was underwhelming, but it didn’t take away from the match quality leading up to the final pinfall.

  The Hardy Boyz came out to confront Sheamus and Cesaro, but the heels decided to head up the ramp instead. It was another case of Lather, Rinse, Repeat because the same thing happened last week. A change of pace would be nice, but I digress.

  Seth Rollins defeated Samoa Joe via disqualification when Joe rammed Rollins’ head into the exposed turnbuckle. Rollins pulled off the covering by accident which allowed Joe to take advantage of the situation. The referee gave Joe a pass but warned him not to do it again. Joe defied the ref’s order which led to the DQ finish.

  Joe continued to ram Rollins’ head into the turnbuckle before putting him in the Coquina Clutch. The referee shouted at Joe to break the hold which he eventually did as the segment came to an end.

  Joe and Rollins had a good match, but it lacked crowd heat. It was clear that both men were holding back because the finish allows them to have a more definitive match at Extreme Rules. The booking made sense, but the match suffered from an atmospheric standpoint.

  TJP defeated Jack Gallagher with a roll-up while grabbing the tights for extra leverage. The match was decent, but it was short on time.

  After the match was over, TJP targeted Gallagher’s knee and put him in the kneebar to do further damage until Austin Aries made the save.

  Neville promised to give TJP a shot at the Cruiserweight Championship if he won tonight, but he backpedaled when Michael Cole put him on the spot. It appears that Neville is taking the Alexa Bliss approach when it comes to keeping their frenemies closer.

  Sasha Banks defeated Alicia Fox with the double knees from the top rope. However, the win was controversial as Fox had her shoulder up before the count of three. The match was decent, but it was overshadowed by some sort of kerfuffle in the crowd. Since the WWE Production Crew is edit-happy when it comes to keeping the London fans in check, why was the “integrity” of this match kept intact in terms of crowd noise?

  Bray Wyatt defeated Dean Ambrose with Sister Abigail thanks to an assist from The Miz down the stretch.

  Wyatt and Ambrose had a good match which is not surprising due to their past encounters over the years. Ambrose had things under control until Miz hit him in the back with the Intercontinental Championship. Wyatt made the cover, but Ambrose managed to kick out at two. He only delayed the inevitable as Wyatt dropped him with Sister Abigail to pick up the win moments later.

  Miz attacked Ambrose by raking his eyes before cutting a promo vowing to win the Intercontinental Championship next week as Raw went off with Maryse and her husband canoodling on the entrance ramp.

  Finn Bálor didn’t appear during the main event which suggests that his feud with Wyatt has been dropped for the time being. Strowman’s injury might’ve pushed Bálor in front of the line for a shot at Brock Lesnar’s Universal Title at the July PPV. We shall see how it all plays out, but it’s very telling that the follow-up was dropped cold.

  As for Ambrose and Miz, they will face off for the IC Championship next week. I don’t expect a title change, but stranger things have happened.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was decent at best. Even though the show was taped, the broadcast zipped by for the most part. The wrestling action was solid, but uneventful compared to last week’s stellar main event.

  It is becoming more apparent that WWE is doing a lot of post-show editing when they tape Raw and SmackDown Live from London. The crowd noise was subdued for most of the night, but a smattering of Randy Savage and CM Punk chants were picked up during the main event. The European fans can be a rowdy bunch, but neutering them like a bunch of puppies is a bit much because it kills the television experience for the viewers at home.

  The last couple of taped shows from the UK have been lackluster and the trend continued tonight which is sad because WWE usually goes all out to make these shows special. Let’s hope SD Live fares better tomorrow night, but I am not getting my hopes up. Le Sigh…

  The Braun Strowman injury is a bummer and it should be interesting to see how Roman Reigns is handled since his sparring partner is temporarily on the shelf. The creative team has to reshuffle the deck and we shall see how it all shakes out as Raw takes place from Newark, New Jersey next week. The injury bug needs to be wished the best in its future endeavors because it’s been taking out wrestlers left and right over the past couple of years…L

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

[geektified]

New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/05/02/the-raw-expose-from-setback-to-comeback-the-big-payback-throwback-edition-5-1-2017/

The Raw Exposé: From Setback to Comeback - The Big Payback Throwback Edition (5-1-2017)

  By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from The Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. After last night’s so-so Payback PPV, WWE had to pull something out of the proverbial hat in order to remove the stench from the horrid House of Horrors match between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt. Did the company deliver a make-good or were fans showered with a healthy dose of mediocrity instead? The 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.

  Alexa Bliss had her Raw Women’s Championship coronation and threw shade at Charlotte, Mickie James, Sasha Banks, and Bayley as she gloated about her win last night. Bliss wisely played nice with Nia Jax because she values her livelihood.

  After Bliss stated that Bayley’s nephews had an actual champion they could look up to, Bayley knocked Bliss off the podium which led to a full-on brawl that spilled over into the commercial break.

  This was a fine way to start the show. Bliss is a great heel who can rip people to shreds on the mic. Her delivery and cadence remind me of Trish Stratus which is not surprising since Bliss idolized Stratus growing up. Bliss is still a little green in the ring, but she has improved by leaps and bounds over the past year. Her match against Bayley last night exemplified that in the best possible way.

  Kurt Angle booked an eight-woman tag team match featuring Bayley, Sasha Banks, Mickie James, and Dana Brooke vs. Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, Emma, and Alicia Fox which took place after the break.

  It was a solid match that featured rapid hot tags from the babyfaces early on. Bliss had her team do the heavy lifting until she made the hot tag after Banks was put in a vulnerable position.

  Banks eventually made the hot tag to Bayley and all hell broke loose down the stretch. Bayley was on fire as she rammed Bliss’ head into the turnbuckle before dropping the champ with a suplex. Jax broke up the pin which led to a parade of high spots down the stretch.

  Mickie James laid out Jax by taking flight from the top rope onto the floor while Banks and Fox went at it like a couple of hellcats at ringside as well.

  The chaos allowed Bliss to rake Bayley’s eyes before hitting the DDT for the win.

  Bliss’ coronation ended on a blissful note (pun intended) while Bayley has to work her way back into championship contention. Here’s hoping this is the creative team’s way of hitting the reset button because Bayley has money written all over her if she is utilized properly.

  Luke Gallows defeated Enzo Amore when Gallows pinned Amore with the Fireman’s Carry Flapjack thanks to an assist from Karl Anderson. Enzo was not treated like a ragdoll for a change, but he still sold for about 75% of the match. Enzo went to the top rope and it appeared that Anderson was about to interfere until Big Cass chased him away. The distraction allowed Gallows to knock Enzo off the top rope which led to the finish. The match was fine while it lasted, but the constant 50/50 booking is doing more harm than good when it comes to both teams getting over in a meaningful way.

  Seth Rollins channeled his inner Tony Robbins as he spouted words of positivity after defeating Samoa Joe at Payback last night. Rollins decided to focus his attention on Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship as the crowd popped something fierce.

  Finn Bálor made his way to the ring and reminded Rollins that he defeated him with one arm to become the first-ever Universal Champion at SummerSlam last year. Bálor had to relinquish the title due to injury and which meant he never lost the belt outright. Therefore, he was owed a title shot and told Rollins that the line started with him.

  Dean Ambrose intervened and reminded both men that Lesnar was rarely on television and should focus their attention elsewhere. Ambrose declared that the Intercontinental Championship was the top belt on Raw and welcomed anybody to face him for the title.

  The Miz and Maryse decided to join the party as Miz demanded a championship opportunity as well.

  Ambrose took an impromptu fan poll as he asked them whether they wanted to see Bálor and Rollins beat up Miz. The crowd cheered uproariously as he gave Kurt Angle a call to book a Triple Threat Match featuring Miz, Bálor, and Rollins with the winner going on to face Ambrose for the IC Title as the segment came to an end.

  This was a good talking segment that finally teased tension between Rollins and Bálor after Rollins put Balor on the shelf last year. Ambrose did a nice job establishing the IC Title as the top championship while Lesnar is tending to his farm in Canada while Miz continues to shine as the pest heel who gets on everyone’s nerves. The Triple Threat Match should be good with a lot of possible outcomes. We shall see how it all plays out.

  Rich Swann, Akira Tozawa, & Jack Gallagher defeated Tony Nese, The Brian Kendrick, and Noam Dar when Gallagher pinned Kendrick with the Gentleman’s Dropkick. The match was good as it featured decent crowd heat throughout. It’s a refreshing change of pace because most Cruiserweight bouts are given the cold shoulder most weeks.

  Sheamus and Cesaro offered their explanation for attacking The Hardy Boyz after failing to win the Raw Tag Team Championship at Payback last night. Sheamus and Cesaro were upset that Matt and Jeff hijacked their WrestleMania moment when they made their surprise return to WWE last month. The fans bathed in the nostalgia and The Celtic Warrior and Swiss Superman resented them for it. They considered The Hardy Boyz a novelty act and vowed to get rid of them once and for all by winning the Raw Tag Team Titles.

  The Hardy Boyz came out to confront Sheamus and Cesaro, but the heels made a run for it as the segment came to an end.

  This was a nice way to explain the shift in Sheamus and Cesaro’s personalities. They have a legitimate reason to be angry because The Hardy Boyz stole their spotlight at Mania. Cesaro being a full-fledged heel will take some getting used to because his offense screams loveable babyface, but he should be able to shake things up in order to get over as a dastardly heel.

  Apollo Crews defeated Heath Slater with the Spin-Out Powerbomb in a decent match. There was some sort of distraction in the crowd that derailed the finish which sucks because the action was solid for the most part despite the randomness of the matchup.

  Kurt Angle was about to announce how he was going to handle the Roman Reigns-Braun Strowman situation when Bray Wyatt made his way to the ring. Wyatt introduced himself to Angle and wanted to help cure a sickness plaguing Raw. Wyatt didn’t name anyone in particular as he asked Angle if he was going to allow him to do his work. Angle didn’t know what the hell Wyatt was talking about and reminded him that Raw was his show. Wyatt warned Angle that he was living in his world as the segment came to an abrupt end.

  Wyatt cut a good promo about being reborn and sentencing Randy Orton to a lifetime of being trapped in his House of Horrors, but everything else was a bunch of fancy dialogue without a whole lot of exposition attached to it. That’s pretty much par for the course when it comes to deciphering Wyatt’s promos. Since Reigns and Strowman were off television selling their injuries, Wyatt had to act as some sort of surrogate. To who? I guess we shall find out soon enough.

  Austin Aries defeated TJ Perkins when he made Perkins tap out The Last Chancery in a good match. TJP targeted Aries’ right knee throughout the bout which told a nice story from selling standpoint. TJP tried to set up Aries for the Detonation Kick, but Aries countered with his submission hold for the win.

  The victory would ring hollow as TJP attacked Aries’ knee after the match was over. He put Aries in the kneebar to do further damage per Neville’s orders from earlier tonight.

  This was a nice way to forward TJP as an opportunistic heel while Aries remains in chase mode as he has to get past Perkins in order to challenge Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship for the third time.

  Wins and losses matter in WWE? Say what?!?

  Kurt Angle threw The Golden Truth a bone when he booked them in a Tag Team Turmoil Gauntlet match with the winners going on to face The Hardy Boyz for the Raw Tag Team Championship. The bout was set for next week as Goldust and R-Truth thanked Angle for giving them a chance to prove themselves. This was a fine segment which pretty much telegraphs a win for Sheamus and Cesaro. Just saying…

  Finn Bálor, The Miz, and Seth Rollins had a hell of Triple Threat Match to determine the new number one contender for Dean Ambrose’s Intercontinental Title.

  Bálor had his best performance since returning from his shoulder injury last month. His offense was crisp and sharp which allowed his confidence to shine through in a big way.

  Rollins also put on a show as he demonstrated why he is one of the best wrestlers in the world when given the opportunity to let loose and be himself. The crowd was into everything he did which bodes well for his revamped babyface turn.

  The Miz should also be commended because he was the annoying heel that took advantage of any shortcuts that were presented to him. He was the perfect foil, but Rollins and Bálor kicked his ass accordingly.

  The near falls and counters were awesome down the stretch as Michael Cole called the match with such fervor and passion which pushed the main event over the top from an emotional standpoint.

  Rollins had the match in hand until Samoa Joe laid him out with an Uranage Slam onto the floor at ringside.

  The Miz looked on and it appeared he was about to steal the win until Bálor laid him out with the Slingblade followed by a running dropkick in the corner.

  He was about to finish Miz off with the Coup De Grace when Bray Wyatt appeared out of nowhere. Wyatt knocked Bálor off the top rope and dropped him with Sister Abigail before disappearing. The Miz crawled to the cover and picked up the tainted win as the crowd showered him with boos.

  Raw went off the air with Miz and Maryse celebrating on the stage while Bálor and Rollins tried to shake off the cobwebs after getting ambushed by Joe and Wyatt.

  This was a great way to end the show. Miz picked the bones and will face Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental Championship. After the shitty ending to last week’s show, everything is back to normal storyline-wise as the Ambrose-Miz feud is back on track while Rollins still has unfinished business with Samoa Joe.

  Meanwhile, Bálor and Wyatt officially started their feud after Wyatt attacked him during the main event which should give both men something meaningful to do over the next few months. Let’s hope Bálor doesn’t get dragged into Wyatt’s supernatural shtick because it’s been the death knell for many superstars in the past Insert Name Here…

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was solid. This show was so much better than last week’s subpar effort. The Sacramento crowd were a lively bunch which was refreshing to see. Since this is the first Raw in the new Golden 1 Center, the fans were extra hyped which added to the overall feel of the show.

  WWE righted the wrongs from Payback by putting a show that was focused, logical, and enjoyable to watch for the most part. There were a few dull moments here and there, but the broadcast had a clear sense of purpose which was missing from the go-home show and subsequent PPV.

  The creative team is already laying the groundwork for Extreme Rules and the card is coming together nicely. The final sell job is key, but it appears that WWE is more focused after putting Payback in the rearview mirror.

  Next week’s show emanates from the O2 Arena in London, England. Here’s hoping the European crowd keeps things light and carefree because they tend to go into business for themselves when WWE force feeds them garbage. If the company puts on an entertaining show, everything should be fine. If not, I think this meme says it all…

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

[geektified]

New Post has been published on http://www.geektified.com/2017/06/07/the-smackdown-files-devil-in-a-blue-dress-the-reinvention-of-lana-edition-6-6-2017/

The SmackDown Files: Devil In A Blue Dress - The Reinvention of Lana Edition (6-6-2017)

By: Keila Cash

  Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. History will be made at Money in the Bank as the women will compete in the eponymous ladder match to determine the first-ever Ms. MITB. Throw in Mr. MITB and we have ourselves a makeshift prom that requires a double coronation. In all seriousness, it’s pretty damn cool that the women have been given this opportunity to shine on the big stage. With one week to go until the PPV, did WWE continue to raise the stakes or was it back to business as usual? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of SD Live in no particular order.

  Shane McMahon had an unveiling ceremony for the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase and warned Tamina, Natalya, Carmella, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte that they are entering dangerous territory by competing in the first-ever Women’s MITB Ladder match, but whoever comes away with the briefcase has a very good shot at winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship because MITB winners are 15-2 when it comes cash-ins.

  The ladies got a chance to speak their peace before Naomi came out and put them on notice that she wasn’t going down without a fight.

  Lana made her SD Live debut and told that Shane that she wanted to be added to the MITB Ladder match. Naomi started to snort and laugh into the microphone as Lana asked her what was so funny.

  Naomi asked Lana who she has beaten and started to hum the Jeopardy! theme song. Lana said she could beat Naomi which made the crowd ooh and ah.

  Charlotte and Becky Lynch were the MVPs of the segment as their facial expressions were on point and shady as hell.

  Shane told Lana that championship opportunities must be earned which caused her to throw a hissy fit before leaving the ring in a huff. Shane-O-Mac booked a six-woman tag team match featuring Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Naomi vs. Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina kicked which took place after the commercial break.

  This was a fine way to kick off the show. I hate to agree with James Ellsworth, but Shane McMahon mansplaining the rules of the MITB Ladder Match was a little grating. The rest of the segment was fine as Lana made a splash by trying to charm her way into a shot at the Women’s Championship. It didn’t work, but she was far from done when it came to scheming her way into the title picture.

  Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina defeated Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Naomi when Tamina nailed Naomi with a Superkick for the win. Lana provided the assist when she sauntered down to the ring and tripped Naomi on the ring apron which set up the finish.

  The million dollar question is quite simple. Can Lana hold her own in the ring without relying on her sex appeal? We shall find out soon enough.

  Mojo Rawley pleaded his case to Shane McMahon about being added to the MITB Ladder Match. Shane appreciated Rawley’s passion and booked him in a match against Jinder Mahal. If Rawley is victorious, he will be added to the MITB Ladder Match.

  AJ Styles defeated Dolph Ziggler with the Styles Clash in a solid match. Ziggler had several near falls on Styles and even used the ropes as added leverage on a couple of occasions in order to pick up the cheap win.

  Styles withstood the chicanery and evened the score from last week. The dreaded 50/50 booking strikes again, but I’m glad The Phenomenal One is back in the win column. It should’ve happened in Atlanta last week, but I digress.

  The Fashion Files had me rolling once again as Fandango and Tyler Breeze tried to clear up the Cologne-Colons case from last week. The Colons didn’t trash their office which means only one thing: Someone else is out to get them. The plot thickens!

  Meanwhile, The New Day asked Breezango if they had any information on The Usos leading up to their SmackDown Tag Team Championship match at MITB next Sunday. The Fashionistas were more than happy to oblige as Big E tried to give Fandango a romper as a thank you gift. Fandango through the garment down, but Breeze was more than happy to put it on as another edition of The FF came to a close. This was another gem of a segment.

  Jinder Mahal defeated Mojo Rawley with the Cobra Clutch Slam in a decent match. Mahal’s in-ring style continues to be rudimentary as he delivered an ugly clothesline to Rawley midway through the match. Outside of that, everything was fine for the most part.

  After the match was over, Mahal cut another bland promo about Orton being a sickness he must cure at MITB. After he was done with The Viper, the fans would have no choice but to accept him as WWE Champion. Mahal proceeded to cut a promo in Punjabi as the segment came to a close.

  Mahal continues to be a supporting player despite holding the richest prize in professional wrestling.

  The New Day defeated The Colons when Xavier Woods pinned Epico with the Midnight Hour in a decent match.

  The Usos came out and cracked some jokes at The New Day’s expense. Jimmy told Kofi Kingston that he needed a tutu to complete his ensemble while he wondered if Big E’s name represented his bra size. Jey capped things off when he told Xavier Woods to look UpUpDownDown while making fun of his elf shoes.

  The Usos reminded the trio that the fun and games would come to an end at MITB as the segment came to an end.

  The Usos cut another good promo, but the material was kind of weak. Fortunately, their personalities made things more tolerable which speaks to how much Jimmy and Jey have improved on the mic over the past few months.

  Naomi will face Lana for the SmackDown Women’s Title at MITB next Sunday. This a big test for both ladies. Here’s hoping they pass with flying colors.

  Baron Corbin is a professional backstage attacker as he attacked Sami Zayn once again. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

  Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kevin Owens with the Kinshasa in a good main event match. Owens dominated early on before Nakamura took control down the stretch. Owens being on a losing streak sucks, but he should be able to recover by having a strong performance at MITB.

  Nakamura didn’t get a chance to celebrate his win as Baron Corbin dropped him with End of Days as SD Live went off the air with Corbin standing tall on the main stage.

  Corbin is the latest man to make a statement heading into MITB. I think it’s safe to assume that Nakamura vs. Corbin is a lock for next week’s go-home show unless Sami Zayn is thrown into the mix to make things a Triple Threat affair. We shall find out soon enough.

  Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. WWE did a nice job hyping the Money in the Bank PPV which takes place next Sunday. The in-ring action was fine, but it was nothing to write home about for the most part.

  This felt like placeholder episode until next week’s go-home show in New Orleans. With NOLA hosting their final televised event before next year’s WrestleMania, WWE should go all-out in terms of hyping MITB. This could be a great PPV if it’s booked properly. The television leading up to the show has been okay, but the final hard sell needs to provide that extra oomph that’s been missing from the blue brand as of late. Let’s hope the creative team gets the job done. Fingers crossed!

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