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wrestlingwithhistory · 4 years ago

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Why do I like Pro Wrestling?

Even though I’ve put a few posts up on the page already I wanted to introduce myself a little and break down why I’m doing this and give a bit of history about me and why I like pro wrestling.

My name is Kyle, I’m 33 from South Wales, I am married with 2 children. I first started watching wrestling when I was about 7 which I will go into as we go through the post. I started this blog for 2 reasons.

1. I love stories about pro-wrestling and wrestling itself.

2. I am starting a creative writing course and want to keep on top of writing so that I am comfortable with writing as I haven’t done it since I was in school.

Now, there are a million stories from Pro Wrestling that you’ve heard from the Benoit Murders to The Montreal Screwjob to The Plane Ride from Hell, but I have an interest in writing about the stories that people are maybe not as aware of that still involve some of the biggest names in Wrestling history.

Nowadays, we can be thankful as wrestling fans that we have a multitude of ways that we could watch wrestling thanks to the rise of streaming sites, Youtube and online stores which you can buy DVD’s or digital copies of your favourite events. Being a child of the 90’s, you would stumble across wrestling almost out of nowhere. I remember being in my grandparents’ house maybe aged 5 or 6. I never had satellite or cable TV growing up, only terrestrial, and coming in one morning and seeing Hulk Hogan on the TV in my grandparents’ house really caught my attention. I couldn’t tell you what show it was or who else was on it, but I remember as I watched Hogan, waving his arms to the crowd and cupping his ears to the Hulkamaniacs as he did throughout his career, that I held a curiosity toward wrestling and did ever since.

I can then remember a few years later one of my best friends growing up had a video at home which on the cover, a man would be fighting himself! Undertaker vs Undertaker. Back then, it was the most amazing thing possible, the mystery of how a wrestler could square off against himself in the ring was unimaginable for a then 7–8-year-old. Of course, that event being Summerslam 94 would not be the great event you look back on, but you appreciate the spectacle of it. I do look back fondly on that VHS and as I watch the event back, the standout match-up is clearly the Owen Hart vs Bret Hart Steel cage match, but it’s not the type of thing you value as a child.

You value spectacle. You value entertainment. At least I did anyway. You treat it the same way you treat a cartoon or movie, you suspend your disbelief for a few moments and take in the pageantry of it all. Some people class Wrestling as 3rd hand entertainment, and I have had many occasions where people have made jokes of the fact I watch wrestling, to the point where I would not even mention it if asked.

But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to not care and be happy with the fact I like it so much. It’s not a guilty pleasure, It’s just a pleasure. As I’ve gotten older, I��ve also embraced less of the spectacle side of it I once did and look at the athletic feats that take place in the ring, focusing on the technique that these men have to make it look as dangerous as possible, all the while keeping their opponent safe. I do still appreciate the entertainment value, but I definitely look at things like the work rate of the competitors and what they are capable of.

During my teens, we used to travel to video store not too far away from us in a town called Bargoed. Global Video was one of the first places to stock ECW VHS cassettes. My friends Daniel, Josh and I would go there, pick out a few VHS and go back to Josh’s room to watch them. One of the first ones I can remember watching was Living Dangerously 1999. For its time, the pacing and the layout of the matches were a perfect fit for that show. I remember thoroughly enjoying Tajiri vs Super Crazy, Sid and Spike Dudley vs The Dudley Boyz and also New Jack vs Mustafa which was enough violence for a teenage to endure at that point.

The one match from that event which today I place in my top 10 matches ever is Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn for the TV Title. Watching the opening exchange between the two men figure each other out, reversals of pins, hammerlocks and wristlocks was fantastic and when they separated and looked at each other, it was rapturous. The crowd ate it up. You could tell something special was taking place. As the match continued, I saw things that I never would have seen on WWF during that time realistically speaking. There was a reason the E stood for Extreme in ECW. They always took things to the next level, and while the TV Title was far from being the most brutal match on the card (in part due to New Jack!) it was creative in the way it structured the use of weapons, tablet spots and fighting outside the ring. When the bell rings at the end for a timer limit draw, as a first-time viewer you feel almost cheated, not by the quality of the match but by the fact it could have gone on for another 30 mins. When Jerry Lynn requests 5 more minutes and is granted it, you think you are in for a Jerry Lynn victory but RVD pulls it out of the bag at the end hitting the 5-star Frog Splash. And great ending to a great match.

Throughout this time the Attitude era was in full affect. WWF had a huge roster of stars that any company would have been proud to have, Stone-Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle. It was a pleasure to watch some of these events. My friend Michael would record Raw and later Smackdown and let us borrow the tapes so we could get our fix. In January 2000, Channel 4 had gotten a deal to show a few WWF Pay-per-views for free starting with the Royal Rumble. I stayed at Daniel’s house and we watched it live on a small TV. We were extra excited that Taz showed up on the event to face Kurt Angle with an extra ‘Z’ in his name, especially after find ECW a few months previous. Add to that the shock factor of Mae Young’s striptease, the Rumble result, the street fight between Cactus Jack and Triple H, the tables match between the Dudleys and Hardys, it was a phenomenal show.

With the events now being on Channel 4, I would look eagerly on internet forums during school hours trying to find out which ones were next. I remember staying up and watching Backlash 2000 and Fully Loaded of that year, also recording them to go back and watch and study the matches. I would cover the back of the VHS case with white stickers and write the match card on the back in order, so I knew where to find my favourites. They also stared showing Sunday Night Heat as well, which I later years would also have an RVD vs Jerry Lynn match up but not at the same quality as the ECW Event the years previous. These events on Channel 4 ended with the Invasion PPV in 2001 after WWE bought WCW and ECW acquiring many, but not all of their top stars.

Tying this in with Video games like WWF Attitude, Smackdown, WCW/NWO Revenge, WCW Mayhem it helped nurture my love for it even more especially WWE Smackdown 2: Know Your Role because you can create your own shows, wrestlers and storylines. We would have nights playing the game having Royal Rumbles and tournaments, finding how to create wrestlers from online forums like CAWs.ws.

My friend Daniel got the internet at home and we would spend hours searching Kazaa for wrestling videos we couldn’t find on VHS, in-between searching for Create-a-Wrestler guides for Smackdown games. They would usually be the Music Video highlight reels of matches we would want to see. Being early 2000’s it was usually set to Creed, Godsmack or Limp Bizkit but it would be things like Sabu vs RVD in a stretcher match, seeing Goldberg jackhammer The Giant/Big Show, and whatever we could find of these old matches you would read about in Power Slam magazine like the Exploding Barb Wire matches involving Mick Foley, Terry Funk and Onita.

A few years later, with the introduction of freeview satellite there was now more channels in homes than before and one of those was The Wrestling Channel. I turned it to this station thinking it would be WWE but was amazed to see companies more similar to ECW. US Promotions Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, TNA/NWA and a few smaller based promotions were present as well as a mix of local British talent. It was on this channel that I first saw a match that involved light tubes, obviously CZW. Although not my favourite style, death matches certainly have a car crash factor to them. You know something gruesome is going to happen, but you can’t look away. But on the opposite of that, with ROH you got to see unbelievable work rate wrestling with the likes of CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson and Low Ki and with TNA similar talents but with more professional looking, AJ Styles, Teddy Hart and Jeff Jarrett being stars that shone there.

Getting to see high flying stars like Amazing Red, Jack Evans, Teddy Hart, AJ Styles was enthralling. It was a side of pro wrestling you never saw on the more methodical WWE and I would watch whenever possible but still getting my WWE fix via VHS recordings Michael would lend us, especially as some of our favourites from ECW and WCW were now competing there.

From around 2006, I began to wane off watching Wrestling as often. I was playing in a band and focusing on that was well as starting a relationship with my now wife. My band mates Lloyd and Ryan were into Wrestling, so I used to and still do talk to them about it now and then. We used to go to local wrestling shows in Merthyr Tydfil for Celtic Wrestling. Back then, they were just Joe Nobodies wrestling in a bar, but as I look back over many of the people on that show, they have foundations on Wrestling all over the world.

A list of some of the names I got to see in Merthyr Tydfil; Sheamus – Now WWE, Steve Corino – ECW Legend, Zack Sabre Jr – Current New Japan star, Tracy Smothers – Wrestling Journeyman passed away in 2020. I remember seeing Tracy Smothers and I was a fan from ECW when he was with FBI and he was great and a nice guy after the show too. The fact that someone who was wrestled for WWE, ECW and WCW was in Merthyr wrestling, to me was mind-blowing!

A few months later I found out they were doing Wrestling training at The Studio Bar in Merthyr in around 2008 (could be way off), so I went along. I didn’t tell anyone, I got dressed in football gear and told my girlfriend Sara I was off to play football. Instead, I went into this bar and rolled around on some mats for beginner lessons on a Wednesday learning basic holds and how to bump. I really enjoyed it and it was better than bumping on the grass like I used to do as a kid in my local park. I went twice in all, as much as I wanted to go back and keep going, I was thinking that playing music would be easier to justify to someone than saying you were a wrestler so that was that.

I always kept an eye on wrestling but not as intently as I did before, maybe it was my way of disconnecting from wanting to do it as much as I did. I would watch the odd Raw or Smackdown and just buy the Big 4 Pay-per-Views and this went on for close on 8 years, just dipping in and out casually but still knowing who was in the business and doing things else were. We still had TNA in the UK so getting to see that was great, especially with the talent they had there for a while.

It wasn’t until 2016 I started to get back into wrestling as much as I do now. AJ Styles had finally joined WWE after seeming he would never appear there and that interested me because AJ is probably one of my favourites of all time. Twitter was blowing up because of a match between Will Ospreay and Ricochet in the Best of Super Juniors during that year. Seeing mostly positive comments and the odd one or two negative comments from old school wrestlers. So, I clicked on a then Youtube video of the match and it was such a great match. I felt the buzz straight away and immediately started to get the itch back for watching wrestling again.

I had no experience of much Japanese wrestling, but I always enjoyed reading in magazines about people like Jyushin Thuder Liger and The Great Muta and seeing their matches on WCW years ago, as well as people like Taka Michinoku and Tajiri but the Ospreay-Ricochet match convinced me to sign up to NJPW World. That summer I followed the G1 closely. Bullet Club madness was in full effect, seeing the iconic t-shirts and the way they were in the ring were similar to NWO, almost too much to a fault. I didn’t really know any of the performers in the tournament but after watching matches, would go back through the New Japan archives and watch the matches of Okada, Tanahashi, Naito, Shibata and the others, getting to know their styles and gimmicks.

One that immediately jumped out to me was Kenny Omega. He was one of 4 non-Japanese wrestlers (Gaijin) in the whole tournament. I learned that he had turned on AJ Styles and took over as leader of Bullet Club. I went back and watched AJ’s final matches against Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom 10, and then the tag match the following night between AJ and Kenny vs Nakamura and Yoshi-Hashi. I followed Kenny closely over the G1 and into the finals against Hirooki Goto which was an absolutely brilliant match. Omega ended up winning, going onto Wrestle Kingdom 11 to face Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. I checked my work diary to see if I had work that day, and I was off! Due to the time differences, I was able to catch some of the pre-show in the morning, drop my oldest daughter off to school and come back in time for the Naito-Tanahashi and Omega-Okada matches.

I got back and watched the Naito-Tanahashi match, a really fantastic match to which I remember saying to myself ‘the main event is going to need to be special to top that’. Cue watching my personal favourite match of all time. The pacing and the psychology of the match were so well done, Omega targeting Okada’s back ready for the One-Winged Angel but never getting to hit it through the match. The springboard moonsault to the outside over the guard rails, the Tope Con Hilo over the top which still holds one of the iconic images of the match as a whole, Okada’s resilience as a champion, back dropping Omega over the top rope to the outside through a table. It was and is incredible, debatably one of the greatest matches of all time. Not just in my opinion but for many others as well. And so, I was back in. From that point onwards, I was an ardent fan once again. I would use the archives of WWE Network, NJPW World, Youtube, Highspots Wrestling Network to feed my addiction, following twitter pages which is just GIF after GIF of just the craziest moves.

I would try and watch as many of the live shows in Japan as possible to watch Omega perform and throughout 2017, even though it probably could have been savoured a bit more, we got to see 2 more amazing Omega-Okada matches at both Dominion and G1 and also a lead to Omega-Jericho for WK12. Both my current favourite and my all-time favourite meeting for the first time for a great match. From a Kenny standard it was not as good as some of his previous but for Jericho it was probably one of his best even compared against some of his classics against the likes of Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit.

In the Summer of 2018, I watched the Dominion show where again Kenny Omega went up against Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight championship. It was a 2 out of 3 falls match with no time limit. I couldn’t get the time off work for the event so I managed to smuggle my phone into work and would watch intently while selling mobile phones. It was another amazing match up, but I had to watch it over again after finishing work so that I could experience with sound, but even on silent, you could feel how brilliant the match was and Kenny finally defeated Okada for the title. Even though Kenny won it, I much preferred him fighting from beneath, almost as if achieving the pinnacle of wrestling was never going to happen. Even though he had a good handful of matches as champion, the ensuing AEW venture obviously scrapped any possibility of a long-term reign. Also disappointing to see New Japan miss a trick by letting Ibushi win the G1 and then the title from Kenny at WK13, instead vying for Tanahashi who, for as great a performer as he is, was not in his prime and the story between Ibushi-Omega would have been concluded or at least cliffhung until a later date. That aside, the show killed. It was amazing, but you could see the writing was on the wall in terms of Omega, the Young Bucks, Adam Page leaving to start AEW in 2019.

That kind of takes it up to current day, or at least as close to it as possible. It was possibly a long-winded diatribe of saying ‘Yeah, I like Wrestling’ but I hope it helps people to understand what drives me to write about it, why I enjoy watching this often joked about form of entertainment and why I think people could probably appreciate it more.

My messages are open if anyone wants to ask me any questions about wrestling or share stories about your own experiences, favourite matches or even stories that you would like me to cover, and I will try and find something to contribute to the page if possible.

Please read through the posts, like and share if you enjoy and leave comments if you wish to appreciate, critique or contribute towards the stories if you know anything I may have missed out.

Thanks!

#wrestlingwithhistory #wrestling #wwe #njpw #aew #ecw #roh #czw #wcw

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brokehorrorfan · 5 years ago

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Blu-ray Review: Vampires

John Carpenter is an undisputed master of horror, having helmed such classics as Halloween, The Thing, The Fog, and Christine, but he always wanted to make a Western. While he explored Western themes into Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York, and Big Trouble in Little China, he didn't get the opportunity to fully immerse himself in the genre until 1998's Vampires. Trading cowboys and Native Americans for vampires and vampire hunters, the neo-Western concept allowed Carpenter to combine his interest in Westerns with his penchant for horror.

Set in a world in which vampires have existed for hundreds of years unbeknownst to the general public, James Woods (Videodrome) stars as Jack Crow, who was raised by the Catholic church to be the ultimate vampire mercenary. He leads a Wild Bunch-esque team that slays bloodsuckers by day and parties like rock stars come nightfall - that is until the gang is mercilessly slaughtered by a master vampire known as Jan Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith, The Karate Kid Part III), the likes of which no one has ever seen.

The only person to face Valek and survive, Crow regroups with his right-hand man, Anthony Montoya (Daniel Baldwin, Mulholland Falls), a church-appointed liaison, Father Adam Guiteau (Tim Guinee, Blade), and a would-be one-night-stand, Katrina (Sheryl Lee, Twin Peaks), who was bitten during the vampire attack. As the master shares a telepathic link with its underlings, Crow is quick to utilize Katrina to track Valek before she completes her transformation into the undead.

Based on John Steakley’s 1990 novel, Vampire$, and adapted by screenwriter Don Jakoby (Arachnophobia), the plot of Vampires is more complicated than it needs to be, but it never feels hindered by exposition. While the Western angle may have attracted Carpenter to the project, the script lends itself to several set pieces that allow him to play to his strengths in horror as well as action, from the Gothic atmosphere of the opening sequence to the vicious vampire effects by KNB EFX Group (From Dusk Till Dawn, Scream).

Woods is not the first actor to come to mind when you think of grizzled antiheroes. With a sarcastic sense of humor injected into the sparse dialogue, the role feels tailor-made for frequent Carpenter collaborator Kurt Russell, but Woods proves to wear the leather jacket well. In a time when such larger-than-life roles were dominated by muscleheads like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, the part harkens back to the days of Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, and Henry Ford. Woods reportedly ad-libbed some of his silver-tongued dialogue, which adds more personality to the character, but sadly results in some homophobic dialogue.

Lee is a captivating presence on screen, but her role is a thankless one. The only female character of note, she's treated more like a prop than an actor as she is constantly pushed around both literally and metaphorically. Baldwin has had well-publicized battles with personal demons, but he's in top form here, playing well off of Woods with his tough guy persona. Griffith has the commending presence necessary to play the ultimate vampire, able to come off as both savage and suggestive - although, as the story dictates, he often leans toward the former. The cast also includes Maximilian Schell (Judgment at Nuremberg), Mark Boone Junior (Sons of Anarchy), Gregory Sierra (Barney Miller), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Mortal Kombat), and a cameo from filmmaker Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption).

Carpenter and his frequent director of photographer, Gary B. Kibbe (They Live, Ghosts of Mars), utilize wide, anamorphic shots that evoke the director's early work as well as Sergio Leone's classic Spaghetti Westerns. The Western aesthetic is echoed by the soundtrack, on which Carpenter collaborated with Booker T. & the M.G. guitarist Steve Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn and former The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan guitarist Jeff Baxter. The score mixes Carpenter's traditional, sinister synthesizer cues with bluesy rock and southern-fried guitar licks.

Scream Factory has released Vampires as a Collector's Edition Blu-ray. It offers Sony's same transfer that was used for Twilight Time's sold-out 2015 limited edition release of the film, which is pristine. The sun-baked orange glow of the desert (shot on location in Santa Fe, New Mexico) is particularly striking in high definition. The release features fiery new cover art byDevon Whitehead, along with the original poster on the reverse side.

The real selling point is the new extras. A 12-minute piece edits together new interviews with Carpenter, producer (and Carpenter's wife) Sandy King, and Kibbe. They discuss the making-of the film, its themes, the cast, and even the sequel, but it really only scratches the surface. An unexpectedly lively interview with Woods offers more substance. While he admits he wasn't the action hero prototype, the 22-minute chat makes it apparent that he relished the opportunity to play one. There are also new interviews with Griffith, who reminisces about being buried alive; Guinee, who shares a humorous fart story; and special effects artist Greg Nicotero, who breaks down several of the film's impressive effects sequences.

Carpenter's DVD audio commentary is ported over. Always significantly more animated when joined by a cast member, the director’s track isn't particularly informative, but he does share a handful of anecdotes between pauses and explaining what's happening on the screen. Carpenter shines more on the isolated score track that is also included. Archival extras include the vintage, 6-minute making-of featurette, along with extended segments with Carpenter, Woods, Baldwin, and Lee, plus B-roll footage from the shoot. There's also the trailer, TV spots, and a still gallery.

Vampires will be released on Blu-ray on September 24 via Scream Factory.

#vampires #john carpenter #james woods #william baldwin #sheryl lee #scream factory #dvd #gift #article #review #devon whitehead #john carpenter's vampires #greg nicotero #mark boone junior #vampire$

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oosteven-universe · 5 years ago

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Money Shot #2

Money Shot #2 Vault Comics 2019 Written by Tim Seeley & Sarah Beattie Illustrate by Rebekah Isaacs Coloured by Kurt Michael Russell Lettered by Crank! The intrepid XXX-plorers are held prisoner by a Warlord on the planet Dry Reef! Can this crew of lovers-not-fighters survive the arena long enough to find their prize—a love guru whose orgasms are powerful enough to split the atom? I keep getting surprised that this is Vault and I have no idea why. Doesn't really make a difference as it continues to prove my theory that Vault is one of the strongest company's making comic books right now. I have come to the conclusion that this book is more sex-positive than it is XXX and I think that description is incredibly on point after reading the events of this issue. I love the idea behind this book and that intro page that describes the state of the world and why Chris decided to go about things the way she did. On the surface it's kind of mmhmm okay then you look deeper and things aren't as cut and dried as just lets shag the galaxy. Okay so I think I love this planet and the way the species here have been able to evolve from a water based planet into a desert one while still maintaining much of the species original look. That we are starting off with equal parts terror and sex-positive moments well it all seems to balance each other nicely. This kind of dual story line going on at the same time, present and past, giving us the kind of background for the characters is exceptionally well done. Sometimes this whole then and now can feel contrived as if the writer doesn't know how to get certain things across but it feels right and interjects at just the moment where you turn the page and go “WTF” expecting to see a continuation. So yeah I applaud it's use for a myriad of reasons. I like how we see the story & plot development with the way we see the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information. The character development is sensational and this s where the way that the “then and now” arcs really come into play so effectively. Showing us their base personality and then watching that all go out the window when they are in space. Oh and that little class exercise yeah that went a long way. With the pacing added into the mix we see how the twists and turns affect the ebb & flow of the story and make it feel like an exciting journey. Rebekah and Kurt's work on the interiors here is bloody effin brilliant if ya ask me. The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights being utilised to bring us this level of attention to detail makes my heart sing. Plus the imagination and creativity in taking aquatic species and turning them into air breathing, surface dwelling versions and still maintaining species uniqueness is mindbogglingly rendered. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show an extremely talented eye for storytelling. Backgrounds are being utilised pretty effectively I just wish we'd see more of them, that scene with Chris and Omar in the lab we got teased with the backgrounds then they'd be gone so a little most consistency would be nice. The colour work is gorgeous and I like the way we see the shading and shadow work here. The hues and tones of colour choices we see really is marvellous and much appreciated. Part of me thinks this is what Star Trek could've been if they'd all have lightened up with the sexual freedoms and not just Kirk got to shag everyone. With the addition of some real science facts being applied here, accurately too I might add, so that we see and learn new things it improves the story vastly in my eyes. This might have gotten some notoriety from it's sex-positive image but the story itself is rock solid, interesting and extremely well told.

#comic books #comics reviews #vault comics #Tim Seeley #sarah beattie #rebekah isaacs #kurt michael russell

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placetobenation · 7 years ago

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This coming Sunday we will witness one of the more loaded WrestleMania cards in history. With 13 matches on the card and a possibility of Undertaker vs. John Cena taking place, lets see what we have in store.

WRESTLEMANIA WOMEN’S BATTLE ROYAL (KICKOFF SHOW)

Those confirmed so far are: Sasha Banks, Natalya, Lana, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, Naomi, Bayley, Mickie James, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, and Carmella. Expect other competitors from NXT and maybe a name or two from the past to participate in this inaugural event. Besides a possible surprise entrant winning (Ember Moon?), the only others I can see winning this are Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch. Carmella has the briefcase (which could come into play later on in the show) and does not need this win. If Sasha and Bayley continue to feud then the finish could play into that. They could also give Becky the win and try to use that for a feud since she has been wasting away on Smackdown. I’d give Sasha the win here and use this to taunt Bayley for their feud. WINNER: SASHA BANKS

ANDRE THE GIANT MEMORIAL BATTLE ROYAL (KICKOFF SHOW)

Confirmed for this match are: Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Tyler Breeze, Fandango, Tye Dillinger, Dash Wilder, Scott Dawson, Matt Hardy, Goldust, Heath Slater, Rhyno, Zack Ryder, and Primo Colon. Former winners Baron Corbin and Mojo Rawley return but I do not see them as potential victors in this match as it does not make much sense. I also do not expect any of the other names listed to win this match. I think a returning wrestler is going to win this and I’ll go with Big Cass, who will need something returning from injury. Even Big Show is a possibility of being a two-time winner but I think Cass will get the nod in this match. WINNER: BIG CASS

WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FINALS MATCH: CEDRIC ALEXANDER VS. MUSTAFA ALI (KICKOFF SHOW)

Since WrestleMania 33 the Cruiserweight Division has had a rough time. Neville is sitting home and Enzo Amore,Rich Swann, and Austin Aries were all fired from the company. With the division on life support a switch was made an a 16-man tournament was held to crown a new champion and it has breathed life into 205 Live. During the year, Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali (you can add Drew Gulak to the mix as well) have been the most consistent competitors and deserving of a WrestleMania match. When the tournament was put together you got the sense that Cedric would be winning. However, Ali has been cutting some great promos (Like this one from WWE’s YouTube channel) and the story of him using the fact he was only an alternate for the Cruiserweight Classic as fuel to get him the title. There are cases for both guys getting the win and Ali’s underdog story would make for a nice moment but I’ll still go with Cedric here in what should be an excellent match. I think Cedric wins because if he losses then where do you go with him? Ali can get another title opportunity whereas Cedric would end up lost in the shuffle and labeled a choker. WINNER: CEDRIC ALEXANDER

RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: ALEXA BLISS (C) VS. NIA JAX

This has been one of the better feuds on WWE TV of late. The fans have gotten behind Jax, the victim of verbal abuse and manipulation by her former friend. Bliss is a great character but dominates her feuds to the point where it has become a detriment to her opponent. It has also made her title reign feel stale and predictable. In this match, I expect Bliss to finally get some comeuppance and lose the belt. Maybe Bliss can go over to Smackdown and start some new feuds because she has already feuded with everyone on RAW. WINNER: ALEXA BLISS

RAW TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: CESARO & SHEAMUS VS. BRAUN STROWMAN AND A PARTNER OF HIS CHOOSING

The Bar has gone through the other teams on RAW so they had to create new challengers. The intrigue is seeing who will be Braun’s partner and you can speculate as to who he will end up choosing (could be someone returning from injury like Samoa Joe or Big Show or another person on the main roster like Elias) but no matter what I think we see a title change here. If the Bar stays as a team, switching brands is for the best, but a split might be a good idea too. I do not think this will be a long match but Braun being a tag champ gives him something to do for the short term. WINNER: BRAUN STROWMAN & MYSTERY PARTNER

WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP FATAL FOUR WAY MATCH: RANDY ORTON (C) VS. RUSEV VS. BOBBY ROODE VS. JINDER MAHAL

This is a match with little fanfare. The addition of Rusev was late (PWInsider reports he was added to this match because the company wanted to appease to him after he requested his release) to make this a fatal four-way. He might get the title as a result but watching Orton hit the RKO and getting a win seems fitting for WrestleMania. I really do not see Roode or Mahal having a chance to win but I’ll go with Orton as the winner here but do not be surprised to see a Rusev Day celebration. Rusev can pin Roode or Mahal so Orton can drop the title without getting pinned. WINNER: RANDY ORTON

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE MATCH: THE MIZ (C) VS. FINN BALOR VS. SETH ROLLINS

Balor and Rollins had an excellent match this past Monday on RAW with Rollins getting the win. That would lead you to believe that Rollins is the favorite to win this match. Rollins has really stepped up his game over the past couple of months too. This is Balor’s first WrestleMania though and since he just lost on TV I think they return the favor and give him the title. I cannot see Miz retaining and heading over to Smackdown for a feud against Daniel Bryan seems like a natural thing to do. Miz could even retain and take the IC Title with him to Smackdown but I do not think that is the route the company takes. WINNER: FINN BALOR

SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: THE USOS (C) VS. NEW DAY VS. BLUDGEON BROTHERS

The Usos/New Day feud has been the highlight of Smackdown. They have several fantastic matches together but its time for both teams to move on from each other. The Usos have established themselves as a top team but could use a change of scenery. The New Day are still popular but there will come a time where they are going to split up the group or at least break off one member as a singles star. The Bludgeon Brothers involved themselves into this feud after a run-in attack at Fastlane. I do not see any case where the New Day wins this match. The Usos would benefit from a brand switch as the RAW tag ranks needs to be freshened up. I think a scenario where the Usos pin the New Day then lose to Bludgeon Brothers two days later on Smackdown could work well in numerous ways. It can close the book on the New Day/Usos feud and you can also have Usos go over to RAW. WINNER: THE USOS

SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: CHARLOTTE FLAIR (C) VS. ASUKA

Asuka earned her shot by winning the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble match. The story here is really Asuka putting her undefeated streak on the line against what she feels is the top Women’s Champion to prove who is the best. I think we get a highly competitive match and in the end Asuka comes out on top. A scenario where Carmella finally cashes in her Money in the Bank Briefcase only to lose would be highly possible as Asuka can maintain her streak without Charlotte getting pinned. I don’t think Carmella becoming champion is the route they take. WINNER: ASUKA

DANIEL BRYAN & SHANE MCMAHON VS. KEVIN OWENS & SAMI ZAYN

Zayn & Owens need to win in order to keep their jobs on Smackdown. Daniel Bryan’s return to the WWE ring should make for a great moment. The story between all four involved has had its ups and downs but has greatly improved since Fastlane. You get a feeling that Shane can turn on Bryan, and that might happen, but with Bryan returning to the ring I don’t think they want him to lose right off the bat and especially to Owens & Zayn. You can just have Owens & Zayn lose then head over to RAW. Owens & Zayn vs. Braun & Mystery Partner could be your new RAW Tag Team Title feud. I see Bryan winning this match then leading the crowd into an unbelievably loud “yes” chant. WINNER: DANIEL BRYAN & SHANE MCMAHON

KURT ANGLE & RONDA ROUSEY VS. TRIPLE H & STEPHANIE MCMAHON

The beef between Rousey and Stephanie started three years ago at WrestleMania 31 when Rousey threatened to break Stephanie’s arm. And Triple H attacked Kurt Angle at this past Survivor Series to add fuel to the fire. There is a lot of pressure on Rousey in her first match as in WWE. especially since her work on the mic has not wowed anyone.Its clear the company has plans for her and a bad performance will garner a lot of negative attention. Triple H & Stephanie have been tremendous heels on TV to set up this match and have really helped ease Rousey’s transition on screen. I cannot envision a scenario in which Rousey loses so her pinning Stephanie seems like a really safe bet to make in one of the more intriguing matches on the show. WINNER: KURT ANGLE & RONDA ROUSEY

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: AJ STYLES (C) VS. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

These two faced off against each other at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 10 event back in 2016 with Nakamura coming out on top in a great match. This time the WWE Championship is at stake with Nakamura choosing to go after this belt after winning the Royal Rumble. I expect a competitive match here and at the end I’m going with Nakamura as the winner. With a roster shakeup expected shortly after WrestleMania I believe that AJ will head over to RAW while Nakamura can feud with a new challenger. This has strong potential to end up as the match of the night. WINNER: SHINSUKE NAKAMURA

UNIVERSAL TITLE MATCH: BROCK LESNAR (C) W/ PAUL HEYMAN VS. ROMAN REIGNS

A rematch three years in the making. With Dana White coming out saying Brock Lesnar is returning to UFC and the fact the company has handpicked Reigns as their future face of the company the outcome seems easy to predict. With that being said, these two had an incredible match at WrestleMania 31 and there is no reason it cannot happen again here even if Lesnar is on the way out. I expect both guys to give it their all and at the end Reigns comes out victorious, likely closing out his 4th straight WrestleMania. WINNER: ROMAN REIGNS

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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gamerssphere · 5 years ago

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2K Games is getting ready to release the latest entry in the WWE 2K series with WWE 2K20. This seems to be a rather ambitious project which will bring a lot of new features for gamers to enjoy.

MyPlayer & MyCareer

For the first time ever in the franchise, gamers will be able to create and play with a male and female MyPlayer in MyCareer mode.

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Of course, if we’re bringing female characters for MyPlayer, it only means we should be able to have a Mixed Tag. This is coming, too. You’ll be able to play as both superstars, and you’ll team up together in different mixed tag team matches throughout your career.

Expect to go through 18 different chapters in your career, including aroun 100 different matches and interacting with over 40 WWE Superstars from every brand, as well as legends during this game mode.

At A Glance

[su_spoiler title=”MyCareer at a glance” style=”fancy”]

For the first time ever, create both a female and male MyPLAYER and take them through MyCAREER, playing storylines and matches as each character and occasionally teaming together with the all-new Mixed Tag match feature.

Unlock WWE Legends, Career specific Superstar attires, original characters and unique environments like “Hell’s Colosseum” and a special New Day themed arena.

At one point, Red and Tre cross through an interdimensional portal to try to find the Undertaker who hasn’t been seen in years, encountering various surprises along the way.

MyCAREER is fully voiced again, this year featuring performances from nearly over 40 WWE Superstars, NXT Superstars and legends in addition to over 15 original voiced roles. Interact with newly-voiced Superstars such as Ronda Rousey, The New Day, Becky Lynch, Adam Cole, Velveteen Dream, The IIconics, Samoa Joe and more.

Track Red and Tre’s career progress with “The List” – as teenagers Red and Tre write down all the goals they’d like to someday achieve, which later becomes their road map to success. Can you cross off their final list item and get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?

At certain points in MyCAREER, the decisions you make affect the matches Red and Tre compete in, who they team with, and possibly even lead to some alternate outcomes. Explore different choices to see what paths they might lead you down.

Podcasts are back this year, including “The Buzz and Cole Show” featuring the return of Buzz and Cole Quinn from WWE2K19’s MyCAREER.

[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”By the numbers” style=”fancy”]

18 chapters

Approximately 100 total matches

Over 2,700 lines of dialogue

More than 900 lines of new commentary unique to MyCAREER matches and cutscenes

Over 270 cutscenes

Around 20 hours of total play-through time

34 career goals on Red and Tre’s List

1 bionic arm

[/su_spoiler]

Soundtrack

If there’s one piece of the game that becomes key for WWE 2K20 is its soundtrack. We are normally able to just leave the game running on the homepage and listen to all the cool music. This won’t be any different as we’ll have some nice music besides the obvious superstars’ entrance music.

WWE 2K20 will include the following 12 tracks:

Banks – “Gimme”

Barns Courtney – “99”

Bring Me The Horizon ft. Dani Filth – “Wonderful Life”

Grandson – “Stigmata”

Lil Uzi Vert – “XOTour Llif3”

Motley Crue ft. Machine Gun Kelly – “The Dirt”

Muse – “The Dark Side”

Poppy – “METAL”

Saweetie – “Icy Girl”

The Black Keys – “LO / HI”

The Misfits – “Hybrid Moments”

Watt ft. Post Malone – “Burning Man”

You can get this playlist on Apple Music.

What about My Universe?

I don’t know about all of you, but when it comes to WWE 2K games, I focus quite strongly on the Universe mode right after I’m done with MyCareer. This all means that we need a well debugged version of this game mode. Here’s everything you’ll get in this mode.

[su_spoiler title=”Universe Features” style=”fancy”]

Major and minor show match limits have increased from 7 to 9.

Pay-Per-View match limits have doubled from 7 to 14.

The number of championship titles per major show has increased from 6 to 7.

Simultaneous rivalries on major shows have increased from 3 to 4.

Pay-Per-Views can be co-hosted by up to 3 major shows versus the previous 2.

Players have more freedom to delete and add promos and matches.

50 of the most-used cutscenes have been reshot with female mocap actors to look more authentic when female Superstars are used.

25 new cutscenes have been added.

3,040 new promo lines are in the game.

Custom Matches can now be included in Match Tables, along with new Mixed Tag Matches.

New Championship Match setting in Match Tables can be used to make certain matches a title match.

Main Event matches in Match Tables have been tweaked so that those match types are more likely to occur on the show (Example: Royal Rumble match at the Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View).

New rivalry content includes options such as low-intensity enemies making peace after a single Pay-Per-View or low to mid-intensity allies slowly falling out over several weeks instead of a sudden turn.

The overall menu flow has been streamlined to make it more accessible to those new to Universe Mode. All deeper options are still available for experienced players.

[/su_spoiler]

What about the full roster?

Where should I begin with this?

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We have a huge roster this time around. Let’s check out some lists:

Legends

[su_spoiler title=”Legends” style=”fancy”]

Jerry The King Lawler

Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase

The Rock

Latino Heat Eddie Guererro

Bret The Hitman Hart

Razor Ramon

Molly Holly

Ronda Rousey

Trish Stratus

The Undertaker

Andre The Giant

Batista

Beth Phoenix

Big Boss Man

Big Show

Booker T

Brutus beefcake

Christian

Chyna

Diesel

Dusty Rhodes

Edge

Goldberg

Hulk Hogan

Jake Roberts

Jim Neidhart

Kevin Nash

Kurt Angle

Lita

Mankind

Mark Henry

Mr. McMahon

Papa Shango

Randy Savage

Ric Flair

Ricky Steamboat

Rowdy Roddy Piper

Scott Hall

Shawn Michaels

[/su_spoiler]

Monday Night RAW

[su_spoiler title=”Spoilers” style=”fancy”]

Viking Raiders

AJ Styles

Bray Wyatt (Wyatt Family Version)

Akam

Alexa Bliss

Alicia Fox

Becky Lynch

Bobby Lashley

Booker T

Braun Strowman

Brie Bella

Brock Lesnar

Cesaro

Curt Hawkins

Dana Brooke

Dash Wilder

Drew McIntyre

EC3

Eric Young

Heath Slater

Jason Jordan

Jey Uso

Jimmy Uso

Gran Metalik

Kalisto

Karl Anderson

Baron Corbin

Lacey Evans

Lince Dorado

Luke Gallows

Maria Kanellis

Mojo Rawley

Naomi

Natalya

Nia Jax

Nikki Bella

No Way Jose

Rey Mysterio

The Miz

Rezar

Ricochet

Robert Roode

Ruby Riott

Sami Zayn

Samoa Joe

Sarah Logan

Sasha Banks

Scott Dawson

Seth Rollins

Shane McMahon

Stephanie McMahon

Tamina

Titus O’Neil

Triple H

Zack Ryder

[/su_spoiler]

SmackDown

[su_spoiler title=”Spoilers” style=”fancy”]

Zelina Vega

Luke Harper

Rowan

Daniel Bryan

Matt Hardy

Randy Orton

John Cena

Aleister Black

Ali

Andrade

Apollo Crews

Asuka

Baron Corbin

Bayley

Big E

Billie Kay

Bo Dallas

Buddy Murphy

Carmella

Chad Gable

Charlotte Flair

Curtis Axel

Dolph Ziggler

Elias

Ember Moon

Jeff Hardy

Jinder Mahal

Kairi Sane

Kane

Kofi Kingston

Lana

Lars Sullivan

Liv Morgan

Mandy Rose

Otis

Paige

Peyton Royce

R-Truth

Roman Reigns

Rusev

Sheamus

Shelton Benjamin

Shinsuke Nakamura

Sin Cara

Sonya Deville

Tucker

Xavier Woods

[/su_spoiler]

205 Live

[su_spoiler title=”Spoilers” style=”fancy”]

Akira Tozawa

Ariya Daivari

The Brian Kendrick

Cedric Alexander

Gentleman Jack Gallagher

Mark Andrews

Mike Kanellis

Noam Dar

Oney Lorcan

Tony Nese

[/su_spoiler]

NXT

[su_spoiler title=”Spoilers” style=”fancy”]

Io Shirai

Tommaso Ciampa

Matt Riddle

Adam Cole

Angelo Dawkins

Bianca Belair

Bobby Fish

Candace LeRae

Dakota Kai

Fandango

Finn Balor

Humberto Carrillo

Jaxson Ryker

Johnny Gargano

Kassius Ohno

Keith Lee

Kyle O’Reilly

Mia Yim

Montez Ford

Pete Dunne

Rhea Ripley

Roderick Strong

Shane Thorne

Shayna Baszler

Toni Storm

Trent Seven

Tyler Bate

Tyler Breeze

Velveteen Dream

[/su_spoiler]

Unlockables

[su_spoiler title=”Spoilers” style=”fancy”]

The Fiend

Wicked Alistair Black

Frankenstrowman

Survivor Mandy Rose

Twisted Nikki Cross

$500 Shirt The Rock

Chyna

Mankind

[/su_spoiler]

WWE 2K20 launches worldwide on Tuesday, October 22 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

All We Know About #WWE2K20 #gaming #WWE #2KGames 2K Games is getting ready to release the latest entry in the WWE 2K series with…

#2K Games #WWE #WWE 2K20

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wwesurvivorseries-blog · 7 years ago

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Predictions for the WWE Survivor Series card

We're one month away from Survivor Series and while there is still one pay-per-view, TLC, standing in the way, it's time to start figuring out how the brands will combine and compete on one of the biggest nights of the WWE calendar.

The staff members of WWE on ESPN each has their own thoughts about how they think Survivor Series might play out, and in that spirit, each offers up a prediction for the card.

Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman and The Miz, along with recently announced partner Kane, will take on Kurt Angle, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose at TLC. But could that partnership last beyond Sunday night, all the way to Survivor Series against The Shield? Courtesy of WWE Andrew Feldman: An all-Raw battle main event featuring nearly all of Raw's biggest stars

The Miz has become quite the vehicle for storylines on Raw. His efforts in pulling all the pieces together and getting The Shield to reunite created one of the most memorable moments we've seen in 2017. The first piece of this prediction is that The Shield goes down at TLC, and the way things often play out, these two factions are far from done. The challenge in this case would be to find someone to pair back up with The Shield to make it a 5-on-5 and the options are really limited.

While there might be an argument for Matt Hardy, Jason Jordan, Apollo Crews or Titus O'Neil, I'm putting Finn Balor and John Cena into the mix. Balor, who hopefully will end this saga with Bray Wyatt at TLC, is ready to once again be elevated to main event status. His character right now is a bit ... weird ... and could use a more dynamic match to get him back into the Universal or Intercontinental championship conversation.

Then there's Cena, who is currently on hiatus after his match with Roman Reigns at No Mercy. The two have newly found respect and Cena coming to join this team seems like a place he'd fit in. If Cena is still out of the picture, maybe they bring in the shunned Curtis Axel (to be pinned first) in his attempt at revenge for The Miz slighting him in the faction. Brock Lesnar might also be considered, but some pairing with Jinder Mahal seems likely after Tuesday's edition of SmackDown Live.

It's a stretch, but that's why I'm going Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Balor and Cena against The Miz, The Bar, Braun Strowman and Kane.

Greg Wyshynski: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs. AJ Styles and Shane McMahon

Look, I know the dirt sheets are all pointing toward this being a traditional Survivor Series match. That makes sense, if only because it'll give some random like Mojo Rawley a spot on the card as face team cannon fodder. But I say cut the fat -- as much as one can with Shane these days -- and make what would be the final four in a 10-man match into a traditional tag match. Gimmick it up as a blow-off to the feud. And by that I mean have a Chris Jericho run-in to put Shane over Owens.

There's already plenty of recent history between Shane McMahon, Kevin Owens and AJ Styles, so it wouldn't be too big a leap to add Sami Zayn into the equation for a big match at Survivor Series. Provided by WWE (@WWE) Tim Fiorvanti: Carmella becomes the new SmackDown women's champion

With several 5-on-5 or 4-on-4 matches sure to be in play, some people are going to let their guard down about the potential of a Money in the Bank cash-in. At the conclusion of the women's match, with Charlotte Flair and Natalya as the "sole survivors" for Team SmackDown, there's a fracas and Natalya is left prone. Carmella blindsides everyone and cashes in her briefcase, becoming the new SmackDown women's champion. James Ellsworth keeps Flair out of play for just long enough so that Carmella can pick up the pin.

Things get complicated when you consider that the WWE's show the following week in North Carolina, a live event that has been branded as Starrcade with a double main event including a SmackDown women's title match inside of a steel cage. A triple threat could work, but the details can shake themselves out in the lead-up to that moment.

Michael Wonsover: Raw does not go against Smackdown Live in a 5-on-5 tag match

Every year by the time Survivor Series rolls around fans begin to fantasy book the potential combinations of participants in the annual 5-on-5 tag-team elimination match. Last year, SmackDown Live defeated Raw for bragging rights, if nothing else, but the match felt important. That won't be the case if the best five wrestlers on Raw go against the best five on SmackDown every year. Even more so when the authority figures of both brands (Kurt Angle, Shane McMahon/Daniel Bryan) are babyfaces, making it difficult to build a meaningful conflict as Survivor Series quickly approaches.

The Shield reunion gives Raw an in-house conflict that supersedes anything outside the confines of Monday night. The same can be said for the duo of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on SD Live. Expect the Shield and Owens/Zayn to be included in separate 5-on-5 tag matches with participants from their own shows.

After a record-setting NXT women's championship run and winning streak, will Asuka take over the Raw women's division in a hurry? Courtesy @WWENXT Sean Coyle: Asuka will become the Raw women's champion

Asuka will be making her anticipated main roster debut at TLC this weekend against Emma while the Raw Women's championship will be defended when Mickie James challenges Alexa Bliss. A successful debut match by Asuka would immediately put her in the championship hunt and just in time for one of the biggest pay-per-view events of the year.

Whether it's in a one-on-one scenario or a multi-superstar format, look for Asuka to be in a Raw women's championship match at Survivor Series across the ring from either Bliss or James. Not only will she be in the match, but she'll end the night right where she left off in NXT, with a championship around her waist and the division revolving around her.

Matt Willis: The "screwjob" revisited in the form of a great swerve

This is the 20-year anniversary of the Montreal Screwjob, one of the most controversial, and well-known, moments in pro wrestling history. I predict the WWE will attempt to re-capture some of that magic with another "screwjob," but the question is, where?

It seems too soon to turn The Shield against each other ... again ... but how about a swerve in the Kevin Owens/Shane McMahon storyline?

In a matchup pitting the team of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn against Shane McMahon and a mystery partner (AJ Styles?), Triple H emerges, appearing trying to avenge Owens' attack on his father-in-law, but backs Owens, completing the storyline from when Triple H helped Owens capture the Universal Title. The end result? Triple H and Shane McMahon at WrestleMania for control of SmackDown Live.

Matt Wilansky: The New Day and The Usos vs. The Bar, Samoa Joe and Kane

We've already seen The New Day and The Usos call somewhat of a truce in their high-flying summer feud. Now they'll team up.

That's right, the two most explosive SmackDown squads will look to tag each other against a formidable foursome of Monday Night Raw. That quartet? With The Shield likely tied up in something worthy of a main event, The Bar will be free to join a soon-to-return Samoa Joe and Kane, who himself just made a surprising return to Raw.

As of now, Joe has no direction given his lengthy absence, and all indications are he won't have a credible storyline anytime soon, not before Survivor Series anyway. Kane seems like a natural fit to this team, given his size and big-match pedigree. Sure, he has been more or less an afterthought, but the ostensible new direction is one with a little more clout, assuming he's going to stick around for at least a couple of months.

Look for the blue brand to walk away with a win. Hard to imagine two true tag teams falling to the makeshift group of Raw.

"Stat Guy" Greg Hyde: Dean Ambrose puts The Shield's reunion on ice

On Oct. 9, The Shield officially reunited on Monday Night Raw, and while I understand that it may seem like its early for a break up, I am expecting the Lunatic Fringe to stab his Shield brethren in the back. Historically, Survivor Series is the PPV that is used to set up feuds for the next WrestleMania -- and with this in mind, I am expecting The Shield's reunion to come to an abrupt end. If that doesn't convince you, consider this: it is not outside of the realm of possibility for WWE to bring back a popular faction for a short-lived reunion. In April 2014, Evolution reunited to take on The Shield. Two months later, the group disbanded. In February 2002, WWE brought in original nWo members Hogan, Hall and Nash, yet one month later they split as well. On July 22, 2002 Triple H and Shawn Micheals reunited as DX and they split by the end of the night. In each instance, WWE made and sold merchandise to mark the occasion, so get your Shield shirts while you can because I expect this reunion to be short-lived as well.

Andrew Davis: Raw's women's division versus SmackDown's women's division

The women's division has a number of different layers and storylines that could potentially play out in a traditional Survivor Series match. Although this matchup is very similar to last year's (trade Alexa for Charlotte) and the addition of Asuka over Alicia Fox, all 10 superstars in the match have something that needs to evolve before WrestleMania.

Here are the potential scenarios for each of the 10 women in this match. Team Raw:

Nia Jax: This match will see her dominance overshadowed by Asuka, setting up a future match over jealousy.

Sasha Banks: Will she turn heel? Not here, but a Bayley miscue eliminates "The Boss," similar to the Owen Hart elimination in 1993.

Bayley: See above, Bayley gets eliminated when she's worrying about her friend.

Asuka: Sole survivor of the match, her dominant reign continues. It's possible she eliminates all her opponents to build "The Empress of Tomorrow."

Alexa Bliss: "Little Miss Bliss" tries to put Asuka in her place, only to sneakily get pinned by Charlotte.

Team SmackDown:

Becky Lynch: A brawl will start the match, leading to everyone on the outside while the Four Horsewomen pose inside the ring to plant the seeds for Rousey & Co. come WrestleMania.

Naomi: Lana and Tamina, upset that they aren't part of Team Smackdown, pull Naomi to the outside and take her out, resulting in a countout elimination. Remember, Naomi and Tamina are family.

Carmella: The seeds get planted for Ms. Money in the Bank to cash-in that briefcase on Charlotte at Starrcade.

Charlotte: Survives until the end, but James Ellsworth distracts "The Queen" after Carmella's elimination, leading to the final pinfall.

Natalya: The Smackdown women's champion moves from coach to captain this year, but is pinned by fellow champion Bliss midway through the match.

Nick Irving: Team Enzo vs. Team Kalisto

Survivor Series will feature the WWE's cruiserweight division in a 7-vs.-7 showdown, following Kalisto's title defense against Enzo Amore at TLC. Team Enzo (Amore, Ariya Daivari, Drew Gulak, Noam Dar, Tony Nese, The Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher) will take on Team Kalisto (Kalisto, Cedric Alexander, Rich Swann, Mustafa Ali, Akira Tozawa, TJP and Lince Dorado) -- putting essentially the entire 205 Live roster into what's sure to be a high-flying match.

Terrance Williams: Expect a traditional 5-on-5 at Survivor Series

The Survivor Series main event will be Team Raw vs. Team Smackdown Live in a traditional Survivor Series elimination match.

Team Raw will be composed of Braun Strowman, The Miz and the Shield. Team Smackdown Live will be AJ Styles, Jinder Mahal, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The finish will have Jinder walking out on AJ, leaving him to face all three members of The Shield by himself. AJ will fight valiantly but will eventually be overcome by the group. The bad blood will set up AJ vs Jinder for the WWE championship at the Royal Rumble. Book it.

Sachin Chandan: Jinder Mania runs wild, and other thoughts

Survivor Series should be WWE's battle of the brands, headlined by Team Raw (Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Elias and a surprise return Samoa Joe) vs. Team Smackdown (Jinder Mahal, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev, and AJ Styles). Balor accidentally takes out Lesnar outside, leading the Beast Incarnate to be counted out, but before he leaves he F-5s both Singh Brothers. The chaos ends with Jinder Mahal as the sole survivor, eliminating Samoa Joe. Jinder Mania has been running strong for months, why not keep it going? The undercard will feature The Shield vs. The New Day in a dream 6-man-tag, Kalisto vs. Enzo Amore vs. Ariya Daivari vs. Mustafa Ali for the cruiserweight championship, and Smackdown women (Natalya, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, Tamina, and Carmella) vs. Raw women (Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Bayley, Sasha Banks, and Emma) with Asuka as the sole survivor.

#Survivor Series

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oosteven-universe · 6 years ago

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Spectress & Sabanion #1

Spectress & Sabanion #1 Cagey Comics 2019 Created & Written by Kurt Zauer Illustrated by Topper Helmers Coloured by Wesley Wong Lettered by Wes Locher On the outskirts of Chicago, Containment Facility-4 (CONFAC-4) masquerades as Grenning Industrial Park and confines evils long forgotten. The scarred and grizzled members of the Moon Crew keep watch in the deepest vaults on the nights of the full moon. Tonight, the full moon shines but something in the air doesn’t feel right. A ghost from the ancient past has come to free one of the most destructive denizens of CONFAC-4: the demon, Sabanion. Aneksi, an ancient Egyptian ghost and once chief vizier to Cleopatra, is determined to find purpose in the world of the living. Bound by fate, Aneksi is forced to free Sabanion from the sub-vaults of CONFAC-4. Can Aneksi’s push back into the realm of the living survive such a ruinous presence? Or can she manipulate the dark secret that binds them to her advantage? I really do enjoy finding new books to read and review. The way that I look for them is probably different than most folks as I do love perusing the artist alley and main floor looking for those small/self-published folks who have a passion for what they do, also there’s a nice community network out there for books like these as well. So I contacted Kurt and requested to review this as I found the premise and concept intriguing to me. Let’s face it when you deal with ghosts and demons we’re all a bit intrigued but add into the mix Egyptians and Soldiers and the intrigue factor raises exponentially. The opening here does exactly what it needs to do. We see the origin of Aneksi or at least the origin of her ghost. While we may not technically see how she dies we are left with clues throughout the story and I have to say this is something that engages the reader nicely and has them thinking and exploring the story from an outside the box angle. Any time you can get your readers to think about what transpires beyond the page then I feel as if their skill, talent and ability as a writer is beautifully showcased. So here we get that this is a peak at the series and what’s to come. The way that this is structured is great to see and it uses that ebb & flow to engage the reader as we learn about the story in some very non-traditional ways. The interiors here fascinate me. I have to tell you that the attention to detail that we are seeing is very well utilised. The linework has a lot of varying weights being showcased and how they come together to coax this nice imagery is impressive. The present feels a little more indie and that’s okay because let’s face it that’s what this is. Some facial work needs tightening up so we’re more easily able to differentiate certain characters. That being said I am still impressed by being able to read the emotions and feelings of these characters. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a nice eye for storytelling. That we see backgrounds utilised as they are excites me as they open up the story and bring a size and scope of their world. The colour work too is nice as we see some excellent use of shadows and shading. I’d like to see some more gradation but it’s solid work. There is some very nice characterisation going on in these pages as well. What I am really enjoying is seeing how all these characters fit into the story, what’s eluded to which may or may not happen and the promise what’s to come. This is why I love finding unknown books, by unknown creators because you can feel the passion for what they are doing. This is one I recommend you finding and you can head to https://cageycomics.bigcartel.com/ get yourself a copy and check it out. This fun, exciting and different than anything you are currently reading.

#comic books #comics reviews #indie comics

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wrestlingisfake · 7 years ago

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TLC preview

Kurt Angle & Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins vs. The Miz & Braun Strowman & Cesaro & Sheamus & Kane - This is a TLC match, so tables, ladders, and chairs will be set up around the ringside area to be used by the participants. Normally the only way to win this type of match is to climb a ladder to retrieve something hung above the ring, but since nothing is at stake, it looks like the match will be decided by the first pinfall or submission.

This was supposed to be the in-ring reunion of the Shield--Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns--for the first time since Seth’s heel turn in 2014. However, just 50 hours before the show Roman was scratched due to a reported viral infection. WWE evidently thought they needed add something big to the match as a make good, so Raw general manager Kurt Angle is coming out of retirement for his first match in over six months and his first WWE match in over 11 years.

The match had its beginnings from the recent Dean/Seth vs. Sheamus/Cesaro and Reigns vs. Strowman feuds. Miz stirred the pot until Angle announced Shield vs. Miz/Cesaro/Sheamus, but then Miz convinced Angle to authorize adding Strowman to his team. Then Miz came back and arranged to get Kane for some reason. So it’s five-on-three, and on top of that there’s nothing to prevent Miz’s henchman Curtis Axel from interfering. So it’s more like six-on-three. Except, really, it’d be fair to count either Kane or Strowman twice, so it’s could be like nine-on-three. And then you add Kurt Angle to the mix, you chances of winnin’ drastilly go down, 'cause Kurt Angle KNOWS he can’t beat me, and he’s notven gonna try!

It is a pretty significant story that Angle is doing this match; his ability to get cleared by WWE medical has been an open question since the day he left the company in 2006. Kurt has a history of giving 1000% whether his body is up for it or not, resulting in a history of muscle tears, neck problems, and painkiller abuse. You could make a strong case that he should have retired when he needed neck surgery in 2003. You could frankly argue that he had no business in the 1996 match where he won his Olympic gold medal. A lot of people are going to be very worried for Kurt during this, which is pretty much how I’ve felt about everything he’s done for 15 years.

The whole thing was sort of a clusterfuck from the start because of the way the deck was stacked against the Shield. WWE obviously didn’t think anyone took Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro seriously as a real threat. But now that the heels have two giants helping them and the mystique of a reunified Shield is out of the picture, there’s no good reason for them to lose. Which means that if they do lose, the heels will look especially weak and foolish. But it also means that if the heels win, the match will feel like a foregone conclusion. The only thing that’s certain is that WWE creative have their work cut out for them, and finding out what they come up with is now the main draw of the show.

Asuka vs. Emma - It’s Asuka’s debut on the main WWE roster, and Emma won a five-way to earn the right to get killed to death here.

Asuka joined the NXT roster in 2015, and has not been pinned of submitted since. (I know she was eliminated in a battle royal and maybe lost a few tag matches or four-ways, but that’s about it.) She held the NXT women’s championship for over 500 days, in one of the longest title reigns of any kind in modern WWE history. She was sidelined for a couple of months with a collarbone injury, so WWE announced she would vacate the title to move up to the main roster in an apparent effort to protect her aura of invincibility.

This could be Emma’s big chance to be in the spotlight, after years of being mishandled and overlooked, but I wouldn’t count on it. She’s most likely in this spot to make Asuka look good ahead of bigger matches with Sasha Banks, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, etc. That’s rough for Emma, but watching her get annihilated should be fun for the rest of us.

Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles - I wrote a whole thing about how stupid the Finn vs. Bray Wyatt match for this show was going to be, and then they pulled Bray from the show. So AJ is coming over from Smackdown to make up for the change. Although I hope Bray and the others sidelined by this mysterious infection get well soon, it is nevertheless worth noting that the match is now better for having been switched at the last minute.

As Prince Devitt, Finn Balor founded Bullet Club in 2013. When he left New Japan to join WWE/NXT in 2014, AJ Styles was added to the group and eventually positioned as its new leader. So yeah, if you’ve been wondering why some fans go apeshit any time Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows do absolutely anything at all with either of these two, that’s why. This is a dream match for Bullet Club fans, who are probably going to make their presence very clear at this show.

Just doing this match is pretty hot, but what makes it more interesting is it’s happening on a show where everything feels like it’s fall apart. WWE is in a position where two of the most heavily promoted storylines for this show have been shot to hell, and plans for next month are in limbo. When that kind of chaos is in play, Vince McMahon and/or creative sort of mentally gives up and you get a very different kind of show. I’m thinking Finn and AJ are going to get a lot of time and very few story cues for this match, so they can just go out there and wrestle a whole lot, like if they were in New Japan. That could play to both guys’ strengths and give us a tremendous match.

The finish is probably not going to matter since these guys are on different rosters and preoccupied with their own storylines. AJ seems to be getting positioned for a world title match with Jinder Mahal in the future, so he should probably get the win. On the other hand, it’s Raw and Finn’s the Raw guy, plus you’d sort of want to keep him strong for the rescheduled match with Bray later on. I’d say it’s even money.

Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James - Bliss defends the Raw women’s championship. James is 38 and so WWE is making her age an issue in a really shallow effort to put heat on Alexa. Considering James has been back with the promotion for over a year, I’m honestly surprised they managed to wait this long before pulling this shit. Anyway this match is your reminder that very little actually changed when they did that whole divas revolution business, and WWE is still pretty scuzzy when it comes to women. I’m sure Bliss will retain because WWE can’t get enough of presenting pretty blondes as stuck-up sociopaths.

Kalisto vs. Enzo Amore - Kalisto won the cruiserweight title from Enzo on October 9th, so this is the rematch. This all stems from a storyline where Enzo put it in his contract that if anybody in the cruiserweight division hit him, they would be banned from challenging him from the title, so the entire division beat him up anyway because they hate him that much. That left Enzo without any challengers, so Kalisto switched weight classes, and he’s exempt from the no-contact clause.

Kalisto was supposed to challenge Enzo for the title here, but the match got bumped up to replace a non-title Neville vs. Enzo match that was scrapped when Neville walked out of the company. It’s a safe bet Kalisto only won the 10/9 match out of some sense that WWE had to “make good” on the cancellation, and that Kalisto is set to drop the title at the company’s earliest convenience. I’m pretty confident we’ll see Enzo get the belt back, and in a way that solidifies his heel turn.

Cedric Alexander & Rich Swann vs. Brian Kendrick & Jack Gallagher - It’s a bunch of cruiserweights, WWE has turned these guys into the bathroom break division, it doesn’t matter what happens.

Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox - This is scheduled for the pre-show, and seems to have been rushed together. Ordinarily Fox never gets to do anything on TV, but she’s apparently filling in for Nia Jax who reportedly asked for time off (which has frustrated industry watchers trying to figure out why). I like Alicia and I think she’s underutilized, but I’ve also given up expecting that to ever change. Banks will win.

#wwe #tlc #kurt angle #dean ambrose #seth rollins #the miz #braun strowman #kane #cesaro #sheamus #curtis axel #special appearances by z gangsta and the ultimate solution

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placetobenation · 8 years ago

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July 10, 2017

From the Toyota Center in Houston, TX

Your hosts are Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Booker T

We are shown a highlight package of what took place after the Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman match at Great Balls of Fire.

The live show starts with Big Cass heading to the ring. He is booed by the crowd then angers them more by asking “how you doin’.” Cass tells us he could not feel any better after what he did to Enzo Amore last night and asks for some still photos to be shown on the titantron as he narrates how he destroyed his former best friend. We are then shown Enzo backstage after his match as referees helped him to the trainer’s room. A “Casshole” chant breaks out from the crowd as Cass wants that footage to let the RAW locker room know that will happen if you mess with him. He does not want people to hop on his bandwagon and wants his doubters to know that one day he will be the Universal Champion and when that happens he will hold the title up high and shove it down our throats. Cass talks about how he will represent WWE to the fullest everyday and that is because no one is bigger than him then the Big Show comes out to interrrupt. Show stares down Cass from the apron then heads in as they start brawling. Show starts laying into Cass with knee strikes in the corner as the crowd chants but Cass bails and retreats.

Good segment. Cass started off slow and came off as wooden but really picked it up at the end. I liked how Cass told us why he destroyed his friend and how he is on a mission to prove all of his doubters wrong so he can taunt them with his success while not caring who he goes through or hurts in the process. A feud with Big Show is logical too since they had issues during the whole mystery of who attacked Enzo. It also appears that it might be the end of the Cass/Enzo feud but they did state that Enzo was not here tonight so the feud can resume at a later time.

Tonight, we will get an update on the condition of Braun Strowman. Also, Finn Balor will face Elias Samson.

Elias Samson tells the crowd to keep their cellphone noise down and hold their applause until after he finishes. The crowd cheers to mock him as Samson sings the song he wrote for Finn Balor. Samosn sings about Balor not being a savior who tried to upstage him but Balor’s music interrupts.

Elias Samson vs. Finn Balor

Samson slams Balor to start. He tries it again but Balor floats over and grabs a side headlock and works that for a bit. Balor rolls through a sunset flip and hits a basement dropkick then sidesteps a charge and hits an enziguiri. Samson rolls outside to avoid the Coup De Grace as we head to break. The action returns with Samson in control. He hits a suplex for a two count then applies a full nelson. Balor escapes and fights back until he eats boot on a charge. Balor then takes Samson off the top rope with an enziguiri. Samson rolls outside where Balor ties a running soccer kick but Samson catches his foot and yanks him down onto his previously injured shoulder. Samson now locks in a Fujiwara armbar but Balor gets out and hits a double stomp as both men are down. Balor misses a running elbow in the corner then gets beaten down. Samson gets a few nearfalls and tries to work the arm again but Balor uses an overhead kick to break that up. Balor comes back with a sling blade then a shotgun dropkick before hitting the Coup De Grace for the win (10:06) **3/4.

Thoughts: Solid match. I’m a little bit surprised that Samson lost clean on TV so soon but Balor is ahead of him in popularity and has more star potential so its not going to damage him or anything.

After the match, The Hardy Boyz come out to congratulate Balor then head out to the ring. The announcers put over their friendship as Cole tells us the Hardy’s are in action after the break.

Back from break, The Hardy Boyz talk about last night’s Tag Team Iron Man Match and how the other teams are thinking their time is past as Jeff talks about teams thinking they are “obsolete.” Matt,sporting a nice shiner on his right eye, says they are not going anywhere and will make magic but Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson interrupt. Gallows said they were the team who said they were washed up as Anderson says they are not the Hardy Boyz of old but just the old Hardy Boyz. Gallows tells these “nerds” to get out of the ring as they are the magic killers. Matt says they are bruised and perhaps a little “broken” then decides to challenge them to a match since they are so confident in themselves. The hints of the Hardy Boyz broken characters were quite strong here. Good back-and-forth between the two teams here.

Hardy Boyz vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson

The Hardy Boy work over Anderson to start as the announcers put over last night’s Iron Man Match. Gallows is in now as the Hardy Boyz hit him with Poetry in Motion then we head to break. The action returns with Anderson blocking a jawbreaker from Jeff with a knee strike. Matt makes the save after Jeff is hit with the Boot of Doom then Jeff hits a jawbreaker and tags out as Matt runs wild on Anderson.The crowd chants “delete” as Matt hits a bunch of turnbuckle smashes. Matt follows with a Side Effect then soon after that tries the Twist of Fate but Anderson counters then Gallows knees Matt in the back. Anderson knocks Jeff off of the apron then hit Matt with the Magic Killer for the win (6:54) **.

Thoughts: The match was fine for what it was. It put Gallows & Anderson over and if the Hardy Boyz are switching to different characters then they can afford to lose. Plus, the Hardy’s were selling from last night’s Iron Man match.

After the match, The Revival come out to the ring as they walk right between Gallows & Anderson before beating up on The Hardy Boyz as the crowd boos. It looks like The Revival are back in the tag team mix. Also, it sets up for a Revival vs. Hardy Boyz feud and you can even use this to turn Gallows & Anderson face as The Revival walked right between them en route to the ring and they did not look too pleased.

Miz TV tonight presents “The Mizzies” awards. We have three awards in the ring as Maryse & The Miztourage are also in the ring. He gives Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel the first award for their roles in the Miztourage. Bo thanks Miz for changing not only his career but also his life as he wants to change the world. Axel tells Miz he looks and feels like a million bucks and now will make that much as Miz puts them over for being underutilized in the past but will now be superstars. The second award for “Leading Lady” goes to Maryse as she thanks her husband then the final award for “Greatest Man in WWE” is next but Miz opens the envelope and says “Dean Ambrose” but says he was kidding as its himself as he will always be the greatest man in WWE history. Miz says he would make the Intercontinental Title prestigious again and he has then says while people can talk a good game but the frauds are those like The Hardy Boyz, Akira Tozawa, and Seth Rollins who stated they would win but failed last night. Dean Ambrose then comes right out and attacks Miz but gets outnumbered as the Miztourage runs in but Seth Rollins comes in for the save and helps Ambrose clean house. The Mizzies were not very amusing and Ambrose running out was predictable. However, having Seth run out can set up a feud with Miz and against his former partner in Ambrose. We might even get a triple-threat Intercontinental Title match at SummerSlam.

We see Sasha Banks & Bayley walking backstage as they will be facing Alexa Bliss & Nia Jax tonight.

Back from break, Ambrose catches up to Rollins backstage and is not pleased with him making the save. Ambrose tells Rollins he does not trust him and to fight his own battles. I like the possibility of these two feuding and a heel turn for Ambrose is needed to add edge to his character, which has become stale.

Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss & Nia Jax

This is a rematch from last week where Bayley needed to be helped to the back but Sasha still managed to win. Alexa runs away from Sasha then tags out. Nia shoves Sasha, who tags out then knocks Alexa off of the apron as Nia beats on Bayley. Sasha & Bayley then clear the ring right before the break and we return with Sasha beating on Alexa. Bayley tags and gets two with a bulldog but Alexa is able to tag out. Bayley dropkicks Nia then hits a neckbreaker between the ropes. Alexa distracts her and gets knocked down but it allowed Nia to attack from behind. Nia overpowers Bayley then tags out as Alexa slaps Bayley across the face. Nia is back in as Bayley tries to make the tag but gets driven into the corner. Alexa tries to slap Sasha off of the apron but Sasha was ready and they jaw at each other. Alexa finally slaps off Sasha then hits Bayley with the Twisted Bliss but Sasha makes the save. Sasha gets tossed out by Nia, who misses a charge and hits the barricade, then Bayley rolls up Alexa for the win (9:25) **1/4.

Thoughts: Decent TV match. The win helps give Bayley some credibility that she desperately needs after the past few months of horrendous booking. It does not appear that the Sasha/Alexa feud is ending so I expect another title match between the two to happen again sooner rather than later but after this I can see where they would book a Fatal Four way at SummerSlam.

Goldust quotes “Reservoir Dogs” before telling R-Truth that he was not made for the spotlight and despite trying to ruin his picture last week, the “Shattered Truth” was a box-office smash and promises an encore performance.

We get a video package on last night’s Ambulance Match between Strowman and Reigns. When it ends, Cole tells us that GM Kurt Angle will have an update on Strowman’s condition.

R-Truth heads out to the ring. We are shown how he attacked Goldust from behind last week after the “Shattered Truth” video.

R-Truth vs. Goldust

No personal cameraman this week for Goldust. Goldust cheap shots R-Truth after using the ref as a shield. Truth fights back and hammers away.He hits a corner splash then lands a few punches as he stays in control. Goldust escapes from mounted punches in the corner then stalks Truth for a bit before firing away. Goldust works a chinlock for a bit then lands more punches in the corner but Truth fights back with a powerbomb as both men are down. Truth is up first and runs wild then misses a scissors kick as Goldust takes him out with a chop block. Goldust targets the knee but gets kicked outside and comes back to eat a spinning heel kick. Truth gets a nearfall with a scissors kick but Goldust floats over on a Truth or Consequences attempt and after that rams Truth in the corner before hitting the Golden Finale for the win (5:40) *1/4.

Thoughts: Not a good match. Truth looked washed up but Goldust seemed game. Goldust is the one who can do more anyway so having him win clean seems to signal the end of this feud so he can move on to something else. The crowd was not into this match.

Angle comes out to the ring. He calls Great Balls of Fire a huge success but that things did get out of hand. He does not know when Strowman will return since he refused treatment but the show must go on as he introduces the Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar. Angle tells Lesnar he probably took a few years off of his life during their WrestleMania XIX match and congratulates him for beating Samoa Joe last week where Lesnar pulls away his hand during a handshake attempt. Angle then asks Lesnar & Heyman if they have any ideas for a SummerSlam title match. Heyman says he was unaware of a creative meeting here tonight then says he does not do any corporate meetings and for Angle to acclimate to his new role. Reigns comes out to interrupt and stares down Lesnar, who laughs. Angle tells Reigns that he has a lot of nerve coming out after what he pulled last night. Reigns tells Angle is standing in the ring with Lesnar, Heyman, and himself and think he went too far. Reigns says Angle should thank him as he did not know how to handle Strowman then he tells Lesnar that he’s never around as Lesnar gets closer to Reigns, who tells Angle he wants Lesnar at SummerSlam. Heyman says he likes that but Lesnar tells Reigns he must be kidding to think he deserves a title shot as he does not deserve “shit,” which was bleeped out. Lesnar says this is the closest they will get to the title but Joe comes out. Joe says aren’t we all living in a wonderful fantasy land so he can all drag us back to reality. Joe tells Lesnar the reality is that he kicked his ass last night and that Lesnar did not beat him, he escaped. Joe then reminds Reigns that he never beat him then Heyman interrupts to say that Reigns beating Undertaker earns a title shot but that Joe will never get a title match again. Joe tells Lesnar that is his advocate, who is protecting him, and then tells Reigns he is real mouthy for a man who lost to Strowman. Reigns asks Joe to find Strowman then Angle interrupts and says next week, Reigns will face Joe to determine the #1 contender at SummerSlam. He wants both guys to rest as they stare each other down. Angle says he will cancel the match if they attack each other.

Excellent segment, even if the show-long tease of Strowman’s update was that they had no update because he refused medical treatment. All three men, particularly Joe, were great on the stick. He’s been on a roll the past several weeks. And Reigns came off the best he has in a long time too. The big news is that Joe vs. Reigns will face off for the third time for a #1 contender’s match. This segment made you want to see all three guys fight each other. It was excellent.

We cut back to the announcers then Graves looks at his phone and heads backstage. Back from commercial, Angle is with Graves and says he cannot let this get out and that he might have to go public. Graves does not think Angle has to say goodbye and has all of the confidence that everything will be just fine. Graves leaves as Angle looks worried.

Akira Tozawa w/ Titus O’Neill & Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar w/ Alicia Fox & Neville

Tomorrow night on 205 Live, Cedric will face Dar in an “I Quit” match. Also, we are shown Tozawa telling Titus backstage after last night’s PPV that he needs to make things right and set up a rematch. Dar tries to kick Cedric but that fails. Cedric lands a few shots then Dar ducks outside to hug Fox. Cedric heads out as Fox steps between him then the action heads inside. Tozawa is in and gets two with a basement dropkick. He stomps a mudhole in the corner then Neville tags in and gets beaten down for a bit. Neville takes control then Dar lands some shots in the corner from the apron as we go to break. The match returns with Neville working the arm as Graves is back on commentary but refuses to divulge what took place between Kurt and himself. Tozawa hits Neville with a knee smash then makes the tag as Cedric flies in with an attack. He hits Neville with a handspring enziguiri but Dar provides a distraction as he was on the top rope, allowing Neville to cut him off. Neville climbs up but Cedric crotches him then smiles as he tags in Tozawa. Cedric dives out to take out Dar then Tozawa kicks Neville off the ropes and climbs up for the senton and gets the win (9:32) **1/2. After the match, Titus and Cedric celebrate with Tozawa.

Thoughts: Tozawa got a little bit of revenge over what happened last night as he still wants a rematch against Neville and the Cruiserweight Title.

Charly Caruso is backstage the with Seth. She asks him about his match tonight against Bray Wyatt but also about running in to help out Ambrose. Seth said he ran out for one reason, which was to shut up the Miz then calls Bray a cheater and will expose him tonight.

We get another Wyatt promo as he tells us people cannot change. He then tells Seth that he is everywhere and for his sins he will not be forgiven.

Bray Wyatt vs. Seth Rollins

They start off by fighting over a lockup. Seth hammers away in the corner after Bray landed a cheap shot. Bray fights back then runs into a super kick but is able to take Seth down with a tackle. Seth escapes from a Sister Abigail attempt then sidesteps a charge as Bray dumps outside. Bray blocks a tope but runs into the steps before heading back inside. Seth now breaks the fingers of Bray and tries a springboard move but gets caught and hit with an uranage as we head to break with Seth on the outside rolling around in pain. The match returns with Bray working a chinlock in the ring as the crowd is doing the wave. Seth escapes and hits a dropkick in an mistimed spot but Bray cuts him right off after that. The crowd chants for Seth then Bray spikes him with a DDT as that gets two. Bray grounds Seth with a chinlock then places him on top where they fight. Seth takes him off and rolls through a dive as both men then knock each other down after trading kicks. Seth is up first and fires away. He hits a sling blade then Bray rolls outside where Seth flies out with a tope. Seth hits a top rope clothesline for a nearfall and soon after that hits a blockbuster for another two count. The crowd starts a “this is awesome” chant then Bray cuts Seth off on the top rope but Seth gets off and hits a Falcon Arrow for two. He escapes from anotehr Sister Abigail but gets headbutted in the injured eye from last night as Cole tells us then Bray hits the Sister Abigail for the win (16:57) **3/4.

Thoughts: They had some rough spots at the beginning and these two do not have the greatest chemistry together but they did pick things up a lot towards the end. I’m shocked Bray actually won two matches in a row since he rarely wins big matches and his character is ice cold. If they were going to the finish they did then they should have sold Seth’s eye injury more during the show and on commentary. Anyway, it seems like they are moving these two away from each other and I cannot complain about that as the feud has underwhelmed to say the least.

After the match, the lights go out as Miz & The Miztourage appear ringside. They surround the ring then attack, but Ambrose comes out and clears the ring with a chair.

Angle is shown backstage telling someone to come on RAW next week so they can “tell the whole world together” and whatever happens, happens.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I thought this was a solid edition of RAW. Plus, with the #1 Contender’s match and the cliffhanger regarding Angle and this text message mystery they’ve built up next week’s show quite well.

They set up a lot of directions tonight for where they can go at SummerSlam too. Plus, nothing tonight was anything I would consider as terrible. With some actual direction in place and if this Angle storyline pays off then RAW could have some strong momentum as we get deeper into the Summer.

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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