wrestling / TV Reports
Acero’s WWE RAW Review 8.17.20
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Y’all! You wouldn’t believe who sent me an e mail this week!!! That’s right, Good ol Ragsy! This message made me realize that it’s been quite some time since we’ve had The Ragsys, so….stay tuned for more information!
Remember last week when Orton went all Orton on Flair and Flair was like OWWWWW? Well, we get to see that again.
We go live to Drew in the middle of the ring, and he’s upset. He tells Orton that he is going to face a Scottish Fire-Breathing Dragon. Drew continues his promo as the production truck messes with a bunch of shit, replaying Seth’s beatdown, skewed angles of commentary, flipping through graphics. WE get a camera crew going to the production truck, and the hoodied dudes are in there bein all reckless. We are able to flip the feed to a camera, even though people are being beat up in the production truck, denying them the ability to flip between feeds. So that’s weird.
We come back from a break and Drew is talking to some jobberinos about solidarity against Retribution and the like. Seth comes up to give us absolutely no new information. Ricochet and Cedric turn up the urban patois to an annoying level, saying Rey is lingering around.
MVP and Lashley and Shelton come to the ring. MVP challenges Retribution, saying they’re callin them out. MVP says while the rest of the locker room is worrying and wondering when they’ll strike next, The Hurt Business is calling them out. MVP says tough is Shelton and Lashley and himself. In his life, he’s learned to always follow the money. In this case, it’s the same thing. Who benefits most from the actions of Retribution. MVP says Apollo, Ricochet, Mustafa Ali, and Cedric Alexander are bands of misfits. Retribution showed up the same time he had to face Apollo for the US Title.
Apollo is here, and a camera man runs to get him coming down the ramp. Apollo says it’s low that MVP would think he’s a member of Retribution. Apollo says he’s creating distractions, and MVP can’t beat Apollo without any help.
MVP says that before his title reign, his career has had more starts and stops than a used car. Apollo doesn’t fear MVP, he fears losing the title. Apollo says yes, that’s right, and it’s why he fights so hard for this title.
MVP says Apollo should be smart and treat this as a business.
Match 1: Apollo vs Shelton Benjamin
Y’all, I Don’t even get to see this match, as it ends in about 2 minutes, has an R-Truth interruption, and comes complete with a Ricochet, Mustafa, and Cedric sighting.
Apollo is able to trip up Shelton, get a jackknife cover and a pin for 1..2…3!!!
Winner: Apollo Crews
What a shit show of a match. From the shoddy camera work to people not being in their cued spots, to Akira and the ninjas, who are supposed to be different than Retribution, and the resulting clusterfuck that was the end, this was all bad.
Total Rating: NR
Truth runs down the ramp and into a clothesline from Shelton Benjamin. Shelton covers for 1..2…3!!!!
Ok…
MVP says they will not be disrespected. He tells Apollo to find two idiots (while Apollo stands next to Ricochet, Cedric, and Mustafa) to face him and his squad in a six-man elimination tag match.
Garza is talking to some blonde till Ivar comes in to cock block and invite her RAW Underground. Angel vs Ivar next.
Match 2: Ivar vs Angel Garza
Side headlock from Angel, he gets shoved to the ropes, floats over, locks up behind, rolls through, leaps up and over, Ivar cartwheels away, swings with a kick, Angel catches and sends a knee to the face. By the beard, Angel pulls him down hard. Suplex from Ivar, a huge clothesline sends Garza down, huge splah from Ivar. He sends angel in the corner, whips, clotheslines in the corner,w hip again, and a splash in the corner. Ivar goes for a supelx, Garza floats over, surprise seated senton from Ivar onto the chest of Angel! Ivar gets Angel to the top rope. He Waislocks and Ivar knocks Angel off the corner. Garza falls to the outside. Ivar looks to dive, but Zelina is there to stop the dive. Ivar leaves the ring and sends Angel into the apron. Again to the plexiglass.
Back into the ring, feed goes out, and Angel hits a dropkick and a pin for 1…2…3!!
Winner: Angel Garza
A going through the motions little mini-match.
Total Rating: *
Match Time: 3:52
Angelo Dawkins is backstage with the blonde, he goes on the tron and has a video for Angel. Angel runs to the back. The screen is black. Samoa Joe says this is going to be great, just wait. Joe says there is an intensive security review process, and part of that is going over hundred of hours of security footage, and wanted to show Joe. Joe showed Dawkins. He thinks they’d be interested because it shows how far people are willing to go when no one is watching
Backstage, Dawkins is still backstage with the blonde. He asks for the tape to be ran.
We see Zelina bein sneaky, looking like she dropped a lil something something in a red cup.
We come back live, and people are shocked. Andrade is shocked, Angel is as well. Charley wonders if zelina was responsible for poisoning Montez. She says it doesn’ show anything, and points to Charley, as she is behind this all. The footage was doctored.
Dawkins screams, tells Andrade and Angle that Tez is Family, and it’s taking a lot of restraint to not give them what is owed, because Ford wants the smoke!!!
HERE COMES FORD! They attack!
Andrade and Angel bounce.
Match 3: Natalya vs Mickie James
We get some chain wrestling, with Nattie taking over. Mickie is back with a Thesz Press!!! Nattie hits a knee in the middle of the ring as Lana goes on IG Live or some shit outside. Hip toss from Mickie. Side headlock. Shoulder tackle to Nattie. Mickie waits, kicks, locks the head, calls for a DDT, but Nattie sends her into the ropes, and we get a double clothesline.
Seth Rollins comes down to commentary, and goes straight for Joe. He wants to know who is feeding Joe the information that rey is here tonight. He wants to know for sure.
In the ring, Mickie is heading to the top rope. Lana distracts and Nattie sends Mickie flying off the corner. Mickie struggles to get back into the ring, and doesn’t make it in time, letting Nattie get the win via countout.
Winner: Natalya via countout
This entire show has been a mess.
Total Rating: NR
Seth grabs a mic as James shoves Lana down. Seth tells Joe that if Rey and Dominik have the audacity to spit in his face and show up tonight, it will be the last mistake either of them make, and neither will make it to Summerslam.
We come back from a break with Banks and Bayley, and hopefully they right the ship. The girls are pissed.
Banks says they need a break. They both have to wrestle Asuka.
Bayley says they can’t wait for Summerslam; they finally get a night off. Asuka thinks she’s so smart winning the Battle Royal on Smackdown, but she is stupid. There’s no chance in hell that Asuka can beat both of them in one night, but the real question is who will defeat Asuka first. They argue over who will go first. Bayley says she’d do anything for Sasha, so she’ll wrestle Asuka first at Summerslam. Bayley and Sasha wonder who will be losing against them come Payback.
Shayna Baszler is here to shut the girls up. She says she’s only got one thing to say; no matter what happens at Summerslam, whoever it is that has that RAW Women’s Title, she’s got next.
Asuka comes out next to talk Summerslam. She tells Shayna that she must fight ith Asuka before she fights against Asuka.
They head into the ring, and Bayley and Sasha roll out.
Match 4: Bayley and Sasha Banks vs Asuka and Shayna Baszler
Bayley corners Asuka and tags in Sasha, who comes in to stomp Asuka away. Asuka kicks out of the corner. Tag to Bayley. Right hand to Asuka underhook from behind to Asuka. Tag to Sasha, who comes in to catch a kick then hits one of her own. Sasha shoves Baszler off the apron. She turns. Asuka wth knees to the face.
Nia Jax is in the crowd, she punches some plexiglass into Shayna. Nia hops over the barricade to fight Shayna, but refs come down to stop it. Shayna dives between them and attacks! Nia shoves her into a chair in the crowd.
Bayley and Banks on the apron. Hip attack from Asuka to both girls.
We come back and Asuka is kicking Bayley away with some boots. Bayley sends Asuka into the corner .Tag to Banks. Suplex from both girls. Cover -2 1…..2…..NO!!! Sasha gets kicked, Sunset Flip into oH KNEES from Sasha! Cover for 1..2…NO!! Tag to Bayley who comes in and kick then pins for 1..2..NO!!! Cravat from behind. Knee to the back of Asuka. Bayley gets attacked with kicks, but she drops a few right hands to Bayley. Tag to Sasha who sends Asuka back first into the buckle. Cover for 1..2.NO!!!! Tag to Bayley who comes in and slams Asuka down with Sasha. Cover for 1..2..N!O!!! Bayley to the top rope. She dives. BLOCKED!!! Bayley eats some elbow! Asukaa for the Asuka lock! Spinng back fist. Back Stabber! Bank Statement! Pin for 1..2….NO!!!
Tag to Shayna. Tag to sasha. Punch from Shayna. Running high knee to Sasha! Running low knee to Sasha stacks Shayna. Shayna locks the clutch, Bayley in. Shayna locks it in on Bayley, BACK STABBER FROM BANKS!!! BAYLEY TO BELLY! Pin for 1..2…..NO!!!! Tag to Banks. Banks in to attack, but Shayna sends her to the outside. Gutrench slam to Bayley. KNEE TO BAYLEY!!! THE CLUTCH!!! Sasha in! Kick! Asuka in! Sasha to the apron, knee from Asuka, Sasha tumbles to the outside and Asuka follows. The Asuka Lock to Sasha!!!
IN the ring, Bayley looks for her submission, but Shayna locks in The Clutch! Bayley taps!!!!
Winners: Asuka and Shayna Baszler
Finally, a match worth watching with no random ass interruptions except for…THERE WAS ONE HERE, TOO!! UGH!
Total Rating: ****1/2
Match Time: 11:59
Backstage, Apollo chooses Ricochet and Ali to tag with him. Cedric is offended. Apollo says he doesn’t mean nything by it, Cedric accepts. They leave, camera stays focused, and in comes Randy Orton to ponder over the current conditions of the USPS.
HBK is here to tell Drew that Flair meant a lot to everyone, including him. Orton will use that against him. Drew needs to get refocused on kicking Orton’s head off come Summerslam. HBK says Drew has worked way too hard and travelled too rough of a road to give up now.
Drew tells HBK that he’s a huge part of how he made it. When he came back to NXT, he worked with Michaels. He told Drew that he wouldn’t be defined by his past. Here he is champion, but on his watch, Orton has run roughshod, and he cant help but feel that he’s let HBK down.
HBK says no, he’s a Scottish stud and there is nothing stopping him. There will be heels and mountains to climb. This adversity was tailor-made for Drew McIntyre. He hasn’t let anyone down.
The Drew HBK knows ,the one that beat Brock, he set the title free. Don’t let anyone take that from him. Drew deserves and has earned where he is at. Go to Summerslam and show everyone who Drew is, and do him a favor – promise HBK that he will give him his space when HBK goes out there to face Orton.
BACKSTAGE, The Iiconics go up to Riot Squad to make fun of them. Peyton calls Liv trash. Ruby says she will drop them both where they stand. Riott v Royce is next.
We pan over to Shayna having a chat with her MMA lady-friends.
We are back, and we get yet another video package of Retributions dastardly deeds of destructive damage.
Match 5: Ruby Riott vs Peyton Royce
Riot ducks under a swinging kick and hits an STO and instead of a pin, she beats down the face with some right hands. Riott pulls the leg but Peyton kicks her away and sits on the apron. Ruby hits the ropes and flies with a clothesline to the back of Peyton’s neck. Riott whips Peyton into the apron, then into the barricade. Ruby rolls into the ring, breaks the pin, sends Peyton into the barriade, but Peyton reverses and Riott hits the barricade. Back into the ring, Peyton locks up from behind. Ruby switches, bounces ff the ropes, Peyton with a knee to the face. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Peyton chokes Ruby up in the corner then hits a few clotheslines. Ruby fires back, hits a clothesline, whips then hits an elbow to the face in the corner. Ruby ihts the ropes and runs with a kick to the face.
Ruby on the apron. She dives off with a crossbody to Peyton. Whip to the inside, Billie is there to talk some shit. Liv gets in her face, Ruby decides to do the same.
Royce sends Ruby into Liv, then sends her into the ring and hits the Deja-Vu. Pin for 1..2…3!!!
Winner: Peyton Royce
Peyton keeps on with the skill showcase, but less than three minutes makes this altogether unforgettable.
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 2:49
Backstage, RAW is still underground. Shane walks up, says it’s almost ten o clock. It’s time for RAW Underground. Shane enters the smoke-filled room.
We are back to the show, and Erik is beating up a skinny Ziggler. Speaking of Ziggler, he’s watching along with Shane. Erik, seemingly, won, and Ziggler rates Erik a 4/10. Ah, the ol Bret Hart special. Ivar is in the “ring” with Erik, calling Ziggler out. Erik wants him. Ziggler is down. In comes Ziggles to take on Erik. Ding. Ding.
Ziggler shoots, but Erik drops. Ziggler with a single leg, Erik olds on, Ziggler holds the leg on high, Erik punches Ziggler in the face, Ziggler reverses and gets a front-faced headlock. Erik lifts the leg and slams him down then front face locks Ziggler. Ziggler turns into the hold, escapes, Erik with a knee, another, a right hand, he shoots the single leg, lifts and Ziggler lands on his feet then hops on the back of Erik with a sleeper. Roll through from Erik, but Ziggler has it locked in. Ziggler drills his thumb in the eye of Erik. He locks on the legs. Ziggler wins.
In comes Ivar to truck ZIggler out of the ring onto a crowd of people.
Still not interested.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits, and he’s here with his son!
Rey says there is one word to describe how he felt since Extreme Rules: Pain. Mucho dolor. Pain at first, because of his eye, but an even worse pain because of what Seth did to Dominick. Having to witness his own child in agony, being unable to do anything about it, as Seth and Murphy crucified him on the ropes. Rey says he may not be fully recovered, and there is a big possibility that he may never fully recover, but there is no doctor that will stop him from protecting his son. He tells Seth to listen very well; He says that Seth will not repeat what he did to Dominick, because at Summerslam, Rey will be in his corner, and watch him kick Seth’s ass in a Street Fight.
Dom tells his dad thank you, and he appreciates this, but he knew what he was in for when he signed his contract. He loves Rey, and he knows what he must do to defend the family; he’ll be ready.
Rey tells Dominick how proud he is, and he admires his fight and determination and will to defend the family name…GUERRERO!
JK.
Rey says if Seth gets anywhere near them tonight, he’ll be the one that won’t make it to Summerslam.
Seth and Murphy on the screen; he can’t believe it. Rey is a lot of things, but he didn’t take him for an idiot, and yet here he stands. Six days out from the most important moment of his son’s life, and he’s putting him in danger for Rey’s own personal glory. So selfish. What kind of father are you? Seth doesn’t understand why he continues to put he and his son in these situations. Everyone has a role, and Rey resisted. It all could have been prevented. But no, he hasn’t learned, and the tragic thing abut all of this is that it’s not just going to be Rey or his son, it will be the Mysterio name and legacy that will end up being sacrificed to the Greater Good.
Rey tells Seth that he’s got such big words, and he should come out now and back them up. Seth says Rey’s got one eye, and Dom can’t even stand up straight. Just remember, Rey asked for this, now don’t move an inch.
Seth and Murphy leave the screen, it goes black, Seth’s music hits, Rey and Dominick wait in the ring. Here comes Seth, loosening his tie, and Murphy standing by his side. Rey and Dom hop out of the ring. Seth and Murphy stand in the ring, trying to goad Rey into the ring.
Dominick grabs some kendo sticks. Seth stands in the ring with his arms outstretched. Dominick attacks over and over, tosses a stick to Rey, and they circle Seth. Attacks front and back to Seth over and over. Rey and Dom lock Seth up in the ropes, but Murphy comes in to save him, and they head to the back.
Backstage, Cedric is chillin a little frustrated. MVP comes here saying he knows how Cedric feels,only it wasn’t his friends that held MVP back. Cedric says Apollo was looking out for his best interest. MVP says maybe Apollo did do that, or Apollo saw Cedric in the Full Nelson, and saw Cedric as the weakest link. Must be difficult teaming with a guy that calls himself The One and Only. MVP says he offered Cedric an agency a while ago, and that offer still stands. Think it over, while he enjoys that fine cuisine over at catering.
Back to RAW Underground where Riddick Moss takes down a dude in jeans. Said dude kicks from below. Moss locks up and hits a few hard rights over and over, then gets scooped up and slammed down. The dude locks up from behind. He’s got The Sleeper, but Moss slams him down hard. Moss cluns the back, stomps the face over and over then hits a knee bar. Leg Lock, bu Moss rolls to the outside. Some people shove the competitors so Ross and Arturo fight some guys in the crowd. Shane calls the match, saying it’s over, when nothing happened to decide this. He asks Who is next.
Match 6: Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, MVP vs Apollo, Mustafa Ali, and Ricochet
Shelton and Ali to start. Shelton gets Ali in the corner, kicks him, then whips, and Ali hops up and over. Arm drag to Shelton, another into an arm lock from behind. Shelton turns into the hold, Ali tags Ricochet who drops an elbow to Shelton’s arm. Ric works the left arm as well, then runs u Shelton and hits an Enziguri. Pin for 1..2….NO!!!!!Tag to Ali. Ali in to waist lock. High elbo and a tag to Laslhey, who trucks Ali down, then sends the faces off the apron. Gutwrench into the Dominator. Pin for 1..2…3!!!
Mustafa Ali is eliminated.
Ricochet rushes in and gets chokeslammed to hell. Tag to Shleton. Pay Dirt to Ricochet. Pin for 1..2…3!!!
Ricochet has been eliminated.
Lockup from Apollo and Shelton. They go back and forth. Whip to the corner. Shelton misses a splash. Powerbomb from Apollo. Cover for 1…..2….NO!!!
MVP hops over the ropes to stare down Apollo.
On the outside, Cedric rolls up Shelton Benjamin for 1…2…3!!!!
Cedric is the NEW 24/7 Champion
WE are back and MVP is beating Apollo down in the corner. MVP whips Apollo into the corner hard, and he bounces off the corner. MVP sends Apollo to the outside.
MVP follows suit and sends Apollo back into the ring and covers for 1….2…N!!! MVP with a huge pump kick into the face of Apollo. Cover for 1..2..NO!!!! Whip is reversed, MVP misses a kick, Crews lifts tutns, powerbomb!!! PIN for 1..2….3!!!!
MVP has been eliminated.
Lashley RUNS into the ring and attacks, then pulls back on the arm, stretching the pec. Lashley kicks the chest. Apollo rolls out of the way, but Lashley lifts him, whips him, then eats a tackle as Apollo flies out of the air. Enziguri to the head. Another kick to Lashley. A third! Standing Moonsault! Pin for 1..2…N!O!!!
Lockup from behind switch, Lashley wants the Full Nelson. Apollo sends an elbow back, ropework. SPEAR FROM LASHLEY! Pin for 1..2……3!!
Winners: MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin
Unfortunately, this was marred by the seemingly impossible capability to put together an elimination match that makes sense, as the WWE tends to follow a model where the first few eliminations happen in a flurry of offense that would, otherwise, simply lead to more wrestling, but since they’re trying to shove everything into one match, it suddenly ends to get to the next segment of the match. The final stretch wasn’t bad, though.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 10:52
Backstage, Shayna and her buddies are talking to Shane McMahon.
We return to RAW where Cedric Alexander defends his 24/7 title that he just won. He hits a Lumbar Check, gets the duke, then Shelton sneaks into the ring and hits a Pay Dirt then a cover for 1..2…3! and man the amount of apathy I currently carry for this shit is just…
We head back to RAW Underground where one of Shayna’s homies beats down some red head that is NOT Lita. Marina wins the “match?”
She celebrates, but here’s Nia to attack!
Shayna runs into the ring and looks to lockup, a bell rings, and Nia runs for it. Shane says the only rule is you gotta fight, but Nia don’t give a damn.
Match 7: Montez Ford vs Andrade
Ford out the jump with an attack. He concludes with a dropkick, sending Andrade to the outside. Ford hits the ropes and flies over the top onto Andrade. He rolls Andrade back into the ring and hits the top corner. Andrade with a right, then a chop to the chest. Andrade locks the head and goes for a Superplex. Ford punches, but Andrade is able to hit the Superplex anyway. Pin for 1..2…NO!!!! Andrade with a cravat from behind. Ford elbows out. Right hand from Andrade. Chop to Ford. Whip to the ropes is reversed. Clothesline rom Ford, he hits the ropes, dives over the back of Andrade, flies up high with a clothesline! Ford with a standing moonsault! Pin for 1..2…NO!!! Hurricanrana to Andrade! Ford shakes the ropes. Zelina on the apron. Andrade up, right hand to Ford! Zelina sees BELAIR! Zelina tries for a crossbody, Bianca catches her and slams her down hard.
Ford in the ring with a rollup to Andrade! Pin for 1..2…3!!!
Winner: Montez Ford
Ford is fun, and the added aggression helped, but another less than three minute match on a show that has just been lackluster as a whole.
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 2:59
HBK is here in the ring to remind us of last week where Flair admitted that after 31 days in ICU, he woke up and all he wanted was to tell people that he loved them and to make sure everyone he loved knew how he felt.
HBK said last week he watched with tears on his face and reminded us of the 31 days he sat on his death bed, and all he wanted to do was tell the people that mean the most to him how much he loved them. You have to understand that Flair loved performing in this ring. If it wasn’t for Flair, he can assure us that there would be no HBK or HHH or Batista or Edge or Christian or Show and certainly no Drew McIntyre. There would also not be a Randy Orton. He, unlike the rest of this list, don’t have the same gratitude and appreciation for Flair. He had the greatest wrestler ever mentoring him daily. Orton feels like he is owed and deserved Flair. HBK doesn’t know how, but it will happen – at Summerslam, Orton will meet his justice at the end of Sweet Chin Music, or from a Claymore, but at Summerslam, you WILL see it comin.
Orton is here! RKO to Shawn! Punt kick to Michaels!
Drew is here to chase Orton away!
Drew checks on HBK. Orton is back! He tries dfor an RKO, but Drew sends him to the outside! He sends Orton into the barricade. Then the plexiglass. He sends Orton over the announce table. Drew stares Orton down. He slides into the ring and goes back to check on HBK.
Orton slinks back into the ring. RKO to Drew! Lol ok.
End Show.
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