Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 03.19.18

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 03.19.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Non-Title Match: Asuka defeated Champion Alexa Bliss @ 12:05 via countout [**]
– Braun Strowman defeated Cesaro @ 8:45 via pin [**½]
– The Revival defeated Titus Worldwide @ 3:05 via pin [**]
– Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose defeated Sasha Banks & Bayley @ 10:00 via pin [**]
– Balor Club defeated Miz, Axel, & Dallas @ 10:32 via pin [**¾]
– Ultimate Deletion: Matt Hardy defeated Bray Wyatt @ 13:30 via pin [***]

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Kurt Angle Talks: Angle opens by saying that Reigns is still suspended, and that while Brock isn’t here, he will be here tonight. Angle is interrupted by Reigns coming through the crowd and to the ring. Angle reminds him that he’s suspended, and Reigns says he doesn’t care. Brock comes and goes as he pleases, so he’s here to represent the Mania main event. Reigns say she was suspended for telling the truth. Angle tells reigns to relax and wait because he gets Brock in three-weeks. Reigns still doesn’t give a shit about what Angle has to say, and he’s not leaving until he makes another memory here tonight; he wants Brock. Supposed “US Marshals” arrive to read Reigns his rights, they cuff him but Reigns fights them off as Raw has turned into LIVE PD. Brock arrives and Germans Reigns and beats his ass with a chair as Reigns is still cuffed. More Germans follow. He teases leaving and lays in more chair shots, and another German. Brock then hits an F5 just to make his point clear. They bring out the stretcher for Reigns. Brock leaves, but runs back and shoves over the stretcher. That was a highly entertaining opening segment, Roman ran his mouth, Brock shut him up but also did so in a dickish way as he attacked a handcuffed man. Brock was a complete asshole in his destruction, and it was glorious. I’m not sure they made Reigns a sympathetic figure, as the crowd loved the ass kicking way too much, but it was entertaining.

– Reigns is stretchered out.

– Bliss apologizes for what she said about Jax last week, she’s sorry that she didn’t speak the truth sooner. She doesn’t feel bad at all and she loved humiliating her. She never liked Jax, she used her. She feels like she just dropped 300 pounds of loser. Bliss continues to kill it in her role.

Champion Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka: Mickie is out with Bliss. JIP as Bliss is in control. Mickie gets in a cheap shot, allowing Bliss to toss Asuka to the floor. More cheap shots by Mickie and Bliss follows and continues her attack. Back in and Bliss covers for 2. Asuka tries to battle back, but Bliss cuts her off with a basement dropkick. Asuka starts to fire up and makes her comeback, hits the pop up knee strike and covers for 2. Asuka to the ropes, Mickie distracts her, allowing Bliss to battle back and kick Asuka to he floor. Mickie attacks again. Back in and Asuka starts to lay in kicks, but Bliss cuts her off and dumps her to the floor. Post break, and Bliss is in control and heads up top. Asuka cuts her off, but Bliss hits a code red for 2. She throws a tantrum, and hits a neck breaker and misses the knees, allowing Asuka to cover for 2. Asuka gets an ankle lock; Bliss makes the ropes and rolls to the floor. Mickie helps her leave and it’s a countout. Asuka defeated Champion Alexa Bliss @ 12:05 via countout [**] This was an ok match, you knew that they were working towards a finish to both protect Bliss & advance her angle with Jax, while also keeping Asuka undefeated. As an overall angle it was solid and served its purpose.

– Post match, Jax rushes out and takes out jambs and then chases Bliss. James ends up saving Bliss, Jax looks like she wants to kill Bliss and chases after her and to the back.

– Bliss complains to Angle about Jax, wanting her arrested. Angle says fuck that and makes Jax vs. Bliss, for the title, at Mania.

The match is MADE! #RAW GM @RealKurtAngle has given @NiaJaxWWE an opportunity at the #RAW #WomensChampionship against @AlexaBliss_WWE at @WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/7ZuxBx2GUf

— WWE (@WWE) March 20, 2018

BRAUN: BRAUN killed all of the tag teams last week, earring a title shot at Mania against the Bar. But Angle says that BRAUN has to have a tag team partner to get the match. BRAUN talks about last week’s destruction, and that they are making him have a partner, which he doesn’t think he needs. The Bar arrives, and says that he may have won the battle royal, but that doesn’t mean he can beat the Bar. They don’t care who he chooses, because he doesn’t stand a chance. BRAUN tells them to shut up, and tells then to worry about him and his partner, and that he gets a match with one of them right now.

Braun Strowman vs. Cesaro: Braun starts by tossing Cesaro around and to the floor. Post break, and Cesaro starts to make a comeback. Cesaro takes him to he floor, Sheamus distracts Braun, but Braun fights back and rolls Cesaro back in. Cesaro sidesteps a charge and Brain posts himself. Braun fights off the neutralizer but Cesaro stuns him off the ropes and hits the springboard uppercut for 2. Braun again fights off the neutralizer and cuts off the upper cut. Sheamus distracts him, Cesaro to he floor and Braun follows and takes out Sheamus. Back in and Cesaro lays in uppercuts, but Braun catches him with the powerslam for the win. Braun Strowman defeated Cesaro @ 8:45 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid match to build towards the Mania tag match.

– We get a video hyping Ultimate Deletion. Senor Benjamin, Reby, Maxel, & Wolfgang are all there. Vanguard1 is off to scout the compound.

– We get highlights of Sami & Kevin kicking the shit out of Shane on last week’s Smackdown.

The Revival vs. Titus Worldwide: Tutus controls early, but the Revival quickly cut him off and work quick tags and double teams. Titus fights them off and gets the warm tag to Apollo. Apollo runs wild, hits a standing moonsault and gets 2. Apollo gets a roll up for 2. It breaks down, Apollo hits a high cross on Dawson, who rolls through for 2. Blind tag to Wilder, and shatter machine finishes it. The Revival defeated Titus Worldwide @ 3:05 via pin [**] They didn’t get much time to do anything, but it wasn’t bad at all.

– The Revival are asked about their path to Mania. They feel that they are the most qualified for a tag title shot, and then announce that they will win the Andre Battle Royal.

– Mark Henry is going into he WWE Hall of Fame.

– Banks cuts a pre-match promo, and says people should talk about thier issues face to face. They are best friends and she wants to fix things. Banks just wanted to win the elimination chamber, but Bayley wasn’t being her fend the past two weeks. Banks says she’s the bigger person and forgives her, and offers a handshake. Bayley says she was angry, but she didn’t cost them their matches. She can’t get over what Banks did to her in the chamber. She gets it, but it’s how banks did what she did. The look and smirk Banks had ate at her, Banks smiled and she can’t get that out of her head. They are supposed to be friends, but why was what she did so easy to her? Absolution interrupts.

Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose: Banks and Deville to begin. Banks attacks, slaps Deville but misses a charge and Deville dumps Bayley & Banks. Post break, and Rose has Bayley grounded. Bayley quickly battled back, but Banks tags herself in and covers for 2.Bayley is not pleased. Rose cuts off banks, covering for 2. Deville tags in and they lay the boots to Banks. Deville grounds the action, and covers for 2. Deville follows with kicks, Rose tags in and the knee strike gets 2. Rose now works an abdominal stretch, Banks escapes but Rose hits the dropkick and tags in Deville. Absolution work quick tags, but Banks fights back and looks for a tag, fighting off Deville and Bayley tags her self in and runs wild on Deville. The stunner in the ropes follows and then a suplex follows. Rose makes the save, it breaks down and Bayely has a backslide but the ref as distracted. Bayley argues with Banks, Deville slams Bayley into Banks and the kick finishes Bayley. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose defeated Sasha Banks & Bayley @ 10:00 via pin [**] The match was ok, but more importantly continued the issues with Bayley & Banks. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose continue to improve.

John Cena Wants an Answer From The Undertaker: Cena claims everything is bigger in Texas, and last week, he challenged Taker. And tonight, he wants his answer. He says taker has been in hiding due to embarrassment. Some think he no longer belongs, but that’s ridiculous. As long as there is a WWE, Taker has meaning. Cena polls the crowd and they go wild for Taker. But Cena says the answer to his challenge has been silence. That is the biggest mistake taker has ever made. He will go to Mania as a fan if he has to, but for Taker to not get off of his ass and give him an answer is disrespectful. To both him and the fans. If you’re retired, say no because everyone will understand, but if not, say yes and give the world what they want to see. You’re not the god that they made you, you’re a man that is a coward. The Undertaker is a coward. Prove me wrong, give me an answer. Do some of some of that stupid stuff you do, give me some lightning, give me something. You let everyone down, you are not a God and can barely call yourself a man, Kane arrives, and Cena wants to know if Kane has an answer for him. Kane chokeslams Cena and leaves. That was another good promo from Cena, who is carrying the feud right now. The ending with Kane, however, felt really flat. Little brother was apparently upset that Cena was running down big brother. Judging by the crowd reaction, it’s going to be huge when Taker finally accepts.

– We get another Ultimate Deletion hype video, with Matt talking to George Washington (whose spirit is in a giraffe).

– Miz cuts a promo, claiming he gets no respect. He’s upset he’s not on the WrestleMania magazine. He doesn’t even get a one on one match, and doesn’t have to be pinned to lose his title. He’s not the bad guy here. He runs down Rollins and Balor (calling them Tyler Black & Prince “Nevitt”), and says he will take his respect.

– Rollins arrives to take in the match on commentary.

Miz, Axel, & Dallas vs. Balor, Anderson, & Gallows: JIP as Balor Club is in control, working over Axel. Dallas tags in, but Balor follows with arm drags. Miz in and cuts off Balor, quick tags follow and Axel covers for 2. Axel grounds the action, but Balor fights back but Dallas cuts him off. More quick tags by the Miztourage as Miz mocks Balor, giving Balor time to fight back. Hot tag to Anderson, he runs wild and hits a neck breaker off the ropes for 2. The high cross follows for 2. Miz tags himself in and hits the DDT on Anderson for 2. Post break, and Anderson hits the spinebuster on Axel. Balor gets the hot tag, working over Dallas and then hitting a tope. Miz takes the ref, allowing Axel to crotch Balor. Miz attacks, but gets ran into Axel ad Balor rolls him up for the win. Balor Club defeated Miz, Axel, & Dallas @ 10:32 via pin [**¾] This was a pretty good tag match, with Balor picking up another win and continuing his momentum. The post match also played into the build to the Mania triple threat.

– The Miztourage attacks post match, but Rollins makes the save and hits blackout on Miz. Rollins tells Balor that he owes him one.

– Matt takes a ride in Skarsgard, the dilapidated boat, in the lake of reincarnation.

– Next week, we get John Cena vs. Kane.

– This week’s Ronda Rousey appearance is a training video with Kurt Angle also commenting. It was also a personality profile on Rousey’s path to MMA after the Olympics. I actually really liked this, and think it worked way better than another in ring segment.

ULTIMATE DELETION: We now get to see what Jeremy Borash cam do with a real budget and a top notch production team. I just hope that doesn’t take away from what made the original special, but we’ll see. Bray arrives at the Hardy compound and Vanguard1 greets him with a message from Matt. Matt tells him to follow the music; Reby plays piano as Matt waits on Bray in his ring in the woods. “Bray Wyatt, I knew you’d come!” the match begins with them laughing at each other and they brawl. Matt grounds things and lays in rights. Matt counters sister Abigail, but Bray hits a lariat and proclaims he’s a god. He has a gift for Matt and gets a chair. Matt calls for Vanguard1, who attacks Bray with fireworks. Matt attacks with hair shots, and they brawl into a field by a broken down building, similar to the one Orton burned down. Matt attacks with kendo shots, but Bray fights him off. Bray has fire flashbacks, and Matt escapes. They head to the land of obsolete men, with Matt hiding and making Bray chase him Scooby-Doo style. They now brawl into the woods, with Bray covering for 2 after beating on Matt with rights. The garage door opens to Matt’s training center (the dome of deletion), complete with ring. They brawl by a piano, and Matt gets a ladder and attacks. Matt now gets on a riding mower, starts it up, Matt looks to run over Bray, but he spiders up and attacks. Bray takes over, hitting an apron back breaker on Matt for 2. Bray follows with rights, promising to delete Matt. He drags him out of the building, and Vanguard1 is searching for them. They head to the lake of reincarnation as Matt asks Skarsgard for help. Bray grabs Vanguard1 and shoves it away. SENOR BENJAMIN is here, tossing a globe into Bray’s hands and Brother Nero appears. Matt attacks and picks up the win. Bray says it’s not over, and Matt shoves him into the lake. Benjamin searches for Bray, but he’s not there. Matt is happy and declares the Great War over and that Bray has been deleted. Matt Hardy defeated Bray Wyatt @ 13:30 via pin [***] This was good and fun overall, but to me it lacked the charm and overall absurdity of the original that really put it over the top. It will be interesting to see where they go with Bray from here, with the lake of reincarnation gimmick, they have a chance to completely reboot the character. It was an overall good introduction to the broken universe elements that are new to WWE fans

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

~GLORIOUS~

6.3

The final score: review Average

The 411

Tonight’s edition of WWE Raw was an overall show, and while there wasn’t a lot of good or great wrestling, there was no filler, as the show was focused on continuing the established angles and the continued build to WrestleMania.