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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 10.29.18
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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 10.29.18
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Finn Balor defeated Lashley @ 9:00 via DQ [**]
– Trish, Lita, Sasha Banks, Bayley, & Natalya defeated Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Alicia Fox, & Mickie James @ 12:10 via submission [**¾]
– Elias defeated Jinder Mahal @ 4:02 via pin [*½]
– Roode & Gable defeated The AOP & The Ascension @ 1:45 via pin [NR]
– Nia Jax defeated Ember Moon @ 3:25 via pin [*]
– Kalisto & Lince Dorado defeated The Revival @ 3:25 via pin [**½]
– Dolph Ziggler defeated Apollo Crews @ 2:55 via pin [NR]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
– I did a column, “Where Are They Now, The Cruiserweight Classic Finals Performers” which you can check out at this link.
– You can check out my top 36 matches of SEPTEMBER list at this link.
– My WWE Evolution 2018 review at this link.
– Tonight is the final Raw before WWE Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money.
Real time footage of Vince McMahon
– We start off with highlights of last week’s Roman Reigns announcement.
Baron Corbin Talks: Corbin talks about last week’s announcement as he stands in the ring with the Universal Title. He wishes Reigns well, but the show goes on and if he comes back, he hopes it isn’t on Raw. Brock Lesnar now arrives. Corbin hypes Brock’s arrival and Heyman quickly takes over to hype Brock. Heyman says these are historic times because Brock will win back the Universal title. Heyman says that Brock will beat Strowman on Friday, and that’s a spoiler. The Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, World Series, all history-making moments, and on Friday, you will see history unfold before your eyes. Braun arrives and says on Friday, he’ll become the champion, because Brock will get these hands. Corbin tries to keep the peace, and Braun kicks his ass. Brock poses with the championship as Braun hits multiple powerslams on Corbin. Brock F5s Braun and stands tall. Well, that was an ok opening, but very predictable. Cash that check Brock.
– We get highlights of Dean turning on Seth last week.
– Lio Rush arrives and says Balor got lucky last week. He says Lashley will humble and beat him tonight.
Lashley vs. Finn Balor: Balor defeated Lashley last week. Lashley immediately overpowers Balor to begin. Rush constantly talks as Lashley grounds the action. Balor fights back and dropkicks Lashley to the floor. The tope follows. Post break, and Lashley is back in control. He grounds things again, slowing things to a crawl. Balor powers to his feet, but is instantly cut off. Lashley runs into he feet of Balor, the sling blade follows and then a running forearm. He fights off the powerbomb and hits a standing double stomp. Balor follows with chops, but Lashley hits his big ending variation for 2. Balor counters out of the delayed suplex, hits sling blade and goes John Wooooooo. Balor heads up top, but Rush shoves him off. Balor hits an enziguri and Rush shoves him off and to the floor for the DQ. Finn Balor defeated Lashley @ 9:00 via DQ [**] It wasn’t that the match was bad, the work was fine, but it was extremely boring and mostly lifeless. It was ok. The feud will continue for reasons, what they are I do not know because they aren’t working well together.
– Post match, Lashley beats Balor down and locks on the full nelson as Rush slaps him and runs him down.
– Rush & Lashley go to meet with Corbin. Corbin is happy with what they did to Balor, and says that Lashley is now in the WWE World Cup to Determine the Best in the world at Crown Jewel. He’s replacing John Cena.
– Commentary hypes Sunday’s WWE Evolution PPV.
– Ronda Rousey will face Becky Lynch at Survivor Series. Following Evolution, Becky & Ronda had an awkward confrontation.
Trish, Lita, Sasha Banks, Bayley, & Natalya vs. Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Alicia Fox, & Mickie James: Bliss is out with the heels. Trish and Logan to begin, and Trish hits side headlock takeovers and then head scissors on Ruby. Liv tags in and Trish controls, tags in Lita and a rough looking poetry in motion follows. Lita hits a head scissors and DDT. She heads up top but the heels pull Liv to the floor but Banks & Bayley attack. Post break, and Bayley is working over Fox. Banks tags in and they work double teams, Trish tags back in and works double teams with Banks and she covers for 2. Banks now grounds Fox, but James trips her up, allowing Fox to hit a big boot for 2. Tag to James and she grounds the action. Tag to Logan and Banks rolls her up for 2. Logan cuts her off and grounds Banks again. She takes her to the corner; Ruby tags in and districts the ref as the heels beat down Banks. Banks fights for a tag, but Ruby slams her down and mocks Banks but misses the charge and hits her teammates. Fox tags in and Banks makes the tag. Hot tag to Natalya, she runs wild on Fox and hits a basement dropkick and lariat for 2. It breaks down, Banks hits meteora and everyone brawls. Stereo twist of fates by Lita & Bayley ad Bayley hits the top rope elbow drop and Lita hits the moonsault and the Hart attack gets 2 on Fox. The sharp shooter follows and Fox taps. Trish, Lita, Sasha Banks, Bayley, & Natalya defeated Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Alicia Fox, & Mickie James @ 12:10 via submission [**¾] This was pretty good, slow in the middle and Lita looked really rough at times, but the closing stretch was hot.
– Nia Jax is interviewed about her battle royal win last night. Ember Moon arrives and talks about the match, and says that she was so close, but Jax cuts her off and says this is about her. Moon says she gets it, and respects Jax. Moon then challenges Jax to a match, Jax accepts, and says she will beat her again tonight. So, Nia is a heel again, ok. What’s up lady Big Show?
– They hype Friday’s DX vs. Brothers of Destruction match.
– Elias is here. The crowd loves him and claims he hung out with Ric Flair earlier today. Flair told him he was the man for what he did to Corbin last week, so he runs the replay of Corbin getting the old el kabong. Elias says it pained him to break one of his babies, but it did feel good. He then heads backstage and Dana Brooke asks for a song, and he refuses. He heads to Corbin’s office and sings a tune outside the office, running down Corbin. Corbin arrives and Elias keeps singing, calling him Stephanie’s little bitch. Jinder Mahal arrives and attacks Elias, laying him out. Corbin is pleased, saying that Mahal just tuned him up; he then says Elias will face Jinder next.
Elias vs. Jinder Mahal: Mahal immediately takes control, working over the ribs of Elias, which he attacked backstage. The Singhs take the ref so that Mahal can… …not cheat in any way and just lay the boots to Elias. Mahal follows with knee strikes and a grounded abdominal stretch. He transitions to a reverse bear hug, Elias escapes with strikes, and then lights up Mahal in the corner. They work into counters, and Elias hits drift away for the win. Elias defeated Jinder Mahal @ 4:02 via pin [*½] This was a nothing of a match, with Mahal dominating with his clumsy and lumbering offense until Elias thankfully won.
– It’s 9:33 PM ET and we still no brackets for the WWE World Cup to Determine the Best in the World at WWE Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money, emanating from the kingdom of Parts Unknown.
– BRACKETS, finally.
* Seth Rollins vs. Lashley
* Kurt Angle vs. Dolph Ziggler
* Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz
* Randy Orton vs. Rey Mysterio
– We get a video package on Kurt Angle’s career. Angle cuts a promo on the WWE World Cup to Determine the Best in the World at WWE Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money, and runs down his career accomplishments and says that winning would mean everything to him. He’s there to prove he’s the best n the world.
The AOP vs. The Ascension vs. Roode & Gable: They all brawl at the bell as The Ascension vs. Roode & Gable take out the AOP on the floor. Post break, and Gable fights off the Ascension until he runs into a spinebuster. Gable knocks Konnor into an AOP member, Roode tags in and they work double teams and pin Viktor. Roode & Gable defeated The AOP & The Ascension @ 1:45 via pin [NR] That was a match that happened, but Roode & Gable vs. AOP has potential.
– The AOP kills everyone post match.
Spud wants revenge for Bobby Roode beating the hell out of him and the feud then being immediately dropped three years ago. https://t.co/X4uFt0vskU
— Garrett Kidney (@garrettkidney) October 30, 2018
– We get video of Reigns meeting with kids battling cancer weeks ago, and now those kids send him well wishes.
– We again get highlights of Dean turning on Seth last week.
Seth Rollins Talks: Rollins says it’s been a roller coaster of emotions all week. He thanks the fans for their support of Roman over the last week, and that makes him feel good. He felt great winning the tag titles last week, but now he doesn’t because he should be celebrating, but he can’t because Dean turned on him last week. He questions if it is his fault for what he did four years ago. Only Dean has the answers, he didn’t cal or text, because he knew Dean would be here this week and wants to know why. Dean’s music hits, but no Dean. He appears in the crowd, and Rollins says he is mocking the Shield and wants his answers face to face. Rollins says at least when he stabbed him in the back; he looked at him face-to-face and explained why. Dean stays in the crowd, gets you sold out chants, and says nothing. Rollins calls him a cold-hearted bastard, because Roman left to battle leukemia, Dean spit on the Shield and made it all about him. Rollins plans to make his life a living hell. He then calls him a soulless lunatic. Rollins teases going after him but Dean bails. I thought Seth was really good here, and I was fine with Dean refusing to speak and getting some heat. I’m not a big fan of them using Reigns so much in the feud.
– Lashley is interviewed about the WWE World Cup to Determine the Best in the World at WWE Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money. Rush says the big man will add another trophy to his case, and that Rollins doesn’t stand a chance. Lashley is money.
– They hype Friday’s DX vs. Brothers of Destruction match.
Nia Jax vs. Ember Moon: Moon attacks at the bell, and runs wild with kicks and hits corner attacks. Heads up top and Jax cuts her off and levels her with a shoulder block. Jax then stomps on her and hits an elbow drop for 2. The clothesline follows and Jax then works a bear hug. Moon escapes, but Jax tosses her across the ring. Jax misses a charge and posts herself, and Moon follows with a senton to the floor. Back in and Tamina arrives. Jax attacks, hits a leg drop and wins. Nia Jax defeated Ember Moon @ 3:25 via pin [*] Not good at all and a complete waste of Ember Moon as this was only here to set up a Jax vs. Tamina feud.
– Jax & Tamina have a staredown post match
– HOLY SHIT, CRUISERWEIGHTS ON RAW!
UP NEXT: LUCHAS are in the 🏠…
Prepare for the #RAW debut of @KalistoWWE @WWEGranMetalik & @LuchadorLD… the #LuchaHouseParty! pic.twitter.com/D1cZrNSzlS
— WWE (@WWE) October 30, 2018
Kalisto & Lince Dorado w/Metalik vs. The Revival: Dash and Kalisto to begin. Dash attacks with strikes, but Kalisto hits a moonsault press and Dorado follows with a suicide dive. The Revival cuts of Kalisto, Dawson tags in and hits suplexes and an elbow drop for 2. Dawson works a Gory special, and then follows with uppercuts. Kalisto fires back, hits an enziguri and Dawson takes out Dorado. Dawson kills Kalisto with a clothesline and gets distracted and Salida del sol finishes it. Kalisto & Lince Dorado defeated The Revival @ 3:25 via pin [**½] This was criminally short, but solid for the time given.
– Dolph arrives to hype the WWE World Cup to Determine the Best in the World as Drew says they broke the Shield, and Drew is focused on who wins the Universal Title. Dolph says Angle will not win the world cup, he looked up to Angle for what he did for amateur wrestling. Without guys like Angle, you wouldn’t have Dolph Ziggler. Dolph says he will cement his legacy on Friday, blah, blah, blah, steal the show, blah. He’s the best to ever compete in this ring and the business. Delusional Dolph is funny.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Apollo Crews: Drew is out with Dolph. JIP as Dolph is in control. Crews fires back with an enziguri and follows with clotheslines. He hits another enziguri for 2. Crews heads up top, Dolph cuts him off and covers for 2. Dolph talks shit, Crews blocks the superkick and then tosses Dolph down and follows with a press slam. The standing moonsault gets 2. Crews up top, Dolph pops up, knocked off, and the frog splash eats knees. The superkick finishes Crews. Dolph Ziggler defeated Apollo Crews @ 2:55 via pin [NR] This was a match that happened, Dolph was over confident and it almost cost him, but he won ahead of Friday’s tournament.
DX & The Brothers of Destruction Sell WWE Sweet Saudi Money II: Blood Money: Kane & Taker arrive. Taker talks spooky talk about saying goodbye and coming to the end. When the reaper calls, you can’t fight him off. Kan says DX hears their names being whispered, and it’s not become a deafening cry. Taker says on Friday, they will take the souls of DX for the first and last time to hell. It will be low, agonizing, and painful; so WWE Super Show-Down then? It will be the end of DX’s error. Kane calls out DX to the ring, right now. DX arrives. HHH is out by himself, and then goes to “look for HBK.” Kane looks to attack and HBK superkicks Taker. HBK bails from Kane, and Taker sits up and looks scary. DX acts afraid. Tune in Friday for the epic conclusion to this feud.
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
