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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 10.16.17

October 16, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
The Miz WWE Raw 10.16.17 Image Credit: WWE
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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 10.16.17  

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 10.16.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Jason Jordan, Titus O’Neil, and Apollo Crews vs. Elias, Anderson, and Gallows @ 6:58 via pin [**]
– Cedric Alexander defeated Jack Gallagher @ 3:21 via pin [**]
– Sasha Banks defeated Alicia Fox @ 2:52 via pin [NR]
WWE Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions Rollins & Ambrose defeated Cesaro & Sheamus @ 12:09 via pin [***¼]
– Mickie James & Bayley defeated Alexa Bliss & Emma @ 11:30 via pin [**]
Steel Cage Match: Braun Strowman defeated Roman Reigns @ 17:20 via pin [**¾]


– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– We get highlights from last week’s show.

– We get highlights of the recent Shield vs. Miz & Friends feud.

Kurt Angle Talks: Tables, ladders, and chairs decorate the arena as Kurt Angle makes his way to the ring. The old Shield call letters sound and the boys make their way through the crowd, and Rollins and Ambrose have the old tactical gear on. They surround the ring old school Shield style, Angle backs off, and gives them the mic and Reigns tells him that was a smart choice. When they hit the ring, you get out of the yard or they beat your ass. Rollins says they had their first match 5-years ago at TLC and as a unit, from that night forward, they dominated. Rollins is proud to be back with his brothers. Ambrose is very excited about TLC, but Miz and friends should be afraid of going to war with them and not the weapons. No one is better than the Shield. Ambrose admits he got ahead of himself last week, but doesn’t take it back. They didn’t get all dressed to talk and call out Miz, The Bar, and Strowman. Their TLC opponents arrive, but Angle tells them to save it for Sunday and books a tag title match. Fun opening segment, setting up tonight’s matches and hyping TLC. The fans loved the classic Shield intro and it didn’t go too long.

– Elias is here to sing us tune. The Good Brothers are with him. The Good Brothers warm up their vocal cords, singing arpeggios with the word nerd. Anderson sings the Honky Tonk man theme song. Elias is impressed. They now sing a song for Jason Jordan, calling him a nerd.

Jason Jordan, Titus O’Neil, and Apollo Crews vs. Elias, Anderson, and Gallows: Titus and Gallows start things off, Gallows works him over with strikes but Titus battles back and sends him to the floor. It breaks down, and the faces clear the ring. Post break, and the heels take the heat on Crews for a bit but he cuts off Elias. Anderson tags in, but Crews gets the hot tag to Jordan, and he runs wild. Suplexes follow and Elias makes the save and it breaks down. Crews in and hits the sit out powerbomb on Anderson for the win. Jason Jordan, Titus O’Neil, and Apollo Crews vs. Elias, Anderson, and Gallows @ 6:58 via pin [**] This was solid, with almost no crowd investment whatsoever.

– We get an Asuka video package.

– Renee interviews Emma. Emma is sick and tired of hearing about Emma, started the revolution, beat four women last week and is a social media star. Bliss arrives and plays nice with Emma, and then runs down Mickie James. She tells Emma they are the future and need to stick together. They will team tonight against Mickie and a partner.

– We get 205 highlights, featuring the issues with Cedric Alexander, Brian Kendrick and Jack Gallagher.

Cedric Alexander vs. Jack Gallagher: Kendrick is out with Gallagher. But here comes Rich Swann. Alexander & Swann face Gallagher & Kendrick at TLC. Alexander takes control right away, hits a dropkick and sends him to the floor. Kendrick distracts Alexander, Swann attacks him allowing Gallagher to attack Alexander. Gallagher slowly beats down Alexander, laying in the boots and grounding him. Alexander catches a kick, hits a back elbow and then a springboard kick. Kendrick gets involved, Swann attacks and Alexander hits a lumbar check (which looked great) for the win. Cedric Alexander defeated Jack Gallagher @ 3:21 via pin [**] Another solid little match, setting up a PPV match for Sunday.

Miz TV With BRAUN: Miz, Axel, Cesaro, and Sheamus arrive. Miz says they wanted to fight but Angle refused, fearing that they would shatter the Shield tonight. Miz promise Sheamus & Cesaro will win the tag titles tonight. Sheamus says they will in fact shatter the Shield tonight, and then they promise to expose the Shield as a nostalgia act on Sunday. Miz says the Shield are just co-workers, while they are a family. Miz brings out BRAUN. BRAUN says he would have shattered the Shield tonight for what they did to him last week, they can’t stop him on his own, and he will tear them down one by one until the Shield is done forever. That starts with Reigns tonight in the cage. Miz says the Shield isn’t a challenge to them, and says Ambrose is still running his mouth. They accept Ambrose’s challenge and at TLC, and looks to add another to his team, but Angle interrupts. Miz uses Ambrose’s words and Angle’s integrity to back up his argument, but Angle says if they want a 5th man, BRAUN has to win tonight. But if Reigns wins, it goes back to 3 on 3 and they lose BRAUN. BRAUN accepts, but Angle says that during the tag title match and cage match, everyone is banned from ringside. Not bad, they are trying to add more stakes to tonight’ s matches and also sell Sunday’s TLC main event.

Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox: Banks slams her down immediately and locks in the Banks statement, but Fox makes the ropes. Fox sloppily stuns Banks off the ropes and hits a back breaker for 2. Fox takes control, hitting a back elbow and chinlock. Banks escapes, locks in the Banks statement and Fox taps. Sasha Banks defeated Alicia Fox @ 2:52 via pin [NR] This was ok for the time given, but this was really just away for Banks to keep momentum while out of the title picture, which isn’t a bad thing.

– Charly interviews Banks, but Fox attacks and they brawl backstage. Fox kicks the shit out of her and we’re back to this feud again. Gotta love Kevin Dunn’s “bitches be crazy” bullshit.

Enzo Talks: Enzo arrives and does his usual shtick. We get footage of Enzo losing the cruiserweight title. Enzo says he was screwed and robbed of his title, and claims that Angle is corrupt, and says that Ali and Kalisto are poor and thieves. Kalisto arrives, and says Enzo talks too much. But at TLC there will be no excuses, when he comes out the cruiserweight champion. Enzo talks about all of his money and says he’s a star. Ariya Daivari, Tony Nese, Drew Gulak, and Noam Dar arrive and attack Kalisto. Enzo runs him down as they attack, but Mustafa Ali arrives and makes the save. He runs wild and takes everyone out until Enzo cuts him off. The heels beat him down as we get some chants for Neville. Enzo celebrates as his pals do all the work. Enzo then hits soul food on Kalisto. This was a pretty good little segment, as Enzo gets one up on Kalisto heading into TLC. I hope they explain more about this heel alliance tomorrow on 205 Live. Maybe they are building to a Survivor Series match?

WWE Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions Rollins & Ambrose vs. Cesaro & Sheamus: Rollins and Ambrose run wild to begin, sending the challengers to the floor and connecting with dives. Back in and Rollins & Sheamus collide heads, allowing Cesaro to cut off Rollins and we take a break. Post break and Sheamus take the heat on Rollins, hitting a back breaker and covering for 2. The challengers work quick tags, isolating Rollins and going for repeated covers. Rollins fights for the tag, but Cesaro sends Ambrose to the floor and Rollins has no one to tag. Double teams on Rollins follow, and that gets a good near fall. The crowd chants for Ambrose as Sheamus works over Rollins. Rollins send Sheamus to the post and Cesaro cuts off the tag, but Rollins dumps him and tags in Ambrose, who runs wild on Cesaro. The neck breaker follows, and Cesaro counters the catapult and gets sent to the floor. The suicide dives follow from the champions. Back in and Ambrose up top, the elbow drop press follows for 2 as Sheamus makes the save. Sheamus takes out Rollins, Sheamus tags in legally and after some confusion they hit a springboard hart attack variation for 2. Rollins in to make the save, it breaks down and Dirty deeds finishes Cesaro. Champions Rollins & Ambrose defeated Cesaro & Sheamus @ 12:09 via pin [***¼] Despite a couple of hiccups, this was an overall good match as these two teams continue to work very well together.

– Axel gives Cesaro & Sheamus a pep talk and teases he’s the 5th man that will be added. He then begs BRAUN to win tonight. Axel teases going to find Reigns and BRAUN tells him to go and get him. After some hesitation, they talk Axel into going to find Reigns.

Finn Balor Talks to Bray Wyatt: We get highlights of Wyatt talking as sister Abigail last week. Balor arrives and talks about Wyatt’s mind games, and then talks about stories of monsters and the dead walking the Earth. But sister Abigail makes him believe, and while Wyatt has his tricks, he will slay a monster with a demon of his own. His demon has no fear and he magically transforms back and forth from the demon, who wants to meet sister Abigail… run. The absolute state of this bullshit is amazingly bad. He said nothing, did magic tricks and that was that. The only good part is that it was short and there was no Bray.

Alexa Bliss & Emma vs. Mickie James & Bayley: James and Bliss in to begin, nope, Bliss tags out and Emma and James start off. James controls early, tags out to Bayley and they double-team Emma, leading to a near fall. Emma grabs the hair, tags out and Bayley cuts off Bliss and Emma makes the save. We get a stand off on the floor. Post break, and Emma is in control, working over Bayley. Bayley starts to fire up and slams Emma to the buckles. The clothesline and knee drop follows, and Bayley covers for 2. Emma battles back, stuns Bayley off the ropes and takes her to the floor and slams her to the barricade. Back in and Emma covers for 2. Bliss tags in and she works over Bayley, talking trash and covering for 2. Bliss works over Bayley in the corner, but Bayley battles back and gets the hot tag to James. James runs wild, kicks follow and then a running forearm. The neck breaker follows and Bliss avoids the head kick, slaps James but James takes control back. She heads up top and hits the seated senton but Emma makes the save. It breaks down. James lays out Bliss with a head kick and picks up the win. Mickie James & Bayley defeated Alexa Bliss & Emma @ 11:30 via pin [**] This was a solid match that went a bit too long, James winning was to try and create drama for Sunday’s match and give fans a reason to believe that she can win the title. I was shocked Bayley didn’t eat the pin.

– Axel goes to confront Roman Reigns.

– Miz meets with BRAUN, Cesaro and Sheamus. They inform Miz that Axel went after Reigns and Miz knows this will end badly.

– Mickie and Bayley talk about their win. Charly interviews Mickie about Sunday and says Bliss’ words cut her deep, nut she’s proud of who she is and what she’s accomplished. She’s a mother and loves her son, but winning the title on Sunday and taking it home to him will be a huge moment. She will have the last laugh, becoming the 7-time women’s champion.

– Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox has been added to the TLC kickoff show.

– Miz finds Axel hanging from a forklift upside down.

– Axel gets medical attention as Miz reveals that he was never their 5th man.

Steel Cage Match: Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman: If Braun wins, team Miz gets a 5th man at TLC; if he loses, he’s out of the match. Miz joins commentary. They brawl at the bell. Strowman tosses Reigns around, but Reigns battles back with clotheslines. Strowman cuts off the Samoan drop but posts himself; stop running at things Braun. Strowman cuts of Reigns, hitting a big spinebuster for 2. Post break, Strowman starts tossing Reigns into the cage and takes control. Reigns tries to escape, but Strowman squashes him against the cage. Strowman stupidly runs at Reigns, who moves and Strowman crashes into he cage; STOP RUNNING AT THINGS BRUAN! Reigns fires up, works over Strowman and hits the Samoan drop for 2. Reigns climbs but Shamus & Cesaro and the Rest of the Shield arrive. They brawl at ringside, Reigns looks to escape but Strowman cuts him off and superplexes him back in. Strowman covers for 2. Rollins, Ambrose, Sheamus and Cesaro brawl to the stage and through the curtain. Miz follows as the match continues, although we don’t see it. Miz closes a garage door, locking them all out. Back to the ring and Reigns escapes a powerslam, climbs as Miz returns to commentary. Strowman follows Reigns up top and Strowman knocks Reigns to the mat. Reigns manages to crotch him, hits a superman punch and Strowman is down. The superman punch follows and reigns covers for 2. KANE’s music hits and Reigns hits a spear on Strowman as Kane comes up from under the ring and chokeslam Reigns. He hits another and Strowman hits the powerslam and Kane hits a tombstone. Strowman hits another powerslam and pins Reigns. Braun Strowman defeated Roman Reigns @ 17:20 via pin [**¾] In theory I get it, Kane was in the first TLC match against the Shield (with Bryan and Ryback), and is the only “active” guy out of the three with the company. He and Bryan also took a lot of losses against The Shield. Plus Roman “retired” his brother. Of course commentary could have elaborated on that to make sense of the angle, but they didn’t. If he’s here to take the loss, I can deal with that. The match was hurt by the brawling and time spent shooting the backstage stuff, Kane’s return was a solid surprise, I just wish commentary gave some context as to why it was happening.

– Miz officially announces Kane as the 5th man for TLC. I’d love to hear the conversation with Miz calling Kane and convincing him to join their team.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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6.0
The final score: review Average
The 411
Tonight’s show wasn’t bad, just average but did a solid job of selling TLC. It felt as though they gave a bit too much away (Rollins & Ambrose vs. Cesaro & Sheamus & Strowman vs. Reigns) instead of giving everyone involved momentum and building anticipation for the big match. While far from great, this felt like a better go home show than we usually get.
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RAW, Tremendous Tirades, Larry Csonka