Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 7.22.19

Csonka’s WWE Raw Reunion Review 7.22.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Non-Title Match: The Usos defeated Champions The Revival @ 7:45 via pin [**½]
– The Viking Raiders defeated Hawkins & Ryder @ 2:45 via pin [NR]
– Roman Reigns defeated Samoa Joe @ 5:45 via pin [**½]
– Rey Mysterio defeated Sami Zayn @ 5:00 via pin [**]
– Non-Title Match: Seth Rollins defeated US Champion AJ Styles @ 8:20 via DQ [*]
– Braun Strowman defeated Jeremy Boots & Tights @ 0:45 via pin [NR]

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Oh hey, it’s John Cena: He jokes about the crowd liking him tonight, hypes Raw reunion and the guests we’ll see tonight. He couldn’t miss this because WWE is his home, always has been and always will be. He may not be around as much anymore, but the fans are his family and he’s excited to be here. The Usos arrive and they want Cena to drop some rhymes. Cena tries to refuse and the Usos say the fans want to see the Doctor of Thuganomics, not the guy that left them for the movie biz. Cena busts on them for being arrested and their mug shots, and they like it. Cena tries to bounce and they bring out Rikishi. He also refuses to allow Cena to leave Fast & Furious without dancing. The Revival interrupt the dance routine, and are joined by the Dvon Dudley.

– Jimmy Hart & Hulk Hogan are backstage hyping all the guests and Hogan teases he wants to fight.

– Booker T joins commentary.

The Usos vs. Champions The Revival: Jimmy & Dawson lock up to begin. They work into back and forth with Jimmy hitting backdrops and covers for 2. Jimmy takes out Dash but Dawson cuts him off and double teams follow. Quick tags follow as the Revival maintains control, with Dawson hitting elbow drops and a belly to back suplex. Dawson follows with chops, Dash tags in and Jimmy fires back and heads up top and gets tossed to the floor. Jimmy tries to fire back but gets double teamed as Dash grounds the action. He finally cuts them off and gets the tag. It breaks down with Jey running wild and hitting a Samoan drop. The enziguri and high cross follows but Dash cradles him for 2. Jimmy heads up top, jumps down and double teams follow as Jey makes the save. Bodies fly to the floor, Dvon and Rikishi come face to face on the floor and Jey superkicks Dawson and then Dash The big Uce follows for the win. The Usos defeated Champions The Revival @ 7:45 via pin [**½] This was solid stuff to likely set up a tag title rematch at Summerslam.

– Alicia Fox is back and talks with Dana Brooke & Kaitlyn as Torrie Wilson arrives. Santino is also there and breaks out the cobra. Drew McIntyre interrupts and laughs at them.

– Charly talks with Truth & Carmella. Truth talks about defending the title at Comic-Con against Hurricane & Drake Maverick. Drake’s wife arrives and says Truth has ruined her marriage and Drake’s life, allowing Drake to roll up Truth to win the title. The Godfather arrives and dances on screen. It’s ho train time as Charly dances with him.

Drew McIntyre vs. Cedric Alexander: Drew attacks Alexander on the floor, but gets posted and Alexander follows with a PK and then a moonsault. Drew tosses him into the apron and pummels him with strikes. He slams him to the barricade and hits the inverted Alabama slam onto the apron. No match. Well, at least Cedric didn’t lose, I guess.

– Drake is rung away when he runs into the Boogeyman. Patterson arrives, lays the boots to him and wins the title.

– Christian joins commentary; I’m still upset that he never got a proper send off.

The Viking Raiders vs. Hawkins & Ryder: The former champions attack and control early on until Erik cuts off Ryder. Ivar follows and hits the seated senton for 2. Quick tags follow and then double teams connect for 2. Ivar follows with strikes, but Hawkins tags in and gets decapitated with a lariat. The Vikings work double teams, suicide dive by Ivar and Thor’s hammer finishes it. The Viking Raiders defeated Hawkins & Ryder @ 2:45 via pin [NR] This was a good squash

– The Kanellis’ meet with Eve Torres & Eric Bischoff as Maria buries Mike. Ron Simmons appears… DAMN.

– The Club is backstage and put themselves over. They are going by “The O.C.” now as Styles promises to send Rollins a message tonight.

– Brisco has beaten Patterson for the 24/7 championship as Kelly Kelly appears, low blows him and wins the title.

– Joe takes the mic and introduces himself, and he’s here to point out an atrocity. We shouldn’t be celebrating plagues like Raw Reunion, shows like this where the fan’s addiction to nostalgia are embraced. You could have seen him dong what he does best, but instead we got the Usos out here with their daddy spitting rhymes with John Cena. Roman Reigns arrives and heads to the ring. Reigns tells Joe that if he has something to say about his family, say it. Joe says that he already said it. Reigns says you know what happens next and they brawl. Joe rakes the eyes and posts Reigns. He shoots him to the barricade, and then again. He follows with strikes, rolls him back in and follows with more strikes. He then head butts him to he floor and back in, Reigns superman punches him to he floor. Joe dares him to come back to the floor, and then says not tonight and not for the people. Reigns calls him a coward and Joe says he got it.

Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe: They brawl at the bell with Reigns controlling. He then misses a charge and posts himself, allowing Joe to take control. Joe follows with strikes, and then grounds the action. Reigns fires back but Joe mows him down with a shoulder tackle. He follows with elbow strikes, and grounds things again. Reigns tries to fire up and hits a head butt but Joe sends him to the floor and follows with an elbow suicida. Back in and Joe follows with strikes, and dumps him again. Reigns then cuts him off with the drive by, and back in hits clotheslines. The big boot follows. Joe counters the superman punch, and hits the running kick and senton for 2. The clutch follows, but Reigns dumps him and then hits the spear for the win. Roman Reigns defeated Samoa Joe @ 5:45 via pin [**½] This was solid for the time given, but it never felt as if Joe had a chance of winning.

Miz TV: Seth Rollins is the guest tonight. Miz hypes him as Brock’s Summerslam challenger and we get footage of Brock cashing into regain the championship. Rollins says he knows it’s Brock Lesnar, mocking Heyman’s take on the name, and then makes fun of how Brock looks. He puts over Brock’s skills, but he doesn’t want to be Brock… Heyman arrives and says he’s a dose of reality for Rollins. Brock doesn’t want to be like Rollins and tells Rollins not to bitch about the cash-in. Rollins says it took Brock four years to return the favor and Heyman enters the arena. Rollins cuts him of and says Heyman can talk the talk but he may have to walk the walk. Rollins threatens to stomp his head in and Heyman runs away. For 20-years Heyman has been putting Brock over, but Rollins thinks he’s just a man and any man can lose. At Summerslam, Brock will lose. But as for tonight, he doesn’t take weeks off like Brock and he will face AJ Styles. This was a fine segment to hype Rollins vs. Lesnar.

– Sami interrupts Charly trying to interview legends and mocks the whole reunion thing like Joe did. He wants them to go home as Rey defends the legends and Kurt Angle arrives and proposes they settle it in the ring.

– Kelly Kelly meets with Candice Michelle, and then Naomi & Melina. Melina is a referee and Candice attacks and wins the title. Madusa attacks and sorta chokes her out for the title win as she rambles on about things. Go home Madusa, you’re drunk.

– The Coach joins commentary.

Rey Mysterio vs. Sami Zayn: They lock up and work into counters with Zayn attacking with knee strikes. Rey fires back with kicks, hits an enziguri and they gets knocked into the tree of WHOA. Zayn follows with a dropkick for 2,and then lays in strikes before grounding the action. Rey escapes, follows with kicks and then gets caught with a sitout powerbomb. Rey battles back with a DDT, kicks and then strikes. Zayn bails before the 619, teases leaving and RVD arrives to stop him. The Sarge follows along Hurricane and Angle. They chase Zayn back into he ring, and Rey hits the RANA, 619, and top rope splash for the win. Rey Mysterio defeated Sami Zayn @ 5:00 via pin [**] This was ok, but was never about the match itself.

– Ric Flair arrives in a limo, looking like he’s already bladed for his appearance.

-The Street Profits are backstage, joking about RVD smoking up; Dawkins didn’t invite Ford. Dawkins adds that Mark Henry, Kelly Kelly, Flair, &The Boogey Man were there. Godfather then calls Dawkins as Ford looks sad.

– Madusa arrives to throw the 24/7 championship in the trash, but Ted DiBiase arrives to stop her. He offers to buy the championship from her and successfully does.

– Jerry Lawler joins commentary.

US Champion AJ Styles vs. Seth Rollins: Gallows & Anderson are at ringside, so I anticipate this being turned into a trios match somehow. They lock up and Rollins looks to ground things and then follows with a shoulder tackle. Styles battles back, lays in chops and they trade and Rollins counters ushigoroshi into a cradle for 2. Rollins then lays the boots to Styles, stuns him off the ropes and Anderson distracts him allowing Styles to attack and knock him to the floor. Seth’s angry uncles, HHH & HBK, then arrive to even the odds. Post break and Styles and Rollins brawl with Styles taking control until Rollins hits sling blade. The blockbuster follows and the springboard knee connects. He hits a superkick, looks for blackout but the OC hits the ring with SX as well. Seth Rollins defeated US Champion AJ Styles @ 8:20 via DQ [*] They did nothing with a long commercial break and the DQ finish to set up the post match brawl.

– They brawl post match and the OC is sent packing. The OC get chairs but Road Dogg & X-Pac arrive with Hall & Nash (who don’t even get nWo music). Dogg says that they are the OGs, the Kliq. He tells them to get to stepping and the OC leaves. Seth gets to give the, “if you’re not down with that, suck it” line.

– Mark Henry meets with Mick Foley backstage.

– Drake beat up DiBiase in his limo and wins back the 24/7chmpionship and the geeks chase him away from his wife.

Mick Foley Talks: Foley kicks off with a cheap pop, Drake runs through and the geeks chase. Foley vows to win the title later tonight and puts over his history on Raw, He shares his favorite moment, which was him winning the championship. Bray Wyatt arrives and lays out Foley with the mandible claw.

A Moment of Bliss: Nikki is out with Alexa. Alexa says we need a moment of Bliss after what just happened, and brings out Becky Lynch. Alexa asks her about facing Natalya at Summerslam and Natalya arrives. Natalya says if Becky has something to say she can say it to her face. We see footage of last week’s promo, an Natalya talks about Becky’s lack of friendship after 14-years. Becky says Natalya tried to undercut her by training Rousey, but she took her scalp at Mania. They brawl as referees separate them. This was an ok angle to add to the Summerslam build. DO you guys remember when Asuka beat Becky at the Rumble and people said it’s obviously important to WWE for Becky to have strong challengers when she’s champ, and then she feuded with Lacey Evans and Natalya? Yup.

Drake tries to escape but Truth pins him to win back the championship and hops in the limo with Drake’s wife. Poor Drake.

Braun Strowman vs. Jeremy Boots & Tights: Braun tackles him, tosses him across the ring a few times, and follows with a big boot. A huge chokeslam follows for the win. Braun Strowman defeated Jeremy Boots & Tights @ 0:45 via pin [NR] Death & Destruction

A Toast to Monday Night Raw: Ric Flair, and all of tonight’s special guests arrive on stage. They are joined by Hulk Hogan, who wants to tell us something brother. It’s great to be here with all of his friends and Hulkamaniacs. He puts over Tampa, Jack, and thanks his fans. Steve Austin then arrives, heads to the ring and poses. He busts out a cooler and it’s beer time. Austin plays to the crowd, who loves him. he’s glad to be back, but won’t get sappy and sentimental. He puts over the people on stage for all they’ve given to WWE, they are his family, along with the road & ring crew. The fans are also part of the WWE family. He arrived early, hung out with Hogan and recoded a podcast, drank beer and ate sushi. Last night he listened to Flair stories and drank all the beer in the bar. He then ordered room service, went down for one more round and found Ron Simmons and gave him a damn and hugged. It’s all about the brother and sisterhood, and he invites the rest to the ring for a toast. They join him and drink to close the show… until Austin talks with Brisco, talking about a time in South Africa, so he was himself, drank and raised hell. He offers a final cheers.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 37. On the show, the good brother, Steve Cook, joins 411’s Larry Csonka and the guys will examine the decision to put the Universal championship back on Brock Lesnar, thoughts on EVOLVE 131, Alexa Bliss’ childish reaction to her Raw match, early Summerslam thoughts and more. The show is approximately 84-minutes long.

* Intro
* Examining Brock Lesnar as Universal Champion & The MITB Crutch: 7:10
* Looking at Alexa Bliss Crying Over Negative Fan Reaction: 17:50
* Is WWE playing a dangerous game by continually announcing things and not delivering?: 27:45
* AEW Using WCW Personalities: 32:15
* Early Summerslam Card Thoughts: 38:50
* EVOLVE 131 Thoughts: 54:50

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

3.0

The final score: review Bad

The 411

WWE is burning through all its panic moves before it even gets to Fox. Last December they admitted that they had issues (specifically live events) and promised to change but didn’t. They brought in Heyman & Bischoff. They sorta ended the brand split with "Wild Card" rule, they broke the emergency glass on Taker, Brock as champion again, and finally we got the "we got to bring every star back for one night" show tonight. I am sure that there are people that absolutely loved this show, and some of the nostalgia stuff was cute and fun, but with three weeks until Summerslam, you had the potential for a bigger than usual audience here and you completely wasted it by not shooting any form of major angle to make the most of it. Again, I am sure some people loved this, and that’s awesome, and hell they may do a major rating, but what will it mean for next week? Who got over from this, who was elevated, who came out looking better than they went in? No one. It was the same nostalgia-fest they always put on over the years, its just diminishing returns for me.