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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 8.14.17

August 14, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 8.14.17  

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 8.14.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
#1 Contender’s Match: Sasha Banks defeated Nia Jax @ 15:00 via pin [**¾]
Cruiserweight Title Match: Akira Tozawa defeated Champion Neville @ 10:47 via pin [***½]
– Bray Wyatt defeated Finn Balor @ 11:31 via pin [**½]
– Mickie James defeated Emma @ 4:08 via pin [½*]
Non-Title Match: Jason Jordan defeated IC Champion The Miz @ 1:30 via DQ [NR]
– Jason Jordan & The Hardys defeated Miz, Axel, & Dallas @ 14:30 via pin [**]


– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– I wrote a column looking at the possible candidates for Goldust’s newest masterpiece at this link.

– I also did a Q&A over the weekend, which you can read at this link.

– We start with highlights of the recent Ambrose/Rollins angle with Sheamus & Cesaro and the tease of the 2/3 Shield reunion.

Dean Ambrose Talks: Ambrose is all fired up and knows that everyone wants to know what’s up with he and Rollins. Rollins now makes his way to the ring. Ambrose is sick of playing these games and wants to know what Rollins is up to. Rollins says Ambrose is playing games, showing up when he wants to and is lying when he says he can’t trust him. Rollins knows he cares and says if they come together they can run this place. Rollins wants to put things in the past and looks for the Shield fist bump. The crowd wants it too. Ambrose doubts his sincerity, but Rollins says when they are together that no one can touch them. Ambrose offers up the fist bump and Rollins refuses. They push and shove, and then brawl. This crowd just wants a simple fisting, but they continue to brawl. Sheamus & Cesaro arrive and they attack. They isolate Rollins in the ring, but Ambrose makes the save. They fight off the champions and clear the ring. They celebrate and they finally share the fist bump to a huge reaction. 2/3 of the band is back together. This was a very good and strong segment to open the show, the fans were into it big time, as it’s been one of the better angles they have done recently. Angle arrived and officially made the tag title match at Summerslam.

– Commentary gives an update on Ric Flair’s medical issues.

– Alexa Bliss arrives and heads to the ring to sit in what looks like a lifeguard’s chair.

#1 Contender’s Match: Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax: Banks attacks right away but quickly gets cut off. We went to commercial @ 0:20 and came back at 3:57. Post break, Banks looks to fight back, they go to the floor and catches the RANA attempt, slamming Banks into the barricade. SHE DEAD. Back in the ring now, and Jax works a bear hug. Jax then tosses Banks around the ring, and the leg drop hits for 2. Jax works the double chicken wing but Banks counters into a roll up for 2. Banks is on Jax’s back, but Jax counters into a Samoan drop for 2. Jax hits another Samoan drop but Banks rolls to the floor. Jax stops the count and rolls Banks back in, Banks fires up with strikes and a roll up for 2. Banks then avoids an elbow drop, and we take another commercial break. Pot break, they work up top and Banks slips out and traps Jax in the ropes, hitting the double knees for 2. Banks lays in rapid-fire knee strikes, but Jax cuts her off only for Banks to roll into the Banks statement. Jax fights and crawls for the ropes, but then powers up and eats a DDT; Banks has the Banks statement again and wins. Sasha Banks defeated Nia Jax @ 15:00 via pin [**¾] That was a pretty good match overall, they worked hard, had a hot crowd and the right person won.

– Kurt Angle is excited about Summerslam, and informs the Hardys that the revival can’t compete at Summerslam. Miz and his boys arrive and he is upset about Brock trying to kill them last week. Axel will face Jordan tonight. Miz then says he will face Jordan tonight. A ref arrives to inform Angle that there is an issue with Balor & Wyatt.

– We get a commercial for the Mae Young Classic.

– Post break, Balor and Wyatt brawl as refs and agents separate them. Angle decides to make their match tonight instead of waiting for Summerslam.

– The Drifter is here to gift us with a song. He buries Fenway Park, and then Boston in the song. R-Truth interrupts. Elias attacks and lays out Truth with drift away. He then grabs his guitar, and poses.

– The lower the shark cage.

Big Cass Tries to Use Words: You can tell Vince loves Cass, a main event spot and two 9PM spots; important positioning for stars /stars in the making. Cass, who is rather orange this week, keeps getting flustered/interrupted by the crowd. Fuck sake Cass, just talk, don’t let them win. He hypes up his match with show and buries Enzo for needing him to get him out of trouble in the ring and backstage because he pisses everyone off. Cass claims that Show needs Enzo to stay relevant, and claims that he’s the new 7-footer in town. Show can’t beat him without Enzo’s help, and he can talk all he wants from the shark cage as he decimates Big Show. Enzo now makes his way out; he does his usual shtick and appears to be wearing his PJs. He makes fun of Cass for getting KO’d two weeks in a row. Cass tells him if he has something to say, come to the ring and say it to his face. Enzo brings out Big Show and they make their way to the ring. Cass takes out Enzo, but the Good Brothers arrive and attack Show. They fight off Show and kick the shit out of him and trap his arm in the cage and slam the door on it, trying to take out Show’s KO punch. Cass then stomps away at the hand and arm as the Good Brothers hold Show down. This started out really rough, but worked itself into a pretty good segment, with Cass one upping Enzo & Show and trying to take out Show’s biggest weapon.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Champion Neville vs. Akira Tozawa w/Titus O’Neil: So is this off of Summerslam now? If so I hope that they get a chance to go full out, the crowd has been great tonight. They work a fun and fast paced opening stretch. Tozawa then takes control, hitting a dropkick and chops. They work into some good counters; Tozawa dropkicks Neville to the floor. Neville in and cuts off the dive, but Tozawa keeps control, sending him back to the floor. Post break and Neville hits the missile dropkick for 2. Neville then grounds Tozawa, working the previously injured arm and softening up for the rings of Saturn. Tozawa gets some separation, and hits the Saito suplex and Neville rolls to the floor. Tozawa follows with the suicide dive, and hits another. Titus is so fired up at ringside. Back in and Tozawa covers for 2. Tozawa heads up top, but Neville cuts off the senton attempt, and hits the big superplex. They trade strikes, Tozawa hits the RANA and enziguri; Tozawa up top and leaps over Neville, who uses the ref as a shield, attacks the arm and into the rings of Saturn but Tozawa gets a cradle for 2. Neville takes control back, heads up top and MISES the red arrow! Tozawa up top and hits the big senton! 1…2…3! Akira Tozawa defeated Champion Neville @ 10:47 via pin [***½] This was a very good match that likely played better here on Raw than it would have on the Summerslam pre-show. Neville missed the red arrow, which he rarely uses these days, and that cost him. His run was really good, but I am thrilled for Tozawa. I just hope that they don’t rush to a rematch and title change on 205 Live or Summerslam.

– I’m ready for Neville & Pete Dunne to feud to see who the bigger asshole is.

– Titus, Tozawa and Apollo Crews celebrate post match.

– The trainer tells Big Show appears to have a broken hand. Show tells Enzo he’s fought bigger and better and will still fight at Summerslam.

– Mickie James and Emma meet backstage, as Emma rants about starting the women’s revolution and saying she deserved the Summerslam title shot. Mickie is not impressed and reminds Emma that she tapped out last week. Mickie then proposes a rubber match to their enthralling Main Event feud later tonight.

Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Balor: So I guess this is off Summerslam as well as they realized that they set up like 20 matches. After some back and forth, Balor sent Wyatt to the floor and hit a PK from the apron to send us to break. Post break, with Wyatt working the heat and grounding Balor. Balor slowly fights back, hitting a jawbreaker and PELE. Balor starts to run wild to a disappointing lack of reaction. Wyatt up top, gets cut off and Balor covers for 2.Balor was looking for sling blade, but Wyatt wipes him out with the running cross body. Balor fights off the uranage, and hits sling blade. Wyatt looks for sister Abigail, but Balor escapes and hits a double stomp; Wyatt rolls to the floor. Balor follows, hitting the shotgun dropkick. Back in and Balor up top and Wyatt cuts him off, hitting sister Abigail for the win. Bray Wyatt defeated Finn Balor @ 11:31 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly average match with next to no crowd interest and absolutely no drama. It was a match.

– Wyatt hits another Sister Abigail and the lights go out and then come back on, as Wyatt pours “a bucket of blood” on Balor. It looked like jam, delicious jam.

Mickie James vs. Emma: Someone should have told Mickie not to wear Lakers colors in Boston. They did some back and forth, but as James took control, Emma dumped her to the floor. Back in the ring, Emma took control until James got a cradle for 2. Emma then lays in some ground and pound; a suplex follows for 2. James cuts off Emma with a kick, but Emma pulls her off the ropes and covers for 2. James comes back, sorta hitting the high kick and wins. Mickie James defeated Emma @ 4:08 via pin [½*] This was bland, boring and had no heat at all; no one cared, and it wasn’t good at all.

– Cena faces Mahal on tomorrow’s Smackdown.

– Balor gets a rematch with Wyatt at Summerslam, basically confirming that he’s bringing back the demon. If you were just going to do the match anyway at Summerslam, why do it tonight and give away a clean finish? Why not do an angle, and do the post match they did here during that to play into the demon’s return.

Non-Title Match: IC Champion The Miz vs. Jason Jordan: Maryse, Dallas, and Axel are out with the Miz. Jordan is getting an old fashioned Charlie Haas pop. Jordan outwrestles Miz early so he takes a powder. Jordan then looked to finish Miz off, and Axel & Dallas hit the ring for the DQ. The Hardys make the save, and clear the ring. Jordan & the Hardys stand tall. Jason Jordan defeated IC Champion The Miz @ 1:30 via DQ [NR] Nothing but an angle to set up a likely 6-man pre-show match at Summerslam as part of the build to the eventual Jordan vs. Miz match. Yup.

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Jason Jordan & The Hardys vs. Miz, Axel, & Dallas: Or we’re just going to Teddy Long this bitch and do it now. Jordan controls early, tags in Matt and he works quick tags with Jeff as they work over Dallas. Miz gets the tag, and Jordan tosses him around a bit. Axel distracted Jordan, allowing Miz to take control. Post break, Jordan makes the tag and Matt works over Axel. He gets a near fall off of the running bulldog. Axel fights off the twist of fate, and cuts Matt off. Miz tags in, and lays the boots to Matt. Dallas tags in now, continuing the attack and covering for 2. This is now dragging along as they lost the crowd and Axel & Dallas on offense are painfully boring. Matt manages to chop block the knee, and Miz tags in and cuts off Matt. He knocks Jordan to the floor and then gets cut off by Matt. Jeff gets the Luke warm tag, working over Dallas and playing the hit for a near fall. Jeff hits whisper in the wind but Dallas kicked out. Jeff back up top, but he gets distracted by Axel and Miz, but Jordan makes the save. Jordan sent to the floor, Jeff hits a twist of fate but Axel makes the save; Jordan hits a neck breaker on Mix, twist of fate and swanton on Dallas and the Hardys win. Jason Jordan & The Hardys defeated Miz, Axel, & Dallas @ 14:30 via pin [**] This was a desperate attempt to get the crowd to care about Jordan by associating him with the Hardys. That failed. The match was ok at best, going way too long and also not really helping Jordan as he didn’t even pick up the win. He needed the pin more than the Hardys.

– They confirmed “The Demon” Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt for Summerslam.

– And Tozawa vs. Neville are rematching at Summerslam. Yup

The Four Hossmen of The Apocalypse Meet: It’s now time for Brock, Joe, Roman, & BRAUN to have a big face off and try to kill each other. Angle has security surrounding the ring. If I had to guess, some of Boston’s finest indie workers are about to die here tonight. Paul is here to hit the hard sell as Brock hops around. Paul says that all hell will break loose here tonight. He also says when Brock loses the title, a long way down the line, it will be because that man was better than Brock. But that won’t be Joe. It won’t be Braun, even though he has all the tools, but beast slays monster. Reigns says that this is his yard, but this is Brock’s house and rent is due. As expected a really good hard sell by Paul. Joe arrives now, noting that he doesn’t fear Brock, and saying he will choke out Brock and rip the title from his hands. BRAUN is here, because he isn’t finished with these guys yet. BRAUN says he’s always the last man standing, but Joe reminds him that he saved BRAUN and allowed him to win. Joe says BRAUN is barely a man who made it to his feet as he put Roman down. Annnnnnnnnd here comes Roman. Roman, BRAUN and Joe battle as Brock stands back and watches. He goes to attack BRAUN, but the guards hit the ring to separate them. Brock & BRAUN do roar spots and start tossing security guys and Angle calls out the goofs from the back. Brock fights them off as the crowd chants to let them fight, and he attacks BRAUN as the show ends. Overall this was a good closing segment to hype the Summerslam main event. Plus I always love when the big hosses clash and take out the random goofs who try and stop them from brawling.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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6.0
The final score: review Average
The 411
Like a lot of weeks, the first two hours were pretty good and enjoyable but unfortunately things dropped off in the third hour. Also, I find it completely stupid that they gave away Tozawa vs. Neville and Wyatt vs. Balor with clean finishes, only to keep them on the Summerslam card. There was certainly stuff I enjoyed, but it still feels like they can’t properly book a three-hour show. Overall the build to Summerslam was solid, but the card feels way too bloated and I feel that a lot of matches will get short changed on time, and I have no faith in WWE’s ability to properly structure a 6-hour show.
legend

article topics :

RAW, Tremendous Tirades, WWE, Larry Csonka