Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 9.09.19

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 9.09.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Non-Title Match: Cedric Alexander defeated US Champion AJ Styles @ 8:55 via DQ [**¾]
– Charlotte & Becky Lynch defeated Bayley & Sasha Banks @ 17:40 via pin [***½]
– Rey Mysterio defeated Gran Metalik @ 6:30 via pin [***½]
– KOTR Semifinal Match: Baron Corbin defeated Samoa Joe & Ricochet @ 14:15 via pin [***¼]
– Natalya defeated Lacey Evans @ 5:10 via submission [**]
– Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Cedric Alexander, Erik, & Ivar defeated Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, & Luke Gallows @ 19:45 via pin [***]

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Stone Cold Hosts a Contract Signing: Austin stares some memories of his old times in the Garden, this fucker could be reading the phonebook and would still be insanely over. He brings out Rollins & Strowman for their contract signing. Austin’s a dick and refuses Braun’s gentlemanly handshake… butt hen shakes hands with Rollins, My God, was Braun right, are Austin & Rollins in cahoots? Seth signs, and Braun says Austin is still a rattlesnake, and will open a can of whoop ass on Seth and give him these hands… as the OC arrives. Styles runs down Austin and wonders if anyone still cares about him. Styles tells Austin to sit this one out so he doesn’t get hurt. The crowd is all over Styles with ”WHAT & Asshole” chants. Styles says that Austin has turned into an asshole in his old age. Seth & Braun attack and clean house on the Good Brothers as Styles dumps Seth… and gets a stunner for his troubles. “AJ Styles just took a Stunner from Steve Austin on the opening segment of Raw in Madison Square Garden.” That is a sentence that years ago seemed like an absolute impossibility; wrestling in 2019 rules.

Don't turn around, AJ! pic.twitter.com/DAUv3xgkh8

— TDE Wrestling (@tde_wrestling) September 10, 2019

This was more about the Austin appearance than the final build for the title match, but was good and entertaining with the Styles & Austin interaction being fun and of course Austin standing tall with a stunner, which the crowd loved but obviously doesn’t help Styles since he’ll never get any form of payback.

Cedric Alexander vs. US Champion AJ Styles: Alexander hits he ring and attacks right away, looking for revenge over last week’s attack from the OC. The head scissors and dropkicks follow for 2. AJ fires back, but Alexander hits the back handspring kick. He follows with a tope. Back in and AJ cuts off Alexander by attacking his injured shoulder. Post break and Alexander is firing back with strikes but is quickly cut off Alexander keeps firing back, and hits the Michinoku driver for 2. They work into counters, enziguri by Alexander and Anderson arrives and attacks for the DQ. Cedric Alexander defeated US Champion AJ Styles @ 8:55 via DQ [**¾] This was pretty good for what they were going for but has potential to be more as this likely sets up Sunday’s US Title match and possibly a Good Brothers vs. Viking Raiders match on the pre-show.

– The OC beats down Alexander until The Viking Raiders make the save, kick ass and hit Thor’s hammer on Anderson to stand tall with Alexander.

– Bayley & Banks say that they plan to beat Charlotte & Becky later tonight.

– Roman Reigns arrives and discusses his battle with leukemia. He thanks the fans for their support, and says that he used his platform to pay it forward and has visit pediatric cancer facilities, and brought some of the patents to Raw. He brings out the kids in their wrestling gimmicks. Reigns puts them over and asks the fans to support them.

Charlotte & Becky Lynch vs. Bayley & Sasha Banks: Charlotte & Becky attack and they all brawl on the floor. Bayley cuts off Becky and Charlotte gets a chair and makes the save. We now officially start our match, with Becky& Banks beginning until Bayley tags in. Becky attacks and works her over in the corner. Becky dumps her and slams her to the barricade. Back in and Becky cover for 2. Charlotte tags in and works over Bayley in the ropes. She follows with chops but Bayley cuts her off with a neck breaker. Banks tags in and lays the boots to Charlotte. Double teams follow and Bayley then covers for 2. Charlotte battles back, Becky tags in and follows with kicks on Bayley but Bayley fights back with knee strikes. Bayley hits the stunner in the ropes, and mocks Charlotte. Banks attacks Becky and back in, covers for 2. The suplex follows for 2. Becky cuts off Bayley and Charlotte & Banks tag in, with Charlotte taking control with chops. She hits a fall away slam, and a flatliner to the buckles. The neck breaker follows for 2. Banks counters back into a banks statement but Charlotte rolls out into the figure eight, but Bayley shoves Becky into her to break it up. Banks hits meteora to the floor onto Charlotte. Post break and Banks hits double knees and covers for 2. Bayley in and grounds Charlotte. Charlotte fires back, trips Bayley into the ropes and tags in Becky. Becky runs wild and takes control of the match, XPLODER on Banks and then dumps her. She cuts off Bayley with an enziguri but Bayley fires back with a knee strike and Banks hits the back stabber and it breaks down as Becky flies in with a missile dropkick. Charlottes tags in, leg drop by Becky and the Charlotte moonsault gets 2. Becky slams banks to the steps and locks on the disarmher as it completely breaks down on the floor and everyone is now down. back in, Bayley heads up top and the elbow drop eats knees. Banks distracts Charlotte, allowing Bayley to cradle herfor2. Charlotte then hits natural selection for the win. Charlotte & Becky Lynch defeated Bayley & Sasha Banks @ 17:40 via pin [***½] This was a very good and energetic tag that the crowd loved. They got time, they worked a real match and didn’t go for the easy non-finish and it was really enjoyable overall.

– The OC walks and bitches, and AJ says that they run this place. Roode & Ziggler arrive and mock them and say they should unite and take care of business. AJ agrees.

Rey Mysterio vs. Gran Metalik: They lock up and work into counters, ending in a standoff. They pick up the pace, working into more counters and Rey hits ahead scissors The 619 misses and Metalik cradles him for 2. Rey RANAs him to the floor and is then cut off with a superkick. Metalik then follows with a tope con… hello. Back in and Metalik hits the springboard senton for 2. Metalik grounds the action, but Rey fights back and head scissors him to the buckles. Rey hits the seated senton, springboard high cross and Metalik fires back with the ropewalk dropkick. They work up top, trading strikes, and Metalik hits a RANA for 2. Rey manages to counter back with a code red for 2. Rey follows with a RANA, 619, and then hits the frog splash for the win. Rey Mysterio defeated Gran Metalik @ 6:30 via pin [***½] This was a very good and really fun match with my only complaint being that it didn’t go longer.

-The Street Profits hype Clash of Champions.

KOTR Semifinal Match: Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin vs. Ricochet: They brawl at the bell and Corbin powders as Ricochet hits ahead scissors on Joe. Corbin in and cuts off Ricochet, working him over in the corner. Ricochet fires back with kicks and a flying clothesline and the standing shooting star pres for 2. Ricochet works over Corbin on the floor and follow with a suicide dive on Joe and then a Fosbury flop onto Corbin. Post break and Corbin cuts off Ricochet and slams him to the post. Joe then posts Ricochet and back in, Corbin and Joe trade strikes. Joe hits an atomic drop, big boot and senton for 2 as Ricochet makes the save. Ricochet follow with chops on Joe until Joe cuts him off with the snap slam for 2. Joe & Ricochet work up top, Corbin joins in and Ricochet fights them off and then eats a Corbin lariat. Joe hits an enziguri on Corbin but Ricochet then takes him out for the triple down. Ricochet and Corbin trade strikes and chops, big boot by Corbin and Ricochet is down. Ricochet counters the choke breaker into a sunset flip for 2 but runs into deep six for 2 as Joe chokes out Corbin on the floor. Ricochet heads up top and Ricochet hits an apron shooting star press into both men. Back in and Ricochet heads up top, but rolls through on the 630, Joe gets the clutch but counters into the recoil and the 630 connects but Corbin pulls him out and tosses him in the crowd and pins Joe. Baron Corbin defeated Samoa Joe & Ricochet @ 14:15 via pin [***¼] This was a good match, with everyone playing their roles well. For as much as I personally dislike Corbin, he’s been good here in the KOTR tournament

– Lacey Evans arrives.

Lacey Evans vs. Natalya: They brawl right away, Natalya hits a suplex and grounds the action. Evans makes the ropes and Natalya follows with strikes. Rolling lariat by Natalya and that gets 2. Evans fights off the sharpshooter and spills to the floor, and cuts off Natalya with a neck breaker. Evans chokes her out with the ring skirt and hits the slingshot elbow drop for 2. Evans grounds things with a cobra clutch, and then the Mero-sault misses. She quickly cuts of Natalya and takes control back, working over Natalya in the corner. Natalya counters back, locks on the sharpshooter and Evans taps. Natalya defeated Lacey Evans @ 5:10 via submission [**] This was ok, but really made no sense to just go 50/50 with this after Evans won last week.

– Firefly Funhouse is back, Bray welcomes us as Ramblin Rabbit warns of stranger danger, talking about Steve Austin, The puppets go insane over this and Bray quiets them up, and tells them to take turns talking. He says strangers are friends you haven’t made friends yet. Seth & Braun have new friends now, but won’t help them where they are going but the Fiend never forgets. See you in hell.

Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, & Luke Gallows vs. Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Cedric Alexander, Erik, & Ivar: Seth and Dolph begin. They lock up and work into counters as Seth ground things. Dolph fires back, but Seth follows with arm drags and Ivar tags in and works double teams with Erik, who covers for 2. It breaks down as Braun chokeslams Dolph and the faces take the ring. Post break and the heels have taken control, isolating Alexander. Alexander fights back and hits the slingshot flatliner on AJ, but AJ cuts of the tag. Gallows tags in and lays in strikes. He attacks the injured shoulder of Alexander, Roode tags in and continues the assault. He grounds the action, and covers for 2. Roode continues to work the shoulder. But Alexander fires back and hits the spinning back elbow. Seth and Anderson tag in and Seth runs wild, hit sling blade, the flying nee and does the deal with a falcon arrow for 2. It breaks down into the big move buffet as Braun tags in and runs people over no the floor. The powerslam follows for 2 as Roode & Dolph shove Seth onto Braun, and so they argue. Post break and the heels have isolated Seth, with Anderson tagging in and laying in uppercuts and covering for 2. He grounds the action, but Seth hits a jawbreaker but the spinebuster cuts that off and Anderson covers for 2. They battle up top, Seth fights him off and Roode tags in and Seth hits the blockbuster. Dolph in but Seth buckle bombs him and AJ is in and Seth fights him off and tags in Braun. Braun runs wild with tackles, but then gets posted as Erik tags in and runs wild on Roode & Dolph. AJ cuts him off, Ivar in and takes him down, heads up top and hits a huge cannonball dive onto the pile on the floor. Lumbar check by Alexander on AJ and he pins the US champion. Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Cedric Alexander, Erik, & Ivar defeated Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, & Luke Gallows @ 19:45 via pin [***] This was a good main event that accomplished a few things; teased issues with Braun & Seth, added to the build for their tag title match, advanced the issues with the Good Brothers and Viking Raiders, and gave Cedric a big win which should lock him into the US Title match on Sunday.

– Steve Austin arrives and it’s beer bash tome for the babyfaces. Cedy is marking out big time for this, winning a main event in MSG and beer bashing with Austin. Things I never thought possible a few tears ago.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 49. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka and the guys will look back at Lucha Underground’s Ultima Lucha Cuatro, the promotion’s legacy, and where the performers of the dead promotion are now. Plus, review the good & bad of the ROH Global Wars Espectacular tour. The show is approximately 115-minutes long.

* Intro
* Where Are The Lucha Underground Ultima Lucha Cuatro Stars Now?/Looking at the Legacy of The Promotion: 4:40
* ROH Global Wars Espectacular Dearborn Preview: 1.05.30
* ROH Global Wars Espectacular Chicago Review: 1.14.05
* ROH Global Wars Espectacular Milwaukee Review: 1.31.35

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.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

I thought that this week’s episode of WWE Raw was a good show that actually felt like a composed wrestling show. There were some fun moments, PPV build, good wrestling and it never felt long. The show had been improving and this continued that.