Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 9.30.19

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 9.30.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss @ 4:30 via pin [**½]
– Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated Heavy Machinery @ 11:04 via pin [***]
– The Viking Raiders defeated The Good Brothers @ 10:25 via pin [**½]
– Ricochet defeated Cesaro @ 2:45 via pin [NR]
– US Title Match: Champion AJ Styles defeated Cedric Alexander @ 9:45 via pin [***¾]
– Lacey Evans defeated Natalya @ 4:00 via pin [**]
– Universal Title Match: Champion Seth Rollins vs. Rusev went to a no contest @ 11:00 [**]

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– We get a new coat of paint on the show, including a new logo, new set, new opening videos, new theme song, and Vic Joseph, Dio Madden, & Jerry Lawler are now on commentary.

Rey Mysterio Talks… and dies.: Rey arrives to kick off the show, Dominic is at ringside. He talks about tonight’s title match against Rollins, and he’s still here because of Dominic and will bring the title home… Heyman & Brock interrupt. Rey steals the mic away from Heyman and Brock F5s him right away and follows with a second. Take that non-union Mexican Kofi! Brock sets his sights on Dominic and attacks him, slamming him on the floor and then into the post. He rolls him in the ring and hits a release German and another F5 to Rey. He follows wit a toss suplex on both, because Brock is mean. Heyman begs Brock to stop as Rey covers up Dominic. Brock then mauls the agents (Finlay & Pat Buck), tosses Rey to the floor and then Dominic as well. He stands tall to chants of, “Asshole.” The crowd was hot for this and it came off well, give no fucks Brock is fun.

– Dominic was stretchered out during the break.

Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss: Bayley & Nikki are barred from ringside, but Becky Lynch isn’t and arrives to join commentary. They brawl and Banks dumps Bliss and yells at Becky. Back in and Bliss gets a cradle for 2. Banks traps her in the ring skirt and follows with kicks. Back in and Banks covers for 2. Sirens sound as Dominic is apparently taken to the local medical facility, while authorities question Brock. Bliss battles back with a head scissors, clotheslines and misses the moonsault double knees. Bliss fires back with strikes, Banks begs off and then attacks the knee and grabs the tights for the win. Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss @ 4:30 via pin [**½] This was solid, but had a completely flat finish.

– Post match, Lynch attacks and Banks runs away. Lynch promises carnage on Sunday.

– Charly interviews Seth, who is upset over Brock’s actions Brock crossed a line, but at HIAC. He doesn’t know how to gameplan for the Fiend, but he will survive prevail, and walk out the champion. And when Rey is healthy, he promises him a championship match. He will still defend his title tonight.

Raw Tag Team Champions Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler vs. Heavy Machinery: Dolph and Tucker begin, locking up and separating. They battle for position Tucker hits a shoulder tackle and follows with a dropkick for 2. Otis tags in and they do the hand off delayed suplex spot and Otis covers for 2. Dolph fires back, hits a dropkick and tags in Roode. Otis runs them over and Heavy machinery follow with suplexes. They then run them over and clear the ring. Post break and Tucker is in control, hip tossing Dolph until Roode low bridges him. Roode tags in and slams him to the barricade and apron. Back in and Roode lays the boots to him and chokes him out. Dolph back in and the neck breaker follows for 2. He grounds the action, Tucker fires up but Dolph maintains control. Tucker fires back, Roode tags in and double teams follow and the Roode spinebuster follows for 2. Dolph back in, talks shit and Tucker cuts him off with a catapult. Hot tag to Otis and he runs wild on the champions. The XPLODER follows, and then hits a spinning slam on Dolph. The caterpillar connects and Tucker tags in and the compactor is cut off with a zigzag and superkick. They dump Otis and the glorious DDT finishes it. Champions Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated Heavy Machinery @ 11:04 via pin [***] This was good as Heavy Machinery continue to be a blast.

Miz TV: Miz send his support to Rey & Dominic. Hulk Hogan (w/Jimmy Hart) & Ric Flair are the guests. Miz says that this is an honor, and says he’s sick of Hogan’s music after 30-years. Miz hypes tonight’s season premiere, and asks Hogan about being face to face with Flair again. Hogan says it’s great to be here and to be on Raw. He calls Flair the greatest of all time, and Flair says Hogan is the greatest draw ever, but he can’t touch him in the ring. Hogan says Flair wants one more run at the pythons, Flair is fired up and wants it as they tease fighting. Hogan says they aren’t spring chickens anymore, and says they can add another page to their legacy. Flair wants a paycheck the size of Hogan’s. Miz announces Sweet Saudi Money IV for October 31st, which will feature a 5 on 5 Team Hogan vs. Team Flair, with Flair & Hogan coaching the teams. This feels like the TNA Lethal Lockdown match from 2010. Seth Rollins arrives and he’s on Team Hogan as the captain. Flair picks Randy Orton as his Captain. They will pick their teams over the next few weeks, but will face Rollins tonight… but Baron Corbin arrives and Orton attacks Rollins. Corbin attacks with his scepter and they beat down Rollins. Rusev then arrives and makes the save for Rollins. He and Rollins run wild and stand tall. Rusev is team Hogan, brother. This was a fine use of the legends, and set up our first match for the next Saudi show.

– Rusev is asked about Lana, and he doesn’t answer. He’s back and won’t talk about his problems at home, but he was here to save Seth Rollins. Rollins owes him and he wants the title match tonight.

– We get an AOP video package.

The Viking Raiders vs. The Good Brothers: This is a rematch from last week, which the Viking Raiders won. Gallows and Ivar begin, they brawl and Anderson tags in as Ivar cuts him off and Erik joins in for double teams. Eric follows with knee strikes, Ivar back in and he maintains control and covers for 2. Ivar grounds the action, but Anderson fires back and Gallows tags in and follows with uppercuts and body shots. He continues to lay in strikes, a running boot and elbow drop for 2. He grounds the action, but Ivar battles back and tags in Erik who takes control on Anderson. The big knee strike follows. Post break and Anderson has Erik grounded, tags in Gallows and double teams follow for 2. Gallows now ground the action, but Erik fires back and tags in Ivar. Anderson in and Ivar runs wild with slams, the cross body and clotheslines. Erik back in and the double team lariat/German follows for 2. Anderson fires back, Gallows tags in and hits the tree slam for 2. Ivar hits Anderson wit a suicide dive, and then hits a top rope splash on gallows for the win. The Viking Raiders defeated The Good Brothers @ 10:25 via pin [**½] This was solid with the right team winning as the Raiders pick up some good momentum, but the crowd didn’t care about it.

– Brock Lesnar is still in the building and wants to address his actions. Cesaro arrives and loves what Brock did, and says he wanted to beat up Dominic. Ricochet arrives and defends Rey, setting up a match for later.

Ricochet vs. Cesaro: Cesaro is wrestling in his capris again. They get to action right away with Cesaro countering a RANA and then counters leading to a Ricochet tope. Back in and Cesaro cuts off Ricochet with a back breaker for 2. Cesaro lays in uppercuts for 2. Cesaro then hits a press slam into a go to sleep for 2. He misses a charge, post himself and Ricochet hits the dragon RANA for the win. Ricochet defeated Cesaro @ 2:45 via pin [NR] That was a hell of a sub three minute sprint.

– Firefly Funhouse time. The puppets are all afraid and Ramblin Rabbit dies again. They are afraid of what will happen at HIAC between the Fiend & Rollins. Bray talks about HIAC, noting that Seth will be trapped “with him.” Bray says the Fiend will always protect them and this place, but he can’t wait to hurt Seth. Bray wants to tell the Fiend to not hurt Seth, but then laughs and says he’s kidding.

US Champion AJ Styles vs. Cedric Alexander: Styles attacks at the bell, but Cedric hits a head scissors and cradle for 2. The dropkick follows and nocks Styles to the floor. Styles cuts off the dive and gets tripped up but stuns Cedric over the ropes and follows with a slingshot forearm to the floor. Post break and Styles has things grounded. Cedric fights to his feet, and hits the slingshot flatliner. He follows wit a jumping knee strike and the back handspring kick. Styles fires back but Cedric hits a pop up get buster for 2. Styles fights off the lumbar check, hits an inverted DDT for 2. The clash is fought off and Styles flies in with the forearm, misses, Michinoku driver by Cedric and that gets 2. Styles counters the back handspring kick, hits a wheelbarrow slam and covers for 2.The clash is countered and Cedric cradles him for 2. Styles counters the lumbar check into the clash for the win. Champion AJ Styles defeated Cedric Alexander @ 9:45 via pin [***¾] This was really good, with some great counter work and drama down the stretch, Cedric was close, but just couldn’t pull it off.

-The Street Profits hype Wednesday’s NXT and their title match.

Lacey Evans vs. Natalya: they lock up and Evans hits a shoulder tackle. She follows with elbows and Natalya then cuts her off and hits a basement dropkick. Evans trips her up and slams her to the steps. Back in and the cover gets 2. Evans grounds the action, follows with a broncobuster and covers for 2. She grounds things again, Natalya counters out but Evans hits a neck breaker. The Mero-sault is cut off and Natalya slaps her, follow with rights and hits the rolling lariat for 2. Evans fights of the sharpshooter, stuns Natalya off the ropes and cradles her for the win. Lacey Evans defeated Natalya @ 4:00 via pin [**] This was solid and short, and now we move on.

– Paul comments on Brock attacking Rey & Dominic Mysterio. He apologizes for Brock and says to blame Vince McMahon for scheduling Brock to appear. Brock is in fight mode and on Friday, he will destroy Kofi and take the WWE championship. That’s not a prediction, that’s a spoiler.

– Charly interviews Maria about her pregnancy. Maria says that Rusev is not the father, and leaves. Sasha arrives and says Becky isn’t man enough for her, and she will show her carnage on Sunday. No “man” will win her match.

– A limo arrives.

Universal Champion Seth Rollins vs. Rusev: Orton & Corbin are on the stage. Rusev attacks and teases the accolade right away. They work into counters and Rusev hits the fall away slam as Rollins spills to the floor. Post break and Rusev is working a bear hug. Seth escapes, fires back and hits the blockbuster. They trade strikes, Seth lays in chops and follows with sling blade. Rusev gets dumped and Seth hits a suicide dive, another, and back in hits the high cross but Rusev rolls but Seth cradles him for 2 (that sequence was a bit off). The catatonic follows for 2. Rusev sets and kick misses and Seth hits the superkick and does the deal with the falcon arrow for 2. Seth looks for blackout, but Rusev counters and catches Seth with the matchka kick out of mid-air. Lashley returns and Lana is with him. They make out and this of course distracts Rusev and the Fiend arrives, attacking Seth with the mandible claw. Champion Seth Rollins vs. Rusev went to a no contest @ 11:00 [**] This was ok while it lasted, but then broke down into too much bullshit with the Lashley/Lana make out session (which already feels like a horrible angle choice) and then the Seth/Fiend stuff, which made sense to sell the PPV match.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 54. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka as the guys will preview week one of the Wednesday Night War, review ROH Death Before Dishonor 2019, and talk some potential WWE returns. The show is approximately 86-minutes long.

* Intro
* John Morrison Is Coming Back To WWE: 1:55
* CM Punk Rumored To Be Coming Back To WWE: 8:01
* ROH Death Before Dishonor Review: 21:55
* AEW Dynamite Preview 10.02.19: 57:45
* NXT on USA Preview 10.02.19: 1:13:57

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.

6.6

The final score: review Average

The 411

Tonight’s episode of WE Raw was solid show overall. I appreciated the fresh coat of paint (which obviously doesn’t fox all the problems) but it added some freshness to the show. I liked a lot of the layout and pacing, but also felt it was another example of WWE having a really good two-hour show that they had to stretch to three. The other issue I had was we’re coming up on HIAC in six-days, and didn’t announce anything new for the card.