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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 8.13.18

August 13, 2018 | Posted by Larry Csonka
WWE Raw Ronda Rousey
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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 8.13.18  

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 08.13.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Non-Title Match: Ember Moon defeated Champion Alexa Bliss @ 12:20 via DQ [**½]
– Constable Corbin defeated Tyler Breeze @ 4:11 via pin [*]
– Braun Strowman & Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens & Jinder Mahal @ 13:50 via pin [***]
– Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions The B Team defeated The Revival and Hardy & Wyatt @ 10:33 via pin [***]
– Titus Worldwide & Bobby Roode defeated Mojo Rawley & Authors Of Pain @ 2:40 via pin [NR]
– Ruby Riott defeated Sasha Banks @ 8:58 via pin [**]

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– I looked at “6 Ideas For Extra WWE Programming on The Fox Networks” at this link.

– You can check out my top 31 matches of JULY list at this link.

– Following weeks of bland, boring, and at times bad episodes of WWE Raw, we come to the go home Raw ahead of Sunday’s WWE Summerslam PPV. Can Raw get their shit together and deliver something resembling a quality-wrestling program? We shall see…

– MY LATEST APPEARANCE ON SUNDAY NIGHT’S MAIN EVENT!

Raw Gets Rowdy: Ronda Rousey kicks off the show. Rousey is emotional as she mentions Natalya’s father, Jim Neidhart, passing away today She says that fathers are our pillars of strength and prepare us to be that for when they are gone. She tells Natalya to stay strong and that they all love her. She’ll defend Natalya since she was the first one to welcome her in the WWE, and on Sunday, she will beat Alexa Bliss for all the times she cheated to win over Natalya. Ember Moon will be replacing Natalya to face Alexa tonight. Bliss runs her down, playing the hits and saying the same shit she always does about Rousey. She won’t compete with Rousey at ringside without protection, and Constable Corbin allowed her to hire personal security, aka, INDIE GEEKS.

Champion Alexa Bliss vs. Ember Moon: Bliss runs Moon into Rousey and knocks her to the floor. Rousey now kicks the shit out of the indie geeks and Alicia Fox. JIP as they work to the ground. Back to the feet and Moon hits arm drags and we get the first of about 50 screen in screen Summerslam ads. Bliss takes control, slapping Moon, but Moon hits a head scissors and sliding flatliner for 2. Cole acts surprised that Moon may win when she’s beaten Bliss a few times on Raw in the past. Moon now grounds the action, but Bliss escapes and hits a dropkick. Moon fires back with an enziguri. Post break, and Bliss is in control. The standing moonsault double knee drop follows for 2. Bliss grounds things, Moon escapes into a cradle, but Bliss cuts her off and they trade pin attempts. Bliss hits a big right, blows a kiss to Rousey, and Moon fires up and hits clotheslines and kicks. The tornado suplex follows for 2. Rousey takes out Fox on the floor, Bliss attacks her and slams her to the barricade. Back in and Moon hits a gut buster, heads up top and the eclipse connects and Fox slides in for the DQ. Ember Moon defeated Champion Alexa Bliss @ 12:20 via DQ [**½] This was a solid match with Moon looking good again and some solid setup for Sunday’s PPV match.

– Rousey in and tosses Fox around and sends her packing.

– We get a video package on the issues between Heyman & Lesnar. We get a bonus clip of Renee’s interview with Heyman, and when asked if Reigns can win, he says Reigns doesn’t have a chance… “unless…” and he leaves.

– Corbin & Angle argue as always. Dolph & Drew arrive and are upset Rollins isn’t here yet.

Constable Corbin vs. Tyler Breeze: Corbin overpowers Breeze to begin and then grounds the action. Breeze fights back to his feet and hits the supermodel kick. Corbin to the floor, Breeze follows, but Corbin catches him and slams him to the barricade. Back in and Corbin maintains control with boring offense, really doing nothing. Breeze dumps him to the floor, Corbin sidesteps the plancha, but Breeze hits an enziguri. Back in and Corbin hits deep six and wins. Constable Corbin defeated Tyler Breeze @ 4:11 via pin [*] Well that wasn’t good. If this was supposed to showcase Corbin, it didn’t do a good job.

– Corbin then announces that Balor will face Mahal… AND Kevin Owens. BUT WAIT, Kurt Angle arrives and changes this to a tag match, with Braun teaming with Finn.

Braun Strowman & Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens & Jinder Mahal: Mahal and Balor start things off with Mahal overpowering and taking early control, grounding Balor. Mahal hits a shoulder tackle, but Balor counters the sunset flip with a dropkick. Mahal cuts him off and tags in Kevin, who grounds things. Mahal & Kevin work quick tags, working a solid tag formula, but the action leaves a lot to be desired. Braun tags in, Kevin runs and Mahal tries to fire up but gets beaten down by Braun. Braun continues to dominate, just running over Mahal. Tag to Balor, and Braun slams him onto Mahal and the cover gets 2. He dropkicks Mahal to the floor, Kevin trips up Balor and Braun chases him. Things pick up as Balor wipes out Mahal & Kevin with a tope. Post break, and Mahal is in control over Balor. Kevin tags in, hits elbow drops, and we get a screen in screen Takeover commercial. Mahal tags back in and hits knee drops, grounding Balor once again. Balor makes a comeback, Kevin cuts off the tag but Balor hits sling blade. Hot tag to Braun, he runs wild and spears Singh into Kevin on the floor. Back in and Braun powerslams Mahal for the win. Braun Strowman & Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens & Jinder Mahal @ 13:50 via pin [***] Braun was wildly over here, and got some revenge on Mahal for his “recent losses,” and also got a put of punishment in on Kevin. This was an overall fun and good little match that advanced some build to Summerslam.

– Corbin runs out and hits end of days on Balor to lay him out.

– Kurt calls Stephanie, but she doesn’t answer. Dolph & Drew arrive and again, complain about Rollins not being there. Dolph wants to look over his Summerslam contract while they are there.

– Local “Ricky Roberts” arrives, dressed as a cowboy. He says he loves Elias, and isn’t too good at guitar but will get good and make the country music hall of fame. Elias arrives and says there is only one Elias. He asks him to go to WWE.com and buy some merch. Elias asks him a favor, to beat and humiliate Lashley. He then puts himself over big time. Lashley arrives. Lashley tells Ricky to get a new gimmick as they already have a no talent guitar player. Ricky breaks a guitar over Lashley’s back. This was a mistake as Lashley kills him with a huge spinebuster. Everyone involved, please go away, this feud is bad and whoever wrote it should feel bad.

– The B Team meets backstage and Bo is “doing math” about triple threat matches. Axel fires him up and they head to the ring.

– Backstage, Dolph Ziggler and his shitty hair, pretend to read.

Raw Tag Team Title Match: Champions The B Team vs. The Revival vs. Hardy & Wyatt: Bo and Dawson to begin, Dawson lays in chops and a suplex, covering for 2. Matt & Dash in now, Matt controls and works him over in the corner. Dash fights off the bulldog but Matt hits a side effect for 2. The elbow off the ropes follows, Dawson tags in and the Revival hit a Hart Attack (much love Anvil) for 2. Dawson lays in chops, and then levels Matt with a lariat. The Revival work more double teams. Post break, and Matt cuts off Dash, and then tags in Wyatt. Wyatt runs wild on Dawson and then Dash. He then works over Bo & Axel, Dawson in and we end up with a sunset flip/German combo. Dash looks for a suicide dive, caught by Wyatt and gets slammed to the apron. Bo wipes out Wyatt and Matt heads up top, Dawson cuts him off, and follows him up. Matt then superplexes him onto the pile and unfortunately for Matt’s bad hips, no one really caught him. Wyatt rolls Dawson back in, Dawson low blows him and Axel tags in, the Revival hits shatter machine, allowing the B team to pick up the win. Champions The B Team defeated The Revival and Hardy & Wyatt @ 10:33 via pin [***]
This was good and much better than expected. They worked hard and I liked that The B Team didn’t sneak into a win as this time it came off as Axel thinking on his feet instead of just dumb luck.

Roman Reigns Talks: he wants to leave this place better than he found it, but can’t do that with Brock here, so Brock has to go. He’s sick of it all and it will end at Summerslam, when he takes back his Universal Title. He’ll send Brock so far back into he UFC his head will be up Dana White’s ass. Paul Heyman arrives and says it’s a new day, yes indeed. He praises the Usos and then Reigns. Heyman kisses his ass and calls him “Mr. Reigns,” and says that Reigns can make history tonight. Has no chance against Brock unless Heyman tells him everyone of Brock’s secrets. Paul can do that for him if he’s in his corner, and if that’s the case, Reigns can beat Brock at Summerslam. Paul extends his hand and Reigns says he knows all of it and doesn’t need him. He beat Brock at the GRR already. Paul says he’s right and says that he’s not here to talk about the past, he sees the future, and in one week, they will appear side by side, with Reigns as the new champion and Paul as his advocate for Reigns. Reigns says he’s trying, but it’s not good enough. Reigns says he was groomed for this, and to look out for sharks, especially drowning ones like Paul. He wishes him well in his future endeavors. Paul says he’s right, he’s drowning I the knowledge he learned from Reigns’ father and uncle. Paul shares a phrase in Samoan that Afa taught him. Paul busts out an agreement on paper and asks Reigns to look it over, and he can answer on Sunday. Reigns takes it but Paul maces him; Brock arrives and the ass kicking begins. Brock lays in knee strikes and pummels Reigns. The guillotine follows as he chokes out Reigns. Brock teases leaving and then returns to deliver an F5. That was a great segment, easily the best thing on the show, with Heyman absolutely killing it and followed up by a fun beat down by Brock ahead of Sunday’s PPV match.

Mojo Rawley & Authors Of Pain vs. Titus Worldwide & Bobby Roode: The AOP immediately cut off Titus and pick up a near fall prior to a screen in screen Summerslam commercial. They now work over Apollo, but Apollo fires back but Titus tags in, but Apollo tags in Roode. The flying clothesline connects and hits the spinebuster but that’s broken up, it breaks down and Rode hits the DDT for the win. Titus Worldwide & Bobby Roode defeated Mojo Rawley & Authors Of Pain @ 2:40 via pin [NR] Filler…

– We get a tribute to Jim Neidhart, who passed away earlier today.

– The Revival will challenge the B Team for the tag titles on the pre-show. Also on the pre-show will be Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander vs. Drew Gulak, and Rusev & Lana vs. Zelina Vega & Andrade Almas.

Sasha Banks vs. Ruby Riott: Bayley, Logan, & Morgan are at ringside. They lock up and Ruby lays in strikes, but Banks hits a hip toss. Logan distracts her, but Banks grounds the action and works the arm. Ruby escapes, but Banks gets the Banks statement, and Ruby makes the ropes. Banks follows Ruby to the floor, lays in kicks, but Ruby slams her to the steps and traps her hand in them and kicks away at her. Back in and Banks gets a cradle for 2. Ruby attacks the injured hand, and grounds the action. Post break, and Ruby has things grounded, working the injured hand. Banks tries to fight out, Ruby talks shit and that fires up Banks, who lays in strikes and hits a lucha arm drag. Banks then wipes out Logan with a suicide dive. Knee strike to Ruby, but Liv pulls her to the floor and Bayley makes the save. Back in and Ruby cradles Banks for the win. Ruby Riott defeated Sasha Banks @ 8:58 via pin [**] This was ok, but hey were too concerned with the others at ringside instead of focusing on the match.

– Rollins isn’t here yet and Corbin yells at Angle about it.

IC Title Match Contract Signing: Kurt Angle arrives and says that Roman Reigns is ok to compete at Summerslam and he hopes he kicks Brock’s ass at Summerslam and calls Brock the worst champion of all time. Dolph Ziggler, his shitty hair, and Drew McIntyre make their way out. They say that Seth isn’t here and can’t lose the IC Title match. They rundown Angle and Angle introduces Rollins… but no Rollins. Ziggler says he isn’t coming, and Drew says considering the beatings they gave him, he likely ran away. Ziggler says he quit. Drew says they respect Rollins, and if you can make it to Raw, you have to outwork everyone and some of you think you can coast. They respect Rollins because he proved he was the best, but they took him out and proved to be that much better. Rollins busted his ass for the WWE Universe, just like Ziggler did, but the audience forgets about you quickly, he stole the show for them and it was meaningless. They turned their backs on him and they will do it to Rollins and the next guy and next guy. “Where were you during the hard times. Now, someone truly has my back. This psychopath pushes him every night for the betterment of the company and the world.” Ziggler doesn’t care about any of the fans, stealing the show, because they do what they want and took over. Ziggler wants Angle to make this a Rollins forfeit. Ziggler signs the contract and says he’s done, but Rollins arrives. He apologizes for being late and had to listen to Ziggler’s therapy session. He’s been here for a while but wanted Ziggler to sign the contract first. Rollins says the travel issues weren’t his, and there is a clause in the contract, he’ll have someone in his corner at Summerslam to even the odds. Dean Ambrose returns and is looking “well.” They rush the ring for the big brawl. Rollins and Ambrose run wild and stand tall, laying out Drew. Seth signs the contract to close the show. This was an overall good segment to close the show, hyping the IC Title match, and Seth finally getting some backup in the returning Ambrose. Ambrose looked good, in better shape and with a slight makeover, which is a good call. It’s good to see him back, but hopefully, he and Drew aren’t too much a part of Sunday’s match.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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~GLORIOUS~

5.5
The final score: review Not So Good
The 411
Tonight’s episode of WWE Raw was another rough show overall. But at least this week there was “some” good wrestling, and some solid, but unspectacular Summerslam build overall outside of the great Heyman/Reigns/Lesnar segment. I had hoped for more from Raw’s Summerslam go home show.
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