Decided to these all in one except for PPV's or special events.
RAW
So let's start with Memorial Day Raw. John Cena's voice reminds us why troops are great, while also reminding us of his impending return... yuck. That's right I'm anti-Cena, and have been since before it was cool. Not to say the guy can't put on a good match, he's come a long way in the past 5 years due to having to up his game for all of the talent coming through the pipe. That said I'm over him, tired of his shtick, and all that but I realize he's good for business and honestly watching him get beat up is one of my favorite things in wrestling. But I digress...
So Raw opened with Chattiness with the Miz and then Cesaro and Sheamus join and shockingly (EYEROLL) this leads to a 3 on 3 tag match as Ambrose came out and is then joined by the Hardys. Decent opening match that I honestly forgot who won. I mean does it really matter anyway?
Speaking of things that don't matter then Elias Sampson took on a Zac Edwards? So last week he gets a win over Dean Ambrose and this week he works over a jobber? Was R-Truth busy? Get him an actual opponent for crying out loud.
Then was the first of the "double main event" as a triple threat between Bray Wyatt, Finn Balor, and Samoa Joe. This match not having any real purpose, and being mid way through Raw seems like a waste. It was a solid match that Joe won which actually felt like it then had a purpose because he needed a win of that magnitude.
Corey Graves had 2 strange moments in this show. Showing something to Kurt Angle about his GM skills and then being confronted about something he said regarding an attack on Enzo Amore. I'm guessing this is a way to maybe get Graves out from behind the desk in some sort of extended heel role? Will he become the next GM of Raw or maybe a manager? Time will tell. I often think how robbed we've all been of Corey Graves the wrestler but he could still make an impact other than stellar color-commentating...
Alexa Bliss ran a segment called Bailey This Is Your Life which could be summed up by a quote from Booker T near the end of the segment, "This is hard to watch." The actors were terrible but the segment had potential. Basically it worked for what Alexa needed as she lured out Bailey and eventually scored with a hidden kendo stick to further things for their match at Extreme Rules. Honestly it's hard to hate this segment due to the way Alexa looked at the end of it. I mean I just love her... her dominating with a weapon is now in my top 10 of current fantasy bedroom bookings. Yup.
The main event was Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns and I had low expectations for this one which again felt like nothing but it was surprisingly really good. Both men gave it their all and Roman came out on top but not after several false finishes. Overall it was ok for the show before a PPV.
Smackdown
The show began with Kevin Owens Highlight Reel. Always a good idea to put a mic in KO's hands. His guest was Shinsuke and then Corbin came out and shocker... Sami Zayn came out to join and make it a tag match. As much as I like Shinsuke it's weird to see him in tag action. His matches always felt special and the last 2 weeks on SD in tag action, he has seemed like an average SD superstar... Just not the same vibe... and while we're talking Shinsuke someone tell that guy to work on his "Good Vibrations" leg thing in the corner, it's gotten sloppy. So one team wins and one loses... see the opening Raw tag match from earlier in this blog...
Next the Usos came out to talk "Ish" and obviously lead to being interrupted by the New Day. I'm glad they are back adding 3 more solid superstars to the already talented roster on SD. The New Day and the Usos are 2 of the most decorated and best tag teams in the recent past... this should be a solid feud. But get ready for a bunch of one on one matches leading up to their title match at Money in The Bank.
From there a funny backstage segment from the Fashion Files... then a video showing us all of the Jinder Mahal hype and his celebration last week. Guess they want us to hate him more?! Then it was time for the women's 5 way for the #1 contender-ship...
Which never started because the women went crazy on each other taking out stairs and tables ringside... finally Shane O Mac, who couldn't resist dancing and slapping fans hands even though he should have been all business, got in the ring and made the announcement that these 5 women would take place in the first women's Money in the Bank ladder match. FINALLY! All these good women on the roster... it's about damn time. Should have done it last year. My early favorite is Carmella. I love envisioning Ellsworth toting the briefcase for the Princess of Staten Island.
Next up from the Fashion Files earlier we had Breezango vs. the Colons. Few things about this match... 1. Why is Breeze still cross-dressing? Me thinks he took the pops a bit too far. Sad he needs to do this to gain interest... 2. How hard does Perry Saturn cry when he sees how over a mop is in 2017? 3. While I'm glad the Colons are finally known as the Colons after all the gimmicks, it doesn't matter how you package them... they aren't interesting, Thank God they don't get a Jinder-like undeserved push to the titles. Breezango wins when Breeze, as Karl the Janitor, gets the pin.
Then Randy Orton comes out, Says some BS but does mention how if his grandfather were alive he's slap him for losing to someone like Jinder. Hey Randy... we'd all slap you for that if you weren't told to by the WWE brass so they could please the Indian fans. Then Jinder comes on the screen. Says his same already tired schpeel... end segment... riveting... (MEGA EYEROLL)
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Aj Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler in the main event. Good competitive match. Ziggler gets the win which he sorely needed but it's getting so I can't remember the last Styles singles win... not sure he should be jobbing to Jinder, and Ziggler. Decent show overall.
205 Live (One Paragraph Style)
Like the pairing of Swan and Sasha but have to wonder how she feels about being on 205 Live while the SD ladies head for history on a ladder. Cedric Alexander is back. End. Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak was entertaining. Love his "No Fly Zone" gimmick. Sort of fits the online debate between new age and old age wrestlers. Finally Austin Aries came out to tell us about the "Tap heard round the world,' and hype the Cruiserweight Title match at Extreme Rules Always good stuff when Aries has a mic and a pocket banana. Neville uses TJP to get the jump on Aries and beat him down. Potassium levels high on this episode.
Now let's head for home with one final 3 count on NXT...
1. Ciampa comes out to discuss why he turned on Johnny G and basically it feels like both men will be gone for quite sometime due to injury. Not sure this will get a payoff for awhile. Expect Johnny to be back first and get on a roll before a familiar face returns.
2. Pete Dunne is certainly over with the fans. Hard not to appreciate the new champ after his effort at Takeover: Chicago. Nice words after the match too. A star is born...
3. Main Event had Roderick Strong team with Kassius Ohno vs. SAnitY's Eric Young and Alexandre Wolfe. Ohno, AKA Chris Hero, was let go from NXT back in the day for apparently being out of shape, but since his return I've only noticed a guy who seems more out of shape than he was before he left. Before it wasn't noticeable but now he stretches out his basketball themed gear to it's limit. He reminds me of that fat guy that won't take his shirt off when he goes in the pool. He's talented that's for sure, but his look needs work. And I'm rooting for him because I remember his first NXT run and he moved a lot better and I was shocked they let him go.
Hit my music. That's Wrestling Wreview for this week! If you smelllll what The Pich' is Cookin!
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