By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw Hits
Gunther and Goldberg: A brief and yet completely effective segment heading into their World Heavyweight Championship match on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Goldberg was booked to be a badass in that he showed up, confronted Gunther, and dropped him with one punch. The build to Goldberg’s final match has been underwhelming, but they nailed the go-home angle.
Seth Rollins vs. Penta: This was easily the best match of the night. The headbutt below the belt finish protected Penta, and I loved the way that Rollins acted innocent for the referee, only to stick his tongue out while smiling once he was facing Paul Heyman. The post-match angle with LA Knight getting the better of Rollins served as a solid push for their Saturday Night’s Main Event match.
“New Day” Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods: The duo dressing in black and holding black roses while mourning the loss of the World Tag Team Titles was funny. Becky Lynch showing up and offering her condolences before she, Kingston, and Woods ripped on Adam Pearce was hilarious. But can we cut to the chase with whatever is up with those weekly backstage shots of Kingston and Woods talking with Grayson Waller?
Bron Breakker vs. Sami Zayn: Karrion Kross attacking Zayn prior to the match made Zayn look sympathetic while also giving him an out for losing. It will be interesting to see how long Zayn will miss after Paul Heyman listed him as being out indefinitely. On a side note, it was good to see Breakker and Bronson Reed get meaningful mic time during the opening segment.
Jey Uso vs. Bronson Reed: A soft Hit. I was okay with the DQ finish because they got it out of the way quickly, and it felt like the heat was on the heel rather than the company. But it was annoying to see the outcome inexplicably listed as a no-contest when the match results graphic appeared late in the show. Reed threw an office chair at Uso, and the referee called for the bell. How is that anything but a DQ? And who thought it was a good idea to follow the angle where Jey took two Tsunami splashes with a pre-taped LA Knight promo in which he boasted that he returned just a week after taking three Tsunami splashes?
El Grande Americano vs. Dragon Lee: A soft Hit. I don’t know how long it will last, but the Americano gag felt fresh again for one night with Ludwig Kaiser taking over the role. On a side note, name one thing you’ve learned about Lee’s character since he arrived on the main roster. No, being a luchador who idolizes Rey Mysterio doesn’t count because that’s the story told with every babyface luchador.
WWE Raw Misses
Kairi Sane vs. Roxanne Perez: A rough match that included multiple instances of Corey Graves having to acknowledge when a move was off. Asuka saving Sane from a post-match attack by Perez and Raquel Rodriguez set up the return of the Kabuki Warriors. That’s fine, but the idea that they and the team of Sol Ruca and Zaria were thrown into the WWE Women’s Tag Team Title four-way match at Evolution is silly, particularly given that Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss had to qualify on Smackdown.
Becky Lynch, Lyra Valkyria, and Bayley: If the goal of the feud was to make Valkyria and Bayley unlikable, then mission accomplished.
Kairi Sane and Roxanne Perez are both adorable but liabilities in the ring. If we are going to be subjected to so much women’s wrestling, can we at least have good woman wrestlers. Quantity does not replace quality.
I don’t get the IWC love for Roxanne. She’s tiny, nothing she does looks like it’s even intended to hurt her opponent, and she’s not any good on the mic either. She’s everything wrong with modern wrestling.
I love the New Day (Boo Day) and WWE really botched their heel turn, IMHO. THat said “The duo dressing in black and holding black roses while mourning the loss of the World Tag Team Titles was funny.” Yes, it was. It was the best part of the non wrestling part of the night, for me
Goldberg is still so massively over. Actual wrestling crowds love it every time he shows up on screen.
Funny you say that. I cuss and talk crap when Goldberg is on tv. If I was there live?? I’d mark out.