WWE RAW & SMACKDOWN REACTION
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Check out my great, good, bad, and pathetic from WWE TV this week.
GREAT
GOOD
The best thing on RAW, and trust me this is very light praise, was Ronda Rousey coming through the crowd to attack Alexa and Mickey. It wasn't great because it was sloppy, but t was at least positionaling Rinda as a badass. But Alexa as champion poses no threat, so there is no realism to this to me. But at least they booked the Summerslam match.
The first 3 way of the night between Reigns, Balor and McIntyre was pretty good and I liked some of the spots between Balor and Drew. Finn had his working boots on tonight, but the crowd was pretty dull for most of the match, which stopped this from going to the next level. Of course Roman won, as you knew that was going to happen all along.
Though the main event triple threat lacked crowd heat, and wasn't as good as the match earlier, it was still pretty good. The conclusion was very predictable with Lashley winning, setting up a rematch between he and Reigns next week. I just don't understand why they make certain things so obvious, as I'm sure this was a major reason the crowd wasn't fully invested.
Unlike many, I like Dolph Ziggler and think he' great worker. I'm not opposed at all of him being positioned as the IC champion who comes out every week and put in great matches. The role suites a performer of his caliber.
BAD
I absolutely hate these segments where guy after guy comes out and tells us why they deserve a title match and then the GM books some match off of the guys who came out. What has Elias done to deserve a shot? Rollins lost the night before to Ziggler. Roman lost to Lashley. Like what is the point of this? Why wouldn't Stroman be involved if we are giving title matches t people who lose? Just a waste of time.
So nobody can be special? Why beat Ember Moon? Why? After weeks of just barely beating fucking Liv Morgan, they decide to beat her with Sarah Logam, the less charismatic member of the group who is even worse than Morgan. I hate women's booking on the main roster.
PATHETIC
I am totally convinced that they are actively trying to book the worst storyline in the history of professional wrestling. Whatever they were trying to do, if its not making them into lesbians, they failed horribly, and this only adds to the pittiful booking direction. I feel so bad for Sasha Banks, as she has to watch Alexa Bliss get pushed to the moon, while she booked like shit.
GREAT
Loved this so much!!! Bryan vs Miz is the hottest match they can make right now, with so much backstory. I think this is going to be great and I think though Miz was sensational here, with his funeral for Kane. Loved this.
Heel Randy Orton is back and he's fucking great!! This was the best beat down I have seen in a very long time. The pulling of Jeff Hardy's ear, and vicious destruction was fabulous. I am intrigued to see where they are going with this.
I really enjoyed this match, although more of it than I would have liked aired during the commercial break. But in a way that was a good thing, because I look forward to these two meeting up again down the road. Great action, and I don't mind at all that AJ won this match clean, because he is the champion, and he he's great, and he should win clean.
GOOD
I thought the actual Nakamura and Jeff Hardy match was entertaining and was Hardy's best match in awhile. Heel Nakamura is great anyway, but heel Nakamura as U.S champion is fucking amazing. This guy just oozes charisma.
Samoa Joe is the baddest man in the land and its his time to be the WWE champion at Summerslam. This squash of Tye Dillinger was great, and should be the final step to him being named number 1 contender next week.
Kofi and Eric Young had a nice TV match that was pretty entertaining and got Sanity another important win on TV. I am wondering what it means for the tag division, and is this building to a Bludgeon Brother vs Sanity for the tag titles. Also, where are The BAR?
Becky Lynch has been on a roll, dispatching of all the scrub women on Smackdown and now appears to be in line for a title match with Carmella at Summerslam. I hate watching Carmella wrestle, so I'm not looking forward to that at all, so I hope its a multi person match with Charlotte and Asuka getting in the match somehow.
BAD
PATHETIC
Final Thoughts: Smackdown was head and shoulders better than RAW, once again, and it only highlights how badly RAW needs to move from being a three hour long show. So much filler and boring stuff happened on RAW, that I can't even recap it all here. It's horrible. Anyway, the build to Smackdown is firing up, and it should be interesting.