WCW Clash of the Champions XVII

WCW Clash of the Champions XVII
Savannah, Georgia - November 1991

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into the show, Lex Luger was the reigning WCW World Champion, Sting held the United States Championship, Steve Austin was the TV Champion, and "Flyin'" Brian Pillman was the Light-Heavyweight Champion. The WCW World Tag Team Champions were The Enforcers, Anderson and Zybysko, while the Young Pistols held the US Tag Team Championships.

COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross & Tony Schiavone

I've been harsh to Tommy Rich on this blog and I'm not going to backtrack on any of it. If there was a time when he was a really great performer, it was before 89' and that's about as early as I go on this blog (save for a few shows here and there). This match, fought against Big Josh under lumberjack rules, is probably the best Tommy Rich match I've seen - which doesn't mean its essential viewing, but at least shows that I can go into one of his matches with an open mind. It helps that Josh, as he would do under his Doink persona a few years later, is a spirited worker who knows how to make a lame gimmick tolerable. The crowd is game for it and the lumberjacks - specifically the Fabulous Freebirds - actually do some work on the outside to get the fans behind their respective "side." The finish is intriguing too - Terry Taylor ostensibly turning on his York Foundation stablemate for unclear reasons and the commentators highlighting it in the replay. A solid opening contest that gets the night off to a good tempo of action. (2.5/5)

Next up - Firebreaker Chip vs. Bobby Eaton. I'm kind of a mark for any Bobby Eaton match. Like the opener, it'd be a stretch to call this match "good," but its at least not bad. The Firebreaker Chip gimmick is lame, but Curtis Thompson - the man behind it - proves he's more than just a musclebound meathead by moving in the ring with speed and urgency (and even coming off the top rope at one point). Eaton is the consummate pro so you know he's not going to let this one degrade into tedium. A good clean finish too. (2/5)

After a commercial for SuperBrawl, Tony Schiavone brings out Sting. The storyline coming into this was that Sting had been getting sent mysterious boxes - most of which turned out to be guys that ended up attacking him (Cactus Jack, Abdullah the Butcher). This time around, the "box" is carried down the entrance way by a dozen greased-up amateur bodybuilders and out comes Madusa, who seductively strokes Sting's legs and chest. It is very, very reminiscent of the angle where Sensational Sherri distracted the Ultimate Warrior at the 91' Rumble. "Reminiscent" is polite - its a total knock-off. That being said, its still a great segment because this was the peak of "Surfer" Sting, the whole presentation is wonderful camp, and Luger's attack gets great heat. (+1)

We join The Diamond Studd vs. The Z-Man already in progress. The match is put on split-screen to show Sting getting taken out of the arena in an ambulance, but the action looks good as both Zenk and Hall are moving at a brisk clip. The Z-Man rolls him up for the win, but Studd hits him with the Diamond Death Drop (Razor's Edge) after the match to get his heat back. What we do see in this match is good, but its really just a continuation of the Sting angle. I'm not going to rate it. 

PN News makes his way down the aisle, but doesn't rap, set to square off against the reigning Television Champion, "Stunning" Steve Austin. Austin brings the fight to News right from the start, but News uses his size and power to gain control. Austin is working in pinball mode, bumping and selling for the 300+ pounder. At one point, Austin tries to lift the challenger for a bodyslam, but News lands on him for 2. The crowd is totally buying that we could have a new TV Champion and they pop big for News' hitting a belly-to-belly suplex for another 2 count. News goes to the outside to try to take out Lady Blossom, but Austin comes flying off the top rope with an axehandle from behind. Austin is able to capitalize on a missed splash into the corner, using the ropes to help him retain his title. This was a surprisingly fun little match that showed how good Austin already was at this point. (3/5)

Cactus Jack challenges Van Hammer next, these two continuing a rivalry that had begun on the weekly TV shows around this time. Extra half-point for the super cheesy pre-match Van Hammer video. Jack is the experienced hand so he's definitely leading Hammer around by the nose from beginning to end. Van Hammer was the one getting the push, but Jim Ross is clearly relishing the opportunity to get Mrs. Foley's Little Boy over as a complete lunatic and tremendous threat to the company's do-gooders. Foley takes a few spills to the outside and hits his patented (and career-shortening) elbow to the arena floor. He would take much more dangerous bumps in his career, but for 91', this was still something you didn't see everyday and is sold as such. The match is too disjointed to be considered good and the finish is awkward (with the referee made to look very dumb), but the post-match gets heat and, in terms of furthering a storyline, it all works. I'd probably take this, warts and all, over most of the choreographed and overly rehearsed matches we see on RAW these days as, at the very least, this still feels a bit unpredictable and like a real fight. (2/5)

The WCW World Tag Champions, The Enforcers (Arn Anderson and Larry Zybysko), had been engaged in a feud with Dustin Rhodes and his tag partner, Barry Windham, for the previous few months, injuring Windham during the pre-show of October's Halloween Havoc. I'm not 100% sure on why Windham wasn't cleared to compete in November/December 91', but he was back by January. Regardless, Dustin and Barry announce that because Windham is unable to wrestle due to injury, they have found a mystery partner - who makes his way down the aisle in a large cape and a ridiculous lizard mask the size of a small fridge. The reveal that it is Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat seems obvious in hindsight but still gets a good pop - though I think it would've gotten an even bigger one if they'd just let him come out without the stupid mask. From here you get exactly the kind of match you would expect out of these four Hall of Fame-level workers. Anderson and Zybysko spend the first third bumping and selling, taking powders so that they can "regroup" while the babyfaces get the crowd hyped. Eventually they cut the ring in half and Steamboat plays the face-in-peril (expertly). Compared to the rest of the matches on this show, this match feels capital-I "Important," like both sides know how critical this match is. Steamboat doesn't want to lose on his first night in and has history with the heels, Dustin Rhodes brings intensity as the guy who finally gets to have a run at the champs, and the veteran villains clearly care - first and foremost - about retaining the tag titles. Its telling how a pretty straight-forward "old school" tag match can work when the motivations of anyone involved are clear, the babyfaces take the time to elicit sympathy, and the heels play their role by feeding into the heroes' offense and cutting every corner possible. I've read some reviews, notably at wrestling nerd HQ ProWrestlingOnly, that call this one of the best WCW matches ever - and I'm not sure it isn't - but I also think that there's an appeal here to a "classic NWA" viewer that was a bit lost on me when I was a kid and that I can't feign now even 28 years later. This might be about as close to a "must watch" match as is possible for not being a match I would consider "must watch," though, again, if you look around the internet, you'll find plenty of folks giving this 4+ stars and some even calling it a Top 5 Best Tag Team Match in wrestling history. (3.5/5)

There's a number of segments sprinkled in where Tony Schiavone is on the phone from the hospital to report about Sting's condition, Paul Dangerously explains that if Sting can't make it to the match he has to forfeit the title, Sting gets on the phone to announce that he's coming for Rude, etc. None of it is stand-alone great, but as a bundle, its quality, simple storytelling that builds up the United States Championship match perfectly. 

Back to the ring we go for Flyin' Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd. Badd would get much better in the ring as the years go on, but he's not terrible here - just a bit limited. Pillman, meanwhile, is awesome, hitting an Air Pillman to the rampway and then taking one of his trademark throat-to-the-guardrail bumps off of it. I like how JR notes early that Badd, a heel, has been having issues with his manager Teddy Long - a subtle way to build towards the finish and Badd's impending face run. Pillman tries to hit a splash from the top, but Badd gets his knees up. Badd attempts a splash off his own, but Pillman counters with a dropkick and follows it up with another flying clothesline. Most of the big moves of this match are telegraphed, but considering Badd's skill level and the fact that, as rudimentary as it may seem in 2019, Pillman was working a much faster pace than your average worker, its understandable. Not a great match but good enough and the post-match angle is short, sweet, and pops the crowd. I'm not sure Badd was officially a babyface immediately after this match, but knocking Teddy Long on his ass certainly got him more than halfway there. (2.5/5)

After a commercial break, Paul Dangerously comes down the aisle with "Ravishing" Rick Rude (who doesn't have his signature WCW music yet). Dangerously cuts a fantastic promo as the screen splits and we see Sting being rushed into the arena in an ambulance. Dangerously loses it in the ring and Sting limps his way towards the ring, being assisted by a bunch of babyfaces. The crowd erupts into a "We Want Sting" chant and absolutely explodes for his entrance. Rude comes rushing down the aisle and the two brawl on the ramp. Sting lifts him up with a military press and drops him, his adrenaline carrying him through. Sting immediately clutches his knee in pain and Rude retreats into the ring. JR and Schiavone sell things perfectly, rightfully explaining that Sting is running on pure emotion and courage. Sting continues to drop Rude with a number of strikes, including a huge clothesline back onto the ramp. Rude ends up on the floor and grabs Sting's leg, slamming it twice into the steel post. Rude hits an axehandle from behind and then draws massive heat by swiveling his hips in the middle of the ring. Rude attempts a Rude Awakening, but Sting blocks it and JR can't believe it. Rude bounces off the ropes and, without even knowing what he's doing, hits Sting in the back of the knee as he falls flat on his face. While the ref checks on Rude, Dangerously nails Sting in the back of the skull with his cell phone! That should be it...but Sting kicks out at 2! Sting hits a DDT as well and then grabs Dangerously by the shirt. This time Rude clips Sting  with all his weight and grabs the tights to steal the victory as the crowd boos. There's even at least one piece of trash thrown in the ring as the fans are super pissed about the finish. This might be one of my favorite matches ever in terms of storytelling from beginning to end. Brilliant work all around - from JR and Tony to Dangerously to Sting to Rude. Who said a match that runs well below 10 minutes can't be great and an absolute "must see"? For what this is, its just about perfect...but its more an angle than a "match" so I'm not going to put it all the way up to the vaunted 4.5-5 level. (4/5)

Backstage, Dangerously and Rude cut an all-time great promo - and one that predates Ric Flair's Royal Rumble victory as well. Awesome. (+1)

We get a commercial explaining the Battle Bowl concept at Starrcade 91' and then a ringside interview with Ron Simmons. Simmons says he will live up to his promise of being the first black man to wear the WCW World Championship no matter who wins tonight's main event.

The World Heavyweight Championship is on the line next - Lex Luger defending the gold against Rick Steiner. This one starts (and mostly stays) slow, with Steiner bringing Luger to the mat with a basic wrestling move, Luger getting rope breaks, and Luger stalling repeatedly. Some trash gets thrown in the ring, but the crowd pops for a shoulder tackle and Steiner catching Luger with a high suplex. Luger takes some decent bumps and hits some sharp clotheslines and the Dog Faced Gremlin has the crowd behind him at times, but the pace is just too slow and the big spots come too far apart for me. The way Luger and Steiner move in minute 5 is like they've been through a war, but the first 3 minutes were mostly walking around and stare-downs so it just doesn't work. Steiner hits a bulldog from the top rope and a belly-to-belly from the corner which brings Mr. Hughes to the ring. Scott Steiner hits him with a Frankensteiner that looks like it could've crippled him and Harley Race distracts the ref too. The chaos allows for Luger to hit Rick with the belt to steal the W. Not terrible, but not a match I'd ever recommend. (1.5/5)


Clash of the Champions XVII is a show I remember watching live when I was 7 years old (but not being allowed to finish as the main event aired past my bed time). I was heartbroken by Sting's loss to the nefarious Rude and, watching it back, the feeling return. It is just that good of a one-night storyline. I didn't remember much of the rest of the show but was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the rest of the show - specifically the World Tag Team Championship match, Austin/PN News, and even the Pillman/Badd match. With a Kwang Rating of 2.88-out-of-5 and a running time comparable to a Takeover show, this one is strongly recommended to old school WCW fans looking for a good nostalgia show to watch. Just skip the main and, if you're in a time crunch, the first two matches.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote In Hand

WWE Money in the Bank 2019

WWE Money in the Bank 2019

Hartford, CT - May 2019

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Seth Rollins is the WWE Universal Champion, Kofi Kingston is the WWE Champion, Becky "2 Belts" Lynch holds both the RAW and SmackDown Women's Championship, the Raw Tag Team Champions are Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder (somehow), the SmackDown Tag Team Champions are Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan, the United States Champion is Samoa Joe, and the Intercontinental Championship is held by Finn Balor. Finally, the 205 Live Champion is Tony Nese.

COMMENTATORS: Saxton, Graves, Young, Cole, Phillips, McGuinness, Vic Joseph, English 

The show kicked off with the Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match. SmackDown was represented by Naomi, Mandy Rose, Ember Moon, and Carmella, while RAW's representatives were Bayley, Nikki Cross, Natalya, and Dana Brooke. Like most every one of these matches, there were some ups-and-downs, positives and negatives. Dana Brooke held her own in her first big match in forever (if you could consider being one-of-eight a "spotlight"), taking a big bump onto the ladder early and getting a face full of one later. Naomi showed off her agility multiple times, including pulling off an impressive split to avoid being sandwiched between two ladders. Ember Moon stole the match, though, with a stunning (pun intended) Eclipse from a ladder outside of the ring onto Nattie. It drew a deserved "Holy Shit" chant. Less impressive was Mandy Rose, who was surprisingly given the task of having to get over multiple key moments in the match - first with an awkward phony injury spot with Carmella, later with a risky Dana Brooke briefcase attempt that saw her hanging from the rafters, and finally with the finish (which was a bit anticlimactic). I'm not sure she was the right talent to burden with every turning point in the match when there were more experienced workers that could've been used in the role. My only other major criticism was the use of Carmella. While her absence wasn't necessarily missed in a match this loaded with performers, kayfabing injuries is not only an overdone, unnecessary trope, its also one that has becoming increasingly patronizing to the audience and even the other workers. Matches like this are dangerous and risky, so there's really no need to oversell it with a phony injury angle. Interestingly enough, Sasha Banks was mentioned in the post-match interview, making me wonder if she is indeed coming back. (3/5)

Samoa Joe defended his United States Championship against Rey Mysterio in the next bout. These two guys have been feuding since before WrestleMania, where Joe won in basically a total squash. Here, I expected they'd get at least 7-8 minutes to tell a story, but instead it was Rey who got the flash pin. I'm not opposed to continuing building tension in this feud, but I do fear the WWE losing interest sooner than later and dropping the storyline altogether based on a Vince whim. Its hard to rate a match like this, but you've gotta give at least a little love to Joe getting some color and the post-match beatdown. (1.5/5)

After we cut to Braun Strowman searching for Sami Zayn backstage, we got the night's next stipulation match - a cage match between Shane McMahon and The Miz. At WrestleMania, these two put on a solid Falls Count Anywhere match and, thanks to a good pre-match video package, I was fairly excited about this one once the bell sounded. Shane went for an escape immediately, but Miz stopped each attempt, going after the "Best in the World" with a series of punches and kicks. Shane gained the upperhand, though, countering one of Miz's kicks into a powerbomb against the cage wall. A "CM Punk" chant broke out, followed by a faint "AEW" chant - which is a bit disappointing considering that this is one of the few feuds going on in the WWE that has actually delivered in terms of build and matches. I would've liked to see Shane cheat a bit more early on as it always rubs me the wrong way when he goes move-for-move with more credible wrestlers. Then again, I'm not sure how "credible" The Miz has ever been. Miz applied a figure four, but Shane crawled his way over to the door and the two milked the struggle for the next minute or so. Shane brought a chair back in with hi, though, the crowd really waking up as Miz unloaded on the Chairman's son. Shane took a Skull-Crushing Finale and, for some reason, Miz made a count...but Shane put his foot on the rope...which shouldn't have mattered because there is no DQ in a cage match...and the crowd erupted in a huge "Bullshit" chant as the commentators ripped apart what the ref had done. I'm not sure if this was a scripted part of the match or a botch or what, but it made no sense. Miz attempted another Finale from the top rope, but Shane countered it and Miz took more of the punishment. Shane went to climb, but Miz grabbed him as he straddled the cage wall. They exchanged punches on top of the wall, Shane O-Mac eventually getting pulled back inside the ring with a pretty much tremendous bump. Miz hit a splash and went for another pinfall - which is perfectly legal in a cage match, but not really a finish that anyone expects in a match like this. Shane retalliated with a triangle choke, but Miz wouldn't submit. Shane went for the door and cage again, but Miz kept stopping him, eventually trying to maybe end his career (and more) with a superplex from on top of the cage. Shane was able to hold on, though, eventually falling to the arena floor by slipping out of his tee-shirt. Like at WrestleMania, McMahon's victory was far from convincing...but, unlike WrestleMania, where Shane escaping defeat through dumb luck was novel and didn't hurt The Miz, I'm not sure the same could be said here. This wasn't great, but it wasn't as bad as some will probably make it out to be. (2.5/5)

Backstage, Triple H and an assortment of other personnel found Sami Zayn hanging upside down, knocked unconscious. I guess he's also out of the Money in the Bank match tonight? 

205 Live's Cruiserweight Champion Tony Nese defended his title against Ariya Daivari, who arrived in a Mercedes. To me, this one really, really suffered from the production around it. Instead of just kicking off and letting these two fly, we had extended entrances and the usual "commentator sound off," all things to clue the fans in attendance that this was a bathroom break instead of rushing to the action and seeing if these guys could "blitzkreig" the audience into caring with their ringwork. Instead, there was almost dead silence for this match despite both men doing some very impressive things. A disrespectful, faint "boring" chant could be heard at one point, which, to me, is much more of an indictment of how little the WWE has done with its 205 Live brand than it is of the actual wrestlers. The fact is, 90% of this audience had no idea who these guys were and, unlike in mid-90s WCW, where these sorts of matches were juxtaposed with the work of Mike Enos and The Gambler, the action just doesn't stand out as much. Nese tried to finish Daivari with a 450, but it was not enough. Daivari then rallied, hitting a frog splash and then an absolutely ridiculous hammerlock lariat move. Nese somehow got the upperhand, though, and hit a running knee in the corner to retain his title. This was a good match, but the finishing stretch seemed very disjointed to me, with both guys hitting their big finishers - but neither one selling them (especially Nese, who seemed to shrug off Daivairi's best offense completely). (1.5/5)

Backstage, Triple H confronted Braun, accusing him of attacking Zayn. Braun denied that he was the one responsible, but Triple H kicked him out of the arena anyway. 

We then got a commercial for WWE Super Showdown, hyping the first ever Goldberg/Undertaker match. It was hard not to notice there was no mention that this show is hailing from Saudi Arabia. 

Becky Lynch defended her RAW Women's Championship against Lacey Evans in the next contest. A loud "Becky 2 Belts" at the start of the match showed that Lynch is still plenty over. Lynch controlled early, but Evans showed some impressive bumping and selling, moving a bit like Charlotte Flair at times. While her offense wasn't as flashy, it was executed well; Evans working with more confidence and poise than I expected from someone in her first major match. Evans took a brief break in the match to pull out a handkerchief, a nice touch of character work. Becky took the opportunity to get some offense in, eventually hitting her trademark series of clotheslines before landing a Becksplex. Becky attempted a dropkick that didn't look too hot - but also wasn't captured very well by the cameramen anyway. Becky went to the top rope again, but missed whatever it was she was trying, allowing Evans to come back and hit her with a springboard stunner followed by a nasty kick to the skull for 2. Becky attempted a Disarmher, but Lacey reached the ropes. In a bizarre finish, though, Evans seemed to roll up Becky for a full 3 count...as the ref did nothing. It was jarring (and Corey Graves spotted it during the replay to make sure the viewers at home noticed it too). Lynch escaped and locked in the Disarmher again for the win in a match that started out good, meandered too long without a real story, and then finished in horrendous fashion. Is the poor ref'ing on tonight's show the start of an angle or something? Another not-so-good match. (1.5/5) 

UNFORTUNATELY...My Chromebook did not save the rest of this PPV review so I'm going to rewrite the paragraphs and paragraphs of my original draft in a more succinct fashion.

After besting Lacey Evans, Charlotte made her way down the aisle to challenge Lynch for the SmackDown Women's Championship. I wasn't looking forward to this match originally, but watching it, it is obvious how much chemistry these two have and, at this point, you're not going to get a truly bad match out of them. While Evans had a pretty good debut performance with some of her shtick even evoking Flair, watching them work back-to-back, Flair exudes that much more confidence, executes her offense with that much more bite, and works the crowd that much better. I don't recall any big spots in this one -  just kind of your standard Flair/Lynch match - leading up to Lacey Evans costing Lynch her SmackDown title. If I recall correctly, there was a questionable ref moment in this match too, but I might be confusing it with another match on this show. (2.5/5)

Not happy with just winning the SmackDown Women's Championship, Flair taunted Becky during the post-match and, with help from Lacey Evans, beat her down while the crowd chanted for Bayley to make the save. I disliked Bayley's music hitting before she made her arrival, but whatever - that's the WWE. Anyway, Bayley came out, took out Evans, and then, after dodging a spear, cashed in her briefcase and won the gold in one of the better "feel good" moments I can recall. The crowd was hugely behind Bayley, which just shows that despite 50/50 booking and stop/start pushes for her, she still has tons of support. Interestingly, they mentioned Sasha Banks in her post-match interview - which makes me wonder if she is coming back after all. Time will tell...(+1)

Backstage, Elias took out Roman Reigns with his guitar and then walked to the ring, confident that the Big Dog would not be able to make it to their match. Classic Heel Idiocy there. Reigns ended up coming out and squashing him in under a minute. There was a time people thought Elias could be a bit of a breakout star, or at least a credible challenger for the US/IC Title. While that is still probably true, it's only because those titles are usually tossed around willy-nilly and have a fraction of the prestige they had 25 years ago. What's even worse than how this made Elias look, this match (and whole rivalry) has cooled off Reigns even more (and, let's be honest, the build to his Mania match didn't exactly capitalize on him BEATING FRIGGIN' CANCER all that well either). Reigns would be better off not on the show rather than being in matches with glorified jobbers. (0/5)

Before the next title match, the Lucha House Party showed up for a non-advertised 6-man tag match. Before that match could begin, Lars Sullivan came out and destroyed them in swift fashion. I'm tempted to take a point away from the show for this trash, but I'll be generous. There was just so much wrong here. 

Seth Rollins defended his Universal Championship against AJ Styles in the next bout. I came into this desperately wishing that AJ Styles would leave with the title but 100% positive it wouldn't happen. Kudos to the WWE for, at the very least, making me wonder if they just might throw a curveball in there when Styles countered a Curb Stomp into a Styles Clash. Aside from that spot, though, I was not a fan of this match as it was too much of a "spirited exhibition" rather than an actual match with a story. The lackluster build didn't help anything either as Styles hasn't been "chasing" the Universal Championship for more than a couple weeks and the idea of this being some sort of "passing of the torch" match is laughably absurd when, in terms of WWE history, Rollins has actually had a longer tenure as a top guy than Styles has. In fact, one could argue that because Styles has never been "The Man" on RAW, he's never been truly the WWE's top guy. Had one of these men opted to wrestle with even a slight  heel character it may have helped things, but this was a "Have A Good Match for Good Match's Sake" bout and there may be nothing I like less about the current product. A match like this has too much good execution and BIG MOVEZ to be a total dud, but just because its well-executed filler doesn't mean its not filler. (3/5)

The next match, for the WWE Championship, was also underwhelming as Kofi Kingston took on Kevin Owens in a match that wouldn't have been out of place on any random episode of SmackDown from the past 4 years. Unlike the previous bout, this match at least had a clearly-defined face taking on an unlikable heel. Unfortunately, the crowd was zapped from the previous bout and Kevin Owens seems like he needs to go back and watch his own work from 2014 and before to remember what made him an interesting "must see" performer back then. Where was the nasty jawing? Where was the crowd-baiting taunts? What happened to the inventive vicous offense that Owens used to use to not only defeat his opponents, but potentially maim them? Kofi showed good fire here...but he's always showed good fire and while his performances from earlier this year seemed like star-making performances, this one didn't pack the same punch. (2.5/5)

Main event time - The Men's Money in the Bank Match between Andrade Almas, Ricochet, Ali, Corbin, McIntyre, and Orton. I must admit that my original review of this match got lost when my blog didn't save, but I remember believing this to be one of the better ladder matches in a good while thanks to some incredible bumps and spots by Ali, Ricochet, and Balor (who took a nasty, nasty back bump onto the edge of a ladder at one point and, on top of that, got sunset flip-powerbombed into a ladder by Andrade). Not to be outdone, Ricochet also took a crazy bump through a ladder on the outside of the ring while Ali got tossed around a bunch too. The finish got shit on by many fans, but personally, I dug it. As tonight's two World Championship matches showed, there is very little buzz at the top of the card and Brock Lesnar coming back and (hopefully) reclaiming the Universal Championship is, sadly, the only way that Vince seems to know how to inject any life into it these days. In a perfect world, Seth Rollins and Kofi Kingston would have a number of well-developed, interesting challengers for their championships, but right now, none exist and the WWE seems allergic to the idea of creating them. Brock Lesnar, at the very least, is credible, gets big reactions, and brings a "big fight feel" to his matches. With a bunch of memorable spots and a shocking twist ending, this year's edition of the Money in the Bank Ladder Match delivered what it needed to. (3.5/5)


With a Kwang Score of 2.25-out-of-5, Money in the Bank 2019 was a sub-par show bookended by two solid matches: the Men's and Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Matches. While Bayley's big title win as a great moment, the title matches were lackluster, the Elias/Reigns match was the definition of filler, and the Cruiserweight Championship match was one of the weakest bouts the WWE has put on PPV this year. If you're like me, you watch the WWE's biggest shows almost out of obligation more than enjoyment these days, but if you're looking for a fun way to spend 3+ hours, look elsewhere.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

WrestleMania XXXV

WWE WrestleMania XXXV

New York, New York - April 2019

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into tonight's show, Brock Lesnar was the Universal Champion, Daniel Bryan was the WWE Champion, Samoa Joe held the US Championship, the Intercontinental Champion was Bobby Lashley, the RAW Tag Team Champions were The Revival, the SmackDown Tag Champs were The Usos, the SmackDown Women's Champion was Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey was the RAW Women's Champion.

COMMENTATORS: Saxton, Graves, Cole, Young, Lawler, Phillips, Booker T, Shawn Michaels, JBL, and Paige

After a purposeless Hulk Hogan/Alexa Bliss "moment," Paul Heyman came down the aisle in a huff and announced that if his client was going to wrestle last, he wasn't going to sit in the back and wait either - Lesnar vs. Rollins is on now! Awesome! The crowd went wild and was solidly behind Rollins, whose entrance featured a nifty "Beast Slayer" video. I loved the booking of having this match on first as it added to the unpredictability of the finish and kicked off the show with an intense, physical, high stakes match. Lesnar looked amazing too, hitting Rollins with an F-5 on the floor within the first 30 seconds. He then rammed him face-first into the apron and the barricade. Rollins was bumping like this was the biggest match of his career, flying over the announcer table twice. All of this happened before the bell rang, as Graves mentioned repeatedly. Eventually the match did begin, but Lesnar continued to dominate, hitting a series of German Suplexes. Rollins' back was shredded by this point, but he was still able to escape an F-5, knock the ref out, and hit a low blow. The ref recovered quickly and saw Rollins hit a superkick and three Curb Stomps! Rollins made the cover and we have a new Universal Champion! Wow, I was not expecting that at all. This wasn't a "great" match in the classic sense, but like the Goldberg/Lesnar match from some years back, the shock and entertainment value was there and the finish made sense in a weird way - Lesnar's biggest weakness, as we saw against Goldberg, was "shock and awe" offense, a blitzkreig. Rollins used that strategy to beat him and while I wanted to see Lesnar win, I also was adamant that they made the wrong call last year when they didn't give Reigns the clean victory over him. An upset victory in surprising fashion and Rollins not going overboard on false finishes and "self-conscious epic" storytelling makes this more good than bad in my book. (3.5/5)

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton came next. This was a solid outing from both guys, but just felt a little out of context here - especially following the whiz-bang of the opener. Anyone that thinks AJ has lost a step should watch the work he did here as, even in a lower profile match, every strike looked like it made maximum impact. Orton has also been impressing me as of late, clearly more motivated when he gets to share the ring with someone he respects like AJ or Rey as compared to years past when he just looked bored. I thought Orton would get the W with his RKO, a maneuver that's been better protected than most, but AJ kicked out and it felt like a big deal. I was equally shocked that Styles would end up getting the clean win, especially as this seemed like the first of a series of matches and not the blow-off. Who knows? Maybe Orton is scheduled for another hiatus? On a smaller show, placed in a different spot on the card, I think I (and likely others) would've appreciated this match much more, but as it was, it was no worse than solid. (3/5)

Next up - the SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match - The Usos defending the straps against The Bar, Ricochet and Aleister Black, and Nakamura and Rusev. This was a fun match built mostly around The Bar, arguably the best "base" tag team in WWE history. Sheamus and Cesaro mixed it up beautifully with Ricochet in particular, but their chemistry with The Usos and Rusev was also noticeable. I'm not into Nakamura's Honky Tonk Man-inspired get-up, but whatever. I'd be clamoring for he and Nak to be split if I had any hope in (a) Nakamura stepping up and delivering in the main event or (b) the WWE effectively giving Rusev the push he deserves. With Rollins holding the Universal Championship, it really is a shame that guys like Nakamura and Rusev aren't in any position to challenge him as, on paper, those sound like they could be dynamite matches. But I digress...I didn't expect this match to be great and I wouldn't call it a "must see," but they had the crowd, the big spots were terrific, the Cesaro Spin was tremendous, and the right team won. Another solid, above-average match. (3/5)

Shane McMahon battled The Miz in the next contest. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but the build-up has been mostly good - except for some of the physicality, which I questioned as being too "wrestling-based" (see Shane McMahon locking The Miz's Dad in a submission instead of just beating him down at Fastlane). Here, Miz and McMahon wisely sidestepped any actual grappling or MMA-inspired nonsense and just went at each other. Shane's punches were their usually level of clumsy, but thanks to The Miz pulling off babyface fire better than he ever has before, I was able to overlook it and enjoy this match for what it was. I liked The Miz's father getting involved more than I probably should've too. The brawling in the crowd changed things up after three matches that kept things ringside and though this won't (or shouldn't) rank on anyone's list of all-time great Falls Count Anywhere match, it did feel like more of a fight than a string of choreographed, contrived set pieces with the loose, messy production. The final spot was good without falling into "gif wrestling" territory the way Shane's big Hell in a Cell bumps did in years past. I was not expecting to enjoy this PPV as much as I did up to this point. (3/5)

The Boss N' Hug Connection defended the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Nia Jax and Tamina, The Ilconics, and The Divas of Doom (Beth Phoenix and Natalya) in the next bout. While I was hoping that this would exceed my expectations the way the first four matches of the main show did (I didn't bother to watch the Pre-Show because...well...I have a lot of free time, but not that much free time), this match didn't grab me. I may have missed it, but did Phoenix get in a big power spot on Nia? Natalya did her double Sharpshooter, but we've seen it before. Sasha (wisely) reined in her usual Mania impulses to perform a ridiculously dangerous high spot for no reason. Paige's commentary was odd....like maybe she was starting the Mania party a little early in her dressing room? Some of her responses to Cole and Young's comments made no sense. I wasn't expecting this match to be great, but it felt like there was no agent in charge and it was thrown out there to cool the crowd off when, with the right lay-out, this match could've been a sleeper hit. (2/5)

Daniel Bryan defended the WWE Championship against Kofi Kingston in the next match. The crowd was hot and almost entirely behind Kingston. The match began with a nice exchange of holds and escapes before Kofi started using his high-flying skills to throw the champion off. Bryan was able to lock Kofi into the surfboard in an impressive moment of technical wrestling early on. Bryan was gaining momentum, but Kofi cut him off with a not-so-pretty double stomp. Its worth noting that while there were execution issues early, these sorts of hiccups tend to help matches like this (for me, at least) as compared to some of the more overly choreographed wrestling matches that the weekend offered. In the first awesome spot of the match, Kofi attempted a forearm off the top rope onto Bryan but the champ side-stepped him and Kofi crashed with tremendous force into the table chest-first. Bryan then went on the attack, connecting with a series of kicks and then a perfect knee to the back on Kofi as he hung over the top rope. Bryan slowed the match down with a waistlock, but Kofi kept struggling to escape - a good example of what Steve Austin would say is the difference between a "rest hold" and "working a hold." Kofi escaped, but Bryan hit him with a series of running kicks in the corner, the third of which Kofi attempted to counter but Bryan turned into a Boston Crab in an amazing moment. It really is remarkable how some of the maneuvers that used to make up Bryan's fan-adored comeback have been remade into his biggest heat-getters. Bryan attempted to hit Kofi with a back suplex from the top but got elbowed off and took 3 stunning bumps into the center of the ring, which Kofi then followed with a huge splash on Bryan as he tried to get to his feet. From here we got the classic "Boo-Yay" punch-trading that climaxed in Kofi attempting a Trouble in Paradise only for Bryan to counter it into a nearfall. The rapid nearfalls came in quick succession over the next minute before Bryan attempted to tap Kofi with a Lebell Lock, only for Kofi to use his kicks to escape. Kofi attempted to run into Bryan in the corner, but Bryan cut him off with two feet right to the chest and drove him into the mat in sick fashion. Bryan went for the running knee, but Kofi countered and tried to hit the SOS - only for that to be countered into the Lebell Lock in an absolutely INSANE 10-second sequence that had the crowd chanting "New Day Rocks!" at the top of their lungs. With the crowd chanting "Kofi," Bryan basked in the heel glow and started delivering some vicious kicks to the chest of Kingston. Kofi ate a half-dozen of them, but begged for more, his anger and momentum carrying them into a "Boo-Yea" series that ended with Kofi hitting a somewhat-awkward reverse suplex. It wasn't the prettiest maneuver of the night, but it was effective enough and, by this point, the crowd was eating out of the palm of their hands anyway. Bryan rolled to the outside and Rowan stood over him, preventing from Kofi from capitalizing. The New Day attempted to take Rowan out but got flattened until Kofi struck. This led to the New Day hitting the Midnight Hour on the arena floor. Kofi blocked a Daniel Bryan slide and attempted a Trouble in Paradise - only for Bryan to duck, reverse momentum, and hit his Running Knee...but only for 2! Bryan's facial expression was gold here and the pop for the kick-out was absurd. D-Bry then stomped Kofi's face into the mat with the same vicious kicks he had rained down on Lesnar back at Survivor Series. Bryan then locked in the LeBell as the crowd jeered heavily. Kofi wouldn't tap, though, and the crowd erupted in a loud "New Day Rocks!" chant. Kofi tried desperately to escape, but Kofi was able to get in a mount position and hit Bryan with a series of big punches. On his feet, Kofi then gave Bryan a taste of his own medicine, stomping him in the head. Kofi then got in the corner and hit the Trouble in Paradise for the win! I'm not sure I'm knowledgeable enough of every match of the guy's career, but that was the most emotionally rewarding and engaging Kofi Kingston match ever and while he was great in it, Daniel Bryan deserves arguably even more credit for the excellence of this match. The fact that there wasn't even a "Fight Forever" or "This is Awesome" chant makes this one even better - proof that the fans were more invested in the drama and story than they were of the workrate. It will be very hard for any match this year to top this one in my book. (4.5/5)

Every year there seems to be one match that ends in under a minute and this year it was Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe for the United States Championship. I was 90% sure that whatever match followed the Kofi win was going to go real short so that the crowd could have more time to cool down before the next round of major matches, but considering how good Joe and Rey are, and how good this match could've been, it was still disappointing. A point awarded for the right man winning as Joe getting squashed in a minute would've been much, much less believable than Rey getting tapped out in the same amount of time. (1/5)

After a commercial for the upcoming Batista movie, Stuber, we got Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre. I actually felt bad for the WWE as this match played out. The commentary team was working overtime trying to build up this match as a big deal, but it was clearly thrown together at the last minute and McIntyre hasn't been booked as particularly dominant no matter how much Graves and Cole tried to paint him as such. The WWE production pitched in by giving Reigns an entrance with a fireworks show longer the entirety of the last match but once the match began, the crowd was mostly hushed - even as these two put on a very respectable bout that featured a crazy suplex on the arena floor (that barely popped the front row). Reigns's bumping and selling was great too, making McIntyre's already impressive offense look even more damaging. This has easily been my favorite McIntyre match since he joined the main roster as he pulled off some incredible strength spots. The crowd seemed to come alive towards the end, though they were still cooler for this than for nearly any other match that had happened on this show. (3/5)

John Cena showed up to cut-off an Elias segment. I disliked the Elias segment, but seeing Cena return as his Doctor of Thuganomics character was a fun surprise. Based on Cena's pre-entrance video, I'm guessing he's now going to be the "Babe Ruth of Wrestling" even though Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and countless others are all under Legends Contracts and could arguably fulfill the same duties? Not quite good enough for a bonus point.

Batista vs. Triple H was next after what felt like 30 minutes of hype video and ridiculous entrances. Bats and Hunter went to the outside early, brawling around the ring. Triple H busted out a toolbox, bashing it into Batista before whipping him viciously with a steel chain. While the whippings were stiff, Triple H and Batista cooperated a little too much with the follow-up choke (and Shawn Michaels didn't help matters with his atrocious commentary). Triple H then grabbed channel lock pliers and went to work on Batista's fingers in a crazy spot straight out of a Saw movie. Into the ring they went where Triple H struck him with a chair and then pulled out his nose ring with pliers! Triple H held up the ring as Batista sold on the outside. Triple H tried to come off the apron with a chain around his hand, but Batista caught him and side-suplexed him into a table. The Animal followed it up with another side suplex on the table and then tossed his former mentor into the barricade. As Batista's control segment went on, the crowd seemed to grow a bit restless - which was completely understandable as, even without the preshow, the show had now entered its fourth hour. Batista set Triple H up for a Batista Bomb off of the steel steps (which were placed on top of a table) through the main announcers table, but Triple H countered it, back body dropping Batista onto the other table (which somehow didn't break). After they both got back on their feet on top of their tables, Triple H speared him through the German announce table, splintering the wood with their combined mass. It can't be overstated, again, how poor Michaels was on commentary, drawing the life out of nearly every big moment with his slightly-off idioms and ill-fitting platitudes. As Batista rolled into the ring, Triple H finally grabbed his faithful sledgehammer. As he attempted to bring it to the ring, Batista stopped him with a spear for 2 and the sledgehammer went flying into the corner. Batista grabbed it, but couldn't hold onto it. Triple H got it back in his grips, but got spine-bustered. Batista hit a huge Batista Bomb...but only for 2! Batista then brought the steel ring stairs into the ring only for Triple H to powerbomb him onto them in a ridiculous bump that no 50 year old man should ever have to take. Triple H hit a Pedigree...but Batista kicked out! As Batista went to the corner and grabbed a sledgehammer, Ric Flair appeared out of nowhere to hand Triple H another sledgehammer! Triple H came flying off the steps and struck Batista with his favorite weapon and added on a Pedigree to get the victory. I think the audience not seeing Flair come out of the audience to help prevented this finish from getting the pop it deserved. Anyway, this was pretty good, if plodding at points. Above average thanks to the crazy bumps, but definitely not everyone's cup of tea. (3/5)

Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin wrestled next in a "death spot." Angle tossed Corbin with tremendous force early, but Corbin was able to escape a German Suplex attempt and get some offense in. I'm not sure there was a person in the arena that wanted this match to happen as the show neared the four-and-a-half hour mark with two matches to go. Angle looked like he might wrap it up after a trio of suplexes, but Corbin kept coming, even escaping an Angle Lock. Corbin hit a Deep Six...but only for 2! This match could've been a few things, but as it went on and Corbin kicked out/escaped Angle's best offense (and vice versa), it made less and less sense and it became increasingly confusing what this match was even supposed to accomplish. Angle hit another trio of suplexes after Corbin mocked Cena's "You Can't See Me" taunt, but then missed a moonsault, allowing Corbin to hit the End of Days to end the career of Kurt Angle. (1/5)

The Intercontinental Champion Bobby Lashley made his way down the aisle for the penultimate match of the night, defending his gold against Finn Balor, who was decked out in his Demon gear. What do you think Balor preferred, wrestling at midnight or opening up the show like he did last year? Balor's entrance was spectacular (which wasn't a surprise), but at this point of the show, every second felt tedious. Balor came in with a number of huge dropkicks and this one looked like it might end rapidly as Balor hit one of his awesome somersault splashes on the outside and moved around the ring going approximately 90 miles per hour. Lashley planted him and things slowed down a bit, bringing him back into the ring with a big suplex. Like McIntyre/Reigns and even Orton/AJ, in a different context I think this match would've been much higher-regarded. Lashley hit a giant spear through the middle rope to Balor on the floor (and followed it with another one in the ring) for two and the audience barely reacted. Lashley attempted a powerbomb, but Balor fought out, eventually managing to powerbomb Lashley! Balor then hit a Coup De Grace to win the Intercontinental Championship clean. This match showed that these two guys have great chemistry and that they both do solid character work and have good offense...but because of the context, Lashley was hurt by the loss and Balor's "big victory" was overshadowed by several much bigger victories that happened earlier in the show. I'm not sure this shouldn't have ended in some sort of double DQ or something. (2.5/5)

Alexa Bliss came out for one final hosting segment, announcing an attendance of 82,265 fans. Carmella and R-Truth came out for a dance break and we then got a number of commercials that absolutely no one could've cared about (with the final one being the ad for next year's WrestleMania in Tampa Bay).

Main event time - Ronda Rousey defending the Raw Women's Championship, Charlotte Flair defending the SmackDown Women's Championship, and Becky Lynch challenging both in a Winner Takes All Triple Threat Match. This historic match began with Charlotte Flair literally walking from the parking lot to the arena - just in case anybody wasn't ready for this show to start wrapping up. As she walked, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts played "Bad Reputation" to signal the arrival of Ronda Rousey. Flair entered the ring next, with Becky coming in last to a sizable response, but one that seemed a little slight - most likely because many of the fans in attendance had been in the stadium for upwards of 6 hours. The match began with Rousey striking everything that moved, driving both of her opponents out of the ring and hitting a Piper's Pit on Charlotte on the floor. Becky's offense drew big cheers, while Flair wisely played to the crowd to draw their ire. The sequences that followed were fun, fast, and while they weren't all executed perfectly, they were all physical. Rousey took a nasty bump onto the floor early, neck-first, off a Becky Lynch dropkick, leaving Lynch and Flair to continue the story in the ring. When Becky got Charlotte in an armbar, Rousey resurfaced and locked Lynch in one herself - only to get knee'd in the face. Lynch was sent to the outside and Flair hit Rousey with a series of chops, including a wild one straight to the face! Rousey came back, though, only to get put into a Boston Crab. Lynch re-entered the fray, nailing Charlotte with a huge kick to the jaw. After Lynch hit a Becksploder from the top, the crowd seemed to die down a bit, seemingly losing steam as the action lulled. Rousey attempted a Double Armbar, but Becky and Charlotte pooled their efforts and hit her with a series of two-person powerbombs to break the hold. Charlotte sent Becky to the outside and attempted a cover on Rousey for two, the match basically stopping dead after her kickout. Charlotte went for a spear to the outside but Lynch dodged it, hit her with a kick, and then got a two-count of her own. Lynch then focused her attack on Rousey, hitting her with a quick suplex and then applying the Disarmher! Rousey wouldn't quit, through, grinding her way to the ropes (with Becky's noticeable cooperation). In the corner, Lynch locked her up again, but Charlotte made the save. The girls were breathing heavy between calling each other bitches (and counting down their big spots), the ring mics inexplicably turned to 12. As the match continued, Flair went after Rousey's knee, applying a figure four around the post (one of my all-time favorite spots). Charlotte continued to dominate, eventually locking Rousey in the Figure 8 only for Lynch to break it up with a big leg drop from the top that seemingly sliced Flair's arm (which began to bleed almost immediately). Lynch then went under the ring, busting out a table to the roar of the crowd. I'm not sure the match needed it, but hey, why not, right? Lynch set up the table and looked to be setting Flair up for a powerbomb through it, but Rousey broke up the attempt and knocked the table away, striking away at Becky in the corner. As Becky and Rousey grappled, Charlotte hit them with a double spear, covering Ronda for 2. Charlotte set up the table in the corner, took out Rousey, then hit Lynch with another spear, but couldn't keep either down past 2. Charlotte then went to the corner and attempted to tackle both girls, only to be hiptossed by both into (but not through) the table. I'm sure she was meant to go through it, but landing so low on the table made it look even more painful. Rousey and Lynch then traded blows, with Rousey eventually dropping her with a knee. Rousey hit a Piper's Pit, but Lynch managed to use her momentum against her to bring her shoulders to the mat for 3! Crazy imperfect finish, Batman! I might've liked something a bit more definitive, but it still worked for me (and even protected Rousey a little bit). This match delivered what it needed to overall, though there were some iffy moments and audible spot-calls that hurt it. (4/5)


Over at ProWrestlingOnly, I described WrestleMania XXXV as "one of the better death marches the WWE has had." That's really the best way to describe a show that clocked in at 5 hours and featured 12 matches just on the main show (there was a pre-show I didn't even bother to watch) and at least twice as many advertisements and video packages. For the most part, the booking was good too with all three of the major championship matches ending with "feel good" winners (though, personally, I would've liked to see Brock retain). The Kwang Score of 2.79-out-of-5 is almost fitting. I can't give the whole show a glowing review, but there were at least two could-be Top 10 MOTY finalists and Shane/Miz, Balor/Lashley, Styles/Orton, and even Reigns/McIntyre were better than I expected. Hell, for a certain type of fan, HHH/Batista was a fun watch. Sadly, there were also some of the weakest PPV matches of the year on this card - namely Corbin/Angle, the disappointing Women's Tag match, and the meaningless US Title match. Still, compared to some of the woeful slog shows the WWE has produced since the invention of the Network, this was above average.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote In Hand

NXT Takeover: New York

NXT Takeover: New York 2019

New York, New York - April 2019

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the NXT Championship was vacant (due to Ciampa being sidelined due to a neck injury), while the NXT North American Title was held by The Velveteen Dream. The NXT Tag Team Champions were the War Raiders and Shayna Baszler held the NXT Women's Championship.

COMMENTATORS: Maura Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson

NXT Takeover: New York kicked off with The War Raiders defending the NXT Tag Team Championships against the winners of the Dusty Rhodes Classic, Ricochet and Aleister Black. Mauro Ranallo called it an "instant classic" and I have to agree - this was really, really good. I'm usually not a fan of face/face matches where the only story seems to be "let's just do cool shit non-stop," but these four guys had enough cool shit in their bag to make it work. Plus, there were some clever twists and callbacks and the match felt emotional (especially the post-match) without feeling forced. There were a half-dozen unbelievable spots, but what made this match great was the relentless pace and the fluidity of each one. Some moments crept into overtly choreographed territory, but overall, the selling and bumping was phenomenal with every knee strike and superkick registering. While not quite at the all-time great level of the DIY/Revival matches of yesteryear, this was easily the best War Raiders showing I've seen and maybe even in the top 3-4 matches that Ricochet and Aleister Black have had in NXT (no small feat considering their resumes). (4/5)

The Velveteen Dream defending the NXT North American Championship against Matt Riddle was next but before the action could start this match already earned a point as Dream's entrance was a batshit insane homage to the Statue of Liberty. Dream is one of my favorites and Riddle has also impressed me so I was glad to see they had tremendous chemistry. Dream's best matches, so far, have been when he's squaring off against another character as loud and colorful as himself and while Riddle's "gimmick" doesn't leap off the screen, his natural charisma and athleticism does. Riddle is deceptively strong and he used his strength to deliver a number of great throws, rounding them out with a bunch of brilliant strikes too. As he dominated, the crowd turned on him a bit, and Riddle began playing the subtle heel just by taking his time breaking holds and raining down blows when his opponent was in the ropes. Dream literally "hulked up" to change the momentum and it worked because he is charismatic enough to pull it off. Riddle regained control, though, applying an Ankle Lock in another clever nod to a WrestleMania legend - Kurt Angle. Riddle attempted a powerbomb, but Dream countered it into one of his DDTs and then a Dream Valley Driver. Dream attempted an elbow drop, but Riddle caught him with a submission and nearly tapped him out. Dream got into the ropes, but Riddle hit him with an insane belly-to-belly from inside the ring perched on the second rope. Riddle then hit an insane splash for 2. Dream begged for more, though, and Riddle hit him with a powerbomb and then a stiff knee to the jaw. He locked Dream up in his submission, but Dream rolled him over and Riddle's shoulders went to the mat. I liked Riddle's post-match body language and the "bro bump" too. While a heel turn here could've worked, it wasn't necessary. I enjoyed this match even more than the opener and could even see it make my year-end list come December. (4/5)

WALTER challenged Pete Dunne for the WWE UK Championship in the next bout. I haven't seen much of Walter (is it always all capitalized?), but from this match alone, I'd say he is awesome. Dunne is awesome too so it was no surprise that this match was great. It started with a relatively slower pace than the two bouts that preceded it as the two felt each other out. When Walter did finally hit one of his massive chops, the crowd popped huge and Dunne sold it like a gunshot to the chest. Walter's offense looks devastating and while he doesn't do anything super flashy, everything he did in this match looked like it did damage. The simplicity of his moveset - chops, a Boston Crab, the Big Boot, a sleeper - actually makes him stand out. Dunne showed a ton of heart, using his agility to survive and eventually get some offense in (including a sit-out powerbomb from the corner and a double stomp to the outside). Walter hit a simple powerbomb that looked like it could've won the match just because of the way he used his body to make the cover after - another one of those "little things" that the guy does that make him a special talent. Dunne took an avalanche sleeper suplex from the top rope, but it was the less over-the-top offense that looked like it could've decapitated him - include a stomp right to the neck when he was in a bridge. With few options, Dunne was forced to target Walter's fingers. Towards the end, Walter and Dunne engaged in a brutal series of head-stompings escalating in Dunne applying a submission that featured Walter's fingers being pulled nearly back to his wrist. Walter rolled to the outside and hit a nasty lariat on Dunne, who was perched on the top rope. Dunne countered a splash into a triangle, but Walter fought his way free and then stomped a mudhole into the champ. Dunne again went to the fingers, but got stomped for his efforts and then hit with a second huge lariat. Dunne was able to hit his Bitter End but only for 2, the crowd erupting into a loud "Walter" chant. Dueling chants followed as the two men traded blows in the center of the ring. Dunne ate a big boot and looked to be out, but Walter took too long getting to the top rope, allowing for Dunne to climb up and apply a triangle. Walter countered with a ridiculous release powerbomb from the top and then hit a big splash to end the reign of Pete Dunne. An absolutely great match that was only hurt a little bit by the somewhat contrived powerbomb spot (why Dunne would attempt a triangle choke on the top rope to a guy with a powerbomb finish made little sense). At this point, this show featured as good a string of matches as I can ever recall watching back-to-back. (4/5)

The NXT Women's Championship was on the line in the next bout - champion Shayna Baszler defending against Io Shirai, Kairi Sane, and Bianca Belair. This was another absolutely awesome match and one that offered something different than what came before it. Sane and Shirai showed why so many were clamoring for them to challenge Bayley and Sasha for the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles this weekend, while Belair proved she's no "one hit wonder," delivering two insane power spots (a military press that sent Shirai over the top rope and a double KOD on the Sky Pirates). Baszler's job was to play spoiler, eat a ton of offense as the biggest target in the match, and sell - and she did all three of those things perfectly. I read a Facebook post by someone whining about Baszler's reign going too long, but like Asuka before her, I'm not bothered by her dominance (and can't see how any should be) when you consider how consistently great her matches have been. I'm not quite sure this was as "must see" as the previous two bouts, but it was still very, very good, arguably even better than the opener, and, on a lesser show, could have easily been a Match of the Night level bout. (4/5)

Main event time - Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole for the vacant NXT Championship. The crowd was, somewhat oddly, split, with a sizable portion of the audience backing the heel Adam Cole. In my opinion, Gargano's heel turn this year was contrived, ill-fitting, and did nothing for him except kill some of the natural sympathy and support he had from the crowd. This one started with a little bit more of a deliberate pace than anything else on the show, but it still featured lots of rope-running, counters, and head-scissors in the first few minutes - a 205 Live version of "slow," really. The crowd was with them, the dueling chants breaking out every couple of minutes. The first fall was a touch uneventful, with Cole winning cleanly with a kick to the back of the skull. This is one of the problems with having matches like the ones Gargano had against Ciampa, where he withstood such crazy violence that taking a kick to the back of the head becomes an unbelievable finish. A minute laer, Cole hit his Last Shot, but Gargano kicked out of it - I woud've preferred to see him fall to that move, but whatever. Gargano recovered to take over the match and hit some moves to the outside. Cole then hit the Ujigoroshi back in the ring and followed it up with an attempt at a super powerbomb, only for Gargano to reverse it into an Air Raid Crash from the top rope (an homage to his former tag partner Ciampa). Gargano hit a slingshot DDT on the apron that left Cole in a heap on the outside and earned a "Mamma Mia" chant. Back in the ring they went where Cole tapped to Gargano's crossface submission immediately, knowing that sustaining prolonged damage would've made it even harder for him to win the final fall. Gargano rolled away and he and Cole stared each other down, Gargano sliced open a bit above his right eye. The fight continued and both guys stepped up their offense - Gargano tossing Cole like a lawn dart into the middle buckle, Cole and Gargano stunning each other with simultaneous superkicks, the UE leader hitting Johnny Wrestling with a superkick to the back of the head and then a straightjacket suplex. At one point the crowd erupted into a "Both These Guys" chants and while their efforts were commendable, I found some of the decisions made in this match - from a storytelling perspective - to be a bit questionable. That's not to say there weren't' great moments, especially during the suspenseful third fall. For example, in one sequence, Gargano hit Cole with his signature headscissors spike and then a sharp superkick to the jaw only for Cole to roll out of the ring and escape a would-be guaranteed pinfall loss. Unfortunately, this effective and smart sequence was a bit tainted by what followed - a string of big moves followed by blatant no-selling and "workrate porn." The crowd loved it and popped huge...but its hard to tell the story of this match being an epic battle when major maneuvers are undersold so blatantly. They headed out of the ring and we got our first "hardcore" spot of the night, a Fairy Tale Ending from Adam Cole onto Gargano on the announcer table. Cole then told the ref to make the count - a clever callback to Gargano refusing to do the same earlier in the match. Gargano beat the count but got superkicked. Cole went for the cover for 2 and the crowd popped huge again, the dueling chants erupting once more. Cole went for another superkick but Gargano caught him with one of his own, only for Cole to hit another superkick. Cole went to the top, but Gargano caught him with a submission. Roderick Strong ran down the aisle, distracting the ref and allowing for O'Reilly and Fish to poke Gargano in the eye to break the hold. O'Relly and Fish then hit their finish and sent the referee (who had been momentarily knocked out) back into the ring...only for Gargano to kickout at 2! The crowd was going batshit by this point. Cole went for another superkick (I think?), but Gargano back-body dropped him out of the ring and onto his UE brethren. Gargano then hit superkicks on all of the UE, taking them out 1-on-3. Back in the ring he went, but Cole delivered two superkicks and another Last Shot...for 2 again! A massive NXT chant rang out followed by a "This is Awesome!" chant. Cole went for another Last Shot only for Gargano to counter it with his submission and tap Cole! Gargano wins! I wasn't a huge fan of the first fall, I liked the second fall better, and the final fall was a bit of a mixed bag (with some excellent offense and some very not-so-good underselling). But this match also featured arguably the best 3-4 minute conclusion to any match in recent memory with an emotional post-match scene. The only thing keeping this from "must see" territory is that I'm not sure I'd revisit before any other match on this show. (3.5/5)


The best NXT Takeover in at least a year, this show earned a strong Kwang Rating of 3.90-out-of-5, with 4 out of 5 matches potentially ranking in my Top 10 Matches of the Year list come December. The opener was a terrific send-off to Aleister Black and Ricochet, the NXT North American Title match was a fantastic clash of strong characters, and the UK Title Match felt like a worthy "passing of the torch" moment as (hopefully) Pete Dunne makes his way to the main roster so he can prove his mettle against more established stars. I'm all in on Shayna Baszler's title reign - she might be the best, most natural heel the WWE has developed since The Miz. If she doesn't rank in the top 5 currently in the whole company, I'm not sure who would. I wasn't a huge fan of the main event - definitely not as much as Dave Meltzer (who described it as maybe the best WWE match ever) - but the last fall was spectacular and pushed it well into "above-average" territory. One of the best beginning-to-end shows that the WWE has ever produced.

FINAL RATING - Curt Hennig Level

WWE Fastlane 2019

WWE Fastlane 2019

Cleveland, Ohio - March 2019

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the Universal Champion was Brock Lesnar, the WWE Champion was Daniel Bryan, Finn Balor held the IC Title, while the US Title was held by Samoa Joe. The Smackdown Tag Champions were The Usos, while The Revival held the RAW Tag Titles. The RAW Women's Champion was Ronda Rousey and the SmackDown Women's Champion was Asuka.

COMMENTATORS: Saxton, Graves, Cole, Young, and Phillips

Fastlane kicked off with hometown hero The Miz tagging with Shane McMahon in an attempt to win back the SmackDown Tag Team Championships from The Usos. While the Miz/McMahon moments on SmackDown have been pretty good, I haven't found their PPV matches to be "must see." This one benefitted considerably from a hot crowd, but as McMahon gets older, it becomes even harder to take him seriously as an in-ring competitor. The Miz, to me, is still not a great babyface - though he's come a long way from his disastrous run as Ric Flair's protege years ago. There was a crazy spot where Shane McMahon dropkicked one of the Usos as they came flying off the other corner, but it didn't look too great live (the replay was better). The real story of the match came after the Usos had retained as Shane McMahon proceeded to turn on Miz and then assault his father. Shane's post-match attack went on for at least 2 minutes too long and included a woeful arm bar submission that makes absolutely no sense in the context of a post-match beatdown. Again, the crowd's disdain for Shane and support for the Miz was the only thing that saved the segment as, in front of a less emotionally invested audience, this would've have either had the reverse effect (see Charlotte attacking Rousey at Survivor Series) or just gotten crickets. (2/5)

Next up, Asuka defended the SmackDown Women's Championship against Mandy Rose (who was accompanied by Sonya Deville). I complained last month about the Elimination Chamber needing an Asuka match, but this probably didn't help my case. Rose's inexperience showed and the usual "big fight feel" of an Asuka match just wasn't there. Asuka controlled early, but after Deville's distraction, it was Mandy Rose who was in the driver's seat. There was a noticeable botch when Rose had Asuka on her shoulders and while they recovered, the match never went to a second gear (let alone a third). The ending felt a little flat too and I'm not sure why, if the story here is that Asuka is reclaiming her "top guy" status, they didn't just let her win clean. (1.5/5)

Earlier in the pre-show, Kofi Kingston had been summoned to Vince's office and he's still standing outside the door. The rest of New Day show up and tell him to go into the office and they do - with Vince joking that he's been waiting for him for over an hour. Xavier and Big E convince Vince to do the right thing and make tonight's WWE Championship match a triple threat. Vince agrees and says the match...is next!

To the ring we go for the inevitable screwjob - Kofi Kingston makes his way down the aisle, but it is soon announced that he's not going to compete for the WWE Championship after all; he's going to wrestle a handicap match against The Bar. The crowd boos as The Bar make their way down and and destroy Kingston (who gets in a little bit of offense here or there but ultimately gets taken out with some ease). The rest of New Day try to make the save, but Rusev and Nakamura attack them too. The crowd chanted "This is Boring" at one point. Personally, I'm all about Kingston getting a shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, but am less enthused that this has become yet another McMahon-led angle rather than just having Kingston and Daniel Bryan tell the story of a popular, undersung hero (who also happens to sell a ton of merch and useless crap) trying to live his dream by taking the World Title off of an ungrateful villain that has forgotten all that the fans did for him. This wasn't a match so much as a segment, so I'm not going to rate it.

The RAW Tag Team Championships were on the line next as The Revival defended against Ricochet and Aleister Black and the team of Chad Gable and Bobby Roode. According to various reports, The Revival and Gable/Roode have been putting on 30+ minute classics on the house show circuit and the inclusion of Black and Ricochet guaranteed even more action to be packed between the bells. I'm not necessarily a fan of Black and Ricochet teaming up as I think they are far more valuable as singles stars. That being said, it'd be inaccurate to say that their inclusion in a match like this detracts from it. They are undeniably getting over because they are both captivating performers. Still, what prevents a match like this from feeling even a tenth as great as the #DIY/Revival/AoP matches from yesteryear is that Ricochet and Black come off as two singles guys with no real shared history or purpose. Meanwhile, The Revival are fantastic, but their feud with Gable and Roode is too impersonal for me to be emotionally invested (or at least the commentators and video packages failed to highlight any real issues between the teams that I could gather). A good, not great match. (3/5)

Samoa Joe defended the United States Championship against Andrade Almas, R-Truth, and Rey Mysterio next. The crowd was hot for Joe, which is no surprise considering he has been killing it on SmackDown with his promos. Like the previous match, the talent level guaranteed a ton of excitement before the bell even rang and when it did sound, the four combatants immediately lit up the crowd with dives and multi-man sequences. At least an extra half-point should be given for the work of Carmella and Zelina Vega, who maximized their minutes and got a huge response for their physicality. This match was spirited and engaging, with everyone getting in at least one or two spotlight moments, including a clever homage to John Cena from R-Truth. I wouldn't call it a "must see" match, but it was the best of the night up to this point by a fairly wide margin. (3.5/5)

Beth Pheonix joined the commentary team for The Boss N' Hug Connection's very first Women's Tag Team Championship defense against the monstrous team of Nia Jax and Tamina. After an initial flurry from the babyfaces, the heels took over. Nia hit a beautiful powerbomb on Bayley, allowing Tamina to then apply a headlock and cut the ring in half. Sasha got the hot tag soon after and made Tamina look silly, outsmarting and outmaneuvering her at every turn. She was finally cut off by a Nia Jax Samoan Drop, which Banks sold like death. Bayley then came in and hit a running kee and a pair of back elbows. Jax and Tamina both ran into the posts and went to the floor and Banks and Bayley  connected with some splashes to maintain control on the outside. Bayley hit an elbow back on the mat for two, the babyfaces really dominating this match far more than I expected. Bayley counted a powerbomb with a hurricanrana to get the clean three, but after the match, the heels beat them down. The post-match segment saw a heated staredown between Beth Phoenix and Tamina, with Nia Jax then attacking Pheonix and tossing her into the ring. The crowd was livid for this, popping huge for the (failed) save by Natalya. I'm thinking that this is setting the stage for a triple threat match at WrestleMania. I'm not opposed to the idea, though I was definitely hoping we'd get Io Shirai and Kairi Sane challenging the Boss N' Hug Connection instead. A "good enough" match with an intriguing post-match segment. Worked for me. (3/5)

It might be worth noting here just how awful the commentary was for the previous match and, sadly, for some of the main event matches that followed. Graves' schtick during the Mandy Rose match was annoying, but by this point, his constant bickering with Renee Young was drowning out the visual action. I'd be curious to hear what a two-person booth would be like with Young and Cole just commentating and limiting the editorials. I don't know if this would just lead to Graves laying it on even thicker on SmackDown, but at least his antagonistic taunts wouldn't dominate the whole show. Graves' commentary has become so annoying that I'm close to subtracting a point from this show. Moving on...

Daniel Bryan defended the WWE Championship in the next bout - but it wasn't just to Kevin Owens (as advertised) and Kofi Kingston wasn't added to the match. No, Mustafa Ali was the lucky performer to get inserted into the bout. At first, the crowd was none-too-happy about him being included, but he is such a wonderful daredevil babyface that they eventually got behind him by the end. Owens didn't get that big of a response as the crowd vehemently chanted "We Want Kofi" at various times during the match's opening 5 minutes. Bryan's heel work was terrific - as it has been for months now - though I'm still not fa fan of Erick Rowan as some of his offense, which is pretty basic stuff, looks sloppy. Ali was the star of this match, taking some ridiculous bumps (including one into the barricade that looked like something out of a video game). He was in a tough position having to win over a crowd that seemed bothered to see him return and he still managed to do it - in fact, at one point I even daydreamed about the idea of him somehow shocking the world and winning the title and then facing Kofi at Mania in a "Boyhood Dream vs. Boyhood Dream" face/face scenario. It'd be an interesting dynamic, but I don't think the WWE would go for it. In terms of Bryan's recent run of amazing matches, this wasn't tip-top shelf, but it was still considerably better than average (thanks, in large part, to Ali's performance). (3.5/5)

Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte followed in a match where, if Becky could manage to eke out a win, she'd be inserted into the WrestleMania RAW Women's Championship bout. Lynch and Charlotte had some strong matches in 2018, but I wasn't too excited about this. This entire Lynch/Charlotte/Stephanie/Rousey storyline has been overwrought and fussy, forcing this match to happen out of "unnecessary necessity." Charlotte controlled much of the match, which made sense considering that Lynch is still selling a damaged knee. As she looked to finish off Lynch, Rousey showed up and caused the DQ, giving Lynch the cheap victory. Storyline-wise, this made perfect sense as Rousey has been actively seeking to get Lynch into the match, but that didn't make this match/segment a "must see" moment. It was what it was. Here's hoping the triangle match at Mania makes up for this underwhelming storyline. (2/5)

Main event time - The Shield vs. Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin. When The Shield debuted years ago, there was some question about how good their 6-man tag matches would be. Independently, Ambrose and Rollins had indie cred and Reigns had the undeniable bloodline, but the WWE had never been a "tag-centric" territory. There was reason to be suspicious about whether or not a 3-man group could be a legit main event act. Over the course of the next several months, they exceeded expectations and delivered riveting matches on PPV (it didn't hurt that they were frequently slotted against peak-era Team Hell No). Still, with this being Reigns comeback and the WWE really pushing this as Dean Ambrose's "last ride," the crowd was fairly hot - even for the mediocre, middling opening stretch. Oddly, it was Ambrose, the guy leaving the company, that shined brightest for his team, flying off the post in the first great spot of the match. Corbin and Reigns kept things going in the ring as the other four ventured into the crowd and back again with Rollins delivering an excellent splash from the stands at one point. Reminiscent of the Shield/Evolution matches from yesteryear but with only a fraction of the gravitas, this match earned a "This is Awesome" chant by the last few minutes - a feat that The Sheild and the Wyatts earned in the first minute of their match years ago. The post-match felt emotional and real without being too saccharine. A good final outing, but nothing that will (or should) make anyone's Match of the Year list in 2019. (3/5)


Fastlane 2009 was a solid show, but not a must-see one. There were a number of above-average matches in the night and plenty of storyline progression, but it also felt overbooked at times. Elias' recurring cameos were filler (as was the Lacey Evans one). The inclusion of Mustafa Ali was a headscratcher that could've died a terrible death - if it wasn't for Mustafa Ali nearly killing himself to get over with the live crowd. The Kofi squash made storyline sense, as did Shane's beatdown of Miz, but both neither would ever be confused with the grittier, more personal, more emotion, more iconic angles that the WWE and NWA could be counted on for 20-30 years ago. One could argue we've seen it all in 2019, but I find that to be a bit of a cop-out. The WWE needs to just work that much harder at creating interesting moments. With a Kwang Score of 2.69-out-of-5, this was a middle of the road show with two very good-not-quite-"must see" matches. Recommended to only the biggest modern WWE marks.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuever