WEEKLY OVERVIEW – WWE (thru 8/16): Top stories of week, major show lineups, live event results, schedule of live events, noteworthy social media posts, more

By Zach Graham, PWTorch Contributor

Former champion reportedly returning to WWE

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

The following article is part of our Weekly Overview Series to help put in perspective major wrestling promotions with a weekly overview, looking at news and roster developments, results, future line-ups, social media activity, key interviews, plus a timely commentary at the end. We will be featuring similar features on other promotions each week and each will be updated weekly.


•Top Stories of the Week

  • WWE announced on Raw this week that they are bringing back the King of the Ring tournament next week on Raw. Baron Corbin, Cesaro, Cedric Alexander, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, and The Miz have been announced as the eight participants from Raw and Ali, Andrade, Apollo Crews, Buddy Murphy, Chad Gable, Elias, Kevin Owens, and Shelton Benjamin will be the eight Smackdown representatives. Madison Square Garden announced that they will be the host site for the Semi-Finals of the King of the Ring tournament when they host both Raw and Smackdown on September 9 and 10.
  • Boston will host SummerSlam in 2020. WWE broke the news last Thursday, announcing that they will have four straight nights of WWE airing from the TD Garden starting with Smackdown on Friday following by NXT Saturday, SummerSlam Sunday, and Raw on Monday.
  • WWE and Roman Reigns announced that he signed a new contract with WWE last week.
  • WWE held a tryout in Canada this week and a video was posted on the WWE Performance Center YouTube channel. Among the participants was Santino Marella’s daughter Bianca Carelli. The full video is posted below in the Social Media Highlights section.
  • WWE welcomed in a new class of wrestlers into the WWE Performance Center, as well as a new coach. Tokimitsu Ishizawa (a.k.a. Kendo Kashin) has joined the Performance Center as a coach, while a class of nine wrestlers were also announced on Wednesday this week. The two biggest names from this class are Austin Theory (shown at NXT Takeover: Toronto on Saturday) and Santana Garrett. For more information about all of the wrestlers, you can read the WWE.com announcement HERE.
  • SummerSlam only featured one title change as Seth Rollins wins back the Universal Championship from Brock Lesnar in the Main Event

•WWE TV Match Results

WWE SummerSlam (Aired on WWE Network) 8/11/19

Kickoff Show

  • (1) Drew Gulak (c) defeated Oney Lorcan to retain the Cruiserweight Championship
  • (2) Buddy Murphy beat Apollo Crews by Disqualification after Rowan attacked Murphy
  • (3) Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross (c) beat The IIconics to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships

Main Card

(1) Becky Lynch (c) beat Natalya in a Submission match with the Dis-Arm-Her to retain the Raw Women’s Championship

(2) Goldberg defeated Dolph Ziggler

(3) A.J. Styles (c) (w/ Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) beat Ricochet to retain the United States Championship’

(4) Bayley (c) pinned Ember Moon to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship

(5) Kevin Owens defeated Shane McMahon (w/ Elias as Special Guest Enforcer)

(6) Charlotte beat Trish Stratus

(7) Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Randy Orton ends in a Double Count Out. Kofi retains the WWE Championship

(8) “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt beat Finn Balor

(9) Seth Rollins defeated Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) to win back the Universal Championship

Monday Night Raw TV Results 8/12/19

(1) Samoa Joe beat Sami Zayn

(2) The Miz defeated Dolph Ziggler

(3) Ricochet beat Elias

(4) Andrade (w/ Zelina Vega) defeated Rey Mysterio in a 2 out of 3 falls match by winning the first and second fall

(5) Drew McIntyre beat Cedric Alexander

(6) Robert Roode defeated No Way Jose

(7) The Revival vs. Lucha House Party ends in no contest after R-Truth and the 24/7 Championship contender parade interrupts

(8) The Viking Raiders beat Carter Mason & Sebastian Suave

(9) Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross (c) beat The Kabuki Warriors to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships

(10) Seth Rollins beat A.J. Styles (w/ Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows) via Disqualification after Gallows & Anderson interfere and attack Rollins

24/7 Championship Update

  • The Revival simultaneously pinned R-Truth
  • R-Truth pinned Scot Dawson
  • Elias pinned R-Truth to win the 24/7 Championship

Smackdown Live TV Results 8/13/19

(1) Charlotte beat Ember Moon

(2) Roman Reigns defeated Buddy Murphy

(3) Samoa Joe beat Kevin Owens (w/ Elias as Special Guest Enforcer) with a quick count by Elias

(4) Randy Orton & The Revival beat The New Day

205 Live Results (Aired on WWE Network) 8/13/19

(1) Akira Tozawa beat Jack Gallagher

(2) Kalisto, Lince Dorado, & Humberto Carillo defeated Ariya Daivari & The Singh Brothers

(3) Drew Gulak beat Oney Lorcan

WWE Main Event (Aired on Hulu and WWE Network) 8/15/19

(1) Lacey Evans beat Dana Brooke

(2) EC3 & Cesaro defeated Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins

Source: WKPWP Post-Raw On-Site Correspondent


•Upcoming Events

  • Fri. 8/16/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Bismarck Event Center, Bismarck, N.D.
  • Sat. 8/17/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
  • Sat. 8/17/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Alerus Center, Grand Forks, N.D.
  • Sun. 8/18/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Chi Health Center, Omaha, Neb.
  • Sun. 8/18/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Fargodome, Fargo, N.D.
  • Mon. 8/19/19 WWE Raw, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.
  • Tue. 8/20/19 WWE Smackdown, Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.
  • Fri. 8/23/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, CenturyLink Center, Bossier City, La.
  • Sat. 8/24/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Jockey Club Del Perú, Santiago, De Surco, Peru
  • Sat. 8/24/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Cajundome, Lafayette, La.
  • Sun. 8/25/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Coliseo Roberto Duran, Panama City, Panama
  • Sun. 8/25/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Mobile Civic Center, Mobile, Ala.
  • Mon. 8/26/19 WWE Raw, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, La.
  • Tue. 8/27/19 WWE Smackdown, Raising Cane’s River Center, Baton Rouge, La.
  • Fri. 8/30/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor, Maine
  • Sat. 8/31/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Cross Insurance Arena, Portland, Maine
  • Sun. 9/1/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Westchester County Center, White Plains, N.Y.
  • Mon. 9/2/19 WWE Raw, Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore, Md.
  • Tue. 9/3/19 WWE Smackdown, Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va.
  • Thu. 9/5/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile
  • Fri. 9/6/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Harbour Station, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
  • Fri. 9/6/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Luna Park Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Sat. 9/7/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Halifax Forum, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Sun. 9/8/19 WWE Live Event – Super Show, War Memorial Arena, Syracuse, N.Y.
  • Mon. 9/9/19 WWE Raw, Madison Square Garden, New York City, N.Y.
  • Tue. 9/10/19 WWE Smackdown, Madison Square Garden, New York City, N.Y.
  • Fri. 9/13/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, McKenzie Arena, Chattanooga, Tenn.
  • Sat. 9/14/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Macon Centreplex Coliseum, Macon, Ga.
  • Sun. 9/15/19 WWE Clash of Champions, Spectrum Centre, Charlotte, N.C.
  • Mon. 9/16/19 WWE Raw, Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Tue. 9/17/19 WWE Smackdown, State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Ga.
  • Fri. 9/20/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Stampede Corral, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • Fri. 9/20/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Araneta Coliseum, Manila, Philippines
  • Sat. 9/21/19 WWE Live Event – Raw Roster, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Sat. 9/21/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Mercedes Benz Arena, Shanghai, China
  • Sun. 9/22/19 WWE Live Event – Smackdown Roster, Neal S. Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Mon. 9/23/19 WWE Raw, Chase Center, San Francisco, Calif.
  • Tue. 9/24/19 WWE Smackdown, Chase Center, San Francisco, Calif.

•Latest TV Highlights

Monday Night Raw

– Seth Rollins opened Raw this week to celebrate his championship win at SummerSlam. He credited the fans with giving him the edge he needed to defeat Lesnar especially after being beaten down by Lesnar heading into Sunday. Seth was interrupted by The OC. A.J. Styles grabbed the microphone and said they were just out there to congratulate him on his victory and while he may not have to worry about Lesnar anymore, he does have to worry about him. Styles challenged him to a match and after thinking about it for a second, Seth agreed. Styles went to shake his hand, but Rollins hesitated with Gallows and Anderson in the ring watching closely. They climbed out of the ring, and Styles tried shaking his hand again indicating it will just be a one on one match, no need to worry. Rollins shook his hand and Gallows and Anderson quickly jumped up onto the ring apron and Styles made a quick lunge and Rollins to spook him. The OC laughed at Seth’s nervousness and mocked him for being scared as the segment ended. So, in the main event it was Rollins vs A.J. Styles, who didn’t come alone. The match went for a couple of minutes before Seth appeared to be taking control and setting Styles up for a Stomp when Gallows and Anderson jumped in the ring and attacked. Seth was in a three on one beat down until Ricochet came out to help him. Ricochet was dispatched of and then Braun Strowman’s music played and he took out all three members of The OC one by one clearing the ring. Raw went off the air with Rollins. Strowman, and Ricochet standing tall together.

– Brock Lesnar was shown to have a locker backstage, but we never saw him. Instead, we saw Paul Heyman emerge from the locker room with an announcement. He said WWE made a declarative statement that Lesnar gets no title rematches against Seth. Heyman stammered trying to articulate his frustration and when he couldn’t he just turned around and stormed back into the locker room.

– Sasha Banks made her return to WWE television this week. She has not been seen since WrestleMania before Raw this week. The segment started with Natalya in the ring with her arm in a sling. Natalya acknowledged the match she lost against Becky and SummerSlam, she said she has a dislocated elbow, and she doesn’t regret a single thing she said about Becky. She went to change the subject to her father, she said she had a dream that her dad spoke to her and told her how proud he was of her and said it was one year to the day that her father passed away. Sasha Banks’ music interrupted and the place went nuts. To the sound of Corey Graves protesting Sasha, she made her way down to the ring, she gave Natalya a hug, and asked for the microphone before attacking Natalya. Sasha removed her purple wig to reveal a new blue hair color and continued the attack on Natalya. Becky would eventually come down to try and help Natalya, but Sasha had a chair by this point and she turned her attack on Becky who would be the victim of around ten chair shots, including one that accidentally hit her in the back of the head.

Smackdown Live

– Kevin Owens was the first person to appear on Smackdown tonight. He walked down the to the ring to a huge ovation by the fans in Toronto and he was there to celebrate beating Shane McMahon. Owens talked about his family being in the front row at SummerSlam and getting to experience the crowd that night. He laughed as he acknowledged his low blow to Shane, then turned his attention to the King of the Ring tournament. He talked about loving it growing up and said it’s just as important to him as winning any of the championships he’s won in WWE. Shane McMahon interrupted. Shane called Owens a cheater and told him that’s something he’ll have to live with for the rest of his life now. Shane then fined Owens $100,000 for attacking Elias who was an official. Owens was angry and said that $100,000 may just be a new car for Shane, but that’s everything for his family like his kids’ college or a down payment on a house. Shane left without a care. After the commercial Owens walked into Shane’s backstage office. Shane threatened to sue Owens if he hit him as he antagonized Owens to do so. Owens appeared frustrated before saying “Let’s make it 105” before grabbing a chair and smashing it through a television. Later, a match between Owens and Samoa Joe was announced. Just before the match began, Elias wandered down to the ring to be a guest official at ringside, just like he was at SummerSlam. At one point, Owens had the match won, but Elias grabbed the referee and threw him out of the ring. Owens yelled at him before Joe rolled him up and Elias counted the quick three for the win.

– The New Day had a match scheduled with The Revival. Kofi was going to accompany Big E and Xavier Woods for their match. After they entered the ring, Randy Orton walked out to address Kofi. Orton said Kofi ran away from a fight on Sunday right in front of his wife and kids. He said one day Kofi’s sons will grow up and ask him why he took the easy way out and he’ll have to look them in the eye and tell them that he can’t beat Randy Orton. Orton said he’d give him another chance tonight, then proposed a six man tag match where he would join The Revival against all three members of the New Day. Orton and The Revival dominated the match, primarily against Xavier Woods who would eventually be pinned after getting hit with a Shatter Machine. After the match The Revival attacked Big E, Kofi came in for the save, but was quickly hit with an RKO by Orton.


·WWE Social Media Highlights

Here is the video WWE posted from their Canadian tryout over SummerSlam weekend.

Come on Roman… Really?

https://twitter.com/WWERomanReigns/status/1161749760749051909

Dash Wilder with some more not-so-subtle complaints about WWE and taking digs at fickle fans.

https://twitter.com/DashWilderWWE/status/1160737116290191360


•Closing Commentary

•So after every Aleister Black match, we’re just going to get him sitting in a dark room and begging for someone to knock again? You can do better than that WWE. Black beats Cesaro, he goes back to his room. He beats Sami Zayn last week, he’s back in the room this week. If you’re going to put him in the room, can you at least give him something better to say then beg someone to knock on the door again? It’s just not much in terms of character development for him to go kick someone’s head off their shoulders, then waltz back into his room to beg someone else to challenge him.

•Okay time for a Roman rant, this time about a simple four word Tweet! Roman retweeted a fan praising him for being able to have a five-star match on any night with any opponent and Roman responded simply with “Best Performance Fighter Alive.” I hate this so much. First, retweeting fan praise is just something that bothers me. Maybe I’m in the minority here, but it comes across as insecure in my eyes. I also despised him calling himself a performance fighter. That’s going to be Vince’s next “sports entertainment” or “WWE Superstar” and I absolutely hate it. YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CALL YOURSELF THAT. It’s unbelievable how hard WWE (and now the WRESTLERS) avoid the word wrestling! It’s just baffling! (Side note: I blame Wade Keller entirely for making this a pet peeve of mine.)

•Sasha had a good reaction upon her return, but I can’t stop replaying what Corey Graves said about her when she came out. Graves’ comments were meant to be heelish, but they rang completely true to me and probably to most fans who know why she actually went away following WrestleMania. Graves said she took her ball and went home and pouted. What part of that is false? I know she’s supposed to be a heel now, but that’s not heel heat to me, it’s go away heat. On top of that it, fairly or unfairly, looks like throwing a fit will get you what you want in WWE right now. Between Sasha, Gallows and Anderson, and The Revival, the people who appeared to have major complaints with WWE are suddenly getting big pushes by management. It could be a coincidence or this entire analysis could be unfair, but that’s the appearance. It’s happening because there is new competition (AEW) with money who would scoop any of those names up in a second, so I get it, but having Corey accentuate it to me wasn’t a good idea.

 

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